Film photography makes a stunning comeback

[Mark Tate]

Have been feeling the same thing the last year or so that film seams to be making a comeback in some way, probably because I have processed over 100 35mm C41 colour films this year alone, I do not do this as a job and non of them films where my own, just friends and relatives who have dug up there old film cameras and decided to have a play with them.

 

[Vonder]

What's ironic is that as the resurgence of film has peaked, Film Ferrania still hasn't a single roll of film to jump in with. They read the tea leaves but couldn't get it done in time.

 

[Prest_400]

What's ironic is that as the resurgence of film has peaked, Film Ferrania still hasn't a single roll of film to jump in with. They read the tea leaves but couldn't get it done in time.

Wouldn't know whether it has peaked or it's slowly stabilizing and on the way up. Probably sure we're not anymore in the dark ages of the digital revolution, and dissing film, rather being a different niche that is along the other media.
Hoping the best for them to consolidate and get rolling soon.

 

[farmersteve]

Prices are related to markets. If I go to Ebay or online shops devoted to analogue stuff where the unitiated and those go who want something immediately, of course I shall pay a high price. Locally I would not have to pay more than 3€ for a Mju II.
Those high prices are indeed an indicator for some interest in the market, but do not reflect the whole market.

Maybe in Europe, but locally I NEVER find any interesting small compact cameras for sale. They all end up on eBay...

 

[farmersteve]

Wouldn't know whether it has peaked or it's slowly stabilizing and on the way up. Probably sure we're not anymore in the dark ages of the digital revolution, and dissing film, rather being a different niche that is along the other media.
Hoping the best for them to consolidate and get rolling soon.

This called the dead cat bounce in the stock world. A brief recovery before the end really comes. Although I don't think this is the case with film. I think we'll see a small but noticeable bounce and then it will level off at some small fraction of where it was 20 years ago. Artisans and hipsters will continue to use film. As long as there are super cheap used film cameras on the market, there will be no market for new cameras. Maybe Lomo will get past their hipster image and actually produce a real camera. Only time will tell but I doubt Canikon will ever go back to film...

 

[thuggins]

Perhaps one could argue that Kodak and Fuji, with their large scale production facilities, have a harder time adjusting to the new type of market.

This is really the crux of the whole matter. After spending 40 years in industry, as an engineer and consultant, I have seen this pattern repeat ad nauseum. Once a company has become temporally distance from its founding, an interest in the product itself is completely lost. The new management is only interested in the money that a product makes, and if they can make that money without making the product they are more than happy to do so. In fact, companies that were the most dominant in a given field are the least likely to be able to change with technology.

Some of the comments on this thread are just complete nonsense. Of course film will never rebound to its former level. But painting didn't disappear when photography was invented. Just a few minutes ago an ad popped up on another website for a company that specializes "Blacksmith, Knifemaker, Coppersmith and Farrier supplies". Image that there are folks still making horseshoes more than 100 years after the invention of the automobile!

We have certainly reached "peak d!&!+@l" at this point; that is to say that there is essentially no one out there who has not tried d!&!+l imaging at some point or really wants to give up using film but just hasn't got around to it yet. Film's nadir has passed and it will enjoy a sound future in its own niche. Lomography has even brought out a new slide film, so they must feel there is enough of a market for even a niche within a niche.