Is there really a strong interest in film photography?

[faberryman]

With respect to the compact cameras at least ....
In the days of Instamatics and the like, people would often try that with flashcubes or small built in flashes. Funnily enough, it actually helped. Not because there was enough light from the flash, but rather because a lot of those cameras would engage either a larger aperture or a slower shutter speed when the flash was used - thus increasing the ambient light exposure.

Point taken. I guess there are a lot of variables and it depends on the venue and the act on stage and how it is lit as to what the effect of using flash in the balcony at a concert will be.

 

[VinceInMT]

What cracks me up is seeing people in the balcony with their iPhones or compact cameras shooting with flash. The light from the flash goes about ten feet and the performers are about a half a mile away. It runs down the battery pretty quickly too.

Technology is regularly put in the hands of people with limited knowledge of how to use it so photography is no different.

 

[Arthurwg]

I would think that the re-release of a "new" Leica M6, at $5800 for the body, points to a strong interest in film.

 

[Agulliver]

The last time I was at a concert in a large venue, the guy checking bags for bombs and cameras said they allowed cameras with fixed lenses in, because given the distance between the seats and the performance stage, you couldn't get any decent photos of the performers without a large telephoto or zoom lens. Of course, different venues may have different policies.

What cracks me up is seeing people in the balcony with their iPhones or compact cameras shooting with flash. The light from the flash goes about ten feet and the performers are about a half a mile away. It runs down the battery pretty quickly too.

I've been to venues that say "no professional type cameras" and requested a clarification in advance. The response from one was to ban all cameras. But most have settled on no SLRs and no lenses which protrude more than 2-3 inches. With a good compact digital camera you can get really decent photos even from the nosebleed section of somewhere like the O2 Arena. Often I try and stand at the front of medium sized theatre gig venues, or sit in the first few rows if it's all seating. One time that wasn't possible I did take an SLR, but with a fixed pancake 50mm lens....and pocketed two 2x teleconverters, loaded the thing with Delta 3200 and effectively got a 200mm lens, albeit at f4 being the largest effective aperture.

I doubt most people even thought my 1920s Kodak 1A was loaded with film on Saturday night, though one of the resulting images seems to be attracting interest on Instagram.

One slight concern, my local shop has noted a strong decrease in the number of films coming in for processing. They feel there are two primary reasons. First off, it's not exactly photography season in England. The leaves may be a pleasant brown but it's dull, dreary and damp most days. And just as important, people have not been able to buy colour film for 18 months from that shop because they have only had one shipment from their distributor in that time. Other shops are available in the general area of course, but they sell out fast.

 

[guangong]

Not unusual to see folks using flash to light up the Manhattan skyline from the Jersey side of the Hudson River.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Not unusual to see folks using flash to light up the Manhattan skyline from the Jersey side of the Hudson River.

Or shooting the city from the top of the Empire State Building.

 

[Agulliver]

Not unusual to see people who don't ever take their compact cameras out of auto mode and don't know that the flash can be turned off.

THe other one that gets me is shooting out of windows with the flash and then wondering why there's a reflection of said flash in the photos.

I forget sometimes that I'm a burned out former child polymath who learned all this by the age of 5. And that to most people it's not intuitive or something they learned at a very young age. But it is rather infuriating to hear people say "Oh you can't photograph that".....hold my absinthe...

 

[Moose22]

I recall being in the stadium during the steroid era when Sammy Sosa was about to hit his record breaker. Every pitch a few thousand flash bulbs would pop in the stands. Every. Single. Pitch.

My friends and I all had a good laugh at how the upper deck was sparkling with people trying to get that historic photo.

But that's OK. Especially now, people being interested is far better for me than people not being interested. And I've made more than a few mistakes along the way to my workflow, even posted a lovely shot of my own finger I took last week.

 

[Cholentpot]

I recall being in the stadium during the steroid era when Sammy Sosa was about to hit his record breaker. Every pitch a few thousand flash bulbs would pop in the stands. Every. Single. Pitch.

My friends and I all had a good laugh at how the upper deck was sparkling with people trying to get that historic photo.

But that's OK. Especially now, people being interested is far better for me than people not being interested. And I've made more than a few mistakes along the way to my workflow, even posted a lovely shot of my own finger I took last week.

The best era.

