Thirty-five millimeter versus digital photography: comparison of photographic quality and clinical evaluation

The objective of this article is to assess the quality of digital images versus standard 35-mm photodocumentation and to undertake a comparative assessment of 35-mm and digital photography in a clinical setting in facial plastic surgery. For evaluation of image quality, 10 subjects had images captured via a conventional 35-mm single lens reflex (SLR) camera and a digital camera under identical lighting conditions. The digital images were transferred to computer hard drive and processed for production of slides. Direct side-by-side comparison of projected images was performed by the authors. The standard photographic slides were of slightly finer detail and crispness than the computer-generated images. In a clinical setting, the quality of both the 35-mm and digital photographs enables complete preoperative evaluation and assessment of postsurgical outcome.