[RWebb]

Newer cameras - film or digital - are just much smarter than older ones. i.e. they have many different zones in the picture frame that calculate the light level in each zone (multi-metering - began with the Nikon FA IIRC, but now may be 9 or more zones and better algorithms); focus zones, with predictive focus for moving objects, etc.

A new digital camera also has more parameters it can adjust than a film camera.

for a nice landscape or still portrait, use a big view camera or TLR and a handheld spot meter & your own brain

for sports, action, wildlife etc. the digital cams are tops - they can think and adjust faster than you and it costas nothing to burn thru 50 shots and discard 49