How long do >>YOU<< think film will be commonly available?

[Stephanie Brim]

I actually said that I have no !@#$ing clue. To tell you the truth, I don't care. I just use it. I'll use it until it's gone. Once it is gone, I'll mourn it for a while...then I'll be forced to go digital. I don't see it going any time soon, though.

 

[Traut]

I still think there are large areas of this blue marble where computer ownership / use / interest is flatlined however they still use P&S cameras or Kodak box cameras from the 50's amd will continue as long as there are wars, births, deaths, proms and puppies. The depressing thought to me is I will have film for the remainder of my days. The good news is - its one less thing I need to worry about.

 

[matti]

How long will artists paint be availablw, now when we have cameras?
/matti

 

[dostacos]

because we can develop ourselves SOME film will be available
1. not the variety that we currently have but we will have film
2. not in every store in town
3. maybe end up mainly mail order/internet but still available

 

[dmr]

@dmr... kinda out there new avatar!

LOL! A few days ago I was playing around with the lighting effects in Photoshop, and I was using a scan of a snapshot taken at (geez, this is embarrassing) a "Pimp-N-Ho" theme party a few years ago. {blush} The photo barely shows the bright pink highlights sprayed into my hair and doesn't show the (fake) nose ring or the (also fake) tattoos. 🙂

I'm likin' the shades.

Thanks. 🙂 Those are actually my favorite sunglasses. I had prescription lenses put in those frames and I wear them all the time. 🙂

You ducked my observation. What about the thinly disguised FID thread here.

Ducked?

I was actually very serious in posting this poll. We have so many opinions on how long film's gonna last that I thought a nice bar graph on the opinions might be good to see. I see it also elicited a number of quite civil comments and speculations.

I really don't mind the FID threads except when they degenerate to "Film is dead" "Is not" "Is too" "So's your mamma" "{expletive} you!" and such. 🙂

The continued availability of film is a subject of some interest to me.

Are you Bill Mattock perchance LoL!

Uh {checking DL to be sure} Nope! 🙂

 

[XXXGRAPENUTSXXX]

Here's the Low Down. They Will Never Put the Kibosh on Film....Film will always be available for 1. X Rays ( Medical) and 2. Aeriel Recon.

 

[wotalegend]

I was a bit shocked a couple of weeks ago to find that one of the largest camera store chains in Australia (Teds) has already dropped all film except a small stock of Kodak Gold 400 24 exp. There's still plenty of choice at the pro-oriented camera/processing store I go to, but what concerns me is for how much longer their business will be viable.

 

[ch1]

I was a bit shocked a couple of weeks ago to find that one of the largest camera store chains in Australia (Teds) has already dropped all film except a small stock of Kodak Gold 400 24 exp. There's still plenty of choice at the pro-oriented camera/processing store I go to, but what concerns me is for how much longer their business will be viable.

Actually, I think the survival time-line of "camera stores" is likely to be shorter than film.

Haven't been to Oz in a number of years, but here in USA electronic-type stores such as Best Buy are murdering the specialty camera stores. Anyone can sell a digi.

 

[jan normandale]

Okay so is it dead? I 'm sort of where Julianphotoart is on this topic. I don't think it'll disappear, maybe less selection. I think the golden days of film are just behind us. I believe that B&W film will always be around 'for a price'. I think it'll become an 'art medium' like linen canvas for oil painters, a few manufacturers supplying a niche market. Colour?? I'm hoping but I'm not certain. Maybe MF and LF users for pro purposes and not a lot of choice. Transparency/chrome film I think it might be a product to go 'long' on.

@ dmr... from a party themed P&H?? That, I would have loved to see. I knew you weren't "Mr M" you knew I knew too.

 

[wotalegend]

Yes, it's much the same here. Digital cameras have become another "small appliance" in electrical and discount stores just like MP3 players or juice extractors. I haven't yet seen them on the self-service shelves, but that's only a matter of time. The camera store chains like Teds who rely on volume have their backs to the wall and are only trying to compete. On the same day I walked in to K-Mart and noticed that the digital printing machines had longer queues than the check-outs.

 

[Doug]

Here's the Low Down. They Will Never Put the Kibosh on Film....Film will always be available for 1. X Rays ( Medical) and 2. Aeriel Recon.

The cracks are showing... My dentist has "gone digital" for all his XRays. Makes it faster, and handy for overlay comparison with older files, and the file can also be sent email to a specialist for consultation or referral.

 

[John Camp]

I was in the best pro camera store in the Twin Cities today (the metro area here has a population of a little over 3 million) and the store's film supply could probably be kept in my home refrigerator. On the other hand, people are still making daguerreotypes, so I'd vote for a 100 years plus...

JC

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

I voted but witheld an opinion that wasn't fully formed until now-

I think film will remain >>commonly<< available longer than gasoline. (don't count ethanol as gasoline)

 

[projectbluebird]

Haven't been to Oz in a number of years, but here in USA electronic-type stores such as Best Buy are murdering the specialty camera stores. Anyone can sell a digi.

my contacts tell me that best buy is actually on the skids... perhaps it's possible that with lousy customer service it is possible to price yourself out of the market.

On the other hand... My local semi-pro store, named after the man who started it (who still works there by the by) is still going strong. Admittedly it can be hard to tell sometimes, as it always looked like a giant camera jumble sale.

 

[Socke]

I was in the best pro camera store in the Twin Cities today (the metro area here has a population of a little over 3 million) and the store's film supply could probably be kept in my home refrigerator. On the other hand, people are still making daguerreotypes, so I'd vote for a 100 years plus...

JC

So what's the definition of "comonly"?

I can get 91 ROZ, 95 ROZ, 98 ROZ, 100ROZ gas and diesel fuel from Shell, Esso/Exxon, BP/Aral, Texaco and three independents within a radius of 5 miles at some 20 stations but only Kodacolor 200 at 5 places, two big retail chains stock slides and C41 and one has T-Max 100 as well. Only two photo stores with a full range of film but no chemistry within a radius of 50 miles.

OTOH, buying gas on the net may be somewhat dificult, imagine FedEX delivering 15 gallons 100 ROZ to my neighbours Freelander and diesel fuel to my Mini Cooper S 🙂

 

[pvdhaar]

Commonly available: 20-30 years. That's when most film cameras in use will be worn out and beyond repair.

After that, I can imagine it becoming a special order product for the rest of the century..

 

[projectbluebird]

Commonly available: 20-30 years. That's when most film cameras in use will be worn out and beyond repair...

My leica is from 1960, my Agfa Record III is from 1952, and my Speed graphic is pre-50's... I guess they really don't make them like they used to.

PS - I realize that I may be rising to troll-bait, but it's been so long since I got to brag about my cameras to people who would understand. 😉

 

[Andy K]

Commonly available: 20-30 years. That's when most film cameras in use will be worn out and beyond repair.

After that, I can imagine it becoming a special order product for the rest of the century..

Well, I just sent off my ancient Olympus OM-1 for a CLA., I did the same with my QL17 GIII last year.. see if you can do that with a DSLR, or any current digital camera in 25 years time.

 

[Socke]

Well, I just sent off my ancient Olympus OM-1 for a CLA... see if you can do that with a DSLR, or any current digital camera in 25 years time.

You can't even get spare parts for a Contax RTS SLR anymore. Mine has eyelashes and dust somewhere in the viewfinder and to clean that they have to get the prism out and can't get it in again.

So I settled for as much cleaning as possible, lube and adjust. Mirrordampers and lightseals custom made from neoprene will keep it going for another 30 years I think.

Or as long as I get batteries for it 🙂

 

[peterc]

I ran into an interesting aside to the film issue yesterday. I was talking to a major Toronto camera retailer and he told me it had been a couple of weeks since anyone had asked to see a new film SLR. He said there'd been some (very small) interest in rangefinders, but the interest in new film cameras was pretty much nil.
Apparently some of the camera makers are even insisting (forcing) dealers to take some of their film camera stock in order to get the digital cameras they've ordered.
Can you say buyer's market?

Peter