worried about the downfall of film

[tourdeforce_]

afew months ago i heard that film would become extinct in the next couple of years, but i didnt think much of it. i've just got word that many of the film companies have stopped production of their film, chemical and photographic papers, and even some of the camera manufacturers have stopped making their film cameras. i was wondering what news the people here have heard about this topic. i know that kodak has given up, but thankfully fuji's hanging in there. what other companies are keeping up the production of their chemicals and papers?

also i want to add that i hate digital photography and would much rather have film. the news of the film industry going under was a big shock to me since over the last year photography has become a big part of my life. i've become very interested in national geographic and war photojournalism, and have put alot of thought into pursuing a career in photojournalism. i just bought a darkroom, able to process and print b&w, c41 and e6 films, and was looking to get into medium & large format photography. i dread the day that i'll be forced to buy a digital camera, and right now i'd give up the hobby all together before i turn my computer into a darkroom.

is there hope in film & amateur darkroom products? or should i face the facts and accept that digital has won?

 

[back alley]

welcome.
the areas you talk about have been discussed in depth here for quite a while now.

do a search and i think you'll find lots to read.

 

[Finder]

Won?? What are you taking about? This is not a contest. BTW, I have not heard that Kodak and Fuji are going out of business. I have heard that Horseman has a new 6x17 camera. You have been on internet forums too long.

 

[bmattock]

Kodak, Fuji, and Ferrania are still making color print and slide film.
Ilford, Kodak, Fuji, and a few Eastern European and Chinese firms are still making B&W film.

Fuji has just just reaffirmed their commitment to film, which I figure means they're letting us know that they'll support film for maybe two more years, tops. Kodak is already running away from film as fast as they can, but they are huge and still producing it, and probably will for awhile yet.

B&W will most likely last longer than color, there are more suppliers for B&W and it is easier to make.

The 'war' if there ever was one, is long over - digital won. It has nothing to do with quality, film is still better than digital, but it doesn't matter. Obviously there are few analogues for Medium Format in digital, and none at all with Large Format.

There will be no more professional-level film SLR cameras introduced, ever. The long slow slide has begun. The question is only how long it will take to grind to a halt.

As to war correspondence and photojournalism - all digital and has been for some time now.

Enjoy film - it's great stuff. Learn the skills - most will translate. But don't fear the computer and the CMOS chip. It's all just photography.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[ch1]

Here we go AGAIN!!!!

 

[bmattock]

Here we go AGAIN!!!!

Nah, I'm outie. Ever buddy is sick of my nonsense by now.

Long live film and etc. Boo, digital. Rah frickin' rah.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Here we go AGAIN!!!!

ROFLMAO -- I never thought certain weekly subjects could be more predictable than the weather, but there you have it.

 

[back alley]

Kodak, Fuji, and Ferrania are still making color print and slide film.
Ilford, Kodak, Fuji, and a few Eastern European and Chinese firms are still making B&W film.

Fuji has just just reaffirmed their commitment to film, which I figure means they're letting us know that they'll support film for maybe two more years, tops. Kodak is already running away from film as fast as they can, but they are huge and still producing it, and probably will for awhile yet.

B&W will most likely last longer than color, there are more suppliers for B&W and it is easier to make.

The 'war' if there ever was one, is long over - digital won. It has nothing to do with quality, film is still better than digital, but it doesn't matter. Obviously there are few analogues for Medium Format in digital, and none at all with Large Format.

There will be no more professional-level film SLR cameras introduced, ever. The long slow slide has begun. The question is only how long it will take to grind to a halt.

As to war correspondence and photojournalism - all digital and has been for some time now.

Enjoy film - it's great stuff. Learn the skills - most will translate. But don't fear the computer and the CMOS chip. It's all just photography.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

well stated bill.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Nah, I'm outie. Ever buddy is sick of my nonsense by now.

Long live film and etc. Boo, digital. Rah frickin' rah.

Don't think it was you.

I absolutely love the synthesis. It's hard not to bite such trollie trollies. 'tis only Monday my friend.

To be honest, in my opinion, the above is a lot better than "do you think an UV filter is better than a SKY filter on my lens?"

 

[back alley]

'To be honest, in my opinion, the above is a lot better than "do you think an UV filter is better than a SKY filter on my lens?"'

talk about feeding the trolls...

and that's if he is one, i have yet to be convinced.

 

[bmattock]

Don't think it was you.

I absolutely love the synthesis. It's hard not to bite such trollie trollies. 'tis only Monday my friend.

To be honest, in my opinion, the above is a lot better than "do you think an UV filter is better than a SKY filter on my lens?"

