Would you buy a new film camera?

[Larry Cloetta]

Took me so long to write out the above that I posted it after someone had already mentioned 3D printing. So, my comment about 3D printing, with which I am familiar, was not a personal attack against the person who mentioned it, though I have no reason to change my actual opinion. I just regret what might seem like a personal attack against a specific individual.

 

[splitimageview]

Well stated, Larry.

It's not going to happen, despite all the chatter (in another thread) taking anecdotal comments regarding Leica film production capacity and supposed doubling of film sales and extrapolating that to new film camera offerings...

 

[PKR]

Sure, if i needed one.

I would want a camera with full manual control of aperture, shutter speed and focus. Auto features are fine but, i also would want the option of full control.

I sometimes use an Oly XA. An XA type camera with a shutter speed control option might be good. I would likely buy one.

 

[loquax ludens]

No. I have too many film cameras as it is, and with the current prices for second hand analogue cameras, I should be selling some of them, instead.

This is true for me too.

It's hard for me to see how a manufacturer could economically justify producing and marketing a new film camera until there is demand that can't be satisfied from the existing supply of good used ones. I don't think there is yet, but perhaps that day will come.

That said, I would be delighted to hear of a new film camera, especially if it is well-built and available at a reasonable price for the intended market. I'd hope for its success. But I suspect that any new camera built today would be such a gamble that it would end up being cheaply made and over-priced.

 

[Ambro51]

Probably not, though I’ll admit the Kickstarterfor the “Reflex” looked promising at first.

 

[PRJ]

I think in the future there may be new cameras as more and more cameras stop working. Wouldn't be surprised to see it coming out of China.

I have been thinking about what to do lately. I'd like to get a Leica that fits my eye better. I have an M3 and a Konica Hexar RF. Since I wear glasses these days, the M3 isn't really usable for a 50 which is what I use most, and the Hexar's 50 framelines are kinda small. I could buy a used regular Leica. Or a new one. If i had the scratch, I'd buy a new one for sure. I figure a used one at this point is going to cost 2-3 grand by the time it is set to the quality of a new one.

My thinking about film cameras these days is that I hopefully have several decades left to go. Any film camera I buy is probably going to last the rest of my life, so why not buy a new one? One that no one else has ever fondled. There is something to be said for that.

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

Good points raised by all. As to the potential cost of a mechanical rangefinder or SLR, we have a few data points. Leica's current MSRP on the MP and M-A models is about $5,000. The Zeiss Ikon when it was discontinued about six years ago was I believe priced around $1,600, so roughly $1,750 in today's dollars. The price of a Nikon FM3A (chrome) in 2001 was $820 (https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Nikon_FM3A), so over $1,200 in today's dollars.

Based on inflation alone, I would expect any quality mechanical SLR or rangefinder produced in Japan to cost at least $1,500; but I would expect any manufacturer producing such a camera would have to add in R&D for new production lines, etc. I do not think any such camera could be brought to market for less than $1,800 to $2,000, minimum.

I like shiny new things just as much as anyone, but there is no way a new camera at this price point would sell when there are millions of perfectly good similar cameras available used for 1/10th the price.

 

[agentlossing]

I would buy a new film camera, if it landed in between the low-end Lomo LC-A and the high-end Leica 35mm camera, at a reasonable price. End of story.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

