While it is the first time that I saw someone using a kettle for milk, I do not find the idea weird, but kind of smart. If it does not damage the inside.
It's the death of digital photography, there is also a huge movement away from AI with photographers beginning to charge a premium for authentic work untouched by any AI.
This is a good point. I think that we will start to see people tire of overly manipulated images as AI generated images saturate the market. The backlash will create more desire for truly analog art. I wish we could go back to shooting on film, developing, and enlarging on photographic paper as a standard way of getting pictures onto the walls of our homes again. No over reliance on fixing the scan in post.
I’m a perfect example of this. I started on digital 9 months ago. Got an F3 a week ago and I’m hooked. It’s making me slow down and actually think about what I’m shooting since every shot costs money.
The price of film going up so much each year and the lack of Fuji film are just adding to the end of film. I do mainly colour film and process it my self. But Tetanal chemicals have not been on the shop shelves for a very long time. And the ones that are cost a lot more than Tetanal. Black and white film seem to be doing well. But but there’s no repairs for the old medium format, and 35 mm cameras anymore, and no new ones coming on the market to replace them
What the young folks don´t realize is that film costing almost nothing was a very short period of time when the digital technology became widely available. In the golden age of film, the professional quality stocks were not cheap. This is especially true of slide film. The digital technology being affordable to the crowds, and the movie industry moving to digital at the same time lead to a price war between Kodak and Fuji, with the prices not being sustainable any more. As there will never be mass market for film products in the way it was before the digital age, there is no way around the higher prices. That said, the market shows some signs of leveling, but thr demand for film is still higher than the supply,
I wish they would sell their equipment, manufacturing gear, etc to a company who would try to bring some updated, unique stuff. As for repair shops, yeah, using my contax gets me nervous.
@@b6983832 while the cost of films were expensive, the development cost was not, with today's film price you could probably only develop one roll (in lab). 30 years ago one film price equals to development of 3-5 rolls, of course printing is different game but you can choose which frame to print. Not to mention there are a whole lot more choices for cheaper film stocks if you were not able to buy professional standard.
@@Resgerr I had my Leica M2 1959 restored in Wetzler. I was so happy that a camera manufacturer could still repair it. £1.300 I did have a lens looked over in the same price. I just wish we could all get together and try and make the parts that fall and learn how to repair them.
as long as a digital fixed lens point and shoot trends on tiktok and goes for $2600 on ebay because it looks like a 35mm film camera, I'm not worrying about film.
Money , volume , materials ! If you want it , you will have to pay a premium for it . Pay on the front end with digital or pay on the back End with , film , processing , and fiber prints .
I just had to pay 300$ for fixing my Pentax 6x7... again... so just ordered a scuffed second hand GFX and from the looks of it, 2024 might be the death of my film photography setup just because of the sheer cost...
There are still cheap stuff out there just need to look i got a free sf10 with 2 lenses and extra film. I got a canon t70 for 10 came with 3 lenses ans works. Just dont fit me so im selling it. I got another pentax woth 4 rolls and a lense.. 8 dollars. Shutter doesnt work.. so no big loss as the film is around 20+ for 4 rolls. Just need to look.
definitely still tons of great, more unknown budgets cameras out there that are worth buying. I really want to make a video of thrifting film cameras and showing that you can shoot whatever you want and still get good photos.
@@metalfingersfilm my first 35mm was a sf10 pentax. For free. Ive bought a few since then to include the canon T70. Came with 3 lenses. But its not my taste. So that will be sold to help fund my pentax k-1/3. I love how pentax lenses can be used from older cameras for newer dslr's as well.
Interesting video. Some old man feedback though... Can we please stop with the RUclips-ish clickbaity titles? "The death of film photography" and stuff like that... You see it all over the tubes, and when you watch it, it serves no purpose other than to get a reaction out of you. Super big turn-off. Other than that, always enjoy the videos and appreciate the time and effort put into it. :)
What would be your suggested title? "Lets Ponder What The Future Of Film For The Next Couple Years Should Be?" I genuinely think this year is a make or break it for new film products so I'm not quite sure how it's clickbaity. IMO I don't have a girl in a bikini on the thumbnail fishing for views, or lying about the topic at hand just to get people to click.
I am just crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. Film and Film cameras just bring me unparrellel joy and satisfaction that I just can't find in digital.
The joy of a huge contrast model plastered on the wall illuminated brightly for all to see! And then asked, who did that? And just as quickly snapped back, I DID! YOU DONT GET THAT SENCE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT FROM A BABOON COMPUTER DERRIVED IMAGE. IT JUST DONT HANG WELL DUDE!
I read Fuji 35mm 200 color film is just rebranded Kodak 200 gold. I don’t mind except I just bought a 3 pack of Kodak gold for $300 instead of 3 pack of Fuji for $22 lol
Having just got back in to film photography after a gap nearly 20 years. I am hoping it stays around. One of the potential threats is manufacturers thinking the potential market is bigger than it actually is, expanding too rapidly, over producing and being unsustainable. As appears to have happened on the cycling industry post 2020. For producers who realise the market is niche and are focused on the needs of creative amateurs there should be a future.
Same just picked up the old F80 and bought an FE, and have just got my darkroom happening again, I forgot how much fun it is to do it all yourself. Keep on shooting film
Film could be to photography like vinyl records are to music. A comeback… an expensive hobby but something worth exploring… especially for the newer generations who didn’t grow up with it. I support it.
Want to know what will kill film? It is really easy answer - and the answer isn't digital cameras. Toxic communities and enthusiasts will kill film. The analog elitists are very, very vocal. Every video / forum post / social media post like this has the few comments about how "digital ruined film" or "haven't we had enough digital" comments by people who insist on making it a scenario of one versus the other. This is silly and outdated / ignorant mindset. Couple that with the dingleberries who try their hardest at gatekeeping (you know, the ones that say dumb sh*t like "well I was around when film was the only thing, and you digital people aren't real photogaphers" etc )or by talking down to digital photographers taking the leap into film - and it is a perfect recipe for self-destruction. I shoot both - and am heavily invested in film photography (35mm, 120, and 4x5) and I have noticed an increase in the amount of film cameras popping up in national (I was watching Sick Week which is a week long drag race/driving event - and there were people shown on the livesteam with film cameras shooting,) local events, and local groups. Specifically film SLRs/rangefinders, etc being used in conjunction with digital. This is the answer - support people trying out film and ADDING it to their existing kit. Making it a "this or that" scenario isn't the way. More people buying digital - and getting into the hobby WILL lead to more people shooting film.
People are comparing the incomparable. These are different methods of imaging, with very different results. What I personally don´t like is the fact that many of the younger folks are not aware of the possibilities of darkroom printing. I mean both black & white and color. I do understand there are many possibilities you can achieve with digital post production, but it seems to me that many of the younger generation enthusiasts are simply unaware of the darkroom, or think it is much harder than it is, and not worth trying. For me, it is as important part of the craft as is shooting pictures. I don´t fully get the idea that people take for granted that the digital image is the desired goal of all your work in all photography. And no, there is no reason for discrediting digital imaging.
Though my photography has slowed down a bit, I still shoot film as well as digital. I like my cameras, I like taking pictures, I like the whole process and hope film continues the up-tic in popularity. All I can do is take pictures and have prints made.
I’ve been shooting since 1979 as a teen. I never really gave it up and tried to transition to dig but I just couldn’t commit 100% to dig. Now I’m around 50/50 but I prefer to do SOOC in digital. Straight out of camera pictures
As wonderful and convenient as digital photography is, the cost and obsolescence of digital cameras every year is what’s killing the industry. Buy a good film camera and it will last for years and keep money in your pocket.
Last week I got an email from Mint letting me know I was on the waitlist for the first 500 Rollei 35AF they will be releasing prior to general release. It’s surprising how committed are companies like these to preserve the film photography industry. Let’s hope this year makes it instead of ruining it.
I just got into analog film with my Praktica MTL3 and 500T film, i hope the hobby experiences a Renaissance, cause shooting digital doesn't have the same feeling
Mastering film photography the skill sets stay. I doubt digital fakers gear will outlive analog film cameras or negs. Negatives don't crash or have bad pixels.
