Where is the future of 35mm taking us?

[Overread]

I expect film will continue to slump down in the market; however I expect that the 35mm film camera got enough hold onto the market that it won't ever be phased fully out - at least I expect not in my lifetime. I expect that one or two companies will eventually start up to resurrect a limited market in the film industry - supplying (at costs of course) mail order films (specialist and basic) as well as mail order developing of those films.

The US and European markets would, I think, generate enough income for a dedicated company or two like this to operate provided that those in charge had a dedication to keeping film alive. They might also slip into production of limited feature film bodies (or if they can nab up the rights, to a high spec one) as the used market becomes more limited with working bodies - at the very least they would have to stock and make supplies for second hand repair (As well built as they are, working parts always wear down over time and need replacing/tuning up).

So I don't see it as dead (esp since every school and arts uni still teaches it), but it will slip into the domain of the hobbyist and the more exclusive/poverty stricken artist/pro. Canon and Nikon might throw film one more bone in the shape of a new edition camera body (if one does the other will), but I expect it would only ever be top range and with a high price - as said the second hand market is where those with a lighter pocket are buying film gear

 

[Derrel]

What is kind of bumming me out is the shrinking of the 35mm film scanner market...the manufacturers artificially kept the price of high quality 35mm film scanners very high for many years, despite the fact that the technology is SIMPLE and they were ripping people off to an almost criminal degree. Whereas the flatbed scanner's price was also kept artificially high for around a decade, the many manufacturers finally allowed the price of flatbed scanners to fall to affordable levels. Not so the high-quality, dedicated film scanner. I'm pretty cheezed off that Nikon,Canon, Minolta, etc,etc. hv not sen fit to provide their loyal customers with capable products with decent software at fair prices, but have basically sort of screwed us over,and sort of forgotten about the long-time,loyal film users who have large archives to digitize, as well as who continue to expose film.

Perhaps now, with the advent of "digital labs" that an offer high-rez, affordable scans at development time, maybe there simply no longer exists much of a market for higher-qualitiy, dedicated film scanners?

 

[compur]

btw.. Leica too has stopped production of the M7 and MP.

No, that rumor was false.

See:
Leica: "We are still producing film cameras" - British Journal of Photography

 

[usayit]

I predict that people will become so freakin tired of digital (and its strive for perfect reproduction of the original) that film will make a return as a more artistic, retro, or even classic look.

Most of us hang a portrait photo....

others that want to make a statement and commission an oil painting...

perhaps future photo lovers... will commission something Like a Platinum/Palladium Print



like this guy's prints.. (local in NJ) Michael Massaia Photography

I've seen his work/print in person up close... OMG... so well done.

 

[usayit]

btw.. Leica too has stopped production of the M7 and MP.

No, that rumor was false.

See:
Leica: "We are still producing film cameras" - British Journal of Photography

Its been in debate.. I'm still in the boat that this is a marketing move by the likes of Leica. Most likely they can assemble from parts if necessary is what they mean. They've been having extreme difficulties meeting demand over their lenses and M-bodies that I highly doubt they still keep any resources dedicated to such a low volume line. M9's still slowly trickle in to big time sellers with local shops keeping waiting lists (more than a year later after release). Until the recent months, BH has had their entire Summilux-M line AND Summicron-M on back order. Even now, they only have 21 summilux and 35 summicron in stock and I bet they have less than 3 of each. There are posts of people on the Leica focus'd forums asking anyone anywhere in the world to find them a current version 50mm Summilux Asph which has been in continuous short supply since its release in 2006. Good luck finding the 50mm Noctilux 0.95. My local high end shop has been complaining about it... a lot. They've got buyers but they sometimes loose sales simply because of lack of stock. Its painful for them because these are big ticket items.

Something tells me they are too busy to keep a production line of film cameras...

whether or not its true... doesn't matter to me.. I sold my M6 realizing for film, I still love the original M3 (or slightly newer M2). Btw.. rumor started here:

http://leicarumors.com/2010/06/23/leica-has-not-stopped-making-film-cameras.aspx/

 

[compur]

Most likely they can assemble from parts if necessary is what they mean.

That's how Leicas are made. They're assembled from parts.

