das
Well-known
My costs are actually less than $10. Self-rolled film (@ $4.00 / roll + $4 local lab C41 processing). I have a 15 year-old negative scanner which costs me nothing. The fixed costs of a computer and software are the same whether you use film (scanning) or digital (processing). At that point, you are comparing film/processing costs versus the digital camera body + lens costs.
Guth
Appreciative User
By what modern standard is this expensive? We also live in the age where it’s not at all hard to find a hamburger selling for $10+ (w/o fries or a drink). Likewise a reasonable 20 oz. pint of craft brew might set you back what, maybe $5.75? , call hit $6 even. Relatively speaking the cost of film and processing does not strike me as being all that expensive in this day and age..
KenR
Well-known
New cameras
New cameras
Most readers on this site would be quite happy if analog photography were really not a vanishing niche hobby with a few pros doing a small percentage of analog work. If it was truly a “resurgence” then where are the camera manufacturers? Yes Leica is selling their untouchably priced stuff, but where is the new Nikon F200? Where is the new Bessa R5 or the new Canon Eos10? If the market for a reasonably priced camera for users (not collectors) was there, why hasn’t anyone stepped up to the plate and committed the time and money to make one? Until I see that, I don’t believe that this is anything but a tiny, slowly fading market that will disappear in another decade as the old cameras deteriorate ever faster.
New cameras
Most readers on this site would be quite happy if analog photography were really not a vanishing niche hobby with a few pros doing a small percentage of analog work. If it was truly a “resurgence” then where are the camera manufacturers? Yes Leica is selling their untouchably priced stuff, but where is the new Nikon F200? Where is the new Bessa R5 or the new Canon Eos10? If the market for a reasonably priced camera for users (not collectors) was there, why hasn’t anyone stepped up to the plate and committed the time and money to make one? Until I see that, I don’t believe that this is anything but a tiny, slowly fading market that will disappear in another decade as the old cameras deteriorate ever faster.
ChrisPlatt
Thread Killer
Expensive? Hardly.
Two rolls of Ektachrome will keep me busy all of Columbus Day weekend,
at a total cost of perhaps $50.00 including processing.
Some folks drink will that much in an evening.
And if it rains I'll shoot BW and process it at home, at a fraction of that cost.
Chris
Two rolls of Ektachrome will keep me busy all of Columbus Day weekend,
at a total cost of perhaps $50.00 including processing.
Some folks drink will that much in an evening.
And if it rains I'll shoot BW and process it at home, at a fraction of that cost.
Chris
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Exactly.
Phil Forrest
zuiko85
Veteran
Fifty dollars? Sounds like my wife’s bi-weekly beer budget. It’s what I get for marrying a canuck. I probably spend no more than $200 a year on film.
ChrisPlatt
Thread Killer
This is the first time I will travel since the pandemic, so I thought I'd splurge.
I spend less than half of that.
Chris
css9450
Veteran
The Leica is a commodity, though, in the same category as rare coins, collectible artwork and classic cars. These items primarily change hands between collectors, not users. The $2000 M6, the $900 gold coin and the $100,000 Plymouth Super Bird aren't priced that way because of their usefulness as coins or cars or cameras.
D
Deleted member 65559
Guest
The $2k M6 isn't a collectible (anymore than a digital M8 or M9 is) It's a photographic tool. The $20k black paint M2 is a collectible
Guth
Appreciative User
I'll respectfully disagree. Collectors can hang on to whatever suits their fancy including all of the one-off M6 variations. However, if anything the M6 cameras cameras have easily outpaced the meterless used M film cameras not only because of their form factor but also specifically because of their usability thanks to the built-in light meter.
I've noted in the past that when I bought my M6 back in 2000 almost no one had a clue what it was. These days I've encountered multiple young people who were out shooting film themselves, who when spotting my camera have taken the time to ask me about it. It seemed pretty clear to me that they were viewing it as a tool, not a collectible.