I don’t want to sound kinda pessimistic but hey, enjoy what you have. Sometimes we think we are in a tight box and nothing bright is happening. Film expensive, camera’s getting more expensive, yeah that’s true. But after russia invaded my country sometimes I dream about those complaints to be honest. It’s cheaper to order kodak film from US than buying locally in Ukraine and from the beginning of the full scale invasion my film cameras have seen some of the worst things in this world. And I also have lost a close friend of mine who was a passionate film photographer Roman Solonynka. So don’t think it’s too dark outside and enjoy what you have in life. Because everything can change. Love you all
Lets not forget there is a whole generation that have yet to discover film photography! My grandson who grew up in a digital world is fascinated by my film cameras 📷 He watches me load a camera with film and I can hear the cogs turning in his brain 🧠 He still asks to see the back when I take a photo 📸 😁 I recently sold an old lumix digicam to a lady in her early 20s and was surprised she'd never used a dedicated camera before.... I guess a lot of people her age only understand a 'camera' as an app on their phone! I had to show her how the shutter button works and the intricacies of a 'viewfinder' 😲😳 She was so intrigued by her 'new' camera, I didn't dare mention my film cameras.....less is more...she'll discover it for herself soon enough I'm sure on tiktok, as that is where she discovered 'digicams'....😁👍
It's a bit humbling to make comment #201, but I'll brave it. I've been a dedicated film photographer, former 30-year pro, since 1968. The problem for film -- and not just film--this year is that an economic train wreck is waiting to happen. That's hardly new; it's the result of decades of speculative finance taking over and productive economy being eroded, looted, scrapped. The term "global casino economy" was invented by those who know. The latest report is that in the first six months of 2023, the derivatives market increased by some 23%; it was already between 1 and 2 quadrillion dollars worth of unpayable bets. As it may be inappropriate to say much about international politics here, suffice it to say that a collision course has been set by leading countries determined to keep their hold on the cited financial system. In consequence, it is more likely than not that economy based on physical production is in for major trouble this year unless profound changes are made, most particularly for the U.S. and Europe, with Japan likely as well. Recent problems with supply chains, credit for manufacturing, prohibitively high interest rates, etc. are likely to worsen before the problems are reversed. That said, however, there is another factor that keeps the light burning for film, and that is the underlying cultural shift that is reflected in the continued growth of film photography over the past eight years. Much more could be, and has been, said. I'm optimistic that the future for film is bright.
I have just got back into film. I recently bought a Nikon F100 and two zoom lens. Looking to add prime lens. This is a big upgrade from my Canon F1. Film I am now using is ASA 400 color. Just bought Wolfen NC400 Color Negative Film. I was looking at HARMAN Phoenix. But it was out of stock at B&H. So I shoot about one to two rolls of film a month. and sent it out to a lab for scans and prints like the old days. I bought the Canon A-1 new early 80's. 👴 Pentax film camera I am hoping for the M-42 lens mount. I have a fewM-42 lens. I could always adapt I think it is going to be the k mount.
I have six film cameras. Seven if you count the Pentax SFX I'll never use again. Latest is a street-tastic Rollei 35 S. Film is def more expensive these days. In the UK, HP5 is around £8/36; about $10. It was £5 not so long ago. I'd love m/fs to start making film cameras again. It'll only get harder to maintain old kit. Film is such a refreshing change to the tech obsession pervading digital. While tech has its place in pro use for sport and the like, film is a reminder that it's not the equipment that makes the image; it's about observation; composition; timing; knowledge of the equipment. Is that not what photography is, actually?
Digital has turned out to be a pretty good recording medium, and incredibly cheap to use. The big shortfall with digital, IMO, is that the digital cameras have never matched the shooting culture, character, class, or build quality of the all metal, all mechanical cameras of the past. I think of Leica M, Nikon F, F2, F3, Canon F1, Hasselblad 500c, Pentax Spotmatic, Nikomat, Nikkormat, etc.
I love Scanning negatives that I have shot since 50 years when I first pickup a camera. I enjoyed my film cameras, and YES I know that film cost money $$$$, But you cannot stopped a person that is a lover of Film Photography, And I also enjoy using Vintage film camera lenses onto digital since I have been saving money in buying NEW Nikkor lenses that are now made in Thailand, and DO NOT WANT TO PAY $2000 to 4000 dollars since I am very comfortable in the lens line that I have and also using adapters, and setting the camera of the lens information as it is still a photographic lens, and has better qualities, and makes you THINK to take a photo.... But that is my opinion..... 📸📸
I shot film for the first time on my Pentax auto 110, which I got together with 3 lenses, a donor camera, the auto winder, flash and a vintage camera bag for 20$. I originally got it for the lenses which I have adapted to my Ricoh GXR with great success. After years of having the film camera gather dust I decided to buy some lomography film and brought it with me on my Norway to Spain road trip. 3 rolls of 24 shots. The process was easy, it's an auto 110; but I'm still waiting on having the film developed. I sent it about one week ago. If it works out I'm likely to keep shooting a lot more film. 💖 Shots definitely mattered more, I didn't stop to wonder if I should take a shot or not; but I definitely only gave each shot one try.
I’ve been taking film pictures since 1966…. And there are more film choices now than 30 years ago… Pentax just released a new film camera… Leica’s still making them…. There’s a new Rollei 35… There are millions of working film cameras out there… Dunno - Film photography is alive and well. I’d update my digital kit IF and Only If, the B&W medium looked better than B&W film… the dynamic range is not quite there. Digi in color looks great… All can co-exist…
I've seen the so-called renaissance of vinyl, cassette tapes, and now film. While I want to remain optimistic, I see it as the "last hurrah" of film. I don't think it is going away entirely, since there is such a large amount of enthusiasts. But It will become an even more niche market. I want to be wrong. I love analogue stuff, but most of the world doesn't.
Not to mention how much water is used in processing film and the chemicals going down the drain. Tere is some nasty chemicals associated with film processing
@@JohnH242 all the energy wasted storing petabytes of raw files forever that nobody will ever look at vs 36 photos getting developed once. also the electronic waste of new versions of camers getting released yearly vs the same old nikon fm2 that has been working for 40 years.
@@KaptainKerl yes energy is used storing the files ideally you would be deleting unwanted photos . However petabytes of raw files is a lot of 36 exposure rolls which mean a lot of toxic chemicals to produce the film and develop. I’m not sure what is worse
The revival of cassette was dead on arrival, because the last good cassette player factories closed decades ago, and the only factory still running makes a single cheap Chinese model, so any cassette player built on 2010 onward can only be the same cheap model in a different housing. Similarly, unless artists recording new cassettes know about this and look for a good old school tape recorder, they will inevitably and unknowingly try to record their albums with one of these models too. Which means most people trying cassette for the first time inevitably gets one of these, is put off by the abysmal quality, and then never tries it again. Vinyl has a better chance because audiophiles made sure that it would never completely die off.
@@metalfingersfilm Its an AF 4x5" camera, a modern take on a press camera. Basically, it seeks to fix all the issues that handheld 4x5" photography had. So that you can focus accurately and use any lens you want and still have accurate framelines for any format. Actually, this does not exist in any system currently. You are not stuck with the systems lenses. but can calibrate any lens there is to the system. So it pioneers a lot of stuff.
I got back in to film after finding the my Rollei B35 I first took to sea as a junior Engineer in the late 70s, in the loft. I love the process I’ve really got back into the joy of photography again. Since then I’ve acquired a Rollei 35 S and an Olympus OM 2n and an OM 2SP I’m shooting B&W on the Rollei’s but colour with Olympus cameras.
Why do we need a new film SLR when there are so many great old ones still working out there? What on earth are you doing to your tea. English tea bags do not have a string and contain three to four time as much tea. The secret is not boiling water but more tea. And so they are taken out once brewed, or the tea "stews". Cold milk from the fridge, hot milk changes the flavour.
