Is there really a strong interest in film photography?

[Saganich]

Maybe useful as a relative price index... price of digital Nikon should be falling compared to film Nikons. Not a good time to sell your digital Nikon equipment.

 

[Sirius Glass]

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.

I agree. Good point.

 

[reddesert]

There are far more listings for cars than boats (personal-size, not ships) for sale in any venue. Yet, I would say there is still a strong interest in sailing, enough to sustain several manufacturers of boats and a secondary market of boating accessories, etc.

 

[Sirius Glass]

There are far more listings for cars than boats (personal-size, not ships) for sale in any venue. Yet, I would say there is still a strong interest in sailing, enough to sustain several manufacturers of boats and a secondary market of boating accessories, etc.

Now the thread has sunk into some deep water!

 

[faberryman]

So first it is horses. Now it is boats and cars. What's next: lawn mowers? Is there really a strong interest in push mowers. I remember trying to cut the grass with a push mower. I would start at the end of the driveway and run as fast as I could with my push mower in front of me, and then hit the grass and go about two feet. God it was hot.

 

[Sirius Glass]

So first it is horses. Now it is boats and cars. What's next: lawn mowers? Is there really a strong interest in push mowers. I remember trying to cut the grass with a push mower. I would start at the end of the driveway and run as fast as I could with my push mower in front of me, and then hitting the grass and going about two feet. God it was hot.

What is the French words for "cutting the grass" or "mowing the lawn"?























"Mow de lawn"

 

[markjwyatt]

There are far more listings for cars than boats (personal-size, not ships) for sale in any venue. Yet, I would say there is still a strong interest in sailing, enough to sustain several manufacturers of boats and a secondary market of boating accessories, etc.

And full harbors and marinas.

 

[markjwyatt]

Now the thread has sunk into some deep water!

Are you talking about markets for personal submarines?

 

[Sirius Glass]

Are you talking about markets for personal submarines?

That and underwater photography.

 

[madNbad]

What started as a quip about something that was once mainstream has wandered off the tracks. Which will lead to comments about trains.

 

[Chan Tran]

I don't know what your data means but I think there isn't strong interest in film photography.

 

[gone]

Perhaps my extremely tiny market research formula using ebay and a sample of one (1) is a little weird, but I swear it means something or other. It has to, things don't just happen.

But there's more evidence. I'm in Tucson, and have been for around 2 1/2 years. Before this I was in Abq for over 2 years. Both places are a photographer's dream because the light, shadows and landscape are almost perfect for B&W photography.

Only once or twice in those 4 1/2 years have I run into anyone w/ a film camera, or any camera for that matter. It's all been phones. And I go on 30 minute to 1 hr bike rides every.... single.... day. That's 1642 hours of actual real time observation. Not to mention the usual photo walks that I and many of us take regularly. Or the camera club I accidentally wandered into, everyone there had digital cameras except me.

 

[Don_ih]

Is there really a strong interest in film photography?​

No - for most of the world's population.

Yes - for those who are strongly interested in film photography.

Among photographers - aka, people who take photos - almost no interest.

 

[pentaxuser]

Wow! 36#: 37#; and 38, just your wait till Henning hears this kind of heresy

pentaxuser

 

[Don_ih]

Well, I'm interested in film photography, and, if I was @Sirius Glass, I would say that's all that matters

 

[Sirius Glass]

Well, I'm interested in film photography, and, if I was @Sirius Glass, I would say that's all that matters

Sign me up too.

 

[Agulliver]

As I've said before, I don't just wander around my neighbourhood, I travel around England and Wales and I talk with the staff in camera shops that actually sell analogue stuff. It's part of my thing to visit the local camera shop where there is one. There's no doubt that, at least in much of the UK, interest in film photography is on the up. Colleges and universities are restarting film photography courses. My local arts centre is mulling over opening a public dark room. Young people 25 and under are buying film cameras and - where it's actually available - film. Due to severe shortage, prices have shot up to £18 for one roll of Fuji C200 and it's the old farts who are complaining. The under 25's (who we assume have no money because they've spent it all on coffee and avocado toast) don't complain....perhaps because they know no different...and they are buying the film at that price.

Also note well what Henning has been saying in recent years...since 2017 huge year on year increase for demand particularly for colour negative film even during the height of the plague. We're not talking the same scale as the vinyl record revival yet but it's clear that something good is happening.

 

[Don_ih]

since 2017 huge year on year increase for demand particularly for colour negative film

But maybe that coincides with a rapid and drastic decrease in the available supply of colour film. Recall that Agfa Vista film was selling for next to nothing in 2016 - to get rid of it. Within a couple of years, all that was gone. Until around 2017, I could buy a disposable with 27 shots for $3 at any dollar store - then they all disappeared.

Apparently, Fuji stopped making film when Covid hit. Have they started making it again?

 

[Sirius Glass]

As I've said before, I don't just wander around my neighbourhood, I travel around England and Wales and I talk with the staff in camera shops that actually sell analogue stuff. It's part of my thing to visit the local camera shop where there is one. There's no doubt that, at least in much of the UK, interest in film photography is on the up. Colleges and universities are restarting film photography courses. My local arts centre is mulling over opening a public dark room. Young people 25 and under are buying film cameras and - where it's actually available - film. Due to severe shortage, prices have shot up to £18 for one roll of Fuji C200 and it's the old farts who are complaining. The under 25's (who we assume have no money because they've spent it all on coffee and avocado toast) don't complain....perhaps because they know no different...and they are buying the film at that price.

Also note well what Henning has been saying in recent years...since 2017 huge year on year increase for demand particularly for colour negative film even during the height of the plague. We're not talking the same scale as the vinyl record revival yet but it's clear that something good is happening.

Hmmm ... my old farts do not complain. Even my new ones do not complain, the just pop out and usually announce themselves.

 

[Brendan Quirk]

I would start at the end of the driveway and run as fast as I could with my push mower in front of me, and then hit the grass and go about two feet. God it was hot.

I remember that. Exactly. what misery when I was young! Turns out that the problem was age, dull blades, and rust! Back to the thread...

 

[Brendan Quirk]

One data point - at a gallery opening yesterday (low level juried exhibition) I spoke with a good 21 year old art student, with very good realistic oil paintings. He said some of his fellow students were very into film photography. The topic didn't go further - but I was struck by his very large (2 or 3 feet on a side) oil paintings. Old technology - and expensive to produce. Not old is necessarily abandoned!

 

[snusmumriken]

So first it is horses. Now it is boats and cars. What's next: lawn mowers? Is there really a strong interest in push mowers. I remember trying to cut the grass with a push mower. I would start at the end of the driveway and run as fast as I could with my push mower in front of me, and then hit the grass and go about two feet. God it was hot.

Those things were the Instamatics of mowing technology. A scythe was much more effective if you knew how to use it. And yes, there is an upsurge of interest in scythes.

 

[Don_ih]

Push mowers work very well if you use it to mow the lawn every day.

 

[snusmumriken]

Push mowers work very well if you use it to mow the lawn every day.

OK, I accept you couldn't say the same about Instamatics. Lots of people used them every day, and where are we?

 

[snusmumriken]

Going back to the OP's question, Ilford at least seems to think there is a growing interest that is worth keeping in tune with. See this thread.