Is film really dead now?

[Nikonfreak]

Just wanted to get some thoughts from you folks as to whether or not film is really dead yet?

Nikon has pulled out of the film camera business, except for their F6 basically and are no longer manufacturing manual focus lenses (Frankly, I'm surprised manual focus lenses lasted this long).

So... is it time to order the coffin for film (35mm at least)?

I suspect medium format is still alive, though many of those manufacturers (Like Hassleblad) are offering digital options. Heck the H2D has a 22 megapixel sensor... At a mere $27,000 USD. What a deal!

Who's ordering one?!?

Julio

[JDArt]

As much as I curse digital from time to time -- color issues, the cost of the equipment -- NEVER do I consider shooting film again. No way.

[dc2]

Just my opinion but I think film will be around for quite a while yet even the 35mm.
If you have a 35mm that you like I would keep it .
I still regret getting rid of mine .

[Nikonfreak]

I don't think I've shot a roll of film in 4 years.

Our children will grow up asking, "Dad, what is film?"

LOL

Julio

[dc2]

Our children will grow up asking, "Dad, what is film?"

LOL

Julio
Keep the camera and you can explain it better to them

[kitsune]

Film will never die.

Internet didn't kill TV.
TV didn't kill radio.
Radio didn't kill newspapers.
Blockbuster didn't kill cinemas
Movies didn't kill theatre.
Recording music didn't kill live performances.
Cars didn't kill horses.
Photography didn't kill painting.
Computers didn't kill paper.

What *is* the trend? In almost all of the above cases, the older technology either experienced a long slump followed by a rebirth with new ideas and a new role, or, it was marginalized into a form aimed at artistic use, not workaday stuff.

No question in my mind, the days of film being the primary photographic tool are oveer for good. But film will never be dead either. It'll just become a nich market thing. And I'm perfectly cool with that.

[JDArt]

I guess the question becomes, "in what cases will one need/want to use film in the future?"

[kitsune]

Originally Posted by JDArt

I guess the question becomes, "in what cases will one need/want to use film in the future?"

Some people enjoy working in darkrooms, using analog technologies.

There are still some minority cases today where the film resolution -- usually in medium format -- just whipes the floor with digital. But those needs are rare, and in a matter of time there will be digital applications that equal most aspects of MF. Heck, look at Pentax, anouncing an MF digital based on their 645.

Mostly though, it's a pleasure thing. I think you'll still be able to find just as much B&W film as now, probably half as much in color slide film, and color print film will be about on par with B&W rolls for production numbers. I see slides suffering the most because, although some of us enjoy the format, there is no "hands on pleasure" from them. Color print's decline will be mostly because it was produced primarily for the consumer market, which is going digi like mad.

[Nikonfreak]

Originally Posted by kitsune

Film will never die.

Internet didn't kill TV.
TV didn't kill radio.
Radio didn't kill newspapers.
Blockbuster didn't kill cinemas
Movies didn't kill theatre.
Recording music didn't kill live performances.
Cars didn't kill horses.
Photography didn't kill painting.
Computers didn't kill paper.

What *is* the trend? In almost all of the above cases, the older technology either experienced a long slump followed by a rebirth with new ideas and a new role, or, it was marginalized into a form aimed at artistic use, not workaday stuff.

No question in my mind, the days of film being the primary photographic tool are oveer for good. But film will never be dead either. It'll just become a nich market thing. And I'm perfectly cool with that.

Perhaps not, but certainly we have examples of newer technology killing older technology or replacing it.

Do you still listen to cassette tapes? *Or is most of your collection now on CD or even DVD?

Do you still have 8 tracks? *They'll never die... I'm tellin ya.

Beta or VHS?

How many of you still shoot polaroids?

Do you still use floppy disks? *Zip disks?

CD Recorders are being replaced by DVD-R

Are you riding in a car or a horse and buggy?

Julio

[dc2]

Originally Posted by JDArt

I guess the question becomes, "in what cases will one need/want to use film in the future?"