As long as we creators keep supporting each other, keep buying film and the companies keep creating stocks we can keep the medium hanging on for a little while longer
Do you have any idea how feature films and upcoming films were shot with film? Why it is people think it's dying is confusing to me. We live Ina time where either is an option, so why would one just die?
With digital, it's an uphill battle and even with it getting more popular, it's not anymore accessible than it was previously. I don't think film will "die" and just vanish, but moreso referring to the community that exists today will die. If film is only reserved for filmmakers and big budgets, it dissipates this whole community.
There is still much more demand for film than the manufacturers can produce. You still face limits how many rolls you can order, and most of the stocks are often in short supply. This does not indicate the market would dry completely in the near future. Market has changed, and film will never be a product used by everyone, but this does not mean it will be obsolete. Ordinary people shoot selfies with cell phones, but it doesn´t mean that making of oil colors for painters will be canceled next year. Why this crying for 25 years now? Film has not disappeared, and is not disappearing in the near future.
The die-hards, the enthusiasts will use film. The mases will not. Once Kodak's reign ended, it was really the death nell of film photography as a hobby. Sad. I shot thousands of rolls of film. Do I miss it today? No. The cost is prohibitive. Film cost too much, processing adds to the cost and let's not leave out prints. Today, if I was to do some film photography, it would be strictly black and white. I would buy the equipment to develop the film and scan it myself. The cost of digital is the cost of one or two SD cards, which can be used forever. Thus, the cost of processing boils down to the prints you make. I saw the death of film photography when I started up my hobby, went to the store and saw no 35mm film. That was at Walmart. Then when I did see the cost of a roll of film, I choked. It's over.
Havent a clue if film will or will not be discontinued. Its a shame if it goes the way of the dinosaur. I was just getting back into film photography 2 summers ago, had my film developed at a local lab. I determined my camera viable but may need new light seals to get images crisper. Its a camera I restored the shutter on and am slowly anaylysing as I pick up the trail from where I left off 30 years ago. I still love photography but the demons of techknowledgy and planned obsolescence are like realtors who swoop in like hawks to gorge on artists. DIGITAL IS FINE BUT RELYS ON DOTS LIKE PRINTERS INK THAT JUST CANT QUITE SEEM TO CAPTURE FINE ART LIKE VARGAS OR BERARDINUS. THE ONLY WAY A PHOTOGRAPHER CAN MAKE MONEY IS TO RETAIN HIS OR HER NEGATIVES. THE SOUL OF PHOTOGRAPHY HAS BEEN RIPPED OFF BY DIGITAL WHIZZBANG OLIGARCHS OF GREED AND WICHERY! WHY CANT DIGITAL AND FILM COINSIDE LIKE EBONY AND IVORY IF MAN HIMSELF IS NOT TO GO EXTINCT? OH GOD BRING BACK PLUSS X ! OH JESUS HELP US THE DOWNCAST FILM PHOTOGRAPHERS OF THE ROMANTIC AGE.
My biggest gripe is film prices. Having said that. There seems to be some quite exciting new films arriving on the market though. So I am prepared for the sticker shock. I do have a local lab however that customer service reminds me of the Seinfeld skit "No Soup For You" or IG's Indian guy with his lentil slop. I won't need that lap for much anyway. I'm prepared to do the work. Ferrania P30 will be my first try out. HP5 plus, and Tri-x will be my go too. Ilford Phoenix sounds very interesting.
If the film companies can actually deliver the product it will be a great year. How many waiting lists for film have I seen this year? - quite a few 😕.
I think the comeback of film is related to something even bigger. You never realize how precious someone or something is until you don't have them anymore. What happened to the days when you took a picture because it would be of something you not only shared with others but wanted to remember for years to come? That's what film photography is about.
The enthusiasm for film photography is increasing, while the film stock can’t keep up…. So the price is increasing… i dont want to buy such a high price of film, not worth it… photography can be enjoyed in digital also, it’s all about the process
As someone who shot film before then started again in 2016 and stopped around 2020 after I bought more for my fridge, You guys are smoking Cuh-Rack!!! 2 3 4 dollar rolls going for 10 to 20 a roll before taxes and shipping. Oh and paying more for expired when it used to be in the bargain bin, You guys are insane. I mean I remember buying a few packs of fp100c for like $10/pk and I thought that was crazy. This was like 2018. February too I believe. I'd say buy less film and make them lower prices. I got enough 35 120 Polaroid and instax to hold out for a good minute. Or at least only buy 1 roll if I absolutely want or need it. Glad I stocked up.
I use 35mm/120mm film since 1991 and now since 2019 I spend $$$ on 4x5 and even 8x10 (have to hold back for now;) I'm setting up to daylight develop the films and camera scan them with my D850 to start... Film has even made it back to the advertising board in 2023! I'm hopeful and know that Kodak went from 1-2 production shifts in 2014 to a 24/7 film production in 2023 with all machines that are still in work...! Also the used large format camera and lens market has been almost emptied over the last 3 or so years, with over 10 new camera producers in the market doing well in the last 7 years on top of that! Seems like film is back to stay for a while longer...
I quit film last year ever since I got my Fujifilm X100v that has film simulation recipes that emulates the film look. Sometimes I shoot with my Sony a7iii and edit the film look in Lightroom. Sure it’s not as even close as to actual film. But I can live with that. Film stock prices are just ridiculous.
I like that we’re getting new cameras but we don’t need that. We need faster dedicated scanners! All the scanners are outdated and super slow which is why I dslr scan. I don’t care if people say flatbed scanners are superior. I’m not interested in spending a hour scanning 5 images.
I think this year is big year for film. However, I don't think film will die off. In a world where everything is at your fingertips, people yearn more for material media. There is something more tangible and beautiful about looking through a photo album instead photos on a phone, or playing an old record instead of playing iTunes. It's the process. Yes, technology is amazing but film is beautiful. Pulling your favourite record off the shelf and touching the needle to the vinyl is calming. I think film and digital will come together more and more and in interesting ways, satisfying the love for both mediums.
And then people spend hours in front of photoshop applying filters to get "film like look" then convert them to negatives so they can be printed on fiber based paper in darkroom... so no I don't think film is dead :)
Good because I need 500 more Olympus cameras so the hipster sell-off will be a gold mine! Frauds will vanish to the next thing. Skilled enthusiasts remain. There's a reason a 1960s muscle car is still the beez kneez. No matter how many Teslas get sold, nothing hits like a V8 shaking the ground you stand on, wiggling and lumping under its own mechanical heart. These things have no replacement. They are pure and free of a need for pretense. I love my modern XT3 and it's sexy and capable, but in my eyes it's just a pretty mirrorless system, but my OM1 and other 60s/70s cameras have a Ferrari-like finesse in their operation and design. Art in motion.
So we are now 6 months from this video. Kodak has increased film production, multiple companies are working on new film cameras, the release of the new pentax has gone great. I think we are good for a bit, we just need silver prices to drop so film can hopefully drop.
HEAR ME: this is coming from a person who wept openly when 16mm Kodachrome was discontinued, and I refer to Darren Peligro as the Dead Kennedys new drummer ( he joined in 1980). Stop clinging to film. it is a dead medium. there will always be a niche market, but it will be extremely limiting to your creative life, due to the expense. What I loved in film exists in digital. What I loved in film was emergent properties -- grain, blossoms, the way it broke up when pushed beyond limits. Things that were not planned or designed but byproducts. Those same emeregent properties exist in digital. They are there. Undiscovered. Waiting for people like us to find and exploit. GO FORTH!!!
135 film is here to stay. Volumes have fallen 85X since it peaked in 2001 but it is now growing and supply chains which managed decline for 20 years are relearning how to understand demand. Pricing is becoming rational again, even if higher. On top of that, the scale of making base, gelatins, and the requirement for new surfactants has caused further consolidation and elimination of film stocks. Many "illegal" chemicals were grandfathered and those clauses have now expired, so the stocks that remain have been reformulated to meet new requirements. Unfortunately, that meant some shortages, and reduced options and higher prices. Fujifilm, Kodak, Harman, and ORWO are investing (and working together to some extent, like they always have). Will old stocks come back? Not likely, they are not "legal"... Will new ones emerge? You are already seeing it and will continue but companies will be cautious and deliberate so inventories don't eat cash. Emulsions are incredibly expensive to create! Phoenix was a "pilot" product to get feedback from small batches as evidence. GO FILM!