A $2K camera today is the equivalent of a camera costing a little over $1,300 back in 2000. While my purchase of a Leica camera and lenses constituted quite a stretch for myself at that point in time, there were certainly other younger folks around back then spending $1300 and more on cameras. While I do still find it rather surprising, it's not a stretch to think that younger folks might be spending $2K on a used Leica camera today, especially when alternatives are lacking specifically when it comes to rangefinder options with built-in light meters.
Guth
Appreciative User
I do agree that the introduction of a new film camera, from any manufacturer, would represent a significant milestone in the photography world as a whole. But even if that isn't to happen within say the next decade, I imagine that there are still enough serviceable used film cameras in existence to carry us forward for many more decades yet to come.
Rayt
Nonplayer Character
Prices of M6 bodies have risen to around $2000 because a new MP now costs $5300 sending used MP to $4000 depending on condition of course. Are people buying them to use, collect or speculate? Maybe all of the above.
flagellum
Established
Cameras aren’t a great indicator of the health of the market, since there are so many around still. However, Kodak raising prices to afford new infrastructure and keep up with what they called unprecedented demand is more than telling.
Link for reference: https://kamerastore.com/breaking-news-kodak-to-raise-prices-on-all-film-in-2020-jan-1st/
Link for reference: https://kamerastore.com/breaking-news-kodak-to-raise-prices-on-all-film-in-2020-jan-1st/
gavinlg
Veteran
Just fake news and weather balloons my friend. Kodak, Ilford, leica and Nikon are all lying. It’s a conspiracy
das
Well-known
How would any new 35mm film camera be better than an F6? Unless you could make a hybrid film / digital camera, which may not even be possible, the practical limits of the technology (save maybe the speed of the autofocus) has probably been reached. I don't think that the failure to introduce a new high end film camera says anything about anything. Lomo is still pumping out cheap film cameras as well.
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
It depends on what a person considers "better" to be.
These days, I'm not attracted to any camera which has a dozen or more electronic subsystems for film transport, exposure, and motors and sensors which detect film movement, autofocus, rewinding, etc.
So what would be better?
Maybe my April Fool's day FM4 from two years ago on another forum:
(Photography News International, Tokyo) Borrowing from its once highly acclaimed FM series of 35mm film cameras, this week Nikon announced a next generation model: the FM4. Interestingly, the FM4 is more a direct descendant of the fully manual FM2n rather than the hybrid FM3a.
As we would expect, the FM4 is a completely mechanical, manual focus camera, with manual setting of aperture and shutter speed. There is no aperture-priority mode as in the FM3a. Yet, this is not a simplistic entry-level camera: there are some surprises.
Here are the key FM4 features:
* metering: matrix, center-weighted, and spot; ISO 12-6400
* lenses: AIS, AI, and pre-AI (can be metered at full aperture), plus manual focusing of AF-D lenses
* eyepiece diopter correction: -3 to +3; eyepiece shutter
* separate self-timer and mirror lock-up; depth-of-field preview
* viewfinder: diagonal split-image plus microprism collar; interchangeable screens; selected shutter speed and aperture visible; meter LEDs + o - for exposure; flash ready
* shutter release lock plus cocked shutter indicator; threaded release
* shutter speeds: B, 1 - 1/4000; sync at 1/250
* TTL flash hotshoe and ready LED indicator in viewfinder
Availability: 2018.04.01; the expected price is Th$750 (750 Theos).
CMur12
Veteran
Pál_K, I would be all over your FM4 if it were offered, provided I could see the whole frame with glasses on, which you can't in an FM2. I would like it even better with an analog needle for metering.
- Murray
- Murray
f.hayek
Well-known
Setting aside fully manual operation, you've described a Leica R8.
About $450 nowadays and a 1/8000 sec shutter, leaving money for several really nice R lenses.
ChrisPlatt
Thread Killer
"Better" for me would be even simpler than that.
Chris
Chris
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
The R8 is nice - I just want a separate on/off switch so that I can leave my mode dial alone.
