New Member Question

[joconn]

I`ve just now joined this forum and getting back into photography after a long absence. I`m not too taken with digital. It`s handy but I don`t think you can beat film. I have a chance to purchase a nice 35mm outfit from a family member. I`m just wondering how much longer we film devotees can expect to conveniently use film as regards to purchasing film and having it processed. I don`t want to spend this money and then a year or two from now find it necessary to go to digital.
Regards,
Joe O`Connor
New Brunswick, Canada

 

[terri]

Welcome to TPF!

It's easy to see why you'd hesitate, given the Chicken Little method of advertising being done by most photography rags these days. If you don't spend top dollar on the latest whiz-bang digicam, you'll not only be woefully behind the times, but you'll probably take bad pictures, too.

Rest assured, film isn't going anywhere anytime soon. New films are still being introduced. The digital boom has had a profound negative impact on the availability of small, local labs, to be sure, so that might be more challenging for you depending on your location. Of course if you shoot B&W you're better off these days developing at home, it's easy, cheaper and fun.

Go for it! Enjoy. What model are you getting?

 

[mysteryscribe]

it is my opinion and mine only, that one hour labs will begin to disappear. There may continue to be enough business for one of two, but most will simply wind up as photo kiosh for degital media.

The return of the regional photo lab to service several drugstore type business will probably make a comeback. The three day to 24 hour lab service will most likely still be available for some time to come. I think the availability of film will shrink as it has been doing for years. The cost my well go up. Simple supply and demand will cause the supply to shrink as well probably driving up the cost over the next few years.

In 1970 I could walk into a drug store and buy a roll of black and white film, I no longer can. The number of readily available brands and emulsions may shrink, but there will be film made in third world type countries for years to come, I think.

If you are getting a good deal in the camera go for it. I personally shoot cameras older than I am. I mostly shoot black and white film made in poland or hungary, so times they are a changin. There is no sense trying to deny it but I don't see an early demise in film.

Eventually possibly, but as long as the world doesnt have computers in every home and a chicken in every pot, somebody somewhere will be making film. I personally do not shoot digital cameras or media ,so I'm not the best person to listen to.

 

[LaFoto]

As someone who does both, digital and film, and who has only recently got two rolls back from the lab, printed and all, to find that it is a JOY to get prints and look at them and think: wow, so clear, I simply REFUSE to believe film will die. But then I have NEVER got used to near-by one-hour labs, I have always had to hand my rolls of film into the drugstore to then wait for two days until the prints come back. And ALL the rolls of film that get collected in ANY North German drugstore/shop counter will ALL go to THE ONLY ONE big lab there is. Only one. But that one will survive. I am sure.

 

[joconn]

Thanks for the replys, folks. It`s encouraging. The outfit I have in mind is a Minolta (not sure which model) with three good lenses, bags and a very good tripod. I also own a Nikon EM with 50mm lens. I can probably buy the Minolta outfit for $200 Canadian which would be about $240 US. I think I will go for it. If I were to go digital the level of camera I would want would run me $600-$800 at least.

 

[terri]

Sounds like a lot of nice gear, with a bonus tripod. :thumbup: I'm certain you'll have a blast with this.

I hope you come back and show us your work, once you've shot a roll or two! Enjoy!

 

[modbohemian]

Hi Joe,

The one-hour and discount store type of amateur labs probably will eventually die, but I seriously doubt that great labs like A&I and other pros will ever die.

I predict that film will make a comeback one day. Unfortunately, a lot of people new to photography don't seem to be learning the basics. Why take time to compose and really think about the shot when you can go home and "process" out all your mistakes? It's really a shame. I'd rather have a handful of great shots as opposed to 500 mediocre ones.

Also, there is a persistant electronic feel to most digital shots I've seen.

Digital has many great applications, but there are times when the electronic process just doesn't substitute for a real film image.

 

[lawrenceismia]

Film won't ever completely disappear. It'll always be taught and be used as an excellent way of immersing oneself in photography.

 

[ksmattfish]

I`m just wondering how much longer we film devotees can expect to conveniently use film as regards to purchasing film and having it processed. I don`t want to spend this money and then a year or two from now find it necessary to go to digital.