I agree - They are testing the market and finding ways to get a return on investment. I love film and the entire process. It takes you back and slows you down to a simple way of enjoying the experience. Digital is great and it definitely has its place in my workflow, however, film is like a stop in time and brings you back to a special place...
Come on man film is dying. That Phoenix film isn't very good at all and it cost $14 a roll that's insane. Fuji is being made by Kodak. It costs 3 times as much to buy film and have it developed that it did just a few years ago it's just no fun anymore. And Pentax is crazy why would anybody pay six or $800 for a new film camera when there are millions of them available that you can buy for $100 or less, sometimes way less.
I used to romanticise film. Then everything digital went so advance there’s really no need to anymore. Also, film killed itself by charging a ridiculous $30 per roll. If that’s the way they wanna keep things alive…. good luck!
I think development still seems like the main bottleneck to mainstream adoption. Casuals aren't going to develop at home, and having to mail things back and forth to a lab seems incredibly inconvenient for people who don't have a high quality lab nearby. It adds cost and time. I remember when I was a kid my mother would drop off her rolls at walmart and pick up the prints an hour later when she was ready to check out with all of her shopping. You could get film developed at drug stores and the grocery store.
Here's my unsolicited opinion. First there is no use in film photography if all you do is show the photos on the Internet or print them on a printer. They are just digital with two extra steps. Second to be real "analog" it has to be wet printed. Third for the "Masses" to be interested in film photography there has to be advertising on something other than forums that are just preaching to the choir. It must be in magazines, TV ect.. In case you haven't looked there are no real printed magazines for film photography. Third it must be taught in schools and bring back the darkrooms. Again if it's not wet print it's still just digital. Sorry to all you aspiring and professional photographers but that is the reality. Again this is my unsolicited opinion. By they way I don't shoot digital. All I do is film and darkroom.
You do know that Kodak's film sale has increased with double digit percentage every year since 2019 or so, right? The "film renaissance" has been here for five years already, and we've gotten quite a few new films (especially color) for the last few years. 2024 will not be the year film is dying.
While I certainly hope film stocks remain available, I hope the industry doesn’t explode as you’re hoping. With thousands of old film cameras on the market, we don’t need new ones manufactured. Actual Rollei 35s are super accessible. You’re just promoting wasteful consumerism.
Film is cool and all if it was cheap, but it’s just not. Fuji has a great recipe with their new cameras. Think if they just add all their film stocks and focus on the processing, you the film market will shrink further. Not to mention the idea of AI development or photo creation emerging.
I'm buying 50 rolls of black and white per month for the next few months. Over the last few years Ive been buying good but reasonable used classic cameras. I'm 70 and plan to shoot film until I cant press the shuuter anymore.
Film is never going to be a volume market ever again. If it's to be viable, it'll need to be a high margin business. So if we're lucky, we'll start to see more choice. But film is never going to be cheap again.
Ok, we need to talk about what the hell drink you’re making at the beginning of this video. As a Brit, I have tea flowing through my veins, and this, whatever this was, is like a personal insult. Please kindly explain yourself!
one thing is interesting, old camera prices spiked and now going down, quite unusual but good for me :D as for film, I hope there will be more dev work in digital backs as Im crap is cool but useless even before released and film prices are stupid, I have plenty of film but Im not buying new ones for this price
this will depend as much on the companies as it does on the consumer. granted, if theres a community willing to pay big bucks on their gear, its the analog community. And id really love to buy a new camera without rolling the dice on shutter time being correct, lenses coming scratch, fungus and dust free, but if they fall in the pitfall of high risk = low production numbers = high prices the the death of analog film is going to be a self fulfilling prophecy.
As usual a lot of people try to make money and get into business they don't really know or be able to manage. It's always been like that, and I really doubt that it will be of any influence on this market. As always, good products will remain and others won't.
I just got into film photography and I'm starting to feel the vibe that it's picking up steam. Just from the talks I've had in my local camera shop I'm hoping it means this new hobby I've been seriously enjoying pans out.
Now all these companies make and offer all these products and by the way charge high prices for their products and make huge money from it, you can say that they are taking advantage of the current hype in the supposed analog renaissance and what will happen in say 2 years? people will get fed up with analog photography again, and in all of this, photography itself as art is the least important to people!
This video was a waste of time. For you and me both. If you had titled it "Support your local film shooter!" it would have made more sense and been on point.
for a new film camera to be a success, it must be affordable to youth demographics, as film camera is not viewed as tool/gadget/utility necessary for modern life like smartphones.
In current environment a film foto still needs to be digitalized to be usable in global sense. So there is "true analog" anymore. I am still enjoying analog as "deceleration" - it forces one to take fewer pictures and engage more with every single scene. Anticipation before developing film is a nice addition too. Especially when developing myself in the kitchen sink. I don't see a technical reason for it though - so don't expect it to grow beyond hipster - limit.
There will always be people who dabble in film just like there will always be people who have wooden boats as an example. Neither will ever completely go away but will never be like they used to be.
It’s been dead to me for a few years, it’s too expensive now to use it, and it’s been for a while. I’m actually just starting to out my film cameras on the market.
today I learned milk in a kettle is not normal 😂 i'm an idiot
While it is the first time that I saw someone using a kettle for milk, I do not find the idea weird, but kind of smart. If it does not damage the inside.
HAHAH I nearly spat out my coffee when I saw that. glad to see I'm not the only one
Heating milk is common overseas
@@buddymiles7210but in a pan! Not a kettle
@@DRURIDof course it isn't smart. You have to scrub out the inside of the kettle every time.
I just take pictures and enjoy it.
You nailed it.
agreed, just an interesting discussion I thought was worth having.
@@metalfingersfilm your discussions are always interesting and thoughtful thats why I am here
coudnt have described myself any better haha :)
no shit... thats literally what we ALL do
It's the death of digital photography, there is also a huge movement away from AI with photographers beginning to charge a premium for authentic work untouched by any AI.
This is a good point. I think that we will start to see people tire of overly manipulated images as AI generated images saturate the market. The backlash will create more desire for truly analog art.
I wish we could go back to shooting on film, developing, and enlarging on photographic paper as a standard way of getting pictures onto the walls of our homes again. No over reliance on fixing the scan in post.
100% Image Capture is Authentically human!
I could not agree more.
I hope so
I’m a perfect example of this. I started on digital 9 months ago. Got an F3 a week ago and I’m hooked. It’s making me slow down and actually think about what I’m shooting since every shot
costs money.
Did this dude just use a kettle to heat up milk?
peak hipster. lol
well, just learned this is not a normal thing. glad I publicly outed myself lmao
nah, I'm just dumb lmao
@@gavinjenkins899 milk has natural sugars in it and those things get burnt
Totally normal to heat up milk...
The price of film going up so much each year and the lack of Fuji film are just adding to the end of film. I do mainly colour film and process it my self. But Tetanal chemicals have not been on the shop shelves for a very long time. And the ones that are cost a lot more than Tetanal.
Black and white film seem to be doing well.
But but there’s no repairs for the old medium format, and 35 mm cameras anymore, and no new ones coming on the market to replace them
What the young folks don´t realize is that film costing almost nothing was a very short period of time when the digital technology became widely available. In the golden age of film, the professional quality stocks were not cheap. This is especially true of slide film. The digital technology being affordable to the crowds, and the movie industry moving to digital at the same time lead to a price war between Kodak and Fuji, with the prices not being sustainable any more. As there will never be mass market for film products in the way it was before the digital age, there is no way around the higher prices. That said, the market shows some signs of leveling, but thr demand for film is still higher than the supply,
I wish they would sell their equipment, manufacturing gear, etc to a company who would try to bring some updated, unique stuff.
As for repair shops, yeah, using my contax gets me nervous.
@@b6983832 while the cost of films were expensive, the development cost was not, with today's film price you could probably only develop one roll (in lab).
