Simon Campbell

Posted at 1749 hours on 31/08/11 | Posted in Life, Music

Digital, film, vinyl

Since the emergence of digital recording, the battle for sonic superiority between vinyl and digital has created a great deal of controversy and with the current resurgence in vinyl sales, it doesn’t look to end soon. Is it going to be the same for film cameras?

Since the emergence of digital recording, the battle for sonic superiority between vinyl and digital has created a great deal of controversy and with the current resurgence in vinyl sales, it doesn’t look to end soon.

I agree that vinyl sounds ‘different’ than digital. It’s sort of warmer and richer but if you look at the old school technology involved, this comes from musical distortion rather like a beautiful valve amp. I do love the sound and am playing it more and more.

The real deal though to me is still tape. A 1/2” mastering machine running at 30 inches per second has formidable, and in my opinion, unparalleled quality. No digital estimations, calculations, dither or sample rates, just molecules of Iron / Chromium Oxide being aligned in different orientations.

Digital, is getting better by the day and to me sounds great if you are listening during the recording process prior to being degraded to 16bit CD quality. My next album will be released on vinyl and have an optional 24bit download for all you audiophiles out there!

Film frenzy

OK, does the same apply to film? Over the past 18 months I have become firm friends with a world class and award winning photographer Phil Kneen.

We first met when he was taking some publicity shots for me. He was using a medium format Hasselblad. The results were really awesome and it was then I drew a parallel between recording sound and photography.

It sort of makes sense really as film works on a molecular level, rather like tape (albeit tape relies on particles around 0.5 micrometers, so a bit bigger than molecules).

The header shot is a picture taken by Phil on film and the one below is taken on digital. He says “I am using more and more film for people who really want the best. My digital camera’s are fantastic, but the smoother tone of film takes a picture from good to great. “

I have to agree. Long live old school…

To see the pictures taken by Phil on film, go to my flickr stream.

2 comments

1. steve on 25/11/11 at 1154 hours

   Fully agree and miss my old film cameras…..the subject matter chosen here is though terrible and film has done little to improve it.

2. Simon Campbell on 26/11/11 at 1217 hours

   Indeed Mr Finch, but it just goes to show that you can polish a turd.

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