My letter to KODAK, will reply with response. Please consider doing the same.

[AgX]

It is all about consumerism, which is buying new. And nothing else. Consumerism driven wants new. Some people from film era like me hates it. Where are millions of camera which are made to lasts for very long time. But for consumerist like OP It is no-no. It must be new.
Where are new film cameras made. Expensive Leica RF cameras, not expensive Lomography cameras. LF cameras are still made. Where are Cosina made SLRs which are just few years old. BH had them for sale nobody wanted it. Where is new Nikon F6 and new single use camera under different brands, including Kodak collecting dust of store shells. But no, OP wants his own new and wants to be a film saving hero.
Where are millions of film cameras in fully working order and they are made from metal and glass. They will works for decades. But no, OP wants new. Consumerism it is.
Why buy old and pay money for single repair person? It is not cool. It has to be new and under known label. Shameless consumersm. Shame.

Basically I share yor view.
However you said:
"But no, OP wants new. Consumerism it is."

But the OP said:
"Soon there will be a shortage of working film cameras, and with a lack
of mainstream camera production we will be limited to new “toy” cameras, small start-ups and a few surviving
SLR, and system cameras."

Whether we share this view or not, he started fom using old cameras. From then on asking for new cameras is not a hint at consumerism.

 

[chris77]

why should young generations be encouraged to shoot film? thats what it boils down to imo.

 

[BrianShaw]

why should young generations be encouraged to shoot film? thats what it boils down to imo.

And then, there’s that...

My young family is much more interested in making images than making images with film. I’m fine with that. I’m also fine with then thinking of me as a geezer who’s just to cheap to buy a modern camera... although I do snap a few with an iPhone because it’s just too convenient.

 

[Chan Tran]

why should young generations be encouraged to shoot film? thats what it boils down to imo.

I agree with you. I think I only need to have film for the rest of my life. Whatever happens after that I don't care (unlike the global warming or endangered species the lost of film after my life is not of my concern)

 

[removed account4]

i agree with your point ov view. the point i was trying to make, even in a too provocative way, was to say, IF there is nothing special for you in shooting film, just dont do it.
although it may have sounded like i am judging smartphone photography, its totally not the case. i am doing it too. whatever works.

yeah, i know i was just being a lawyer for the devil...

why should young generations be encouraged to shoot film? thats what it boils down to imo.

i know, it is a tough cookie to crack !
there are not many reasons that are of interest to them
slow ( who needs that ! )
archival ( who cares i am living NOW )
hip and trendy ... ( can't get it on my insta or Finsta whats the point )
easy ( not as easy as my phone )
something tangible and hand made at the end ( who cares, its just a snapshot of my friend wearing a pancake as a hat )
costs less ( huh, i have a phone and i am getting my mom's old eyephone as a handmedown next week woo woo ! )
fun ( seems more of a pain than fun but maybe )
reek of chemicals if you do it yourself ( that's what that smell is, i thought you just had a weird lunch ) ...
there is a red light ( hmmm )

 

[chris77]

yeah, i know i was just being a lawyer for the devil...




i know, it is a tough cookie to crack !
there are not many reasons that are of interest to them
slow ( who needs that ! )
archival ( who cares i am living NOW )
hip and trendy ... ( can't get it on my insta or Finsta whats the point )
easy ( not as easy as my phone )
something tangible and hand made at the end ( who cares, its just a snapshot of my friend wearing a pancake as a hat )
costs less ( huh, i have a phone and i am getting my mom's old eyephone as a handmedown next week woo woo ! )
fun ( seems more of a pain than fun but maybe )
reek of chemicals if you do it yourself ( that's what that smell is, i thought you just had a weird lunch ) ...
there is a red light ( hmmm )

exactly. wether the shadows in the pancake are well differentiated or not doesnt make for a reason to get involved..

 

[PerTulip]

you dont know what dynamic range is? you dont care about slow pace? so please, treat yourself, stick to your smartphone, try to use it till its broken (!) and dont put chemicals down the drain. perfect. snap away.

Did you actually read my post? While "slow pace" and dynamicy range way apply to US, 99% of the potential market (=people wanting to make pictures) doesn't care. And you are not going to change that fact by aggressive posting.

 

[Lee Rust]

We have billions of daily reasons or impulses to take and share pictures amongst ourselves and digital imaging is now the fastest, cheapest, easiest and most effective way to do these things. Developing latent image photographs with chemicals, plastic film, glass or paper is slow, messy, wasteful, expensive, uncertain, crude, frustrating and often poisonous or dangerous. Why bother?