30 years ago one film price equals to development of 3-5 rolls, of course printing is different game but you can choose which frame to print.
Not to mention there are a whole lot more choices for cheaper film stocks if you were not able to buy professional standard.
Well I can get my cameras repaired
@@Resgerr I had my Leica M2 1959 restored in Wetzler. I was so happy that a camera manufacturer could still repair it. £1.300 I did have a lens looked over in the same price.
I just wish we could all get together and try and make the parts that fall and learn how to repair them.
as long as a digital fixed lens point and shoot trends on tiktok and goes for $2600 on ebay because it looks like a 35mm film camera, I'm not worrying about film.
Death of film...? Not in my darkroom!
Haha, thanks for watching, Mike!
Message to Pentax-Ricoh: start making the LX again and put my name on one!
And Nikon the FM3a
Is it that important to let everyone know you are drinking tea? How high you gotta hold that cup? All for the aesthetic...with love...liked the vid
Without watching the video, no. Not at all. Film is becoming popular again in 2024.
Wtf are you doing with the kettle man?????
Money , volume , materials ! If you want it , you will have to pay a premium for it . Pay on the front end with digital or pay on the back
End with , film , processing , and fiber prints .
I just had to pay 300$ for fixing my Pentax 6x7... again... so just ordered a scuffed second hand GFX and from the looks of it, 2024 might be the death of my film photography setup just because of the sheer cost...
There are still cheap stuff out there just need to look i got a free sf10 with 2 lenses and extra film. I got a canon t70 for 10 came with 3 lenses ans works. Just dont fit me so im selling it. I got another pentax woth 4 rolls and a lense.. 8 dollars. Shutter doesnt work.. so no big loss as the film is around 20+ for 4 rolls. Just need to look.
yeah, my hope is that if these films have success, hopefully we can see some more of the industry revive a bit and prices ideally come down.
definitely still tons of great, more unknown budgets cameras out there that are worth buying. I really want to make a video of thrifting film cameras and showing that you can shoot whatever you want and still get good photos.
@@metalfingersfilm my first 35mm was a sf10 pentax. For free. Ive bought a few since then to include the canon T70. Came with 3 lenses. But its not my taste. So that will be sold to help fund my pentax k-1/3. I love how pentax lenses can be used from older cameras for newer dslr's as well.
yeah, that's been a big reason why I've started to dive into Nikon, for their lens selection across bodies.
We will always have B&W Ilford we can develop at home ...
Definitely, I'm referring to "film" as the community, the growing community, the chances these companies are taking, etc.
So… the hypothesis is the opposite of the headline?
Interesting video. Some old man feedback though... Can we please stop with the RUclips-ish clickbaity titles? "The death of film photography" and stuff like that... You see it all over the tubes, and when you watch it, it serves no purpose other than to get a reaction out of you. Super big turn-off. Other than that, always enjoy the videos and appreciate the time and effort put into it. :)
What would be your suggested title?
"Lets Ponder What The Future Of Film For The Next Couple Years Should Be?"
I genuinely think this year is a make or break it for new film products so I'm not quite sure how it's clickbaity.
IMO I don't have a girl in a bikini on the thumbnail fishing for views, or lying about the topic at hand just to get people to click.
I am just crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. Film and Film cameras just bring me unparrellel joy and satisfaction that I just can't find in digital.
agreed, especially compared to a phone as well.
@@phillipbanes5484
If you don’t know you probably wouldn’t understand.
The joy of a huge contrast model plastered on the wall illuminated brightly for all to see! And then asked, who did that? And just as quickly snapped back, I DID! YOU DONT GET THAT SENCE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT FROM A BABOON COMPUTER DERRIVED IMAGE. IT JUST DONT HANG WELL DUDE!
Film will be gone and we'll all be left hanging on meat hooks wondering what hit us!
@@ChrisEbbrsenFilm is not that hard to make. So someone will make it. At least in 35mm and 120.
I just got into 35mm photography and 16mm filmmaking, I’m making sure this shit stays
yes sir, you and me both, haha.
I just wish Fuji would sell their film stuff to either Ilford or Kodak so we can get rebranded but new stocks of Pro 400 H, etc.
honestly that would be best case scenario
@@phillipbanes5484I mean, considering the recent release of Harman Phoenix 200...
I read Fuji 35mm 200 color film is just rebranded Kodak 200 gold. I don’t mind except I just bought a 3 pack of Kodak gold for $300 instead of 3 pack of Fuji for $22 lol
That was $30 bucks for the Kodak , not $300 hahaha
Having just got back in to film photography after a gap nearly 20 years. I am hoping it stays around. One of the potential threats is manufacturers thinking the potential market is bigger than it actually is, expanding too rapidly, over producing and being unsustainable. As appears to have happened on the cycling industry post 2020. For producers who realise the market is niche and are focused on the needs of creative amateurs there should be a future.
Bingo, hoping this year can be a realistic growth measure for some of the big dogs.
Same just picked up the old F80 and bought an FE, and have just got my darkroom happening again, I forgot how much fun it is to do it all yourself. Keep on shooting film
At the moment the film companies are under producing.
Film could be to photography like vinyl records are to music. A comeback… an expensive hobby but something worth exploring… especially for the newer generations who didn’t grow up with it. I support it.
Want to know what will kill film? It is really easy answer - and the answer isn't digital cameras. Toxic communities and enthusiasts will kill film. The analog elitists are very, very vocal. Every video / forum post / social media post like this has the few comments about how "digital ruined film" or "haven't we had enough digital" comments by people who insist on making it a scenario of one versus the other. This is silly and outdated / ignorant mindset. Couple that with the dingleberries who try their hardest at gatekeeping (you know, the ones that say dumb sh*t like "well I was around when film was the only thing, and you digital people aren't real photogaphers" etc )or by talking down to digital photographers taking the leap into film - and it is a perfect recipe for self-destruction. I shoot both - and am heavily invested in film photography (35mm, 120, and 4x5) and I have noticed an increase in the amount of film cameras popping up in national (I was watching Sick Week which is a week long drag race/driving event - and there were people shown on the livesteam with film cameras shooting,) local events, and local groups. Specifically film SLRs/rangefinders, etc being used in conjunction with digital. This is the answer - support people trying out film and ADDING it to their existing kit. Making it a "this or that" scenario isn't the way. More people buying digital - and getting into the hobby WILL lead to more people shooting film.
People are comparing the incomparable. These are different methods of imaging, with very different results. What I personally don´t like is the fact that many of the younger folks are not aware of the possibilities of darkroom printing. I mean both black & white and color. I do understand there are many possibilities you can achieve with digital post production, but it seems to me that many of the younger generation enthusiasts are simply unaware of the darkroom, or think it is much harder than it is, and not worth trying. For me, it is as important part of the craft as is shooting pictures. I don´t fully get the idea that people take for granted that the digital image is the desired goal of all your work in all photography. And no, there is no reason for discrediting digital imaging.
Though my photography has slowed down a bit, I still shoot film as well as digital. I like my cameras, I like taking pictures, I like the whole process and hope film continues the up-tic in popularity. All I can do is take pictures and have prints made.
Agreed. Thanks for watching, Mark!
No, film is not dead, and never dies.
I’ve been shooting since 1979 as a teen. I never really gave it up and tried to transition to dig but I just couldn’t commit 100% to dig. Now I’m around 50/50 but I prefer to do SOOC in digital. Straight out of camera pictures
As wonderful and convenient as digital photography is, the cost and obsolescence of digital cameras every year is what’s killing the industry. Buy a good film camera and it will last for years and keep money in your pocket.
Last week I got an email from Mint letting me know I was on the waitlist for the first 500 Rollei 35AF they will be releasing prior to general release.
It’s surprising how committed are companies like these to preserve the film photography industry. Let’s hope this year makes it instead of ruining it.
Awesome! I'm trying to get one for a video on the channel, haha.
@@metalfingersfilm I’m sure you’ll get one. You have a broad audience that they can get their eyes on 🤝
There was a notice that Kodak is dropping the price on Tri x, so that’s good news.
That is great news!
