Film camera or digital for tonight's aurora? I chose wrong

I had my Canon AE-1 loaded with ISO 400 film and my phone on a tripod, but could only set up one before the clouds rolled in over Bend, Oregon. I went with the film camera for that classic feel, and of course the shots came back with streaks from me fumbling the shutter in the dark. Phones have gotten so good at night shots now, it's hard to justify the hassle. Anyone else stick with old gear and regret it when the sky actually cooperates?

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kevin_adams15d ago

Man, I FEEL this one deep in my soul! You basically chose the photography equivalent of bringing a horse to a Formula 1 race. I did the same thing last year with my old Pentax, fumbling with a cable release while my buddy's iPhone just sat there and captured the whole thing perfectly. The worst part is those streaks you got are like a permanent record of your fumbling, a little souvenir of chaos. I swear the universe knows when you're shooting film and sends extra clouds and shaky hands just to mess with you. Next time, I'm going digital and my film camera can stay home where it can't hurt me anymore.