 

[usayit]

Most likely they can assemble from parts if necessary is what they mean.

That's how Leicas are made. They're assembled from parts.

Lol.. I guess when someone tells me they are still in production, I'm thinking the manufacturing of parts... not just the assembly of them. Those marketing and sales guys can sometimes have funny logic at times.

Its the same crap in the automotive industry. Made in USA often still means more than half of the parts are manufactured outside of the US.

 

[compur]

I'm willing to bet that all the parts that are used to assemble Leicas were in
fact manufactured.

Manufacturing Leica parts + assembling them = Leicas are still in production.

Just because they do it in batches doesn't mean they've stopped making
them. It's common practice to manufacture high end specialty items in
batches.

I'm sure Nikon F6s are made the same way and the re-animated Rollei
cameras and most other film cameras that remain in production plus many
other specialty items.

 

[usayit]

I'm willing to bet that all the parts that are used to assemble Leicas were in
fact manufactured.

So Canon lied then... being that they still have stock of new 1V camera bodies and parts. Same with Nikon.

My point being... once the "batch" is gone, I doubt they will be manufacturing any more... hence stopped production.

Semantics... another think we like to twist.

 

[compur]

I think the M7 will be around for a while yet.

 

[christopher walrath]

Cheap 35mm SLR still being produced? Vivitar 3800N. Comes with a 50mm kit lens.

Wanna do it right, bide your time for a Minolta MD mount or a Pentax K1000 body to come along and then start collecting lenses to go with.

 

[kalliela]

Well, I know the future of film is that it's more expensive and hard to find film you like. I paid 7 bucks a roll for Ilford B&W 100 speed. I think I paid half of this price a few years ago. So, prices are going up..which even makes me want to turn away in a sense but I just bought an F100 so I am not turning until film is just not made anymore or I simply can't afford it anymore. I give film 5-10 years max..then you won't be able to get film much anywhere if at all I don't think. I will always appreciate film though. Sad really..but changing times I guess, has been for a while. Still not sold on digital here though as far as quality. Film has such a better look to it. Love film, love it. Ya, the cheap crap films aren't being cut, just the pro kind. Kodak gold? ugh. It sucks that one day I won't be able to buy good film or darkroom chemicals. You know? The film section gets smaller and smaller everytime I go to my local photoshop.

 

[j-dogg]

Film will be a niche market for artists, nostalgists and collectors alike. The youth are keeping film alive right now. I love it every time I see a 19 year old with a Nikon SLR or something similar. Our photography class with only one or two exceptions is almost entirely 35mm film SLR. I am proud of this generation for once.

As for availability, it's increasing locally. The local photo store used to only carry 3 or 4 different films and 1 120. Now I can get 4 slide films, 3 black and whites, Portra in every flavor, they JUST started carrying Ektachrome 100vs, there's 5 different 120's and even cut sheet film for the box guys. They just ran out of Ektar 100 and Portra 160vc and have it on backorder. I love my photo store.

 

[djacobox372]

you can't buy a 57 Chevy or a 68 Camaro anymore ether. they will go the way of the used, and restored.

Well the new Camaro is trying it's best to be like a 68... so I don't think that analogy holds up.

 

[maris]

I suspect that 35mm will be the first of the present film formats to go and sheet film will be the last.

35mm film based pictures offer the worst possible technical quality in regular photographic production. Everything bigger offers dramatically less grain, more sharpness, greater detail, and stunningly superior tonal quality. Plus 120 format roll-film and sheet film typically 4x5 and 8x10 sizes are just as easy to process.

So why 35mm? Reasons:

Small hand-holdable lightweight cameras.
Quick to use for unpredictable photo opportunities.
Fast lenses for low light work.
Fast shutter speeds for moving subjects.
Many shots, usually 36, between re-loadings.
Low film costs per exposure.

Those reasons were powerful in the past as compensation for the wretched picture quality. But no more. Everything 35mm could do is equalled or exceeded by present day digital cameras which deliver more pictures, better, quicker, cheaper, and at a fraction of the effort and mess of 35mm.

Now if you are doing 8x10 platinotypes or gelatin-silvers you are stuck with making pictures out of light sensitive materials which assuredly digital does not do. Things like this will be the last hold-out for film.