I just got into analog film with my Praktica MTL3 and 500T film, i hope the hobby experiences a Renaissance, cause shooting digital doesn't have the same feeling
Mastering film photography the skill sets stay. I doubt digital fakers gear will outlive analog film cameras or negs. Negatives don't crash or have bad pixels.
I don’t want to sound kinda pessimistic but hey, enjoy what you have. Sometimes we think we are in a tight box and nothing bright is happening. Film expensive, camera’s getting more expensive, yeah that’s true. But after russia invaded my country sometimes I dream about those complaints to be honest. It’s cheaper to order kodak film from US than buying locally in Ukraine and from the beginning of the full scale invasion my film cameras have seen some of the worst things in this world. And I also have lost a close friend of mine who was a passionate film photographer Roman Solonynka. So don’t think it’s too dark outside and enjoy what you have in life. Because everything can change. Love you all
Good perspective my friend, I appreciate your comment. My condolences for your friend. ❤️
🖤
Lets not forget there is a whole generation that have yet to discover film photography!
My grandson who grew up in a digital world is fascinated by my film cameras 📷
He watches me load a camera with film and I can hear the cogs turning in his brain 🧠
He still asks to see the back when I take a photo 📸 😁
I recently sold an old lumix digicam to a lady in her early 20s and was surprised she'd never used a dedicated camera before....
I guess a lot of people her age only understand a 'camera' as an app on their phone!
I had to show her how the shutter button works and the intricacies of a 'viewfinder' 😲😳
She was so intrigued by her 'new' camera, I didn't dare mention my film cameras.....less is more...she'll discover it for herself soon enough I'm sure on tiktok, as that is where she discovered 'digicams'....😁👍
Rolls eyes at self-absorbed content. Vocal Fry. Milk in kettle. I'm out.
An interesting day for me to stumble across this video. Loved this video.
The 🐐. Appreciate you watching, homie! 💌
Film photography will stay, but not for everyone just as vinyl records are still alive and kicking.
It's a bit humbling to make comment #201, but I'll brave it. I've been a dedicated film photographer, former 30-year pro, since 1968.
The problem for film -- and not just film--this year is that an economic train wreck is waiting to happen. That's hardly new; it's the result of decades of speculative finance taking over and productive economy being eroded, looted, scrapped. The term "global casino economy" was invented by those who know. The latest report is that in the first six months of 2023, the derivatives market increased by some 23%; it was already between 1 and 2 quadrillion dollars worth of unpayable bets.
As it may be inappropriate to say much about international politics here, suffice it to say that a collision course has been set by leading countries determined to keep their hold on the cited financial system.
In consequence, it is more likely than not that economy based on physical production is in for major trouble this year unless profound changes are made, most particularly for the U.S. and Europe, with Japan likely as well. Recent problems with supply chains, credit for manufacturing, prohibitively high interest rates, etc. are likely to worsen before the problems are reversed.
That said, however, there is another factor that keeps the light burning for film, and that is the underlying cultural shift that is reflected in the continued growth of film photography over the past eight years. Much more could be, and has been, said. I'm optimistic that the future for film is bright.
thanks for watching, Philip!
I have just got back into film. I recently bought a Nikon F100 and two zoom lens. Looking to add prime lens. This is a big upgrade from my Canon F1. Film I am now using is ASA 400 color. Just bought Wolfen NC400 Color Negative Film. I was looking at HARMAN Phoenix. But it was out of stock at B&H. So I shoot about one to two rolls of film a month. and sent it out to a lab for scans and prints like the old days. I bought the Canon A-1 new early 80's. 👴
Pentax film camera I am hoping for the M-42 lens mount. I have a fewM-42 lens. I could always adapt I think it is going to be the k mount.
I'll return to this vid once i mentally get over the tea making bit.
I have six film cameras. Seven if you count the Pentax SFX I'll never use again. Latest is a street-tastic Rollei 35 S. Film is def more expensive these days. In the UK, HP5 is around £8/36; about $10. It was £5 not so long ago. I'd love m/fs to start making film cameras again. It'll only get harder to maintain old kit. Film is such a refreshing change to the tech obsession pervading digital. While tech has its place in pro use for sport and the like, film is a reminder that it's not the equipment that makes the image; it's about observation; composition; timing; knowledge of the equipment. Is that not what photography is, actually?
Digital has turned out to be a pretty good recording medium, and incredibly cheap to use. The big shortfall with digital, IMO, is that the digital cameras have never matched the shooting culture, character, class, or build quality of the all metal, all mechanical cameras of the past. I think of Leica M, Nikon F, F2, F3, Canon F1, Hasselblad 500c, Pentax Spotmatic, Nikomat, Nikkormat, etc.
do people boil milk in kettles than use it to make tea? is this normal? can we talk about this?
Not real milk
keep film alive or we all going to photographically die* (*creatively). Have we not had enough with all digital stuff since 2000?
Both have their places, but the imperfect, limited nature of film is a tough feeling to beat.
Let's hope it does so it will be cheap
Haha, not sure we took away the same notion.
Durham Bull cap! Film still has a place in photography. Thank goodness.
I love Scanning negatives that I have shot since 50 years when I first pickup a camera. I enjoyed my film cameras, and YES I know that film cost money $$$$, But you cannot stopped a person that is a lover of Film Photography, And I also enjoy using Vintage film camera lenses onto digital since I have been saving money in buying NEW Nikkor lenses that are now made in Thailand, and DO NOT WANT TO PAY $2000 to 4000 dollars since I am very comfortable in the lens line that I have and also using adapters, and setting the camera of the lens information as it is still a photographic lens, and has better qualities, and makes you THINK to take a photo.... But that is my opinion..... 📸📸
Agree, for me, film > digital
I shot film for the first time on my Pentax auto 110, which I got together with 3 lenses, a donor camera, the auto winder, flash and a vintage camera bag for 20$. I originally got it for the lenses which I have adapted to my Ricoh GXR with great success. After years of having the film camera gather dust I decided to buy some lomography film and brought it with me on my Norway to Spain road trip. 3 rolls of 24 shots.
The process was easy, it's an auto 110; but I'm still waiting on having the film developed. I sent it about one week ago. If it works out I'm likely to keep shooting a lot more film. 💖
Shots definitely mattered more, I didn't stop to wonder if I should take a shot or not; but I definitely only gave each shot one try.
I’ve been taking film pictures since 1966….
And there are more film choices now than 30 years ago…
Pentax just released a new film camera…
Leica’s still making them….
There’s a new Rollei 35…
There are millions of working film cameras out there…
Dunno - Film photography is alive and well.
I’d update my digital kit IF and Only If, the B&W medium looked better than B&W film… the dynamic range is not quite there. Digi in color looks great…
All can co-exist…
I've seen the so-called renaissance of vinyl, cassette tapes, and now film. While I want to remain optimistic, I see it as the "last hurrah" of film. I don't think it is going away entirely, since there is such a large amount of enthusiasts. But It will become an even more niche market. I want to be wrong. I love analogue stuff, but most of the world doesn't.
Not to mention how much water is used in processing film and the chemicals going down the drain. Tere is some nasty chemicals associated with film processing
@@JohnH242 all the energy wasted storing petabytes of raw files forever that nobody will ever look at vs 36 photos getting developed once. also the electronic waste of new versions of camers getting released yearly vs the same old nikon fm2 that has been working for 40 years.
@@KaptainKerl yes energy is used storing the files ideally you would be deleting unwanted photos . However petabytes of raw files is a lot of 36 exposure rolls which mean a lot of toxic chemicals to produce the film and develop. I’m not sure what is worse
The revival of cassette was dead on arrival, because the last good cassette player factories closed decades ago, and the only factory still running makes a single cheap Chinese model, so any cassette player built on 2010 onward can only be the same cheap model in a different housing. Similarly, unless artists recording new cassettes know about this and look for a good old school tape recorder, they will inevitably and unknowingly try to record their albums with one of these models too.
Which means most people trying cassette for the first time inevitably gets one of these, is put off by the abysmal quality, and then never tries it again.
Vinyl has a better chance because audiophiles made sure that it would never completely die off.