 

[Dennis S]

 

[Melvin J Bramley]

I have a darkroom.
I do not see a upsurge in demand for self processing film equipment nor have I seen , other than over priced asking prices, a demand for film cameras.
Asking prices on E,Bay are not bellwether indicators, just wishful thinking.
It's the 'fake news' of the film era!!
TB

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

I have a darkroom.
I do not see a upsurge in demand for self processing film equipment nor have I seen , other than over priced asking prices, a demand for film cameras.
Asking prices on E,Bay are not bellwether indicators, just wishful thinking.
It's the 'fake news' of the film era!!
TB

Paying $30 for an obscure camera when you operate a darkroom is the best that marginal utility has to offer.

Also, it comes with 3 lenses and a UV filter, untested.

 

[bags27]

I have a darkroom.
I do not see a upsurge in demand for self processing film equipment nor have I seen , other than over priced asking prices, a demand for film cameras.
Asking prices on E,Bay are not bellwether indicators, just wishful thinking.
It's the 'fake news' of the film era!!
TB

What would you consider a "bellwether indicator"? If you follow (say) a $2500 medium format body listed on ebay and it is sold and then you check the feedback history of the seller and it says that he sold it for $2500, is that fake news?

Reputable U.S. dealers are selling top shelf stuff--Leica, Mamiya, Hasselblad, etc--for the same high prices as are listed by ebay sellers. A Hasselblad repairman I use told me that the cameras he sells have about doubled in price in the last 5 years. Is he also making this up?

I guess I'd want to know what evidence you have to the contrary.

 

[Sirius Glass]

What would you consider a "bellwether indicator"? If you follow (say) a $2500 medium format body listed on ebay and it is sold and then you check the feedback history of the seller and it says that he sold it for $2500, is that fake news?

Reputable U.S. dealers are selling top shelf stuff--Leica, Mamiya, Hasselblad, etc--for the same high prices as are listed by ebay sellers. A Hasselblad repairman I use told me that the cameras he sells have about doubled in price in the last 5 years. Is he also making this up?

I guess I'd want to know what evidence you have to the contrary.

No Hasselblad prices started going up about 5 years ago and there is no slowing down.

 

[koraks]

I do not see a upsurge in demand for self processing film equipment nor have I seen , other than over priced asking prices, a demand for film cameras.

I do.
1: A decade or so ago, you could pick up just about any piece of darkroom kit basically for free or scraps around here. I hear similar signals from the US. Nowadays, if there's anything in there that starts with Jo* or Du* it'll sell, and sell well.
2: Friend of mine sold some stuff from his private collection lately; lenses and such. Optics that would have moved with difficulty a few years ago were now gone within a couple of days at asking price, no negotiation.
3: Other friend of mine is actually a trader in the 2nd hand darkroom business. He's seeing strong demand in just about anything; the main thing holding back his business is how fast he can put things up for sale and ship them out. A few years ago it was improbable he could have made a living doing this. Mind you, China is a market now that pulls a lot of stuff from the West (sometimes at ridiculous prices!) that they don't have a second hand market for over there.
4: Retailers I speak to complain about the shortage of film, which is in part a supply issue, but also fueled by strong demand; they've got kids (and adults) at the counter clamoring for some rolls of (in particular) 35mm color film.

There's so much writing on the wall, you could compile a decent book from it.

 

[Agulliver]

@koraks I see all of that in the UK for sure.

I actually talk with the owners/staff in camera shops and other places that might sell old cameras, when I am out and about. There's a tangible upswing in sales of old/vintage film cameras and specifically in sales of them to people who want to use them to take photographs and not to make supposedly trendy lamps or other decorative pieces. I've seen this in England and Wales, and on my recent visit to Arkansas and Missorui the flea markets said they'd basically doubled the price of film cameras and associated accessories because folk are now buying them to use.

I was in a charity shop in Dorset in the summer and it was clear that someone had cleared out a darkroom. I picked up a nice Paterson tank and forced wash thingy, leaving behind a nice Leitz slide projector. I did ask if there had been more darkroom equipment and was told "Oh yes, it arrived two weeks ago. Most of it has gone. More tanks, trays, bottles, enlarger."

Anyone saying this isn't happening is simply being mean, in my view.

The other thing I get from talking with staff at specialist shops is that demand for colour film has way outstripped supply for about four years now. Specifically 35mm C41 film, though there is a smaller increase in other film sales. My local camera shop even found some NOS slide projectors in their basement, put them on display and promptly sold two last year. Their entire front window display is film gear. Local university resumed teaching film photography and dark room use last year too, after a 10 year gap. I also hear similar reports around the country and overseas. We have posters here who can attest to this, full classes and so on.

Perhaps most importantly of all, I was fortunate enough to have a chat with Andy Church of Kodak Alaris a few months ago who just confirmed that C41 sales have exploded in recent years, catching everyone in the industry by surprised. The increase has been sustained and continues apace.

