...and the auto manufacturers are facing tough times, but I have no worries about gasoline going the way of buggy whips. We're in a major resession. There aren't a lot of new film cameras being introduced partly because the market is glutted with used ones, and partly because tha camera makers finally figured out a way to convince photographers, the amateurs at least, that they just HAD to buy a complete new camera every year featuring the latest technology.
Kodak anf Fuji recenly introduced entire new lines of first pro and now amateur color negative films, Ilford and Kodak still sell complete lines of traditional grain B&W films as well as lines of the newer tabular grain film. Fuji has brought new versions of their B&W to market.
Fuji and Kodak both recently revamped their professional motion picture film line-ups with improved finer grained versions, and films better able to cope with mixed lighting situations.
Trade journals such as The Rangefinder constantly have articles by and about photographers who haven't abandoned film. Sure, most of them choose digital for some shoots, but still they rave about the smoothness and tonality they get from film, and many actually prefer using film. The magazines still get ads from film manufacturers touting their lastest films. They have articles about how a film based work flow can be more economical than digital and save a lot of time to boot.
I guess I should go outside now. It's time to check and see if the sky is falling.