Depends on what you mean by convenient. 35mm and 120 are going to around for a long time; roll film will probably always be more readily available than sheet film is now. Kodak and Fuji might not make it, but someone will. Prices will go up, but I think it will still be affordable for those who appreciate it.

Eventually C41 processing services will get more difficult to find, but there will be lots of labs still offering it, just not in every drugstore, mall, etc... Like BW process and E6, it may be mail-out processing from the econo-labs.

I think printing services from film will remain common though. There's lot's of developed film out there, and it only takes a scanner to make it work.

Your choice of DIY supplies, chems, and materials may even increase, as the people who do continue to shoot film may be more likely to be interested in doing the entire process themselves. I think that today Freestyle may actually carry a larger selection of BW darkroom supplies, papers, and alternative process materials than they did 10 years ago.

 

[ksmattfish]

Unfortunately, a lot of people new to photography don't seem to be learning the basics.

Which of course, is exactly what "real photographers" said upon the introduction of film. Raise your your hand if you feel confident in your ability to coat your own glass plate in the field, get the shot, and then process the the plate in the field. I don't see many hands. Once upon a time those skills were very basic to any self respecting photographer.

 

[Torus34]

A couple of statistics:

Digital camera sales in the US in 2004: est.@ 22.8 million.

Disposable [film] camera sales [world-wide 2005?]: 460 million.

Somebody's making lots and lots of film.

 

[ksmattfish]

Somebody's making lots and lots of film.

Yes, but unfortunately it's mostly Kodak Gold 800, or something even uglier (if that's even possible). I think the signs are in the goat entrails; Kodak is preparing to turn over most of it's film production to Chinese manufacturers. It may still continue to say Kodak on the label, but it's going to really be made by Lucky (or some other manufacturer). Like how Panasonic now makes Leica.

As long as the personal computer remains an essential accessory to digital photography, there will be many places in the world where digital is still less convenient than film.

On the other hand, here's a list of companies who have already discontinued, or have made plans to discontinue all or most of their film camera production:

Nikon
Canon
Kodak
Minolta
Pentax
Olympus
Ricoh

 

[mysteryscribe]

As I said in another post that got me in a world of crap... It is an economic, not artistic decision. As long as the film manufacturers find it profitable (which each has to decide for himself) and as long as the labs can garner enough customers (which only they can determine) the services will prevail. We have absolutely no control.

It is my thinking the film has always been discontinued. I buy cameras every week or so that have had their roll film discontinued. I bet that someone was really upset about that to. My expectation is that cut film will be out first. Most likely because as the professionals move to digital the demand will fall. There is no third world market for that film, since it isn't likely to be in the hands of a telemarketer in india.

After cut film I expect that somewhere down the line color 120 film well be phased out several years I hope. Hell I hope they don't phase out either but the writing is on the wall. That does not mean you cant enjoy it while it is here. Black and white 120 may be around a lot longer simply because it is a serious hobby film and I don't see the demand dropping any more than it is now except by the death of the shooters.

35mm will be around a lot longer. Simply because there will be more people who want to shoot the family reunion than there are computers in afghanistan ect. The film will be limited. I'm thinking lucky from China and maybe another scotch knockoff Konica maybe something off the wall like that. That is my predication anyway.

The writing on the wall was there about two years ago when the management at kodak proposed closing their film division completely. The stockholders went berserk because there was still some money to be wrung out of the public. It is on it's way though. Exactly who will they be making kodak pro film to in five years even. How much demand for the film will there be.

I would like to think I'm wrong but I see a time when it is down to a few film types and choices but hey, we will perservere. Film may make a comeback as people tire of digital as a hobby but as the mainstay of snapshoot both pro and amatuer it is going to be about your only choice.

I made about two exposures a day at about $1 a day or less. Do you think I could afford to make 25 shots hoping one of them would be useable, not likely.

 

[terri]

And then, you come across companies like this who are apparently angling to dominate the film market and become rich.

Never say die, you doom-mongers. OUT with all of you, I say! Keep buying it, keep using it, and shaddup about the rest of it.

 

[mysteryscribe]

okay terri find me some 3x4 cut film some 122 roll film and i can give you a shopping list a mile long. I never said it would be next tuesday at noon that you couldn't get it at all.

I also find 5 bucks a lot for a roll of 127 roll film b&w. I'd rather shoot paper lol...