Heck, I figured I was being baited. Paranoia or ego? Either is probably not good.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[ch1]

BTW: I had my first class in B&W film developing and darkroom tonight! It was fun.

 

[ch1]

Heck, I figured I was being baited. Paranoia or ego? Either is probably not good.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

Bill,

My comment was less directed at you than at the contiuing re-hash of the same old, same old with everyone resuming their respective corners of the rink!

As they say in Italia - BASTA!

Regards,
George

 

[bmattock]

BTW: I had my first class in B&W film developing and darkroom tonight! It was fun.

They give classes for this? Just kidding. Congrats! I love the smell of fixer in the morning. Smells like...photography.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

Bill,

My comment was less directed at you than at the contiuing re-hash of the same old, same old with everyone resuming their respective corners of the rink!

As they say in Italia - BASTA!

Regards,
George

That's why I figured I'd just let it go this time. Nothing new here.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[ray_g]

To be honest, in my opinion, the above is a lot better than "do you think an UV filter is better than a SKY filter on my lens?"

I don't think that thread showed up on my monitor. 😉

Anyway, I'm not worried about film. I've got 10 years worth of film in my freezer and enough long-lasting developer to soup them. I'm more worried about my KM scanner 🙁

By the time I use them all up, full-frame xxMP DSLR's will probably cost as much as a Dell PC. That's the beauty of digital, IMO -- they only get better and cheaper.

 

[sirius]

So, why are rangefinder cameras still so expensive when quality used SLRs are going for next to nothing? I'm new to RFF and enjoy hearing these discussions. These questions are definitely in the zeitgeist. It makes me really nervous to fork out for a quality film rangefinder on the cusp of the digital age. I guess I would like to use both. There is something delightful and simple in a good rangefinder.

At the risk of changing topics... I see that there are a couple of Canon P enthusiasts in this thread. I just bought one for $450 (US) with a 50/f1.8. Do you think I made a good purchase?

 

[ch1]

So, why are rangefinder cameras still so expensive when quality used SLRs are going for next to nothing? I'm new to RFF and enjoy hearing these discussions. These questions are definitely in the zeitgeist. It makes me really nervous to fork out for a quality film rangefinder on the cusp of the digital age. I guess I would like to use both. There is something delightful and simple in a good rangefinder.

At the risk of changing topics... I see that there are a couple of Canon P enthusiasts in this thread. I just bought one for $450 (US) with a 50/f1.8. Do you think I made a good purchase?

So many SLRs compared to so few RFs is one reason.

The SLR manufacturers made a fortune selling just about every baby boomer a SLR in the 1970's and 1980's to take pics of the kids etc.. Thousands of these have been sitting in closets and drawers for years.

Now we "boomer geezers" are getting near retirement and are selling off those unused SLRs for digitals of all stripes and flavors to take pics of the grandkids etc.

Couple reduced demand for film SLRs with the active second hand market fostered by eBay and no wonder the camera makers are headed for the exits!

 

[back alley]

'At the risk of changing topics... I see that there are a couple of Canon P enthusiasts in this thread. I just bought one for $450 (US) with a 50/f1.8. Do you think I made a good purchase?'

was that just on ebay, like today or yesterday?

if the camera is in very good shape and the lens in good shape then that price is good for a current purchase i would think.
the p and especially the 50/1.8 has jumped in price lately.

joe

 

[sf]

Digital HAS won, but you don't have to change your ways. Things may get more expensive, and your choices will certainly become less numerous, but film will be around for a while longer. And will continue as a hobbyist thing for many many years. It will, like every other technology that is thrown to the side by scientific evolution, become pricey and difficult.

There will be a market large enough to warrant some boutique film companies to begin production as the big names cut tail and run, and photographic supplies will become an increasingly internet based market as the physical distribution of inventory declines and declines.

In ten years, you will be able to buy film from major photographic suppliers such as Samys in LA and Glazer's in Seattle and B&H in New York, for a high price since the economies of scale will have disappeard. You will be forced to soup your own negatives, though, since no shops will see any economically logical reason to maintain hundreds of thousands of dollars in film machines - though there may be a shop in town that does it for high prices - like those last shops printing type R 8x10s for $50 a print.

Just be prepared to spend multiple times what you spend now - and to integrate digital into things somewhat. I, for instance, shoot film and do the majority of my printing with a scanner and a really nice Canon printer with 1 picoliter droplets. This is a happy medium for me, because I get the film experience and have those negs for printing REAL prints in my bathroom/darkroom when something spectacular comes around or someone pays for a print.