Last week I took this 4-hour exposure in the Utah High Uintas Wilderness using film (Kodak Portra 400) in a 50-year old Olympus OM-1 camera with a 35mm lens. (The film sprocket holes were added just for effect.
Although shooting with film has its challenges, it's also very rewarding: I like the "what you see is what you get" honesty. What are your thoughts about going retro?
Some of the challenges of film:
Film and processing costs (a 36-exp roll of 35mm film is about $18 a roll).
You've got to scan the film, if you want to digitally share the images (another expense).
There's no LCD preview to confirm your composition when you're composing in the dark (and your viewfinder image is totally black and virtually worthless).
You don't get to see your results until you process the film.
Some of the benefits of film:
It's more simple than digital: you can take extremely long single exposures for smooth trails, with virtually zero noise build up.
Having to wait for your images to be processed also has some benefits: It forces you to slow down, be more deliberate in your compositions, and to enjoy the moment.
There's a unique satisfaction in producing images the old analog way, that few people know how to do anymore, and to achieve "honest" results that compete with digital.
Learn more: By the way, I'll be giving a presentation on four ways to do star trails (using film is one of those ways) at the Nightscaper Photo Conference in Kanab, Utah (September 26-29). You might want to consider getting tickets before the discounts go away (I doubt if these will last much longer).