Aim: To assess the visual and physical characteristics of the digital cephalogram and the film/screen cephalogram. Material and Methods: Two types of lateral cephalograms were used in this study: The digital cephalogram and the film/screen cephalogram. The digital cephalogram used in this study was the FCR 7000 (Fuji Medical, Tokyo, Japan), which is composed of an image reader, an image processor, an image recorder, and a developing machine. The film/screen cephalogram and the digital cephalogram were set to the same tube current and tube voltage. For visual assessment, the authors used visual tests and receiver operating characteristic curves. For physical assessment, the authors used the Wiener spectrum and the modulation transfer factor. These assessments were done on both the digital cephalogram and the film/screen cephalogram. Results: In visual assessment, the digital cephalogram was better than the film/screen cephalogram, although it was worse in the physical assessments. Conclusion: The digital cephalogram has many advantages over the film/screen cephalogram, despite the drawbacks noted above. The abilities of the digital cephalogram make it useful and hold promise for the future. World J Orthod 2001;2:350–355.