A few days ago, I found myself missing the time I was using film cameras for my street photography. Day in day out, while shooting god knows how many digital shots, there's this growing discontent inside me.

Don't get me wrong, digital photography is convenient and by far, economical. More so when you're experimenting on a look that you want to achieve. Each shot is free, with no significant monetary baggage attached to it. It cuts the middle man, and you can upload hundreds of pictures to your computer faster than you can put a roll of tri-x film into a developing reel.

The client loves it because they get immediate feedback. The talents love it because it gives them a guide when posing for the camera. The photographer loves it because it's reassuring when the lighting, angle and other technical aspects of the shoot are near to what he envisions.

But when doing street photography and documentary, where the client is just you and the models are ordinary folks you see out in the streets (and there are no guidelines or deadlines) the argument about digital photography being convenient doesn't stack well.

I see something nice, I bring the camera to my eyes, I press the shutter and in micro seconds, a perfect rendition of the scene - with perfectly focussed images, perfectly exposed lighting and perfectly framed tableau - comes up from the back of my Canon 5D.

If I think it is not perfect enough, I raise the camera again, and rattle off more shots.

With a dozen back-up of the same moment thinly sliced by ultra-mega-lightning shutter speed, I should be rejoicing.

But I am not.

True, when I was using Leica rangefinders for street photography, there were times when I missed shots, I missed focus, I misjudged the light and went for wrong exposures and I had frames which were totally useless.

But nowadays, how I craved for the slow, deliberate shots I used to make with a fully mechanical machine. I missed the Zen feeling. I missed the joy of finding a keeper in a roll full of mistakes.

I missed the imperfections.

It slowed me down. It made me think.

So for my street and documentary photography, I am officially divorcing my digital SLR. I am going back in time. I'm going back to good old tri-x film and my Leica rangefinders. In fact, instead of using my M6 or other Ms, I may even go back to the days of screw mount rangefinders. Cameras used during WW2. No meter. Bottom-loader. With lenses twice my age.

That means going 70 years back in time to be exact.

I've seen the future and I'm taking a pass. Click.