Is a digital camera cheaper in the long run

[marla]

Is a digital camera cheaper in the long run do you think? I know they are a lot more expensive to purchase. Aren't they several hundred dollars? But I understand if you take a bad photo, you can erase it and then only print the photos you want. Is the printing price for digital photos the same as for regular prints? Is it worth the investment or should I stick with my regular camera I have?

[DivaJen]

I think one thing you have to take into consideration is how much you want the actual prints on paper. If this is important an you will be printing out a lot of pictures, then do some comparisons for developing in town, and online at places like Shutterfly, Ofoto, etc. You might also consider the cost of paper, ink and a good picture-printing printer.

Personally, I love having both a 35mm camera and a digital camera. DH and I have thousands of photos stored on CDs and in iPhoto on our Macs - way more than we would ever have paid to have developed. Sharing photos of DD with out of town family and friends is easy when the photos are digital to begin with. And it's greta being able to pictures immediately, deleting the bads ones on the fly.

I'm reasonably certain our Costco does digital photo printing. I know their prices for 35mm film are much better than anywhere else in town.

[PrincessPerky]

We only use the digital one, we are the procrastinators, so we never would go get the 35mm film developed, but I have the pictures downloaded on my computer in no time. We love being able to email them, and we use them to make the family newsletter, whihc I need to go finish now.

cost wise I have no idea, it does cost to buy the film, but since we would never develope it we wouldnt realy have that expense .

[mom-from-missouri]

I find it is much much cheaper. You only print the pictures you want. The rest you can delete, or store on CD. I hate using my 35mm and getting the film develped to find have the pictures are of chopped off heads and bad shots. With my digital, I can tall right after I take it to delete and re-shoot, or keep it. I took pictures all over the house for insurance purposes. I took over 250 pictures--all are one 1 CD in the safety deposit box. To develop them-it would have really added up. Each vacation is also on its own CD. Out of each trip, I may take several hundred pictures, but only want prints of a few. If we want the rest, we just pop in the CD to the computer and there they are.
pictures you really want to keep I would copy on CD. Don't leave in your PC alone, as a virus or lightening hit could take them all out.

[amomof4]

I use to hate digital cameras as I was into scrapbooking. But now I realize that they are cheaper in the long run because you only print the photos that u want. U can also delete all the bad shots & retake them immediately. So when little Johnny sticks out his tongue just as the photo is taken for the family photo, u can delete it & retake it. On the other hand, u might want to print it too so that u can embarrass him when he's grown.

[PrincessPerky]

nah don't print it, he might get rid of it. Save it on the computer and back it up. To be emailed to his future Girlfriend

[Janean]

I have several cameras from over the years, including a very expensive 35 mm with all the attachments. I still love that camera...it is great. However, a couple of years ago my husband bought me a digital camera for our anniversary. I must tell you, I don't think I have ever enjoyed anything more. A big difference is that you never "hold back" on taking pictures with the digital, where with the others you pick and choose. Then, if there are pictures you don't want...just simply delete them. I only wish I'd had this when my children were young.

[dax248]

I love my digital camera. I have taken many more pictures with it than I was taking before, and it also allowed me to get back into scrapbooking. I only print the pictures that I want. Also, you can get a good camera for under $200 now at the chain stores.