Film is not dead

[Steve Bellayr]

For the last two days I have been shooting with (film) rangefinders. Yesterday, I shot a local demo with a Nikon S2. Today I went to a booksale with a Yashica Lynx-14. I spent about as much time answering questions about my cameras as I did anything else. I even had demonstrators asking to have their picture taken & posing. One reporter yesterday told me about her Pentax K1000. Today I had to let a few people hold my Yashica Lynx. Over & over I heard the refrain "real camera" . A while back someone posted a site with a film about a renowned photographer who shot with a Leica on the streets of NYC. He stated that when he got his contacts back he felt like it was Christmas. I kind of feel the same way. I wait until I have about 5-7 rolls to have them developed. I love the feeling of saying wow did I really shoot that (on the flip side 'what was I thinking'). (Certainly, I understand the necessity of immediacy when working for a client or news organization.) I went on a trip once and shot over 100 photos with a digital and did not look at the images for two weeks although I could have done so immediately. I felt that they were too fresh in my mind and conflicted with what I had seen. A photo should stand alone without conflicting with your memory. Anyway, I have rambled on long enough. But, the lesson, if there is any, is that if you have a small film camera and are friendly you will have no difficulty taking pictures at any event even of the local police. Smile & wave.

 

[aad]

It's got to the point where, when I get C41 developed, I won't get prints or a CD, even at palces that charge the same, prints or not.

I'd rather watch 'em come up on my screen during scanning-and not have the lab's work in my head to compare. It really is like Christmas!

 

[NickTrop]

It is like Christmas getting a set of prints back from the Photoshop - a nice little inexpensive treat. I love that. The Lynx 14 in particular gets a lot of looks and "is that a real camera?" when she's out. Also, the Iskra folder. I was shooting with an Iskra on the beach this summer, and some older guy nodded his head and gave me a thumbs up : )

 

[RHaroldP]

Anticipation is part of the fun of developing your own film. When the film is dry, it's Christmas. The instant gratification of digital is highly overrated.

Richard

 

[Trius]

Contact sheets are glorious. Index prints stink.

 

[maddoc]

That's one side about still shooting with a film camera (whatever brand), people have a much friendlier attitude towards the photographer. I can speak only about Japan but here people admire that somebody takes time to "make a photo" opposite to the digtial approach of "taking a photo".

 

[Bryce]

My chem lab partner, 18 years old, was so interested in the Pentax KX I carry in my bookbag he took one of my backup cameras home for a test drive today.
Same kinds of comments- he says he appreciates the build quality, simplicity and sense of accomplishment that come from using a 'real' camera.
We'll see how he feels after using it awhile.