So nothing about the only worth mention new film camera coming out, the CONFLICT 45AF ?!
tell me more!!
@@metalfingersfilm Its an AF 4x5" camera, a modern take on a press camera. Basically, it seeks to fix all the issues that handheld 4x5" photography had. So that you can focus accurately and use any lens you want and still have accurate framelines for any format. Actually, this does not exist in any system currently. You are not stuck with the systems lenses. but can calibrate any lens there is to the system. So it pioneers a lot of stuff.
I got back in to film after finding the my Rollei B35 I first took to sea as a junior Engineer in the late 70s, in the loft. I love the process I’ve really got back into the joy of photography again. Since then I’ve acquired a Rollei 35 S and an Olympus OM 2n and an OM 2SP I’m shooting B&W on the Rollei’s but colour with Olympus cameras.
Why do we need a new film SLR when there are so many great old ones still working out there?
What on earth are you doing to your tea. English tea bags do not have a string and contain three to four time as much tea. The secret is not boiling water but more tea. And so they are taken out once brewed, or the tea "stews". Cold milk from the fridge, hot milk changes the flavour.
As long as we creators keep supporting each other, keep buying film and the companies keep creating stocks we can keep the medium hanging on for a little while longer
Do you have any idea how feature films and upcoming films were shot with film? Why it is people think it's dying is confusing to me. We live Ina time where either is an option, so why would one just die?
With digital, it's an uphill battle and even with it getting more popular, it's not anymore accessible than it was previously. I don't think film will "die" and just vanish, but moreso referring to the community that exists today will die.
If film is only reserved for filmmakers and big budgets, it dissipates this whole community.
Agreed, if you are in a position to be able to support these companies, you should.
There is still much more demand for film than the manufacturers can produce. You still face limits how many rolls you can order, and most of the stocks are often in short supply. This does not indicate the market would dry completely in the near future. Market has changed, and film will never be a product used by everyone, but this does not mean it will be obsolete. Ordinary people shoot selfies with cell phones, but it doesn´t mean that making of oil colors for painters will be canceled next year. Why this crying for 25 years now? Film has not disappeared, and is not disappearing in the near future.
The die-hards, the enthusiasts will use film. The mases will not. Once Kodak's reign ended, it was really the death nell of film photography as a hobby. Sad. I shot thousands of rolls of film. Do I miss it today? No. The cost is prohibitive. Film cost too much, processing adds to the cost and let's not leave out prints. Today, if I was to do some film photography, it would be strictly black and white. I would buy the equipment to develop the film and scan it myself. The cost of digital is the cost of one or two SD cards, which can be used forever. Thus, the cost of processing boils down to the prints you make.
I saw the death of film photography when I started up my hobby, went to the store and saw no 35mm film. That was at Walmart. Then when I did see the cost of a roll of film, I choked. It's over.
Havent a clue if film will or will not be discontinued. Its a shame if it goes the way of the dinosaur. I was just getting back into film photography 2 summers ago, had my film developed at a local lab. I determined my camera viable but may need new light seals to get images crisper. Its a camera I restored the shutter on and am slowly anaylysing as I pick up the trail from where I left off 30 years ago. I still love photography but the demons of techknowledgy and planned obsolescence are like realtors who swoop in like hawks to gorge on artists. DIGITAL IS FINE BUT RELYS ON DOTS LIKE PRINTERS INK THAT JUST CANT QUITE SEEM TO CAPTURE FINE ART LIKE VARGAS OR BERARDINUS. THE ONLY WAY A PHOTOGRAPHER CAN MAKE MONEY IS TO RETAIN HIS OR HER NEGATIVES. THE SOUL OF PHOTOGRAPHY HAS BEEN RIPPED OFF BY DIGITAL WHIZZBANG OLIGARCHS OF GREED AND WICHERY! WHY CANT DIGITAL AND FILM COINSIDE LIKE EBONY AND IVORY IF MAN HIMSELF IS NOT TO GO EXTINCT? OH GOD BRING BACK PLUSS X ! OH JESUS HELP US THE DOWNCAST FILM PHOTOGRAPHERS OF THE ROMANTIC AGE.
My biggest gripe is film prices. Having said that. There seems to be some quite exciting new films arriving on the market though. So I am prepared for the sticker shock. I do have a local lab however that customer service reminds me of the Seinfeld skit "No Soup For You" or IG's Indian guy with his lentil slop. I won't need that lap for much anyway. I'm prepared to do the work. Ferrania P30 will be my first try out. HP5 plus, and Tri-x will be my go too. Ilford Phoenix sounds very interesting.
If the film companies can actually deliver the product it will be a great year. How many waiting lists for film have I seen this year? - quite a few 😕.
I think the comeback of film is related to something even bigger. You never realize how precious someone or something is until you don't have them anymore. What happened to the days when you took a picture because it would be of something you not only shared with others but wanted to remember for years to come? That's what film photography is about.
The enthusiasm for film photography is increasing, while the film stock can’t keep up…. So the price is increasing… i dont want to buy such a high price of film, not worth it… photography can be enjoyed in digital also, it’s all about the process
bingo, all about the process
As someone who shot film before
then started again in 2016 and stopped around 2020 after I bought more for my fridge,
You guys are smoking Cuh-Rack!!!
2 3 4 dollar rolls going for 10 to 20 a roll before taxes and shipping.
Oh and paying more for expired when it used to be in the bargain bin,
You guys are insane. I mean I remember buying a few packs of fp100c for like $10/pk and I thought that was crazy. This was like 2018. February too I believe.
I'd say buy less film and make them lower prices. I got enough 35 120 Polaroid and instax to hold out for a good minute. Or at least only buy 1 roll if I absolutely want or need it. Glad I stocked up.
I use 35mm/120mm film since 1991 and now since 2019 I spend $$$ on 4x5 and even 8x10 (have to hold back for now;) I'm setting up to daylight develop the films and camera scan them with my D850 to start... Film has even made it back to the advertising board in 2023! I'm hopeful and know that Kodak went from 1-2 production shifts in 2014 to a 24/7 film production in 2023 with all machines that are still in work...! Also the used large format camera and lens market has been almost emptied over the last 3 or so years, with over 10 new camera producers in the market doing well in the last 7 years on top of that! Seems like film is back to stay for a while longer...
I quit film last year ever since I got my Fujifilm X100v that has film simulation recipes that emulates the film look. Sometimes I shoot with my Sony a7iii and edit the film look in Lightroom. Sure it’s not as even close as to actual film. But I can live with that. Film stock prices are just ridiculous.
I like that we’re getting new cameras but we don’t need that. We need faster dedicated scanners! All the scanners are outdated and super slow which is why I dslr scan. I don’t care if people say flatbed scanners are superior. I’m not interested in spending a hour scanning 5 images.
I would agree with that; but it does seem like DSLR/mirrorless scanning is the best entry level way, from what I can tell.
I think this year is big year for film. However, I don't think film will die off. In a world where everything is at your fingertips, people yearn more for material media. There is something more tangible and beautiful about looking through a photo album instead photos on a phone, or playing an old record instead of playing iTunes. It's the process. Yes, technology is amazing but film is beautiful. Pulling your favourite record off the shelf and touching the needle to the vinyl is calming. I think film and digital will come together more and more and in interesting ways, satisfying the love for both mediums.
And then people spend hours in front of photoshop applying filters to get "film like look" then convert them to negatives so they can be printed on fiber based paper in darkroom... so no I don't think film is dead :)
Good because I need 500 more Olympus cameras so the hipster sell-off will be a gold mine!
Frauds will vanish to the next thing. Skilled enthusiasts remain. There's a reason a 1960s muscle car is still the beez kneez. No matter how many Teslas get sold, nothing hits like a V8 shaking the ground you stand on, wiggling and lumping under its own mechanical heart. These things have no replacement. They are pure and free of a need for pretense.
I love my modern XT3 and it's sexy and capable, but in my eyes it's just a pretty mirrorless system, but my OM1 and other 60s/70s cameras have a Ferrari-like finesse in their operation and design. Art in motion.
