My local camera shop, business booming. Anyone else?

[Agulliver]

For some sort of context, years ago I sold commercial photo proceeding machinery and set up 3 one hour photo labs in two years. The bottom benchmark for a viable minilab sales prospect was 25 rolls/day and indication of strong success was around 100/day...less didn't justify a full time employee.

For most of 2019 the lady who does the film processing in Luton (via her own businesses located within the camera shop) was doing over 90 films per day. That's slowed down a bit in the winter but she's actually quite concerned that she'll be swamped come Spring/summer 2020.

Two years ago Snappy Snaps in Chiswick were reporting 75 films per day....up from 75 per week in 2014.

 

[Sean]

jtk has been removed from this thread, we will not moderate the previous posts in order to save time. Things should get back on track now.

 

[darkosaric]

Right now I am in Manila for couple of weeks, ordered some chemicals (that I cannot bring with me from Germany), and local shop (Film Folk) informed me that shipping will be delayed due to high demand. So looks good here as well.

 

[Henning Serger]

Right now I am in Manila for couple of weeks, ordered some chemicals (that I cannot bring with me from Germany), and local shop (Film Folk) informed me that shipping will be delayed due to high demand. So looks good here as well.

Hello Darko,

Manila has a very vivid and active film photography scene. Driven by young photographers and entrepreneurs.
You may have a look here as well:
https://www.sunny16lab.com/
https://www.instagram.com/sunny16lab/

Here below the video you find a long list with film and camera shops there:


Further film youtube channels/videos from Manila / Philippines:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw7BjLjXapjLbosuSdM-6wA/videos







Have a good time there! I wish you lots of wonderful photos .

Best regards,
Henning

 

[darkosaric]

Thanks Henning, I enjoyed the videos .
I meet here with some local Lomography people, very friendly, they showed me some places that usually tourist are not seeing .

 

[Henning Serger]

Thanks Henning, I enjoyed the videos .
I meet here with some local Lomography people, very friendly, they showed me some places that usually tourist are not seeing .

Sounds like a lot of fun.....

Best regards,
Henning

 

[Henning Serger]

Thanks Henning, I enjoyed the videos .

Then I have another two for you :



And here with maybe some tips for you for places worth to visit in Manila:



By the way, the film renaissance in lots of Asian countries is powered to a significant extent also by young females with great enthusiasm. Lots of film photography videos and film photography channels are made by young women, too.
Most distinct / pronounced this is currently in Thailand, where the film revival is very strong. And about 30 (!) youtube channels there reporting about film, or being pure film photography channels. Lots of the content is made by young women.
We really should not underestimate that: The boom in instax instant photography was started in Asia (mainly South Korea) by young women. And from there it conqered the world over the years.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[foc]

The boom in instax instant photography was started in Asia (mainly South Korea) by young women. And from there it conqered the world over the years.

Reminds me of a comment I once heard
"If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman."

 

[Henning Serger]

Reminds me of a comment I once heard
"If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman."

In my sister's kitchen there is hanging this saw / saying:
"Girls, when a man says he is doing it, he will do it. You don't have to remember him every 6 months."


Best regards,
Henning

 

[darkosaric]

And no big tech talk in those videos: f stop, lens resolution, whatever... no --> just use any camera and any film, develop the film, enjoy. Done .

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

jtk has been removed from this thread, we will not moderate the previous posts in order to save time. Things should get back on track now.

Thank you! Adding him to ignore list as well. I've had enough.

 

[Agulliver]

Probably explains the young Japanese woman I saw in Oxford with an Instax around her neck and a pink Hasselblad on her shoulder.

 

[Henning Serger]

And no big tech talk in those videos: f stop, lens resolution, whatever... no --> just use any camera and any film, develop the film, enjoy. Done .

Yes Darko.
An experience I am making for years in my film photography workshops: The female participants are much less technology-focussed, and much more focussed on results and enjoying the final picture.
And having a mixed audience in workshops - males and females - is mostly the best. Resulting in a very fresh and "motivating-and-inspiring-each-other" spirit.

By the way, this female power in film photography is fortunately not an Asia-only phenomenon.
Here are just some other examples from other parts of the world:

1. Italy:
Russian Lina Bessonova, now located in Italy, has started their own film photography channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/linabessonova/videos

2. Canada:
Irene Rudnyk, one of the most popular digital photography youtubers, has started film about two years ago, enjoyed it and reported about it:






ToThe9s:




3. Australia:
zozaleenie:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXHrGQn5HT0

4. UK:
Madison B:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8EwI9eDkSJ7_zYa6fGwazA/videos

5. US:
Christine Bartolucci with her own film photography channel (and podcast as well: https://analogtalk.podbean.com/ ):
https://www.youtube.com/user/chrisbphoto/videos

Jessica Whitaker is reporting regularly about film:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHcK_QIEM0KECFzYUym497A/videos

Jessica Kobeissi is one of the most popular digital photography youtubers (1.61 million followers). So far film was not attractive at all for her. But she recently changed her mind and talked about her new love for film, from 4:15s on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlfdjwAWP2k
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5Ga3NhL2MM

Photography Concentrate has a focus on instant film photography:
https://www.youtube.com/user/photoconcentrate/videos

Sara Dietschy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZfJcLers4Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAqpj-8eJYY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36FdOqdkN3g

Get Back Necklaces:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luqQa25O3_Y

Maddy Corbin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrWEiglydOI

5. Germany (kind of ;-) ):
American couple living in Berlin and traveling around the world:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2laf8VdZdk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58g_VpDh40I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CofUuCT4Clk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG-L_zw6CmM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3GdSd6q2h8

All that are just some examples. You will find much more of it on youtube and vimeo. And even much, much more on facebook and instagram.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[CMoore]

How dare you pulling me out of the 90's? Luckily I am living in the 60's/70's...