But nah...nothing happening....move along....nothing to see (rolls eyes)

 

[baachitraka]

Setting up a full D' system with good lenses are unaffordable for many.

My personally regret is not getting those good analog stuff way before, like Rolleiflex or Hassy et al.

Nevertheless, I am shooting film only these days and for the snap shots the smartphones are doing okay job and also wish for more filme and paper.

 

[VinceInMT]

Nevertheless, I am shooting film only these days and for the snap shots the smartphones are doing okay job and also wish for more filme and paper.

Same here. Snapshots are done with the phone since they are destined for sharing like on one of my blogs. My “serious” work, whatever that is, still sends me to my darkroom.

I have no idea, based on local information, as to whether film is on the rise. Here in Montana I haven’t seen anyone with a film camera in years and I do get to the touristy places. We have no camera stores where I live and it’s the largest city in the state. We do have Photographers Formulary in the western end of the state and I always wonder how many in-state orders they fill.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I don't know anyone who still plays music using vinyl records on a turntable. But apparently, there's a huge market for them. Of course, compared to other methods like streaming music, it's a tiny market.

I think it's similar with film.

 

[VinceInMT]

I don't know anyone who still plays music using vinyl records on a turntable. But apparently, there's a huge market for them. Of course, compared to other methods like streaming music, it's a tiny market.

I think it's similar with film.

If you can claim the know me, then you know one who still plays vinyl on a turntable. Just yesterday I was playing 45 rpm records (Kay Starr). The day before I was playing 8-tracks. Today (sort of snowed in with 8 degrees F) I’ll be playing some reel-to-reel tapes while in the darkroom.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

If you can claim the know me, then you know one who still plays vinyl on a turntable. Just yesterday I was playing 45 rpm records (Kay Starr). The day before I was playing 8-tracks. Today (sort of snowed in with 8 degrees F) I’ll be playing some reel-to-reel tapes while in the darkroom.

Kay Starr? I thought I was old.

Actually, I listen to 40's music all the time on XM Serius satellite. I'm a WWII era baby born in 1945. But my records are gone as is my Akai reel-to-reel tape player, Acoustic Research AR-2a speakers, Fisher home-built kit amp-preamp, and tuner. I sold my CD collection for about 50 cents a disk.

 

[bags27]

I don't know anyone who still plays music using vinyl records on a turntable. But apparently, there's a huge market for them. Of course, compared to other methods like streaming music, it's a tiny market.

I think it's similar with film.

Really good point. The essential crisis in a post-truth world: if I don't see it, it's not true.
To your subordinate point: I have a friend who owns a company that makes $15k turntables: he can't make them fast enough and is very wealthy.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Really good point. The essential crisis in a post-truth world: if I don't see it, it's not true.
To your subordinate point: I have a friend who owns a company that makes $15k turntables: he can't make them fast enough and is very wealthy.

Niche markets can be very profitable. It's one of the reasons why we're seeing huge cost increases in film and film cameras.

 

[Cholentpot]

I don't know anyone who still plays music using vinyl records on a turntable. But apparently, there's a huge market for them. Of course, compared to other methods like streaming music, it's a tiny market.

I think it's similar with film.

Same reason for younger folk buying film. It's an experience.

 

[Pieter12]

What would you consider a "bellwether indicator"? If you follow (say) a $2500 medium format body listed on ebay and it is sold and then you check the feedback history of the seller and it says that he sold it for $2500, is that fake news?

Reputable U.S. dealers are selling top shelf stuff--Leica, Mamiya, Hasselblad, etc--for the same high prices as are listed by ebay sellers. A Hasselblad repairman I use told me that the cameras he sells have about doubled in price in the last 5 years. Is he also making this up?

I guess I'd want to know what evidence you have to the contrary.

Film popularity may not be directly correlated to camera sales. Many cameras are bought by collectors (hoarders?) and sit on shelves unused. Some are bought as back-ups and out of concern for future availability or as parts cameras. Many are unusable and might be waiting for parts or a technician to get around to them. Young folks tend to buy the cheaper, more accessible (and more prone to being inoperable) 35mm SLRs and lose interest after a class or frustration with reliability or learning how to properly shoot film. How many of the members of this forum have cameras that they only occasionally use, shooting only a few rolls a year? For some, a film camera is an accessory showing how cool they are. I have no clue about color film availability (although I hear it can be scarce) since I only shoot black and white medium-format and have only occasionally run into shortages.

One reason I think a lot of interest in film is fad-driven is the plethora of odd emulsions available, making film photography a kind of artsy crap shoot, giving distorted results.