Digital BW, The Print

Peter writes:

> The ONLY variable being discussed is whether it's
> cheaper to use a film camera or a digital camera.
> My claim is that for a serious photographer who does
> lots of shooting digital is cheaper.

That is debatable even for color, and is even shakier for black and white.

Electronic cameras are a very poor choice for black and white photography,
unless they are special-purpose cameras dedicated _specifically_ to black
and white (i.e., no filter over the CCD).  Even then, they must be of good
quality to match the range of just about any film (typically 10-12 stops).

> Why is film more convenient and what can't
> you do with digital down the road?

Why is it necessary to justify _not_ going to digital?  If film works, why
change?