We shoot on both film and digital at Spruce Cove Path, and the question we hear most often from new clients is: which should I choose? The honest answer is that it depends on what you want the images to feel like, and what you plan to do with them. Here is how we think about it.
What film actually looks like ¶
Kodak Portra 400, which is what we load in the Mamiya RB67, has a particular color palette: skin tones lean slightly warm, shadows hold detail without going fully black, and there is a grain structure that is visible at larger print sizes. It is not a look you can fully replicate in post-processing, though many people try. The grain is organic. It varies slightly from frame to frame because it is a physical thing, silver halide crystals suspended in gelatin, not a digital pattern.
What digital gives you ¶
The Fujifilm GFX medium-format sensor gives us files that are clean, detailed, and easy to work with in post. We can shoot in lower light without the grain becoming distracting. We can deliver 30 or 50 images from a session rather than 10. The color is accurate and consistent. For family sessions where we need to photograph moving children across a range of lighting conditions, digital is the practical choice. For a single, considered portrait, film is often more interesting.
The question of quantity ¶
A roll of 120 film in the Mamiya gives us 10 frames. That is not a limitation. It is a discipline. When you know you have 10 frames, you slow down. You talk to the subject more. You wait for the right moment rather than shooting continuously and choosing later. Some clients find this nerve-wracking. Others find it liberating. If you are someone who wants to see many options and choose from a large gallery, digital is the better fit.
Cost and timeline ¶
Film sessions are priced lower than digital sessions because the deliverable is smaller: 10 scanned frames rather than 30 edited images. But the total cost including development and scanning at our lab in Yokohama means the per-image cost is higher. The timeline is also longer. Film needs to be developed and scanned before we can deliver, which adds about five days to the turnaround. If you need images quickly, digital is the practical answer.
Our honest recommendation ¶
If you have never had a film portrait taken, try it once. Book a film session as a standalone or add a roll to a digital session. The experience of sitting for 10 frames, slowly, is different from a digital session in a way that is hard to describe until you have done it. The images tend to feel more considered, because they were.
We are not evangelical about film. It is a tool, and like any tool it suits some situations better than others. But we do think it is worth trying at least once, and we are happy to talk through which option fits what you have in mind.