No. The reason being, because if it is a complete redesign, it would be extremely cost prohibitive. Even if it were copied down to the last grub screw, all that tooling and molding would have to be redone, unique parts resourced or refabricated. It would just be far too expensive and I'd rather save up for a down payment on a house.
Would anyone here buy a brand new mechanical typewriter? Let's say a Smith-Corona 5 Series, the Silent. Tom Hanks' favorite "desert island" machine. Extremely reliable, durable, and reasonably simple. Very easy to adjust and service. Since NONE of the molding or tooling for this machine (nor any other quality typewriter) still exists, it would all have to be created by hand or custom made. Even using modern CNC technology, it's estimated that one of these machines would run close to $10,000, in order to come close to or match the quality of the original. As for the original, they were created en-masse, in a highly industrialized world that worked on economy of scale. Millions of typewriters were created between the invention of the QWERTY keyboard in the Sholes & Glidden of the late 19th century, and the last QUALITY mechanical typewriters made, in the late 1970s. Yes, there are plastic junk typewriters available currently, but many of them don't work right out of the box. What I'm trying to say is that in the world today, we do not have the industrial complex available to create a typewriter on a scale which would be affordable. People would probably rather buy a car, for a similar amount of money.
The same goes for cameras. Period. Time, technology, and culture have moved on. We type on computers or our phones. We shoot photos with digital technology, which includes our phones.
So no, I would not because there are plenty used cameras available, too many, in fact, to not be maintained and put back into use. We do not need to continue to fill the world with more junk, we need to repurpose and reuse what we already have available, which is perfectly fine.
Phil Forrest

 

[back alley]

i have a beautiful canon f1 and a couple of lenses...that i never use...it all just sits in a big domke bag...
and i feel guilty not using it...i shoot less and less mostly depending on my back/hip and while i shoot mostly everyday i shoot for short time periods.

so, long story short i would not be interested in a new film camera.

 

[raydm6]

No. The reason being, because if it is a complete redesign, it would be extremely cost prohibitive. Even if it were copied down to the last grub screw, all that tooling and molding would have to be redone, unique parts resourced or refabricated. It would just be far too expensive and I'd rather save up for a down payment on a house.
Would anyone here buy a brand new mechanical typewriter? Let's say a Smith-Corona 5 Series, the Silent. Tom Hanks' favorite "desert island" machine. Extremely reliable, durable, and reasonably simple. Very easy to adjust and service. Since NONE of the molding or tooling for this machine (nor any other quality typewriter) still exists, it would all have to be created by hand or custom made. Even using modern CNC technology, it's estimated that one of these machines would run close to $10,000, in order to come close to or match the quality of the original. As for the original, they were created en-masse, in a highly industrialized world that worked on economy of scale. Millions of typewriters were created between the invention of the QWERTY keyboard in the Sholes & Glidden of the late 19th century, and the last QUALITY mechanical typewriters made, in the late 1970s. Yes, there are plastic junk typewriters available currently, but many of them don't work right out of the box. What I'm trying to say is that in the world today, we do not have the industrial complex available to create a typewriter on a scale which would be affordable. People would probably rather buy a car, for a similar amount of money.
The same goes for cameras. Period. Time, technology, and culture have moved on. We type on computers or our phones. We shoot photos with digital technology, which includes our phones.
So no, I would not because there are plenty used cameras available, too many, in fact, to not be maintained and put back into use. We do not need to continue to fill the world with more junk, we need to repurpose and reuse what we already have available, which is perfectly fine.
Phil Forrest

Well said Phil. Nor do we have the designer's (and their esthetic) and craftsman/women/people 🙂 of that era and how they were apprenticed/trained. The machining and precision on some of these vintage cameras is amazing (I've also pondered that to reproduce these today would be astronomical) and you're right; the infrastructure needed and tooling would be cost-prohibitive.

That's why I so treasure being able to acquire vintage cameras for reasonable money and use/fondle them to my delight! 😀

 

[Forest_rain]

I think there's no chance of "new" film cameras to be a reasonable price. The cost is just to high to produce the new cameras.

I was talking to someone who wanted to revive the Kiev-88 (insane, probably, this model has a bad reputation) producing them new at the LOMO factory. He said it would have to charge $900 or so per camera to sustain production. I don't think anyone would be willing to pay that much for a "new" kiev-88 when older ones can be had for $200.

There's a lot of great used cameras on the market from days past. No reason to buy a brand new film camera these days, when they don't offer too much of an improvement.

Even the newer autofocus film bodies from the '90s or so are cheaper than cameras from '60s and '70s. They have higher shutter speeds, function better since they are newer, and have motor drives. Can be had for about $40 for a used film body. Why buy new?

