Film is Dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

[KarlG]

Decent black and white film where I live is nine dollars a roll and between ten and fifteen dollars per roll just to get the negatives processed, no scanning ... the last roll of E-6 I had done cost me twenty dollars for processing and they didn't even have to cut the negatives into strips!

$20? That's ridiculous - would be enough to make me want to learn to do my own E6 if I had to pay that..

Keith, where are you located? I use a good pro lab in Sydney for my slide and pay $8.50 AU per roll.. Might almost be worth mailing it to somewhere like that, rather than paying $20!

 

[wotalegend]

Dear Bill,

Given the number of film coating lines in Australia....

Cheers,

R.

Well, there used to be. Kodak had quite a large plant here in Melbourne which made film, cameras, and even had a Kodachrome processing lab. But sadly it closed about ten years ago and the site is now converted to housing. Kodak, Fuji, and Ilford all have active offices here but all their product is imported (and the latter two import all their product to the US also). I think the problem with pricing by the time the product reaches retail level is more to do with the multi-level distribution chain and every level taking a profit than it is do do with a deliberate attempt to rip us off. Personally, I bypass that supply chain by buying from Freestyle about three times a year to minimise shipping costs, but it still ends up a lot less than local prices. As far as processing is concerned, I do my own conventional B&W, I can get C41 for AUD6.00 about fifteen minutes from home, and on the rare occasion I use E6 I can get that processed for AUD10.00 about 45 minutes from home. So I have nothing to complain about.

BTW, some years ago, before I was doing my own B&W, I asked the local lab what they would charge for conventional B&W. "Oh, about $40" was the reply.

 

[Spyro]

My average cost is AUD$3 a roll including developing and scanning. I shoot 135/120/220 B&W and C41, I order cheap film from the US, share postage with friends, develop everything in my garage and scan on my $200 Epson 4490 with betterscanning ANR holders.

There's a lab in the city that does c41 (all sizes) in 1 hour for AUD$10. Dont know what they are exactly but it says "Kodak" in the front. I only go there when I'm out of chemicals.

This is by far the best time to shoot film for me. I could never dream I could afford so many cameras that cost >$3,000 20 years ago. Thank God for digital! Keep ditching your film cameras!

 

[Neare]

When I first got into it, the 'Auckland Camera Center' was selling rolls between $12-26 NZD. Thought that was pretty bad, but then I went to a lab (unfortunately the only lab left that can process B&W and E6 in Auckland, so they get good business, but it's bloody expensive) and found they were selling much of the same film. Their price range was $8-13 NZD a roll. That made a lot more sense to me.

And maybe I've got it good but I'm a member of the Auckland University Photography Society (even though I don't go to Auckland University). For that I have access to a full darkroom and chemicals for all C41, E6 and B&W. They only require a donation of $1 per roll you develop to keep the chemicals flowing.

Truth be told I don't use it as much as I should... but definitely going to start soon before that Lab takes all my money (they charge $20 just to dev. a B&W 120 roll, crazy)

 

[acheyj]

Spoken like a true American ... here in Oz it's not so rosey and possibly similarly struggling in other parts of the globe!

Decent black and white film where I live is nine dollars a roll and between ten and fifteen dollars per roll just to get the negatives processed, no scanning ... the last roll of E-6 I had done cost me twenty dollars for processing and they didn't even have to cut the negatives into strips!

Your soap box has termites! 😀

Hi Keith, thort we wuz in a backward City in a Backward state in SA, local camera house $10 processed and scanned to a CD in 30min to 1 hour for colour neg 24exp. So maybe wont emigrate to Queensland after all ! so I can keep my stable of OM's going. MF is another story all together.

BTW we dont use soap in SA, too cold to wash.

ron

 

[cnphoto]

I get E6 done at a pro lab in St Leonards / Sydney - $12 a roll. too expensive for me, i'm only doing because I was given 10 rolls of Sensia 100 for free (just expired) - but I don't think I'll use the 9 rolls I have left. I might hold on to 2 or 3 of them.

Any one from Aus on this board who wants 7 rolls of expired Sensia 100? I'll chuck it in a post bag and ship it out - it's on me. I'm felling generous.

I do B&W myself here too, i'm getting in to bulk loading now and buy from a few places online in bulk. I sometimes have to purchase the odd roll of film 'on the go'. It hurts everytime, ha. I buy my liquid chemicals in the CBD or from Blanco Negro.

 

[cnphoto]

the Sensia's been claimed 🙂

 

[Harlee]

I used to subscribe to Popular Photography, but I wrote an email to the editor and told him they need to change the name of their magazine to "Popular Digital Photography," since that's all they push nowadays. That'll make it just another one of 20+ digital photo magazines on the news stands today. I also wrote that the name Popular Photography is a misnomer, because popular photography includes film, 35mm or 127 or 620 or whatever, B&W, color, slides, along with pin hole photography, or anything else that produces an image, including digital. Of course I never received a response from the editor nor did I ever see my letter published in ltrs. to the editor, so I cancelled my subscription after reading it with interest for the past 40-50 years. I'm sorry to say these editors have their own agenda, and unfortunately it apparently doesn't include film photography, just digital.

 

[DNG]

I used to subscribe to Popular Photography, but I wrote an email to the editor and told him they need to change the name of their magazine to "Popular Digital Photography," since that's all they push nowadays. That'll make it just another one of 20+ digital photo magazines on the news stands today. I also wrote that the name Popular Photography is a misnomer, because popular photography includes film, 35mm or 127 or 620 or whatever, B&W, color, slides, along with pin hole photography, or anything else that produces an image, including digital. Of course I never received a response from the editor nor did I ever see my letter published in ltrs. to the editor, so I cancelled my subscription after reading it with interest for the past 40-50 years. I'm sorry to say these editors have their own agenda, and unfortunately it apparently doesn't include film photography, just digital.

