Have We Seen The Last Release of a Serious Film Camera?

Have We Seen The Last Release of a Serious Film Camera?

  • Yes

    Votes: 271 46.2%

  • No

    Votes: 316 53.8%
  • Total voters
    587
I voted no, as there will always be room in the market for film cameras. I doubt we will see the release of a nikon f7 or anything similar in 35mm format anywhere, but the re-release of the Mamiya RB67 not all that long ago when preparing for the launch of its new digital backs, and hassleblad's push in terms of digital backs for its older V system medium format cameras, will mean a drive into 120 modular cameras to return, and at £15,000 i think they can be considered serious..
 
As far as cameras go , I'm quite satisfied even though I think that at a certain point in time we are going to have like a "film camera renaissance", but I would like generally to see some major breakthrough in film producing technology , e.g a way to make it cheaper or something . Well , who knows what future will hold...
 
ZeissFan said:
Aside from Cosina, I wouldn't expect anything further from the Japanese makers. They're all about digital and have pretty much cast tied their fortunes to digital.

That pretty much leaves Leica and Carl Zeiss, as far as "serious" cameras go.

I'm not saying that Nikon, Canon and Olympus have abandoned film, but they're giving it lip service at most (they've abandoned film).
Click to expand...

Olympus? They've been out of the game for years.
 
I'd happily take one of those 'discontinued' F6's ... for the right price of course!

I think I could even get by without mirror lockup and a WLF! 😀
 
Chris101 said:
I don't read Japanese, but I'll believe you Jon. When I first encountered it (a co-worker bought one for several thousand bucks) I thought it should have been named the F100s.

The lack of a wlf blew it for me, but, if you must know, the F5 blew it too - it didn't have a regular cable release. Whatever Nikon. Nokon is becoming less imperative as the digital revolution leaves traditional SLR type cameras (digital included) in the dust.
Click to expand...

Sorry for my ignorance. What is WLF?
 
I voted no. I don't know WHO will be releasing it, but I would very much doubt if Cosina weren't to build it.
 
I have to wonder what Cosina might have planned ... the Bessa range is pretty staid in terms of styling and their new MF folder while nice is barely creating a ripple now all the pre-release fuss has died down!

Nikon, although they do still produce the F6 have obviously decided it's the end of the 35mm film camera line for them ... and I can't see them bothering with MF!

Canon ... forget it!

Zeiss ... (see Cosina)

Leica have the M7 as their flagship and are unlikely to make a change there ... maybe they'll graft the shutter from the M9 into it but I doubt it!

Sadly ... Pickett may be right! 🙁
 
I love film cameras as much as the next guy (I have enough of them!), but all this anecdotal talk that film is making a comeback simply is not backed up by the rapidly falling film sales of the major companies. Nikon and Canon and Zeiss and Leica see those numbers, too. Why would they invest in new film cameras in a failing market? It just doesn't make economic sense.
 
I have the Nikon F6 and love it because it has focus confirmation. I gave up manual focus SLR's years ago due to my aging eyesight but the F6 has once again let me use R lenses, converted of course using Leitax adapters.
 
amateriat said:
xabeng said:
What about this, men?
attachment.php
Click to expand...
Well, don't just sit there, man...enlighten me! 😉
Click to expand...

That's a Hartblei CAM, basically a light-tight box with electronics to drive Sony, Canon and Nikon lenses in front of a medium-format back. It's been mentioned in a number of places.

The idea is certainly interesting. Seeing the Kiev prism finder on it made me chuckle a bit. 🙂 I also like the approach of putting a Canon 17/f4 TS lens in front of a larger-than-35mm sensor in order to exploit the larger image circle of the shift lens - as long as you don't need to shift, you get a lot of extra wideangle coverage that way.

It's not a film camera though (even though you could probably put an A12 or Kiev medium-format film back on it).
 
Hmmm, I think Leica, after the M7 and MP, are done with new designs for film. From a 35mm standpoint, Nikon's F6 is the most technically sophisticated film camera made, and it is the last of that long-heralded Nikon F line. Feeling nostalgic, I went out and bought that wonderful beast, the F4s. Best control layout ever, IMO. 🙂
 
I haven't voted in my poll, but if I did it would be a rather unconfident "No". I expect we will see at least one more release of a new model from one of the manufacturers. Cosina seems the most likely suspect.

Of course, the other question is what constitutes a new model? As Al pointed out, Leica has been spinning variations on a single theme for decades. The M7 is not the same camera as an M3 or M4, but Leica could easily and justifiably have continued using the M4 label for all those years with some secondary designators to indicate the tweaks.

The chances of a new model coming from a smaller vendor seem greater than the chances a large corporation like Nikon or Canon will get back in the game. Privately held firms (are there any?) are more likely to take the gamble because they aren't necessarily driven by the same imperative to constantly increase profits as publicly held firms. They are more likely to accept smaller profits from a smaller production run. An exception might be a small run of hugely expensive commemorative models, as Nikon has done.
 
In answer to the original question, I think the answer is no. We have not seen the last release of a serious film camera.
Whether the new rangefinder film models that Cosina releases are simply up-dates or even just cosmetic tweaking of existing models, I think they are "serious" cameras by anyone's definition.
 
How about a new panoramic film camera, a less expensive alternative to the Hasselblad X-Pan? It would not need either a rangefinder or interchangeable lens system, just a reliable electronic shutter and a fixed normal lens. Switchable formats (24x36 and 24x72) would be sensational. Fuji has the technology to make it, but I doubt they will.
 
jsrockit said:
Leica will continue to make M film cameras.... but I guess many of you might not take them seriously.
Click to expand...
I doubt that there will be a new M film camera. As pointed out M8, M8.2 and M9 are digital. Also isn't the S2 the new flagship camera for Leica? I do not think they will make a new film camera.
 
I think 35mm format is moribund as the amateur, the economic engine that drove the market, has shifted to digital and the quality of 35mm digital is good enough for professional use. I think larger formats are still viable for professional use and new cameras or models are still possible.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom