Is Digital slowly taking over on RRF?

[Fenwick]

Just watching all the good deals on digital RFs to be had lately in the classifieds and those M8s etc seem to be getting snapped up fast and a lot of the film RFs seem to sit in the classifieds for a long time(unless its a real good deal)
I ask my self is film slowly disappearing even here on RFF were film rules or use to any way.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

My sense is a lot of folks still shoot film only because digital RF's are too expensive. As more alternatives come on the scene (micro 4/3 for example), it seems reasonable to expect that many will make the move to digital.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Well, I have to say an M8.2 or M8 would be really nice for collimating Jupiter-3's and converting CZJ Sonnars to LTM.

On a serious note, more professionals have joined RFF, and less hobbyists. A pro is going to "almost going to have to" shoot Digital in today's world.

Personally, I think it is more of a change in the profile of the membership.

(edit) I've dropped more on film cameras than the used M8's are going for in the classifieds, and will probably get a used M8.2 with warranty this year. I could pick up an M9 if I wanted to, but it would be overkill for collimating Jupiters.

 

[Disaster_Area]

I think people might just be wary about sinking big bucks in to film bodies these days. Between 4/3rds and used M8's and RD's digital is ALMOST within reach of a lot of hobbiests that 3 years ago would never have dreamed of being there so fast. All it's going to take is for someone (epson, CV or even Canon/Nikon) to release a truly affordable digital range finder and the value of film bodies will drop drastically.

Yes... there's a lot of people that will continue to shoot film well into affordable digital.. but I think there's a lot of people that are just waiting for the money to be right to get out of film... especially those of us in countries where film and chemicals are getting expensive and hard to find. So maybe people are making due with the film bodies they have... maybe buying more glass instead and not risking cash on commodities that might take a serious hit in value in the next couple years.

 

[David Murphy]

I think people might just be wary about sinking big bucks in to film bodies these days. Between 4/3rds and used M8's and RD's digital is ALMOST within reach of a lot of hobbiests that 3 years ago would never have dreamed of being there so fast. All it's going to take is for someone (epson, CV or even Canon/Nikon) to release a truly affordable digital range finder and the value of film bodies will drop drastically.

Yes... there's a lot of people that will continue to shoot film well into affordable digital.. but I think there's a lot of people that are just waiting for the money to be right to get out of film... especially those of us in countries where film and chemicals are getting expensive and hard to find. So maybe people are making due with the film bodies they have... maybe buying more glass instead and not risking cash on commodities that might take a serious hit in value in the next couple years.

A Leica IIIf has been obsolete for 55 years - no news there - a good one still highly desirable though! I think people need to be wary of the sinking value of digital cameras -- in fact almost any electronic commodity. The M8's are being sold because they are now obsolete in the face of the M9 and they have no collectible value. At least film is full-frame (even the IIIf) with an outrageous resolution if measured in equivalent pixels. There is a softening of film camera body prices lately, but I attribute that to the deep recession we are in - people just need the cash.

 

[Graham Line]

Digital continues to grow its presence in photography and RFF reflects that.
The ease of making and sharing images has led to a general increase in interest in photography, and also in older forms like film photography, Polaroid, large format and so on. At least, that's what the people at the camera shop tell me.

 

[Ken Shipman]

I have several classic film bodies already. Every time I'm tempted to pick up another I ask myself if I think I can put it to good use. The answer is invariably no. I'm focused on digital these days, and have more than I need for the occasional retro-fling with film. So my $$$'s are now going into digital bodies, and lenses that work with both film and digital.

 

[besk]

Just about the only reason I now shoot 35mm is because I believe from an archival standpoint it is the best medium. (Please, I am not interested in restarting "archival" wars"!) I am mainly interested in LF photography but LF is too slow and cumbersone for many subjects.

My daughter, who used to use my Nikon FM in high school, is now wedded to her digital Nikon SLR for her photography which is family photos of her daughters. I couldn't get her to even load the B&W film I gave her into the FM. So, this past week I gave her a Nikon N5005 loaded with B&W film. That camera is actually easier to use than her digital Nikon.

The above instance of my daughter is just to emphasize that digital is so easy that many of us are finding it more convenient to use digital for snapshots. Besides that, as we age AF comes in very handy and practically all digital cameras have AF.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

And it's a fact that even most of those who shoot film cameras these days scan the negs and show their photos as low res jpegs on the web. If the web is the ultimate destination of your photos, shooting film simply complicates the process without adding real value. It's simpler just to shoot digital to start with.

Yeah, I know, digital cameras don't have the sex appeal of old film cameras, but still....

 

[mark-b]

This is how it is for me (not for anybody else): I still don't like how the digital sensors block up the highlights and doom zones I to IV. Digital photos still look shallow to me. It's still a new developing technology, while film's been around, what at least a century? So how many digital cameras are there that are now obsolete, versus film cameras that are now obsolete? I like the fact that I don't need to be near an electrical outlet for months on end using an M3. I missed a once-in-a-lifetime shot in Death Valley, on the last day of the trip, when the lithium battery died on my digital camera. Now, had I brought my M6....!