 

[chipgreenberg]

So my question to you film lover would you really buy a new film camera if it should hit the market? And how much would you be ready to pay for it?

I might. But 35mm really doesn't interest me for a few reasons.

There's a thread on Photrio "Rolleiflex Hy6...One of the last medium format cameras in production"

I took a look at Rollei USA. Too electric, motorized, I'd pass on auto focus, etc for me. And while this is out of my price range, if they had a manual one, maybe made in Japan for half the price I think I'd be a buyer. Would I pay 2x as much for a new Rollei as a 20 year old 'Blad? Sure

 

[markjwyatt]

I might just to maintain my investment in lenses. Then again, there are enough used film bodies floating around to keep things going for a long time. Also, modular camera systems could be of interest if film supply continues. These could be highly customization (maybe use sheet film, plates, film backs); adaptable to many lenses; Add features (exposure meters, rangefinder, view finders, digital back, ground glass back, etc.). Maybe something like a modern Graflex concept. If this ever comes to be, simpler, more compact cameras may follow.

 

[ray*j*gun]

I would buy a new Bessa LTM and perhaps a Bessa M mount new if they were priced along the lines of their market position in the past. I have lots of glass in these mounts and although i have a number of fine vintage cameras, I would like the feeling of a new body for them. I am considering buying a Sony 7ii as a plat form for my LTM and M lenses.

 

[aizan]

Yes, I would buy a new film camera now. It would have to be something I want because of repairability and cost-effectiveness issues (things that are too expensive on the used market).

- Voigtländer Bessa or Zeiss Ikon ZM
- Point & shoot camera like the Konica Big Mini
- A 35mm panoramic scale-focus or rangefinder camera with built-in meter, mechanical shutter, manual film advance, accessory viewfinders. Basically a mini-Fujifilm GX617, or panoramic Bessa L/T, Zeiss Ikon SW.

Everything else I can get used for a workable price, and they are probably repairable enough.

 

[krötenblender]

Took me so long to write out the above that I posted it after someone had already mentioned 3D printing. So, my comment about 3D printing, with which I am familiar, was not a personal attack against the person who mentioned it, though I have no reason to change my actual opinion. I just regret what might seem like a personal attack against a specific individual.

I don‘t feel attacked. You might be right, that it won‘t happen, but it is just an opinion, not knowlegde about the future. As was my speculation about the opposite. But we might be surprised, because if it does not happen, then not because 3D printing is not and will never be able to do that. You are definitely wrong about that:

https://www.engineering.com/3DPrint...etal-3D-Printing-Goes-Small-in-a-Big-Way.aspx

The structures described in the article are complex metal structures with a few microns in height only. So the actual small components of these structures are even less than that. I have seen in person a working ball-bearings printed in one pass in metal and a cylinder engine model (working mechanics but no combustion), which were much less precise than the 6 microns in the article above. Definitley good enough for the fine-mechanics of film cameras.

Currently this would be very expensive today and thus not feasible. However, the number of transistors in the cheapest computer chips from today would have cost a kingdom and the kings kidneys just 20 or 30 years ago. So, about the speed of development of such technologies, I wouldn‘t dare to say „impossible“.

Technically, it is doable, but there might just not be enough demand.

 

[nikon_sam]

I gave some serious thought to buying the Voigtlander Bessaflex TM (black body) when it first came out and even years later gave it a close look...that would have been the last film camera I would have bought...I have plenty other film bodies so for now I don't/haven't looked...
I've pulled the Nikon F5 off the shelf and have it ready to go...

 

[Bob Michaels]

The last camera I bought new was a Canon AE-1 in the early 1970's. Too many great deals on used cameras if you don't have to have the latest and greatest. I don't think using the cameras I do has impacted the quality of my photography one bit.

Repairs? I don't think I have spent more than $200 in the last 50 years. Or less than the cost differential between any new and used cameras. Never had an unrepairable camera.

 

[PhotoGog]

I recall reading somewhere that one of the most prohibitive components in terms of commercial reality is the manufacturing of the shutter mechanism. Can anyone illuminate this?