Yes, just reiterating your clarification of 'major manufacturer.'
There will be (and are) small offerings, such as panomicron
There will be (and are) small offerings, such as panomicron
Yes, just reiterating your clarification of 'major manufacturer.'
There will be (and are) small offerings, such as panomicron
...at least not MAJOR camera manufacturers (Nikon, Canon, etc.). There may be room for a new business model (think Taxi vs. Uber; Paypal vs. BofA; Tesla vs. GM; etc.).
Uber filled a need created by price fixing in the taxi industry, unlike new camera bodies.
Paypal was a brilliant idea which created a service no one had thought of before, unlike camera bodies, of which there are millions.
As of May 2015 Elon Musk had received over $4.9 billion in government subsidies, because there wasn’t a need, there was politics, and he’s a born showman. That’s his business model.
None of these are business models which I see as being transferable to tooling up production of new, quality film cameras. Personally. Though there is most certainly room for someone to try this new business model. Lots of room.
Ok, I will give you some of those points (esp. on your birthday). I am sure there are a ton of other examples (air taxis, ebikes, airBnB etc.), but: price fixing by taxi companies has been happening for 100+ years. It was a new enabling technology (smart phones) that allowed the model to be broken. 3D printing (I believe) is the technology that will enable a new camera industry.
Thanks for the birthday nod. Would not the 3D printing ability, current and future, be more useful in creating parts to be used to repair the known failure nodes of the best and most common existing cameras instead of trying to build entire new cameras from scratch? That’s something that actually could be done by Joe Sixpack in his garage. You’re not going to be making optical viewfinder lenses with 3D printing.
There’s already somebody making hard to find Contarex hoods that way, as an example. As the 3D tech improves, or with the use of existing CAD CAM tech more durable metal parts can be made. That’s not a pipe dream.
I can see that as being both realistic and helpful.
No?
I'd like to see some of these film sales numbers from an independent source.
"Still selling Bessa IIIs" isn't really an answer. 🙂 This actually indicates very soft demand...
In any case, assuming that new film cameras are indeed on the horizon, what would such cameras need, in order to entice purchasers to buy new, instead of buying used?
Sure, a new warranty is nice, but how much is that warranty going to cost?
Considering a new F6 is $2500, and used ones routinely sell in the $600-$800 range, and the vast majority of used F6s were not used professionally and have still have decades of service.
Other film cameras are cheap enough it's easy to buy 2 or 3 in case one fails, so the cost is still far below what a newly produced model would cost.
What, if any, gimmicks/features could be added to a new film camera design to entice buyers?
Don´t even need to talk about film issues: if the used market keeps the same pace, there will be new film cameras from Japan.
I think the future could be hybrid- i.e., create cameras that can be digital OR film. Maybe both (SLR where the mirrored image gets digitized?).
😕 Why only from Japan? 😕
The French, the Italians, the British, the Germans, and some more Europeans must restart and make new film cameras!
Nikon can sell an FM4 quick and easy.
You guys talk about used as if it´s steady limitless supply of Leica M2, Nikon F3 etc on ebay.. It´s over.
A Leica m6 is selling for 2k + . It´s going up. I would rather buy a new Leica MA or MP the way it´s happening. That´s why Leica is happy about their new cameras. Those are new cameras w/ new names but w/ the same design.
ZI ZM sells for 1.8k. Used. A new one was 1.4k. Cosina could sell it again.. a redesigned ZI, for a bit more or a bit less. It would sell.
Don´t even need to talk about film issues: if the used market keeps the same pace, there will be new film cameras from Japan.
What I have said is that the situation has changed in the last three years in the US: Labs see increasing demand again, lots of labs invest in marketing and new gear. New labs and camera stores have opened.
Forget what was ten years ago. There is a new dynamic.
Cheers, Jan
It’s not desirable? That’s interesting, because with the same lens fitted, it provides exactly the same result as the F6 I bought new.
I get your point, but my point was that no company can, or will, produce a camera as well built and as competent as an F2 at a price level which people will buy, and at which the company can make money. Contax T3, neither.
The fact that the F2 isn’t the internet flavor of the month in terms of gear lust, doesn’t change that equation.
Whatever.
I have used film and labs for decades. I threw it all out... I let Pentax cameras rot. Nikon film cameras rot.
Professional photography has changed significantly. It has dwindled, diminished. Magazines are gone. Advertising is gone.
Interesting.
There are far more pros now with digital than there ever were with film.
Sure, print advertising has changed, but it's just been replaced, not eliminated.