 

[PerTulip]

....
i know, it is a tough cookie to crack !
there are not many reasons that are of interest to them
slow ( who needs that ! )
archival ( who cares i am living NOW )
hip and trendy ... ( can't get it on my insta or Finsta whats the point )
easy ( not as easy as my phone )
something tangible and hand made at the end ( who cares, its just a snapshot of my friend wearing a pancake as a hat )
costs less ( huh, i have a phone and i am getting my mom's old eyephone as a handmedown next week woo woo ! )
fun ( seems more of a pain than fun but maybe )
reek of chemicals if you do it yourself ( that's what that smell is, i thought you just had a weird lunch ) ...
there is a red light ( hmmm )

Archival=also possible with digital. In fact, if my house burns down, my film will be lost but because of off-site backup, all my digital photography will still be there.
Tangile=is a framed print from a digital file less tangible? Digital printing is a huge business with dedicated photo printers being released.
Costs=difficult to put into numbers. Digital or film can be as cheap or expensive as you want.

So, the arguments are not that one-sided.

 

[PerTulip]

We have billions of daily reasons or impulses to take and share pictures amongst ourselves and digital imaging is now the fastest, cheapest, easiest and most effective way to do these things. Developing latent image photographs with chemicals, plastic film, glass or paper is slow, messy, wasteful, expensive, uncertain, crude, frustrating and often poisonous or dangerous. Why bother?

That's the point. It's very easy to come up with reasons AGAINST film and for digital, but difficult to find simple reasons FOR film. I shoot film because....well, it's a lot of fun.

 

[chris77]

Did you actually read my post? While "slow pace" and dynamicy range way apply to US, 99% of the potential market (=people wanting to make pictures) doesn't care. And you are not going to change that fact by aggressive posting.

i dont care about the market.
so what?
people will take pictures with whatever device. why film, first of all?

and sorry if i offended you (?), im not trying to change anything.
to each his own. like others already said, there are millions of usable film cameras out there.

 

[Lee Rust]

That's the point. It's very easy to come up with reasons AGAINST film and for digital, but difficult to find simple reasons FOR film. I shoot film because....well, it's a lot of fun.

That's it!

 

[Chan Tran]

Archival=also possible with digital. In fact, if my house burns down, my film will be lost but because of off-site backup, all my digital photography will still be there.
Tangile=is a framed print from a digital file less tangible? Digital printing is a huge business with dedicated photo printers being released.
Costs=difficult to put into numbers. Digital or film can be as cheap or expensive as you want.

So, the arguments are not that one-sided.

Digital is perfect archival. You can simply list the file and write down all the 0 and 1 in the file. Someone in the future should be able to reconstruct the image perfectly with that.

 

[PerTulip]

...
people will take pictures with whatever device. why film, first of all?
....

That's the question that needs to be answered. Right now there's a ressurgence of film because it seems to be cool with hipsters. Is that a long-term sustainable business model for Kodak Alaris, Ilford, etc?
I really enjoy that there are suppliers out there making good (great?) business and selling a lot of stuff. Just ordered some film rolls, some accessories for developing, etc. But I am a film enthusiast and my fondness with film doesn't apply to the population in general.
You said you "don't care about the market". Well, I do. Why is Alaris considering a re-release of Ektachrome? Because they think there's a market for that. So, I benefit. Because there's a market for the stuff, chemicals are being made and sold, for an affordable price.
But what about dedicated film scanners, escecially for 120? Will there ever be a successor to the Nikon 9000? Or an alternative (no, the Recflectas aren't, they are not as good as the 9000)?

 

[afriman]

why should young generations be encouraged to shoot film? thats what it boils down to imo.

That's the point. It's very easy to come up with reasons AGAINST film and for digital, but difficult to find simple reasons FOR film. I shoot film because....well, it's a lot of fun.

Why do people collect and maintain vintage cars? Renovate old buildings? Make their own clothes? Brew beer and make wine at home? Collect books (and read them)? Make jam? Take up oil painting? Buy vinyl records and turntables? Because such activities are creative, stimulating and FUN. You also LEARN something from them and there is a sense of accomplishment. You can join communities which share those interests, have stimulating discussions and make new friends. You experience something other than the repetitive and boring activities of everyday life. It's therapeutic. Some of these hobbies encourage you to get out, look at the world around you in a different way and work with tangible things instead of just manipulating pixels all day.

Sure, if your goal is just to capture a record of the moment and be a happy snapper, digital is obviously the way to go. Just like driving a vintage car would be ridiculous if your goal was simply to get from point A to point B. Is it worth encouraging others (especially young people) to take up activities like these? YES, because it will enrich their lives.

Even looking at this from a selfish point of view, it would be advantageous if more young people took up film photography. It would encourage film manufacturers to stay in business, film could become more easily obtainable and perhaps even a bit cheaper. Some of us still (hopefully) have a few years or decades ahead of us, and we would like to continue living out our passion for as long as film and equipment is available.

 

[PerTulip]

...Even looking at this from a selfish point of view, it would be advantageous if more young people took up film photography. It would encourage film manufacturers to stay in business, film could become more easily obtainable and perhaps even a bit cheaper. Some of us still (hopefully) have a few years or decades ahead of us, and we would like to continue living out our passion for as long as film and equipment is available.

I share your selfish point of view. And BTW, I listen to vinyl, write with a fountain-pen and use an automatic watch.
But we didn't find out how to actually encourage more young (or new) photographers to engage with film.

 

[chris77]

pray to holy mary?

 

[BrianShaw]

pray to holy mary?

I’m not too sure that she cares about film, or photography in general.

 

[chris77]

at least she is photogenic.

 

[afriman]

I believe that the availability of a new stylish, compact and affordable 35mm camera could help a lot to stimulate interest. Isn't that a logical product to bring out in conjunction with the resurrection of a film like Ektachrome? Something that will take people a step further than Lomography and and allow them to discover some of the potential of film that sets it aside from digital?

While the used camera market is fantastic for us, it's not going to grab the imaginations of many young people. Those that really become passionate will, however, soon begin to discover old cameras as well.

 

[faberryman]

Why do people collect and maintain vintage cars? Renovate old buildings? Make their own clothes? Brew beer and make wine at home? Collect books (and read them)? Make jam? Take up oil painting? Buy vinyl records and turntables? Because such activities are creative, stimulating and FUN. You also LEARN something from them and there is a sense of accomplishment. You can join communities which share those interests, have stimulating discussions and make new friends. You experience something other than the repetitive and boring activities of everyday life. It's therapeutic. Some of these hobbies encourage you to get out, look at the world around you in a different way and work with tangible things instead of just manipulating pixels all day.

Sure, if your goal is just to capture a record of the moment and be a happy snapper, digital is obviously the way to go. Just like driving a vintage car would be ridiculous if your goal was simply to get from point A to point B. Is it worth encouraging others (especially young people) to take up activities like these? YES, because it will enrich their lives.

I shoot film, wet print, and do alternative processes, so I am sympathetic to your view, but why do you feel the need to denigrate digital photographers to the rank of "happy snapper" who are "just manipulating pixels all day"? You can advocate film photography in a positive way, without demonizing those who have chosen a different path to image making. Your film elitism off-putting.

 

[macfred]

What about the TO ? I guess he turned away from film photography in the meantime - probably seeking his salvation in religion ...
What is this all about ?

 

[PerTulip]

....You can advocate film photography in a positive way, without demonizing those who have chosen a different path to image making. It is off-putting.

A while ago I considered joining a camera club because of access to a darkroom. Just no room at my place. Most of my photography is digital, because sports and wildilfe are two areas I especially enjoy. The elitism in that group, who apparently considered everybody who even came near digital a heretic and the dismissive attitude made me reconsider it and I decided against joining them. Now, if I think of young photographers wanting to try film being met with such an attitude....

 

[chris77]

A while ago I considered joining a camera club because of access to a darkroom. Just no room at my place. Most of my photography is digital, because sports and wildilfe are two areas I especially enjoy. The elitism in that group, who apparently considered everybody who even came near digital a heretic and the dismissive attitude made me reconsider it and I decided against joining them. Now, if I think of young photographers wanting to try film being met with such an attitude....

come on. wasn't it your intention to find ways how to encourage young people to do film photography minutes ago? and revealing your true intention to get better and cheaper supply in the future? pretty weird all that.

 

[PerTulip]

come on. wasn't it your intention to find ways how to encourage young people to do film photography minutes ago? and revealing your true intention to get better and cheaper supply in the future? pretty weird all that.

What's weird. I shoot both digital and film.