The Analogue Way In Digital

UPDATE* From the time I written this, I was doing photography to gain skills on my camera skills for video.  For me photography and filming can interchange with each other.  So when reading this post, I like to point out that even I was writing more for photography.  This can also help with your film/video camera skill as well.

Ever since my new fond love of photography (well, street photography), it made go back to 35mm film.   So I dug out my dad's Minolta XG-9 with a 35mm lens, took it out and then, I broke it.

So what to do now?  

Well obviously I had to get it repaired, but I wanted to practice the way I would use the Minotla XG-9.

I came up with a solution.  As I mentioned in my previous post, I bought myself an old Nikon 50mm lens.  It is now permanently stuck on my 60D.  It's the only lens I now use.  There is no AF, so focusing is done manually.  One step to working towards a analogue setup.

My Nikon AI 50mm with the Nikon-EOS lens adaptor

So how about the roll of film?  How I can replicate the 24 pictures in one roll with a memory card.  Well, I can't.  All I can get is a small sized SD card.

SanDisk 2GB SD card

I tried shopping around for something really small.  I was at Argos and managed to find a 2GB card.  Ideally I wanted to get a 1GB SD card, but I don't think they make them anymore.

But doesn't 2GB hold a lot of pictures?

To really limit myself, I decide to shoot on RAW.  It can hold to at least 50 pictures, just over double of a roll of film.  But hey, it's better than my 16GB.

This is my setup.

My Canon EOS 60D with the Nikon AI 50mm and a 2GB SD card.

Now the real challenge is the shooting.  Now to really limit myself, I decide not to delete any picture as I shoot.  Also, I will not allow myself to look at the pictures until the roll/memory card is full.

Why am I doing this?  The reason why I want to go back to film, is because, of the limitations.  With film, it makes you think more with the camera, whether setting up the focus manually or having to deal with a roll of film that can hold 24 pictures.  Why?  In my opinion these limitation can get you creative and make you think more about the image.  Also, what I like about film, is the mystery of what your image will look like.  It can take a day to develop the film roll.  Unlike today, where you can look back at your image instantly.  With this practice, I believe that it make you put more effort onto an image, instead of just taking one.

Tell me what you think.  Can this method help develop my/yours photography skill?  Do you think we are quite reliant on digital too much?

Oh and I really want to get out there and start shooting, and well, the area I'm in has become stale and boring.  So if you got any suggestions on locations, please send them through.