So we are now 6 months from this video. Kodak has increased film production, multiple companies are working on new film cameras, the release of the new pentax has gone great. I think we are good for a bit, we just need silver prices to drop so film can hopefully drop.
me with my 90's P&S APS and 35 mm camera's, hold my beer cuz i won't change i love film too much !
HEAR ME: this is coming from a person who wept openly when 16mm Kodachrome was discontinued, and I refer to Darren Peligro as the Dead Kennedys new drummer ( he joined in 1980). Stop clinging to film. it is a dead medium. there will always be a niche market, but it will be extremely limiting to your creative life, due to the expense. What I loved in film exists in digital. What I loved in film was emergent properties -- grain, blossoms, the way it broke up when pushed beyond limits. Things that were not planned or designed but byproducts. Those same emeregent properties exist in digital. They are there. Undiscovered. Waiting for people like us to find and exploit.
GO FORTH!!!
135 film is here to stay. Volumes have fallen 85X since it peaked in 2001 but it is now growing and supply chains which managed decline for 20 years are relearning how to understand demand. Pricing is becoming rational again, even if higher. On top of that, the scale of making base, gelatins, and the requirement for new surfactants has caused further consolidation and elimination of film stocks. Many "illegal" chemicals were grandfathered and those clauses have now expired, so the stocks that remain have been reformulated to meet new requirements. Unfortunately, that meant some shortages, and reduced options and higher prices. Fujifilm, Kodak, Harman, and ORWO are investing (and working together to some extent, like they always have). Will old stocks come back? Not likely, they are not "legal"... Will new ones emerge? You are already seeing it and will continue but companies will be cautious and deliberate so inventories don't eat cash. Emulsions are incredibly expensive to create! Phoenix was a "pilot" product to get feedback from small batches as evidence. GO FILM!
I agree - They are testing the market and finding ways to get a return on investment. I love film and the entire process. It takes you back and slows you down to a simple way of enjoying the experience. Digital is great and it definitely has its place in my workflow, however, film is like a stop in time and brings you back to a special place...
Yeah, something inherently nostalgic and special about only having 36 frames.
Come on man film is dying. That Phoenix film isn't very good at all and it cost $14 a roll that's insane. Fuji is being made by Kodak. It costs 3 times as much to buy film and have it developed that it did just a few years ago it's just no fun anymore. And Pentax is crazy why would anybody pay six or $800 for a new film camera when there are millions of them available that you can buy for $100 or less, sometimes way less.
I used to romanticise film. Then everything digital went so advance there’s really no need to anymore. Also, film killed itself by charging a ridiculous $30 per roll. If that’s the way they wanna keep things alive…. good luck!
I think development still seems like the main bottleneck to mainstream adoption. Casuals aren't going to develop at home, and having to mail things back and forth to a lab seems incredibly inconvenient for people who don't have a high quality lab nearby. It adds cost and time. I remember when I was a kid my mother would drop off her rolls at walmart and pick up the prints an hour later when she was ready to check out with all of her shopping. You could get film developed at drug stores and the grocery store.
While film is nostalgic and feels really warm, it can't compete with digital when it comes to wildlife and sports photography.
Here's my unsolicited opinion. First there is no use in film photography if all you do is show the photos on the Internet or print them on a printer. They are just digital with two extra steps. Second to be real "analog" it has to be wet printed. Third for the "Masses" to be interested in film photography there has to be advertising on something other than forums that are just preaching to the choir. It must be in magazines, TV ect.. In case you haven't looked there are no real printed magazines for film photography. Third it must be taught in schools and bring back the darkrooms. Again if it's not wet print it's still just digital. Sorry to all you aspiring and professional photographers but that is the reality. Again this is my unsolicited opinion. By they way I don't shoot digital. All I do is film and darkroom.
You do know that Kodak's film sale has increased with double digit percentage every year since 2019 or so, right? The "film renaissance" has been here for five years already, and we've gotten quite a few new films (especially color) for the last few years. 2024 will not be the year film is dying.
While I certainly hope film stocks remain available, I hope the industry doesn’t explode as you’re hoping. With thousands of old film cameras on the market, we don’t need new ones manufactured. Actual Rollei 35s are super accessible. You’re just promoting wasteful consumerism.
If there was a instant 4x5 B/W with negative like Polaroid 55 had I would go for it. If not then digital for me.
British guy here…Did you just boil milk and pour it in a cup with a tea bag in?
Film is cool and all if it was cheap, but it’s just not.
Fuji has a great recipe with their new cameras. Think if they just add all their film stocks and focus on the processing, you the film market will shrink further.
Not to mention the idea of AI development or photo creation emerging.
I'm buying 50 rolls of black and white per month for the next few months. Over the last few years Ive been buying good but reasonable used classic cameras. I'm 70 and plan to shoot film until I cant press the shuuter anymore.
Film is never going to be a volume market ever again. If it's to be viable, it'll need to be a high margin business.
So if we're lucky, we'll start to see more choice. But film is never going to be cheap again.
Ok, we need to talk about what the hell drink you’re making at the beginning of this video. As a Brit, I have tea flowing through my veins, and this, whatever this was, is like a personal insult. Please kindly explain yourself!
I’m about to develop my first roll of 35mm film. What about film processing?
one thing is interesting, old camera prices spiked and now going down, quite unusual but good for me :D as for film, I hope there will be more dev work in digital backs as Im crap is cool but useless even before released and film prices are stupid, I have plenty of film but Im not buying new ones for this price
this will depend as much on the companies as it does on the consumer. granted, if theres a community willing to pay big bucks on their gear, its the analog community. And id really love to buy a new camera without rolling the dice on shutter time being correct, lenses coming scratch, fungus and dust free, but if they fall in the pitfall of high risk = low production numbers = high prices the the death of analog film is going to be a self fulfilling prophecy.
As usual a lot of people try to make money and get into business they don't really know or be able to manage. It's always been like that, and I really doubt that it will be of any influence on this market. As always, good products will remain and others won't.
I just got into film photography and I'm starting to feel the vibe that it's picking up steam. Just from the talks I've had in my local camera shop I'm hoping it means this new hobby I've been seriously enjoying pans out.
Agreed, momentum is humming this year, gotta make sure, we keep it up!
as i am unboxing my Kodak 5 roll holder as its shown that i don't need every product i feel attacked XD :P
Now all these companies make and offer all these products and by the way charge high prices for their products and make huge money from it, you can say that they are taking advantage of the current hype in the supposed analog renaissance and what will happen in say 2 years? people will get fed up with analog photography again, and in all of this, photography itself as art is the least important to people!
This video was a waste of time. For you and me both. If you had titled it "Support your local film shooter!" it would have made more sense and been on point.
for a new film camera to be a success, it must be affordable to youth demographics, as film camera is not viewed as tool/gadget/utility necessary for modern life like smartphones.
In current environment a film foto still needs to be digitalized to be usable in global sense. So there is "true analog" anymore. I am still enjoying analog as "deceleration" - it forces one to take fewer pictures and engage more with every single scene. Anticipation before developing film is a nice addition too. Especially when developing myself in the kitchen sink.
I don't see a technical reason for it though - so don't expect it to grow beyond hipster - limit.
I think it's grown beyond "hipster" limit, or is "hipster" now mainstream? lol
I think you're right, the investment in new technology and products for film is a HUGE indicator that film is here to stay.
I think come December/this time next year, we'll be able to tell what's worked, which will be interesting if nothing else, haha.
No it will not
There will always be people who dabble in film just like there will always be people who have wooden boats as an example. Neither will ever completely go away but will never be like they used to be.
Keen to see the new Pentax for sure.
Agreed, really excited for it!
I've heard that it's going to be a half frame.
It’s been dead to me for a few years, it’s too expensive now to use it, and it’s been for a while. I’m actually just starting to out my film cameras on the market.
I fear color film may go away due to the chemicals needed, but I don’t think B&W is going anywhere.
It’s tough to justify film (at this time) as it’s well above inflation.
Film is already on life support. Oh it may see a small nostalgic revival, But it will always remain a niche product from here on out.
I just don’t see the point of shooting with film. Can someone give me a concise reason?
Is it purely a subjective feeling?