Digital Cameras (I have no idea on photography)

[Matt]

Hi guys,
I can honestly say that I have pretty much never taken a photo in my life, zoo animals when I was about six being the only exception.

So I was hoping someone would be able to help me with a couple of questions that I need to get answered.

Firstly:
Is it possible to tell whether a photograph has been taken on a digital camera, or whether it has been taken on a normal camera, developed at the local chemist shop and then scanned onto a computer.

I know digital cameras can produce better quality in theory, but is it really that noticable? Does it depend on the quality of the scanner etc.?

Secondly, and this one will prove I have no idea:
Is it possible to tell whether two photos were taken by the same digital camera? Do they have some kind of digital watermark or the like that would be able to distinguish which camera they came from?
If so, how would this be done? Would it require someone very specialised to do this?


Thanks for any help,
Matt

[TPF Sponsor]

[bogleric]

Gee Matt it almost sounds like you are trying to rip off some pic's

[voodoocat]

I know digital cameras can produce better quality in theory, but is it really that noticable? Does it depend on the quality of the scanner etc.?

Maybe when displayed on a computer monitor. But isn't the point of photography to make prints? A lot of people judge an image based on what they see on the monitor.

[drlynn]

As a matter of fact, it has only been recently, with digital SLR's costing several thousand dollars, that digital has equalled 35mm film in resolution and grain.

I have only seen one review of a digital camera that outperformed medium format film, and that was the $18,000 Hasselblad H1 with Kodak digital back.

Dollar for dollar, film still gives much higher quality prints.

[Matt]

Gee Matt it almost sounds like you are trying to rip off some pic's

Nothing to do with stealing other people's photography.
I'm more than happy to pay for things I have no chance of doing as wel myself

I actually need to know the information for a piece of writing.

Maybe when displayed on a computer monitor. But isn't the point of photography to make prints?

I need the information in respect to digital photographs (i.e. transmitted over the web) as opposed to printed photos.

So basically you are saying that there is no real way to tell whether an image has come from a digital camera or been scanned?

Thanks,
Matt

[voodoocat]

Well if your goal is to display images on the web go with digital.

I'm sure someone would be able to somehow figure out if an image came from a digital camera or film... but I doubt anyone would see an image and immediately tell if it's digital or film.

[Dew]

most times i can tell if its digital or film ... the reason being ... if its scanned on a crappy scanner ... i can tell right away ... the image looks very flat, no contrast... after that, most times it needs some work to look like the print (going to web)