Death of film?

[Ant]

Well, maybe not; but today it was announced that Dixons..one of the UKs biggest high store retailers, will no longer be replenishing their stocks of 35mm film cameras.

Another small step toward film becoming a fringe medium.

 

[Don Simon]

Personally I wouldn't have thought about buying a film camera from Dixons anyway. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't normally buy anything from Dixons unless there was no other choice. I don't tend to shop in Jessops a lot either, but if they (the main high street photography chain) stop selling film cameras, then it might be more of an indicator.

In an article recently posted here (http://www.imx.nl/) it was claimed that "The traditional B&W worker will occupy a very tiny niche were a few small firms will produce high quality goods and make a decent profit. I hope we will see this happen quite soon, as it will indicate a healthy state of the business." I guess before too long that will apply to colour as well as B&W film. Personally I get the impression from that comment that the way these small firms will "make a decent profit" with their "high quality goods" is to charge us more for them; this seems almost inevitable if film-related products become less widely available - surely prices will become more controlled? Frankly, the "Healthy state of the business" won't be my main concern if I can't afford to simply shoot and process a roll of film.

 

[ferny]

The thing is though, how often did you go into Dixons and buy anything? They're not exactly the cheapest of places. The other thing is, Dixons are an group of shops selling electical goods so it's natural that they'd want all of their camera space for digital cameras because it fits in with the people who would go in there. The customer pops in for a hi-fi and then spots a small silver camera for three figures and thinks "oooh, shiny! I'll have that!".
Ok, it does mean another shop on the highstreet won't be selling film, but film users would go other places anyway so I'm not too bothered.

Didn't Dixons stop selling VCR's last year to?

 

[Ant]

Yes, I don't think it's hugely significant given the nature of Dixons, Jessops would have been more interesting

But I've no doubt that film will eventually become a mere niche market (although it will probably take quite a while) and when I heard this news on the radio this morning I just thought it was another small step toward that.

Dixons did supposedly stop selling VCRs last year too, although you can still get them there if they've got old stock.

 

[lazarus219]

Film might be getting smaller, but it isnt going to be 'dead for a LONG time, im waiting to buy a film SLR in the next hour (watching ebay) and its one of the thins im really looking forward to,
i havent had a film SLR before but have shot with an elan 7E before and LOVED it, digital might be catching, but it dosent have the feel of film at all yet,

Consumer will go completely digital soon, but prosumer will still have film for a long time,

These are my opinions though, anyone else want to share theirs?

 

[Royster]

i beleive film will remain to be in general use for a long time, simply because theres still a steady demand for it from both pros and amateurs. A lot of classes are still being taught using this medium, simply because its where you can learn the most. An announcement from dixons about 35mm cameras or anything about photography wouldnt occur to me as an indicator about the industry or of the 35mm vanishing from gen use. ive never bought anything from their shop mainly because their too expensive, i did go into one of their shops when i was looking around for my first slr and i never found anyone who can actually give me information about slr's digital or film.

In the future im sure digital will completely dominate the industry, but not quite yet.

 

[fadingaway1986]

At work.. all of our Fujifilm 3 packs went on clearance a few months ago - so we no longer have them.

Also - we only have three film cameras left..


Hehe. It's funny - when I first bought my digital camera... there were 3 cabinets... 1 cabinet had 2 digital camera - the rest were film...

Now there's 3 35mm cameras, the rest are digital...

I bought my first digital in December 2001.

 

[terri]

Film will be here as long as people keep buying it. If anything film-wise disappears it may be cheapo color print film for cheapo P&S cameras. That market will go to people who buy cheapo P&S digital cams that end up in the landfill within 3 years of purchase.

B&W film isn't going anywhere for a very long time. New enlargers are still being designed and produced. Alternative processes are extremely popular. All this still drives the market. And MF will be around indefinitely. People are falling in love with it every day. Its quality cannot be argued with.

Now that digital has been around for awhile its own limits and failings are leading folks to hang on to their film cameras, or go purchase one to meet their needs.

Instant assumptions of film's demise, just because one obscure UK electronics company is not ordering film cams, is probably a bit premature. :razz:

 

[danalec99]

Why does not that post surprise me terri? Aren't you the head of the film mafia?!
I can't wait to see you fondling a digital body!

 

[photogoddess]

Why does not that post surprise me terri? Aren't you the head of the film mafia?!
I can't wait to see you fondling a digital body!

I think that'll happen when hell freezes over.

As usual, I agree with Terri! Digital has come a long way but still has a long way to go before it can even come close to making film obsolete. Even then, there will still be a market for film. I love digital as much as the next gal but for some things, I wouldn't even consider shooting digital. Long live film! :hail:

 

[Jeff Canes]

IMHO film is dead. Because the digital reversions of general mass-market consumer grade camera have been out selling film versions for at less the past five years are so, and along with professions in photojournalism and other time critical area switching over to digital. The only market for film is quickly become the hobbyist and fine arts.

This is bad because the mass-market consumer films are what pays for the niche market films manufacturing[font=&quot] [/font]

 

[Don Simon]

Well if film being "dead" means I can still pay £30 for a used SLR that produces photos the quality of which can't be rivaled with digital until you spend at least 10 times that sum for the camera, I'm all for it. Kill it quicker I say, then I can get my hands on a nice MF. The film? Uh, I guess we'll just have to buy it while we can and deep freeze it :???:

 

[terri]

Why does not that post surprise me terri? Aren't you the head of the film mafia?!
I can't wait to see you fondling a digital body!

Now that is just disgusting, Daniel. :shock:

Besides, I just find digital so....boring. :blushing: Don't hurt me. It's silicon chips and a PC.

But with film....you can buy it in several formats. B&W, color. You can have positive or negative transparencies. You can make crossover art with it with slide printers. In the soft red glow of the darkroom, you can make silver gelatin prints that will last hundreds of years...for your children's children's children. You can color them, tone them, dye them, bleach them into matrixes for bromoils......or simply leave them alone in their raw splendor.

To paraphrase John Lennon, you may say I'm a freak. But I'm not the only one.

Film is romance. Film will never die. :heart:

 

[danalec99]

You are not a freak. I agree with you on the powers of film.
The mass will bid farewell to film sans second thoughts. Passionate craftspeople like yourselves will not blink at the doomsday talk.

Nevertheless, I can easily see you adding a digital body; perhaps during the 60D era. Trust me, there is nothing wrong in trying .
I should also add that even when digital stands on its own it would not be surprising to see your deep love towards film. Its in you!

 

[hobbes28]

I agree with the supply and demand here. Polaroid quit producing the Land camera years ago but still produces the SX-70 film to go in them because there are people like us that will continue to buy it. I think the same can be said of film.