Damn Shame too....
Pop Photo was one of favorate mags in the "Only Film" days.. I got disgusted with the 80/20 format, it was more of a 30/70 format in the 70's and 80's . (Advert/Articles)

 

[35mmdelux]

I'm down to 10 rolls of Kodachrome 25 and 4 rolls of K200. Giving up Kodachrome after December.

 

[35mmdelux]

'Film is dead' - It's now been 15 years since I first heard this.

John

They said the same when the only cameras available were large format. Then they invented the Leica.

 

[JohnTF]

Some of the guys at the photo shows are buying every roll they can and selling it to Canada.

I did see one case of ISO Kodak color negative go for $20, I thought I had hear wrong, but the whole case, more than 100 rolls was gone before the show opened.

Some kids were happy to score 30 rolls of 127 Ejktachrome for a TLR at the auction the day before, and sold off the excess to pay for what they wanted.

May be time to go to some shows?

Some very interesting WWII cameras from Graflexes to Kardons were sold, even some Kodak 35's and a Bolsey most in Green. One of the Kardons had a nice signal corps stamp on top, plate on back, and beautiful Kodak lens.

Regards, John

 

[David Charlwood]

Film is dead?

Film is dead?

Film will not die if we all continue to purchase it! If your fridge has space for food you are not buying enough film. Seriously, the "film is dead" idea is perpetrated by the misguided, commercially orientated editors of once marvellous photography magazines and the manufacturers of bland, throw-away, obsolete next week, image machines.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Well, there used to be. Kodak had quite a large plant here in Melbourne which made film, cameras, and even had a Kodachrome processing lab. But sadly it closed about ten years ago and the site is now converted to housing. Kodak, Fuji, and Ilford all have active offices here but all their product is imported (and the latter two import all their product to the US also). I think the problem with pricing by the time the product reaches retail level is more to do with the multi-level distribution chain and every level taking a profit than it is do do with a deliberate attempt to rip us off. Personally, I bypass that supply chain by buying from Freestyle about three times a year to minimise shipping costs, but it still ends up a lot less than local prices. As far as processing is concerned, I do my own conventional B&W, I can get C41 for AUD6.00 about fifteen minutes from home, and on the rare occasion I use E6 I can get that processed for AUD10.00 about 45 minutes from home. So I have nothing to complain about.

BTW, some years ago, before I was doing my own B&W, I asked the local lab what they would charge for conventional B&W. "Oh, about $40" was the reply.

That, and of course shipping.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I used to subscribe to Popular Photography, but I wrote an email to the editor and told him they need to change the name of their magazine to "Popular Digital Photography," since that's all they push nowadays. That'll make it just another one of 20+ digital photo magazines on the news stands today. I also wrote that the name Popular Photography is a misnomer, because popular photography includes film, 35mm or 127 or 620 or whatever, B&W, color, slides, along with pin hole photography, or anything else that produces an image, including digital. Of course I never received a response from the editor nor did I ever see my letter published in ltrs. to the editor, so I cancelled my subscription after reading it with interest for the past 40-50 years. I'm sorry to say these editors have their own agenda, and unfortunately it apparently doesn't include film photography, just digital.

Different media do have differing degrees of popularity. I have books that tell you how to coat your own plates. How many people are going to try that? I know someone else who was trying to recreate Autochromes. And so forth.

As to why you didn't get a reply, adopting a hectoring tone and telling editors what's wrong with their magazines seldom gets a reply. You need some soft soap first, and then a 'Would it not be possible to...'

Cheers,

R.

 

[Gumby]

I miss Bill Mattock.

I miss Wigwam Jones even more. Rember him? That Wiggie... what a character!

 

[Haigh]

Slide film is something I'll never touch in Australia due to the insane cost.

The photographer Harvey Bengebuys Fuji Provia 100F transparency film from Adorama in NYC and he says that even with freight to New Zealand it is cheaper than where he lives in Auckland. You might wish to check out their film prices.

 

[Ronald_H]

In the Netherlands it is still fairly easy to get film in the shops. If I jump on my bike I'll have film in my hands in about 10 minutes. Even easier is to buy on-line from the Netherlands itself, the UK or Germany. Overnight shipping, low prices, all the flavours you can think off.

B/W processing I can do myself, C41 processing I can choose between 2 working days or one hour processing. Both good and not very expensive. Again, 10min by bike.

Currently my freezer is full with nearly free expired film and also some fresh stuff. The last few years I spend a neat sum on CLA-ing old analogue favourites and I actually got three people to start using film again.

It just can't last...

 

[kossi008]

I seem to have it even better, I can *walk* to my photo store in 10 minutes, and they develop in 24 hours, which is good enough for me. I only take my C-41 and E-6 there, B/W I develop myself.

I would be lying, however, if I said I wasn't taking advantage of the low internet prices for film... and the broader range available there. So if my local store closes down one day, it will be partly my fault...

 

[barnwulf]

I don’t think film will die out completely. The film manufactures are going through a big change for sure, but there are still photography enthusiasts, serious non-professional and professionals will still use film to a significant degree. Good labs are getting harder to find. I live in a large city and film is still quite available but the labs are not so good for black and white. I send my film to lab in California for processing and scanning. C41 is still quite available all over the city. SHOOT MORE FILM !!!!!!!!