The versatility of digital photography is relegating the long-established film format into the category of fine art and maybe causing the demise of film cameras. Further evidence of this are recent announcements by major camera companies, such as Pentax and Nikon, who are ending their production of nearly all their film products. There will always be the traditionalists, however, who will still prefer this system of recording images, but for many, who have made the conversion, digital is an exhilarating and revolutionary new world. Digital technology gives us new ways to use and share photos quickly.

Digital photography is not necessarily better at producing photographs; in fact top film cameras are still considered to create better images than any corresponding digital camera. However with the speed that digital capability and capacity is progressing, even now it's just a matter of opinion of what format is better.

Although a relatively new medium to the majority of consumers, digital photography brings with it autonomy and the ability to practise creative ideas. Similar to most things in the modern world instant gratification is a major selling point and digital delivers this. The ability to edit and delete photographs almost instantly inspires many, whereas film, on the other hand, is a long drawn out and awkward process before it provides results. To some, however, this is an essential part of film photography.

Traditional photography has been practised for nearly two hundred years and for this reason alone it is doubtful if it will disappear completely. Skilled film photographers have become so because they have discovered something that works for them and, mainly for decidedly personal reasons, have no intention to change their standpoint just for the incentive of progressive technology. This gives grounds for believing that traditional photography will be kept alive.

With the ability of the average consumer, however, to display, print, store, edit, transmit, and document their photographs, the digital camera has changed the field of photography forever. A more diverse group of people are being given the opportunity to participate in the pleasure of capturing memorable occasions and a new world has opened allowing people to learn the skill a good deal faster than traditional film photography.

The popularity of photography has not decreased since the early days of it's development and it gains new converts every day. However, the digital age has seen an unprecedented boom in this art form and with digital cameras improving every day and new technology being developed the trend seems never ending.

Rather than grieve for the demise of film photography we should embrace the rapid development of digital photography, which is the dominant form even now, but is still producing yet further transformation with the exciting, continuing advancement of digital cameras.