Analog photography revival - The Economist

[johnnywalker]

http://econ.st/PPp0SZ

 

[BrianShaw]

Interesting, but I saw no indication in the article of a revival... except by the author who revived one camera. But thanks, it was a well-written article!

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Like the article and the Roleiflex.

Jeff

 

[MattKing]

I find it entertaining that the author of the piece (who I assume is named Babbage) uses the "Difference Engine" name for his column.

Nothing like a historically important title to a historically interesting subject .

 

[summicron1]

Interesting, but I saw no indication in the article of a revival... except by the author who revived one camera. But thanks, it was a well-written article!

read it again -- he says harry fleenor is up to his ears in repairs, presumably of cameras that will be used. And he discusses new labs for film, and lomography.

revivals are not always of the past, but of the future as it defines the past.

 

[ooze]

He talks about a Rolleiflex Automat but isn't the picture of a Rollei T. I have one in my bag with me right now and I love the T dearly. When talking about analog there's no going around Lomo I guess.

 

[Joseph Maxwell]

Interesting article. Ideally, one would like to see both film and digital peacefully coexisting as tools alongside each other. But for some quite strange reason, digital zealots seem aggressively intent on "killing" film and enjoying the process of watching it die. It's almost as if they associate film-photography fans with an incurable, conservative adherence to a Luddite past. In any case, companies like Fuji are doing themselves no favors at all by NOT promoting the increased use of film. Once the market is saturated with digital cameras and the newest models of XE-1-Pro-Mach X DXYs and other such nonsense, there's nothing left to sell, unless they decide to become specialists in memory card production or software to rival PhotoShop.
With the resurgence of film in China, perhaps some unknown Chinese billionaire will pick up the tab for Kodak's film division? As for the rest of us, stock up your freezers with your favorite emulsions now.

 

[thegman]

I think many digital zealots (they're of course not all like this), want to see film die for same reason that PC zealots wanted to see the Mac/Amiga/Atari die. Many people see any enthusiasm contrary to their own as being something to be feared/destroyed, see football hooliganism. Also, I think people can see others who don't follow the herd as a threat, I believe that this is why Sigma and their Foveon sensor get a hard time on the enthusiast forums. I think that these people can often see any use of a product not endorsed by themselves as a personal insult, like we think they were stupid to buy a Canikon D5d Mk III or whatever.

I think it's a issue of psychology of fear, or wanting to be part of a larger pack. You see it a lot in the computer enthusiast scene, people want their choices validated by the millions of others making the same choices. Those who disagree are to be feared and suspected. It's religion for those who may not want to subscribe to a Deity-style religion, but still feel they want to be part of something bigger than themselves, and be validated by their peers.

That's what I have come to think from many years in the computer enthusiast world, and more recently, the photography world.

Interesting article. Ideally, one would like to see both film and digital peacefully coexisting as tools alongside each other. But for some quite strange reason, digital zealots seem aggressively intent on "killing" film and enjoying the process of watching it die. It's almost as if they associate film-photography fans with an incurable, conservative adherence to a Luddite past. In any case, companies like Fuji are doing themselves no favors at all by NOT promoting the increased use of film. Once the market is saturated with digital cameras and the newest models of XE-1-Pro-Mach X DXYs and other such nonsense, there's nothing left to sell, unless they decide to become specialists in memory card production or software to rival PhotoShop.
With the resurgence of film in China, perhaps some unknown Chinese billionaire will pick up the tab for Kodak's film division? As for the rest of us, stock up your freezers with your favorite emulsions now.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

The comments at the bottom of the article are funny, especially the one commenting on that fact that analog is pretty uneconomical and the fact that this article is written in economist. Oh the irony.

Also to the above comment, I feel that Mac enthusiasts have now become the zealots now. It's interesting how things turn out over time. Haha

 

[RattyMouse]

Interesting article. Ideally, one would like to see both film and digital peacefully coexisting as tools alongside each other. But for some quite strange reason, digital zealots seem aggressively intent on "killing" film and enjoying the process of watching it die. It's almost as if they associate film-photography fans with an incurable, conservative adherence to a Luddite past. In any case, companies like Fuji are doing themselves no favors at all by NOT promoting the increased use of film. Once the market is saturated with digital cameras and the newest models of XE-1-Pro-Mach X DXYs and other such nonsense, there's nothing left to sell, unless they decide to become specialists in memory card production or software to rival PhotoShop.
With the resurgence of film in China, perhaps some unknown Chinese billionaire will pick up the tab for Kodak's film division? As for the rest of us, stock up your freezers with your favorite emulsions now.

Fuji still makes and sells 35mm and 6 X 7 medium format film cameras. That is more support for film than most give.

 

[AgX]

Concerning their 35mm cameras I assume production has ended too.
They only list as still in production Klasse S and Klasse Black, but the same time state a very low and limited production number.

 

[BrianShaw]

...he says harry fleenor is up to his ears in repairs...

Fleenor has ALWAYS been up to his ears in repairs. That is nothing new, nor a sign of a revival. The article itself is interesting and I give the writer lots of credit for a good article in a prominent publication.

 

[RattyMouse]

Concerning their 35mm cameras I assume production has ended too.
They only list as still in production Klasse S and Klasse Black, but the same time state a very low and limited production number.

Production has NOT ended. Fujifilm recently indicated that one of the colors (black or silver, I cant remember) was being discontinued. You can find GF670 and GF670W medium format film cameras here in Shanghai.

 

[PKM-25]

And let's not forget about the "other" film maker who has introduced two cameras in the past year, supplies all the right chemistry and paper for their entire line of films....this company will outlast even Fuji in terms of product staying power and is exponentially more committed to the film user than anyone else...

And I look forward to using the very best and top selling Kodak films too since anyone who is actually a photographer and deals with Kodak knows the people who matter there are as committed to the product as anyone else is.

 

[RattyMouse]

And let's not forget about the "other" film maker who has introduced two cameras in the past year, supplies all the right chemistry and paper for their entire line of films....this company will outlast even Fuji in terms of product staying power and is exponentially more committed to the film user than anyone else...

And I look forward to using the very best and top selling Kodak films too since anyone who is actually a photographer and deals with Kodak knows the people who matter there are as committed to the product as anyone else is.

What two new cameras do you post about here?

 

[PKM-25]

What two new cameras do you post about here?

You seem to be really focused on promoting Fuji and bashing everything else, so you come up with all kinds of information regarding that and it tells me you do the research. So why don't you do the research your self about these other cameras from this other brand and find out on your own?.......Then maybe I will not think you are some Fuji marketing shill hiding behind a user name...

Until then, based on your posting history....I don't think you are who you claim to be and frankly I have had it up to my neck with your baseless and often juvenile negative crap.

Sorry mods, but this is getting just a *bit* ridiculous...

 

[Dismayed]

The comments at the bottom of the article are funny, especially the one commenting on that fact that analog is pretty uneconomical and the fact that this article is written in economist. Oh the irony. . . Haha

Not sure that my DSLR has been all that economical. It has lost about $1,000 in value since I bought it about 3 years ago.

 

[BrianShaw]

... that dismays me too!

 

[RattyMouse]

You seem to be really focused on promoting Fuji and bashing everything else, so you come up with all kinds of information regarding that and it tells me you do the research. So why don't you do the research your self about these other cameras from this other brand and find out on your own?.......Then maybe I will not think you are some Fuji marketing shill hiding behind a user name...

Until then, based on your posting history....I don't think you are who you claim to be and frankly I have had it up to my neck with your baseless and often juvenile negative crap.

Sorry mods, but this is getting just a *bit* ridiculous...

Wow. You are quite the paranoid one aren't you? Let me spell it out for you so that even YOU could understand.

1. I havent bashed anyone except Kodak's pathetic management team.
2. I am not alone in performing action #1 at APUG.org.
3. I am NOT affiliated with FUJIFILM in any way at all besides be a customer.
4. My first medium format camera, bought way back in 1996 was a Fujifilm GSW690. I enjoyed that camera tremendously, specifically for the incredible lens.
5. After converting over to digital, I went from shooting Canon (shooting Canon for 5 years or so) to Fujifilm because of their particular color interpretations. I continue to shoot Fuji digitals despite owning $4,000 or so of Canon gear.
6. I am just about to hit 10,000 posts over at DPR, where my past history is free to examine. Anyone bored enough to read my posts there will not conclude that I am a Fujifilm employee. Unless you suffer from paranoid delusions.
7. As a film shooter in days past I NEVER shot a frame of either Acros or Reala. Since buying my GA645 a few months ago and getting back into film, I have discovered both and am enthusiastic about said films. This somehow bothers you. It should not.
8. If you have had it up to your neck with my posts, it is up to YOU to leave this forum. I am NOT going ANYWHERE and will continue to post here, following the rules as I have ALWAYS done.

Your inability to distinguish an amateur fan from a "marketing shill" is simultaneously amusing as well as disturbing.

 

[PKM-25]

3. I am NOT affiliated with FUJIFILM in any way at all besides be a customer.
6. I am just about to hit 10,000 posts over at DPR, where my past history is free to examine. Anyone bored enough to read my posts there will not conclude that I am a Fujifilm employee. Unless you suffer from paranoid delusions.

Ummm....yeah, I think this says it all and will serve folks on here really well the next time you Kodak bash, I hope you get banned at some point, from your dpreview profile:

http://fujifilmimages.aminus3.com/

So with that said, I have never placed anyone on any forum on an ignore list, but I think it is best I do that with you. Mods, other members of the community, sorry this has been an issue.

I seriously doubt this person is anyone else but a Fuji marketing shill, makes me want to sell my X100 and never use the products again honestly...

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

Not sure that my DSLR has been all that economical. It has lost about $1,000 in value since I bought it about 3 years ago.

You are quite right! Photography as a whole is a money pit! Woe is the shooters who have gas.