I don't think film is going to go away. They said that about AM when FM came out. Vinyl records are still available. Arizona Highways still prefers 4x5 🙂

 

[biomed]

It seems that new digital cameras are coming on the market at a much higher rate as film cameras used to in their heyday. Film cameras have pretty much been perfected - when that will happen with digital, who knows. I recall reading somewhere that advances in technology increases exponentially. Something along the order of the new technological advances of one year is equal to the new technologal advances of the previous ten years. Look at the production lifespan of digital camera models compared to the production lifespan of some film cameras.

 

[smiling gecko]

hmmm...

hmmm...

hmmm...i thought it was the "evil slr" crowd 😀 🙂 😀

breathe, relax and enjoy. pax et bonum.

happy trails,
kenneth

 

[andredossantos]

I'm 31 so I learned when film was still the only thing around. That being said, I moved to digital when my film camera broke around 2002. Around 06 I went back to film as I came to the realization that what _I_ wanted in a digital camera was either not affordable or hadn't been invented yet.

That being said I'm very seriously considering going for an m4/3 camera very soon as they fulfill a lot of what I am looking for in digital and appeal to me on the same level that RF's do (I can't afford a m9). I also learned my lesson in that I will never ditch film altogether even if it is marginalized to a niche product.

 

[Mcary]

Just watching all the good deals on digital RFs to be had lately in the classifieds and those M8s etc seem to be getting snapped up fast and a lot of the film RFs seem to sit in the classifieds for a long time(unless its a real good deal)
I ask my self is film slowly disappearing even here on RFF were film rules or use to any way.

Seems to me that your question could be answered by a simple Poll

Question for people who have purchased a Digital RFs within the past 6 months did you

A. Buy the DRF to replace your film RF(s)
B Buy the DRF to supplement your film RF
C Buy the DRF to replace/or supplement a DSLR
D Other

 

[gb hill]

I think in some ways RF photography altogether is slowly slipping away. When I first joined here a coulpe of years ago there was a strong presence in the russian rf group. now it's pretty much dead. Also there were threads in the Yashica, Canon, & Bessa rf groups but now I rarely see any. True some members have moved on, but the new members showing up as of late are jumping right into the Leica M bandwagon, shoot slr's, dslr's or moving into the micro 4/3rds catagory. Haven't thought of it until now but it seems that especially the Bessa line of rangefinders have dropped off a great deal.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Cosina did revive interest in RF's with the Bessa line and has had a pretty good decade long run. But I agree with Greg, I think the RF bug has just run its course. Those who didn't like them went on to other things and those who did have worked themselves up to higher end equipment and have put together the kit they always wanted. And now many are moving to digital. A natural course of things.

 

[John Robertson]

😡Yes sadly Its reaching the tipping point for leaving as far as I'm concerned.

 

[je2a3]

Six years ago I was quite active here with special interest in FSU Leica clones. But work shifted my attention and just got back a few months ago. I see quite a bit of change.

I held out on serious digital photo gear until a few days ago when I acquired a used EP-1 + adapter to play with my M and LTM lenses because I still can't afford a used RD-1. It is better than nothing for instant gratification. However I'm not ditching my RF film gear and wet darkroom stuff just because of this u4/3rds toy.

To me the EP-1 is the equivalent of playing CDs through my triode amps driving vintage horn speakers. While the Leica M/LTM gear is like my 2000+ LPs spun on my Garrard 301 or Thorens TD124 turntable through the same system. I think retro and modern technology can coexist peacefully.

I'm not a purist or fanatic, just want to derive maximum enjoyment from the hobby!

 

[Frankie]

Seems to me that your question could be answered by a simple Poll

Question for people who have purchased a Digital RFs within the past 6 months did you

A. Buy the DRF to replace your film RF(s)
B Buy the DRF to supplement your film RF
C Buy the DRF to replace/or supplement a DSLR
D Other

None of the above.

I believe digital will replace film sooner or later...whether we like it or not. Just like CD music in the early '80s, but it might take 10 years to mature.

I won't buy a Nikon D1, 2 or 3 not because of price...not even weight, but bulk!

I won't buy a Leica M8 because it was really a beta model...at your expense.

I didn't buy an M9 after much anticipation because it was not much better...

In the end, I bought an R-D1 [a month ago]...a reasonable practise camera until something better.

Although I love to fantasize about a Zeiss ZMd, and even think seriously about retrofitting an M2, I kinda think a EVIL camera with a larger sensor and decent lens choices might win me over some day...unless Zeiss promises something in Photokina 2010.

Film has had its days...time to move on.

 

[ReeRay]

Conversely I shoot travel images for stock. More and more I see a call for "film images" from the travel mags.

"gimme something different, ya know, like them saturated and punchy Velvia images from the old days" "I'm sick of these plastic looking images I see every day" !!

I'll still be shooting film with my Contax G2 for a while yet!