Hi Everyone,
I have never worked in a darkroom. But they are starting a course early next year. Cant wait to do it. So for those who do both what do you feel about B&W and what gives it better quality. Film or digital?
Chris

Personally, it's film and I think if some of the old masters were alive they would agree.

However ....
When camera makers like Canon and Nikon announce they're no longer developing new film bodies, but you'll be able to buy they bodies they already make - what does that tell you about what you'll have to learn?

Is digital B&W or grayscale and mono?

I decided to continue shooting film as long as they still make it and I have the gear. I don't think film will be obsolete in my lifetime ...

Right now I have one wish about digital. To buy just ONE digital body that is NOT obsolete or the value doesn't depriciate 50% as soon as you open the box.

Quote - Personally, it's film and I think if some of the old masters were alive they would agree.

I'm old-ish :), not a master, but I have worked extensively (shooting and developing) with both PLUS-X and TRI-X Pan Kodak films.  In my opinion, these films provide the best overall results for shooting in black and white.  I always preferred TRI-X for its grain as well as to be able to push it quite a bit.  PLUS-X is much finer grain, better for studio work.  The last time I checked, TRI-X was still the number one choice for film-shooting photojournalists.

Whether or not film B&W can be mimicked by digital WITHIN the camera is certainly debatable (I personally don't feel it can be), but I believe if one has a good grasp of Photoshop one can do a fairly decent job of coming close using various filters or actions.

Quote - I decided to continue shooting film as long as they still make it and I have the gear. I don't think film will be obsolete in my lifetime.

I would agree with your statement; I don't think film will disappear anytime soon.  However, it will, if it hasn't already, fall into the niche or specialized categories of photography.  There is no denying digital reigns supreme now.  And for consumers, this means a much lower cost of ownership over the life of the camera.  But to this day, Arizona Highways Magazine will not accept digital submittals, even from the best Canon.

If there is anything good about all of this, you can get decent 35mm film cameras now for cheap...sans the film processing cost.

Quote - Right now I have one wish about digital. To buy just ONE digital body that is NOT obsolete or the value doesn't depriciate 50% as soon as you open the box.

Ahhh...but isn't it that way with everything?  :)

Gearheads will fret over a camera being obsolete or will spend thousands more on two more megapixels as soon as the camera hits the shelves.  Does it make them better photographers?  No.  Never.  Just like a fast, snazzy sports car doesn't make you a better driver.  It does, however, place you in a lot of debt.

And those who ignore the megapixel wars and focus on skill instead will produce outstanding photographic results while not sending themselves into financial chaos :)

@Chris:  You'll have a lot of fun in the darkroom!  But hold your nose!

@Terradreamer...xlt post and I agree with absolutely everything you've said!  Just to add one thing....I think that conventional film photography is closer to the "specialized" market than we think.  You only need to look at the film cam offerings by the manufacturers....I think Nikon has said it will only produce the high end (F-series) film model from now on.  Currently it only has the FM10 and F6 models available.

Why do i have to hold my nose? The smell or the length of my nose.hehe. Great replies everyone:)
Chris

In fact the old slow film procedure had, in most of the cases, this advantage: photographers were more committed to 'get it right the first time', to avoid the need to reshoot and the extra costs... With digital photography, you can see the results immediately and correct your mistakes on the spot. In general, that was not the case when shooting film (except the professionals who had the privilege to take Polaroid tests first). You really were forced to make less errors... But I do think that digital has more possibilities, and that photographers who know what they're doing, will get just as beautiful results as they did in the old days (nostalgic preferences aside).

It does not make me a master but possibly experienced would be a better description, I have 35 plus years of B & W wet darkroom work but I am now satisfied with the results I get using the digital medium.
I still use the same amount of imagination, technical consideration for the subject to achieve the desired result as I would have done with a film camera, deciding on the required settings etc will make the postwork a much simpler task.
My personal opinion is that the final image must be visualised in your mind when you make the exposure, hence the importance of adjusting  the camera settings in a way to record what you have visualised prior to releasing the shutter.
I am certainly more productive ( even as an amateur ) when I do all I can at the camera stage to minimise the amount of time I have to spend on postwork.
The camera is a photographic tool in the same way as a spanner is a tool to a car mechanic, giving me a top quality spanner will never make me a mechanic, knowledge is king !

I can only agree with much of what has been said. I used to shoot B&W film and develop it myself and loved it. It has been said that B&W film has a much wider dynamic range than color and I tend to agree with that too. That said, shooting in RAW also gives you a wide dynamic range and lets you control how the image is converted to B&W, a valuable asset. If Ansel where still with us I think he'd have embraced digital fully at this point. Enjoy your class Christine. There is nothing quite like working on your images in a darkroom. And the chemical smells are not that bad. ;']

I read Adams and he say he rarely took a preface shot. All his stuff was darkroom work. Read that in the book "The Print"  He showed how he did it worth the money if you doing dark room work. I not but I did some and I know what they talking about. Not good at it but ...
How about the big camers I guess they take good b/w? I love to get on ot thoses 16x20 lol

I have just finished up a b&w series of classes and have really enjoyed it.  It is pure magic to see your print come to life.  I don't think that digital will completely replace film.  I just think it is a different medium.  Granted the camera companies are trying to "force" digital down everyones throat, I think that there are valid reasons for film.  It will definately teach you to be more precise in your picture taking as reshoots will lead to added expense of film.  I used Illford HP5 Plus 400 asa film (found at professional photo stores......not at walmart) and had and continue to get excellent results from it.

Now a film camera with an LCD that approxmates what the images on the film will look like based on the upon the camera settings, that would be something! :)

Yeah it would be awesome Kort.
Chris