I still miss some of the colours *obtained by film and still think it has ability's
that are not so easy to reproduce digitally .[whatever the camera]
Don't get me wrong I won't *get rid of my digital . Theres just a feel *I miss with film

[JDArt]

Originally Posted by kitsune

Mostly though, it's a pleasure thing.

Interesting you say "pleasure." For me, that's the primary motivation for staying digital. There's pleasure in the instant gratification, the endless postprocessing possibilities. And there was never really pleasure for me in darkrooms, chemicals, mess!

Appreciate your thoughts, though.

[dougjgreen]

I think it's safe to say that the evolution of FILM CAMERAS is over. For the past couple of years, nobody other than Nikon with the F6, has even come out with a BETTER (as opposed to cheaper) film camera in 35mm format. But the fact is, there is a vast used market for film cameras, and this is a reality that all camera manufacturers had to deal with. For example, A Used, but near mint Nikon F100 can easily be found for under $400, and a used but near mint Olympus OM-4 can be found for under $300. It's not possible to build NEW cameras that are better than these outstanding older models, for anything CLOSE to those prices and still be profitable. In Medium Format, it's even worse, as the supply of great pro-caliber used gear available for 10 cents on the dollar vs. new equipment exceeds the supply.

I can buy a top notch, complete Mamiya RZ67, or Hasselblad 503 system in pristine shape for under a grand used, with ease. Those are systems that have to sell NEW for more than three times that, or the manufacturer loses money.

The fact that there are already more, and better, film cameras in existence than will ever be needed again, in the advent of digital, simply means that the market for used gear is where it will be at from now on. But, that is entirely different from there not being a market for film. There will be a market for film for a LONG TIME. Like decades. Now, in the next few years, it will shrink, but as a niche market, it will exist for at least another couple of decades.

[cyclohexane]

I think film is on its way out as a mainstream commodity, but I think it will stick around for a few years at least.* There are always those who prefer the things of the past.

Personally, I'm currently trying to get rid of the old expired Kodak Gold 200 I found in the refrigerator; I actually had to borrow the extended family's Leica M3 as all of our film cameras are kaput. Medium Format is also something I want to give a shot, but unfortunately my late grandfather traded all of his MF gear away years ago for 35mm.

[CI Photography]

It must be out. I put a Canon Elan 7 that has had only 10 rolls of film through it on ebay last week. My starting bid was 100 bucks with no reserve. It never got the first bid and it came with box, body, strap, body cap, instructions, and Magic Lantern Guides book for this camera, and $40.00 of new film. :-\ I relisted it just to see if it would sell.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7590671456



Joe

[JDArt]

Just amazing. I have relatives ask me about whether they can sell their old film cameras on eBay. I just shake my head.

[kitsune]

It'll vary depending on the camera. Right now, though, most prices are low, because the "big switch" is in full swing. A friend of mine who bought his n80 new is jealous of me having gotten mine for $250 at KEH... now they have then at $140.

F5's on the other hand, are still spendy, but not nearly as much as they had been. But consumer cameras? Yeah, there's going to be so many they'll really tank in price.

[dougjgreen]

Originally Posted by CI Photography

It must be out. I put a Canon Elan 7 that has had only 10 rolls of film through it on ebay last week. My starting bid was 100 bucks with no reserve. It never got the first bid and it came with box, body, strap, body cap, instructions, and Magic Lantern Guides book for this camera, and $40.00 of new film. :-\ I relisted it just to see if it would sell.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7590671456

Joe

As someone experienced with selling cameras on ebay, I'll suggest that the problem here is that this class of camera, specifically, is hard to sell just a body without a lens, because the likely buyers are intimidated by the concept of buying a lens separately - as they simply don't know what to get. This camera is too much a consumer SLR for serious film shooters to look toward this as their ideal spare body. If it had a lens, almost ANY appropriate lens with it, you could have certainly sold it for $125-150, or more if the lens had been somewhat higher end. But the folks who buy bodies without lenses, are either looking for more high end bodies, or completely manual bodies. That's the issue with this specific lot.