Is there really a strong interest in film photography?

gone · Jun 15, 2022

Whilst on eBay, I put in "Nikon camera" in the "cameras and photography" category and came up w/ over 120,000 hits. When I changed the category to "film photography", I got 10,000. Hmmmm.

Many years in market research tells me that this means something.

madNbad · Jun 15, 2022

Saddle makers and tack shops never disappeared after the general public adopted the automobile. Some made products for the emerging industry but many have continued to supply both enthusiasts and professionals. Film cameras will never be as ubiquitous as in days past but will continue as long as new users discover the joy of the process. It’s down to just a few companies making new cameras but living in a place where I regularly visit camera repair shops, most are busier than ever much to young people bringing in their grandparents camera and wanting to learn how to use it.

Sirius Glass · Jun 15, 2022

I am interested using film and I do not care who on eBay is interested.

logan2z · Jun 15, 2022

It tells me that everyone is ditching their digital cameras and hanging onto their film cameras

Sirius Glass · Jun 15, 2022

logan2z said:
It tells me that everyone is ditching their digital cameras and hanging onto their film cameras

Good news!

greg zinselmeier · Jun 15, 2022

It looks like more people are selling digital gear. I’m assuming Nikon produced more “equipment “ from 1950-2000 in analog gear then 2000-2020 in digital gear. If the percentage was the same, more analog gear would be for sale than digital. All things being equal. What appears if your numbers play out correctly, digital gear is being liquidated quite rapidly compared. But why? Please be an honest broker when contemplating such occurrences!! It’s easy being a hater of digital.

Sirius Glass · Jun 15, 2022

The higher percentage of used digital cameras may be due to people dumping cameras to upgrade to the latest features and latest models.

Agulliver · Jun 16, 2022

15 years ago it would have been the other way around. Everyone and his dog was dropping film cameras, darkroom equipment, bricks of unexposed in date or recently expired film on eBay for a fraction of the original cost. Wife wanted to try SLR photography with an automatic camera? I picked up *two* Nikon F50 bodies around 17 years ago for £15 each on eBay. Fully working. Picked up multiple bulk film loaders for between £10 and £15. Bricks of film such that I had to resort to storing in my parents' freezer.

now everyone is selling digital cameras at all price points, ditching them as they lie unused or replacing them with "upgrades". And some people are taking up film photography. Which is borne out in increasing film sales since 2017 and conversations I have with camera shop owners. As well as the anecdotes such as I'm no longer assumed to be stark, staring bonkers for being out and about with vintage film cameras.

Lots of stuff being offered by private individuals for sale simply means lots of people want to offload said "stuff".

Now as to the original question....define "really strong interest".

Don_ih · Jun 16, 2022

greg zinselmeier said:
I’m assuming Nikon produced more “equipment “ from 1950-2000 in analog gear then 2000-2020 in digital gear.

I would assume the opposite. The rapid advance of digital sensor technology drove manufacturers to produce a mountain of new cameras. People wanted more megapixels. I believe there were fewer successful digital camera manufacturers than film camera manufacturers, but Nikon probably made a billion Coolpix cameras alone.

Also, while a massive amount of Nikon cameras were made between 1950 and 2000, that results in 20-70 years for them to get broken, get lost, get discarded and thus not end up on eBay. The digital - much less time for misadventure.

guangong · Jun 16, 2022

madNbad said:
Saddle makers and tack shops never disappeared after the general public adopted the automobile. Some made products for the emerging industry but many have continued to supply both enthusiasts and professionals. Film cameras will never be as ubiquitous as in days past but will continue as long as new users discover the joy of the process. It’s down to just a few companies making new cameras but living in a place where I regularly visit camera repair shops, most are busier than ever much to young people bringing in their grandparents camera and wanting to learn how to use it.

The first and best answer so far, seconded by Sirius Glass' quips.

Don_ih · Jun 16, 2022

The estimated number of horses in the world is 58,832,221. I'd imagine there's some need for saddles.

TJones · Jun 16, 2022

The demand for film cameras certainly seems to be up, but given the cost of film+processing, and the lack of disposable income in the group making the camera purchases, the demand for film will probably not follow the same curve.

Don_ih · Jun 16, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
The higher percentage of used digital cameras may be due to people dumping cameras to upgrade to the latest features and latest models.

Far more likely that people have no use for any camera other than what is on their phone. You can't underestimate how many 30-40 year olds with kids bought digital cameras after they joined Facebook in 2007-8, just to put pictures on there.

Cholentpot · Jun 16, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
The higher percentage of used digital cameras may be due to people dumping cameras to upgrade to the latest features and latest models.

I find that Pros hang on to the camera until it goes. I'm using digital cameras that are 2-3 gens behind. They still work fine and get the job done. When they break either I'll buy the same used or upgrade to pre owned kit.

snusmumriken · Jun 16, 2022

Don Heisz said:
The estimated number of horses in the world is 58,832,221. I'd imagine there's some need for saddles.

That's a really precise estimate! Might already be out of date, though.

snusmumriken · Jun 16, 2022

momus said:
Whilst on eBay, I put in "Nikon camera" in the "cameras and photography" category and came up w/ over 120,000 hits. When I changed the category to "film photography", I got 10,000. Hmmmm.

Many years in market research tells me that this means something.

I just tried the same with 'Leica', first in 'digital cameras' (936 results), then in 'film cameras' (1,000+). So what does that mean?

Don_ih · Jun 16, 2022

snusmumriken said:
That's a really precise estimate!

So much so, it's hard to believe it's an estimate...

snusmumriken · Jun 16, 2022

Don Heisz said:
So much so, it's hard to believe it's an estimate...

Are you suggesting that FAOSTAT went out and counted them all?

Sal Santamaura · Jun 16, 2022

Don Heisz said:
The estimated number of horses in the world is 58,832,221...

Interestingly, there is a much larger number of horses' asses in the world.

faberryman · Jun 16, 2022

Based on the overwhelmingly positive posts by film enthusiasts on Photrio, I would say that there really is a strong interest in film photography. Naysayers will quibble with statistical sampling methodologies.

madNbad · Jun 16, 2022

faberryman said:
Based on the overwhelmingly positive posts by film enthusiasts on Photrio, I would say that there really is a strong interest in film photography. Naysayers will quibble with statistical sampling methodologies.

This is the analog section of the trio...

pentaxuser · Jun 16, 2022

momus, has our replies to-date helped you get a better picture of what your e-bay finding meant? I just remain puzzled about what meaningful conclusions I can draw

pentaxuser

faberryman · Jun 16, 2022

Comparing the number and variety of categories and subcategories under "Cameras and Photography" to those under "Film Photography" may provide some insight as to why the former contains many more items for sale on eBay.

eBay Category Changes: Cameras & Photo

BrianShaw · Jun 16, 2022

I just entered "film camera popularity" into Gooogle and got

About 857,000,000 results (0.57 seconds)

So it must be true! I'd hesitate calling this a valid market survey so take it for what it is.

pbromaghin · Jun 16, 2022

Don Heisz said:
So much so, it's hard to believe it's an estimate...

Google may not be your friend, but it is occasionally useful:

"Worldwide, according to a 2006 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT) report, there are about 58 million horses. Because of how the reporting in many countries is done, this number could be higher. The figure also doesn't include horse relatives such as donkeys and mules, which may be used for the same purposes as horses."

Is there really a strong interest in film photography?

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