Whither the camera industry?

emogirl · Dec 7, 2006

it makes me so sad to think that film will disappear, but i have no doubt that it will, eventually...i just switched last month to digital, because buying film this past wedding season was difficult....my supplier, a fuji shop, couldnt even get the film.....and then my usual film was discontinued and what i could get was $11 a roll...ouch!!!!! cutting alot into my profit margin!! until a month ago, i was the last photographer in my area using film....i hung on as long as i could!!

Also...just want to 'rebut' what Digital Matt said...you wouldnt hire someone with that equipment they had....well, weddings are not a place where you have time to switch off lenses, set up elaborate shots etc...its about getting great shots, on a time frame...a very fast moving one...you have to be prepared...a couple of bodies ready to go, different lens on each! Thats how you get the job done, without monopolizing their day! (but that's a little off topic..so we'll let that go now!)

mysteryscribe · Dec 7, 2006

Im going to take exception to matt as well.

Is it just lip service we all pay, when we say it isn't what's in the hand but in the head that makes a photographer what he is.

Unfortunately that kind of statement just increases the number of photographers who have to have a ton of equipment then think that it automatically makes them a better photographer. Oh well just one more opinion heard from. Mine that is...

terri · Dec 7, 2006

I just finished reading an interesting article in the current issue of Digital Photopro magazine.

And that should have been enough to let you know what the slant of that article would be.

Doom! Gloom! Death to film! See who pays for the advertising for this crappy rag! :lol:

Film is out, it's dead, it's dying, for god's SAKE don't buy anymore because we expect to keep you on the treadmill of buying next season's whiz-bang plastic crap with more megapixels than you'll ever need in your lifetime! But we'll convince you it's STILL not enough - cause we have NEXT quarter to think about! :lmao:

There are plenty of reasons to shoot with film, and plenty of reasons to shoot digital. But seriously, how many of you really think photography is going to pay your mortgage or put the kids through college?

You're already chasing the pixel, God luv ya. Have at it.

I love digital. It's making beautiful MF systems amazingly affordable. Hey, digital's gotta be good for something other than landfill fodder within 5 years. woo HOOOOOOOO! 4x5 is next for me, baby! :cheer:

Enjoy!

fmw · Dec 8, 2006

Let me guess, Terri, you haven't gotten into digital photography yet have you?

mysteryscribe · Dec 8, 2006

Now Now leave Terri alone. that bus would be awfully lonely if i was the only one one it.

fmw · Dec 8, 2006

I use film too. I like film too. But the huge, vast majority of photographers, professional and amateur are running away from it like the plague. I took advantage of the super cheap prices of medium format cameras just last month. There is no problem with liking film. I don't see anything positive in lambasting digital. After all, it has become the standard.

mysteryscribe · Dec 8, 2006

Its like my signiture says for me. I said I got no use for it, never said I wouldn't use it. It's just a tool, but it isnt my favorite one.

I'm still trying to figure out what the hell makes digital photographers think they have the would by the testicles. It's still just a tool.

terri · Dec 8, 2006

fmw said:
Let me guess, Terri, you haven't gotten into digital photography yet have you?

Ya think?

ladyphotog · Dec 11, 2006

Digital Matt said:
I think that is definitely the minority. I saw a wedding photographer using a 10D, and his wife using a Digital Rebel, and that's all they had. One lens each. Not someone I would hire.

Why does the equipment that the photographer uses matter if they get the shots and the customer is happy and likes their style?

mysteryscribe · Dec 11, 2006

ladyphotog said:
Why does the equipment that the photographer uses matter if they get the shots and the customer is happy and likes their style?

My son in law and I had this same discussion yesterday and he left all upset.

A carperter with twenty years experience and a new hammer that cost ten bucks is somehow worse than a new carpenter with a fifty dollar hammer. I don't see it but evidently some do. I think I would be more concerned with the job they do than the cost of the equipment in their hand but hey that's just me.

ladyphotog · Dec 11, 2006

mysteryscribe said:
My son in law and I had this same discussion yesterday and he left all upset.

A carperter with twenty years experience and a new hammer that cost ten bucks is somehow worse than a new carpenter with a fifty dollar hammer. I don't see it but evidently some do. I think I would be more concerned with the job they do than the cost of the equipment in their hand but hey that's just me.

If the equipment matters so much why would anyone hire someone that doesn't shoot medium format? Then you could get into the argument if they are shooting MF then it should be the highest end Blad. I think experience and the photographer having an eye for it is much, much, much more important than the equipment.
The first thing you learn in any kind of photography school is the equipment doesn't make the photographer but the photographer makes the equipment.

mysteryscribe · Dec 11, 2006

Medium format hell, 8x10 with a barrel lens.

BoblyBill · Dec 11, 2006

The only and I mean only thing that I have a problem with film is it's expense... So far, all I have is a film camera and I have racked up close to a $800 bill since August when I got the camera. I love film and plan on using but I can't really right now until I get better so that I can justify taking pictures with it. I just got a Canon d30 so that I can practice for free until I'm comfortable with my talent so that I can sell my film prints and get a profit. I was trying to sell some prints just this last Friday, and in my opinion they were rather good pictures, but there was a guy with what I'm assuming a digital camera selling his a $1 a piece. I can't compete with that because with the film I was using it cost me about $5 total for each print. I was selling my 5x7 prints at $7.50 and 8x10 at $10 and he was selling his 8x10 for a $1. Man, I felt stupid.

mysteryscribe · Dec 11, 2006

I believe in reasonable prints but i dont see how he could make a print that cheap.

Film is not at all sensible for professional photographer in most situations. I am a film person and realized that several years ago. I am not in the business any more so I can shoot my one exposure a day.

BoblyBill · Dec 11, 2006

mysteryscribe said:
I believe in reasonable prints but i dont see how he could make a print that cheap.

Film is not at all sensible for professional photographer in most situations. I am a film person and realized that several years ago. I am not in the business any more so I can shoot my one exposure a day.

I think he was printing them out himself on a plain printer and photographic paper. They weren't the best prints, but I don't think that the average conusmer that was at the sale could tell the difference of the quality of his and my pics.