Time: This is why Film Photography is making a Comeback

Thanks.

I noticed the sidebar article listed both the K1000 and the M6 as suggested film cameras.
 
dmr said:
Thanks.

I noticed the sidebar article listed both the K1000 and the M6 as suggested film cameras.
Click to expand...

You are welcome.

Just one important additional information:
The numbers mentioned by the Fujifilm US rep. are only that of the US market, not the global market.

The global market had its peak in 1999/2000 with 3 billion rolls.
And the current global market is much much bigger than 19 million rolls.
The global BW film market alone has about that size (source: Ilford rep. in an interview last year). The instant film market is probably even bigger now, more than 19 million instant film packs.
 
It's a modest but important change for the better. The TIME articles will make for a welcome - and much needed - buzz on film.
 
Not too much nutrients in such articles. Film photography doesn't need hype anymore. If film photography is coming back, give us more affordable consumer level films please.

Thanks for sharing though.
 
Thanks for posting.
I use both film and digital myself but its notable that the controlling body for the many camera clubs in the UK have stopped taking film entries for their competitions a few years ago.

I don`t myself enter photographic competitions but it`ll be interesting to see if they reverse this policy at some time in the future.
 
Michael Markey said:
Thanks for posting.
I use both film and digital myself but its notable that the controlling body for the many camera clubs in the UK have stopped taking film entries for their competitions a few years ago.

I don`t myself enter photographic competitions but it`ll be interesting to see if they reverse this policy at some time in the future.
Click to expand...
I wonder what would be the rationale behind that. Or is it just that they wouldn't accept negative/transparency/print ? Would they look at the exif data if one entered a scan of the film ?

Not that I ever enter such competitions either. Just raising the questions, not necessarily expecting answers.
 
Not sure myself to be honest.
I think it was simply the lack of film entries .
Most of the interest in the camera clubs is in post processing ... composite images ect.

Slide film seemed to hold on for a while but entries were closed for that too.
I copied the link to my camera club page but it`ll probably cause complete bewilderment as most are unaware that they even produce film of any type anymore :)


I should add the the average age is well over 60 and a fair few were very good darkroom printers in their time.
 
Michael Markey said:
Thanks for posting.
I use both film and digital myself but its notable that the controlling body for the many camera clubs in the UK have stopped taking film entries for their competitions a few years ago.

I don`t myself enter photographic competitions but it`ll be interesting to see if they reverse this policy at some time in the future.
Click to expand...

This is nothing unusual.
Canadian clubs instituted the same policy years ago as well.
I belong to a club here in Toronto (Toronto Digital Photography Club) and am the only film-only shooter out of about 125 members.
Any images I enter in Clinics or Competitions must be scanned.
Slide entries were discontinued about ten years ago.
Robert
 
nukecoke said:
Not too much nutrients in such articles. Film photography doesn't need hype anymore. If film photography is coming back, give us more affordable consumer level films please.

Thanks for sharing though.
Click to expand...

Exactly! Most likely this "comeback" will cost 15$ per roll, 20$ to process and four week to wait. If so, I would not call it as "comeback".

My Kodak lab in local Walmart is gone and Kodak Gold is also gone from local Walmart shelves!
Come back, come back, come back my Kodak to me!
 
I'm not sure numbers at less than 1% of the peak really qualifies as a comeback. I guess it makes for a great story, like the comeback of LPs and cassettes. I do hope that film continues to be around for a long time, and that there's enough volume to keep the factories moving so we can retain the products that are available today, if not add more.

I'm skeptical that film photography will ever again be more than a niche. It's easy to be romantic about film, but once a suitable replacement was available, people jumped ship. Now that being the only game in town is no longer a selling point, film has to compete on its merits vs. digital. For most people, a cell phone camera is good enough, produces better pictures than they ever got with a consumer-grade camera, and the additional cost is nil. And that group of people, the average person, is who made the film market so large to begin with. Those people aren't going back to film.
 
mich rassena said:
I'm skeptical that film photography will ever again be more than a niche.
Click to expand...

In relation to digital imaging film will be a niche in the future. But a growing one.
And that film remains a niche in relative terms is not a problem at all, it is even the opposite. Niche, enthusiast markets are often more sound and sustainable in the long run.

Currently about 3 billion people worldwide are taking pictures. And the number is growing.
If only 0,1 % of that would be shooting film in the future, it would be millions of film shooters worldwide. Enough to keep film alive and kicking on a very good level.

Cheers, Jan
 
Last edited:
HHPhoto said:
Some of my friends in Canada are shooting film. None of them is paying 15$ per roll, or 20$ for processing.
Just one example of an excellent Canadian lab:
http://www2.borealislab.qc.ca/borealis/
http://www2.borealislab.qc.ca/borealis/price-list

Cheers, Jan
Click to expand...

Most likely I overshoot all of your friends with 2K frames taken per year on film. :)
My comment has nothing to do with locals, I'm buying my chemical supplies from QC company http://www.argentix.ca/C41E6chems.php?=SID&mqry=sp002
All I was saying, this "comeback" most likely will cost 15$ per roll and Kodak will charge 20$ for processing.

Santé, Ko.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
Exactly! Most likely this "comeback" will cost 15$ per roll, 20$ to process and four week to wait. If so, I would not call it as "comeback".

My Kodak lab in local Walmart is gone and Kodak Gold is also gone from local Walmart shelves!
Come back, come back, come back my Kodak to me!
Click to expand...

That sucks! If I get off my butt I costs me 4 EUR per roll and 2 EUR to process and scan. Slides! Less for C-41 and BW.
 
Time, Inc has not been relevant for 15-20 years. This article and their others on film are obviously written by recent Journalism School Grads who don't know 2 twits about film photography. Give me some meat!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom