Cynicism in Continuing to Invest in Medium Format

[Ai Print]

as said before, once prices of film hits the roof and becomes more scarce, there will be plenty of cameras hitting the streets. people will be selling cameras as mantle ornaments and making lamps out of them.. parts won't be the problem... finding someone to work on your camera will be more of an issue.

learn to do your own repairs on what you have. its a nice hobby that will keep your photography hobby alive.

As long as people keep using film, there will be a profit motivation for companies to make it, so I am not sure why you think you have some secret handshake like insight into this.

Also, saying learn camera repair to keep a hobby alive is a bit off the mark here, like me, Early Riser depends on film and film cameras to make a full time living, hence our expertly considered and crafted replies.

I think we will be fine, sure it will change and prices will go up, but they are still dirt cheap right now so we have a long way to go before it starts looking unaffordable.

 

[Early Riser]

as said before, once prices of film hits the roof and becomes more scarce, there will be plenty of cameras hitting the streets. people will be selling cameras as mantle ornaments and making lamps out of them.. parts won't be the problem... finding someone to work on your camera will be more of an issue.

learn to do your own repairs on what you have. its a nice hobby that will keep your photography hobby alive.

Kodak is bringing back Ektachrome and promises more resurrected films, Bergger, Foma, etc are adding new films. Adox is even building a new film manufacturing plant. Ilford has opened a film processing lab in the US.

CD's killed vinyl, now vinyl sales exceed CD sales and they're building new vinyl pressing plants....

As for the skills required to repair old cameras, a recent positive sign I heard was that Bob Watkins was training an apprentice, he's going to pass his skills on, and I'm sure there are others doing the same.

 

[Ai Print]

As for the skills required to repair old cameras, a recent positive sign I heard was that Bob Watkins was training an apprentice, he's going to pass his skills on, and I'm sure there are others doing the same.

That is good news, I hope people like David Odess & Don Goldberg are doing the same.
With 3D printing and modern CNC there is no reason why most mechanical cameras can not keep clicking right along.

 

[Soeren]

If buying a new camera is what it takes to keep you contience clean when shooting MF
Unfortunatly out of stock
https://microsites.lomography.com/lca-120/

 

[Pioneer]

If buying a new camera is what it takes to keep you contience clean when shooting MF
Unfortunatly out of stock
https://microsites.lomography.com/lca-120/

I enjoy using my LCA-120. It is really a terrific street camera.

The biggest headache is the extremely stiff shutter button. But, after a while you even get used to that...kind of.

EDIT - One thing about it, once you get your technique down to the point where you can hold your camera steady with that shutter, every other camera you will use will be a piece of cake.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Like target shooting with a flintlock.

 

[Shootar401]

... and don't you find it interesting that nobody seems to know who that one lone backing paper vendor is?

Crazy Dave's Film Backing Paper, Cheese & Taxidermy.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Crazy Dave's Film Backing Paper, Cheese & Taxidermy.

No, no, no. It's made in an abandoned WWII era Soviet submarine pen near Sevastopol. In the '70s we were trading wheat for, among other things, backing paper! This is the real reason Putin annexed the Crimean peninsula, he wants to be ready when film comes back.

 

[adelorenzo]

If buying a new camera is what it takes to keep you contience clean when shooting MF
Unfortunatly out of stock
https://microsites.lomography.com/lca-120/

It's a real shame they didn't give that camera a lens that actually covered the film format. It's got a lot going for it otherwise, but I couldn't live with heavy vignetting on every shot.

 

[Zyklus]

CD's killed vinyl, now vinyl sales exceed CD sales and they're building new vinyl pressing plants....

Interestingly, vinyl sales outsold digital downloads in the UK last year. That is a massive increase that trumps vinyl>CD sales.

I think film cameras outselling digital cameras is much further away (or impossible) though

 

[Down Under]

Until someone starts to manufacture Nikkormats again, we know a film comeback isn't really on the cards...

 

[MattKing]

Interestingly, vinyl sales outsold digital downloads in the UK last year. That is a massive increase that trumps vinyl>CD sales.

While this is true, it is because people have generally stopped buying digital music. Instead, they are renting it, by streaming it instead.