 

[darkosaric]

Russian Lina Bessonova, now located in Italy, has started their own film photography channel:

She was like: "this is my first time using 4x5 on the field, and negatives are so tiny..." (I was thinking sarcasm, trapped in my 35mm world) ...and she continues "so tiny in comparison with 8x10 what I usually use".
Crazy !

 

[rayonline_nz]

Here in NZ with the capital city, we have generally 1 lab here which has 2 branches but only 1 does color slides. Slides development cost $20US equiv. C41 is $6US equiv. No prints, no scans. There is a small lab that has popped up that used to be former employees and they focus on just film photography with a Fuji Frontier setup and doing scans and they sell used cameras. The other two more established businesses does film and digital but they no longer sell any film cameras, they do have a museum cabinet but items are not for sale. In terms of where I live in the suburb (at the mall), we used to have a Fuji shop and a Kodak Express shop but they both shut down. I don't think we can get film at our supermarkets now nor places like Kmart.

Re: darkroom. In NZ our houses don't have basements. We also are not as dense as the larger countries so most people here don't live in apartments, therefore all our rooms including toilets and bathrooms all have windows, and living with others I cannot take over a room and seal the windows. We also don't have as spare bedroom. We also don't have walk in wardrobes.

Tourists who come to NZ. They have plan their film in advanced with the (4) larger cities, because 99% of the towns do not have any photo lab.

 

[AgX]

The first time ever since 20 years I saw someone in his 20s buying a film camera.
He actually bought a shoebox full of stuff out of the rummage boxes.

That really made my day.

 

[Team ADOX]

The first time ever since 20 years I saw someone in his 20s buying a film camera.
He actually bought a shoebox full of stuff out of the rummage boxes.

That really made my day.

If it is so easy to make your day you should visit our colleagues in the Fotoimpex store in Berlin .
Then your "day could be made every day" as the majority of the customers there are younger ones, younger than 35 (and lots of / increasing number younger than 25).
Well, Berlin is always worth a visit anyway. Especially for photographers.

ADOX - Innovation In Analog Photography.

 

[pentaxuser]

The first time ever since 20 years I saw someone in his 20s buying a film camera.
He actually bought a shoebox full of stuff out of the rummage boxes.

That really made my day.

I'd be happy if there were any analogue rummage boxes within 20-30 miles of where I am

I haven't even seen an analogue camera in any of the numerous charity shops in my town for about 10 years

pentaxuser

 

[Agulliver]

The charity shops in Luton regularly have analogue cameras, especially British Heart Foundation and Keech Hospice. They usually put them in the front window and they go *fast*. Anything from 50s to 90s cameras. A friend recently bought a lovely Baby Hawkeye 127 box camera for a fiver in a charity shop in Hitchin, this was in a glass display case with several other cameras including an Agfa Super Silette going for £20.She also bought a £10 Coronet Rex 120 box camera on a market stall in Buckingham where I passed up a Bell & Howell 8mm movie camera for £12.

Mind you, a lot of the bigger charities such as Oxfam have cottoned onto the revived market and don't offer film cameras in their shops...they have eBay shops and do "buy it now" for book prices.

I dropped four C41 films into Luton Camera Repairs today. They have just three rolls of Color Plus left and are almost out of Fuji C200 too which they sell at 50p more per roll. They're doing a deal on three packs of Kodak GOld 200 24 exposures at the moment. I was told that the price increase has *not* put anyone off buying film and that they're back in a position of having to order more and not knowing when it's coming in because their supplier cannot get hold of it. Their stocks of Ilford B&W film are healthy in 135 and 120.

 

[Henning Serger]

Jessica Whitaker is reporting regularly about film:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHcK_QIEM0KECFzYUym497A/videos

Jessica Kobeissi is one of the most popular digital photography youtubers (1.61 million followers). So far film was not attractive at all for her. But she recently changed her mind and talked about her new love for film, from 4:15s on:

and


Photography Concentrate has a focus on instant film photography:
https://www.youtube.com/user/photoconcentrate/videos

Sara Dietschy:




Get Back Necklaces:


Maddy Corbin:

That even established and convinced digital photographers are now starting with film and enjoying it is one very important sign that the "Zeitgeist", the trend, the general attitude to film has changed to the positive. Some years ago as a film photographer you have often heard these arrogant "film is dead" or "film is for dinosaurs" comments. That has changed now, finally and fortunately.

Another very important sign of this change:
The worldwide biggest digital imaging photo website - dpreview.com - has been "the church of the film-is-dead preachers" for about 20 years . Well I know it is bit polemic, but it has a true core.
But even they are now realizing the change, and reacting to it by adding a "Film Photography Talk" subforum. Happened just yesterday:
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/1072
So now even in the "church of digital" , to talk about film, and show some love for film, is possible and allowed. At least in that subforum .
So even the hell is freezing now ......., good for film .

Joking regards ,
Henning

 

[Agulliver]

Luton Camera Repairs are down to just one roll of Color Plus in stock. They've had more on order for over two weeks, daily calls to the supplier to see if it's available. Jane is processing film pretty much full time, the customer base is varied in age and race but with a trend towards more young people.

 

[darkosaric]

"film is dead"

That is very true. Before in time Canon 5D mark I - always they were showing me how better and sharper digital that is. Now I need to explain that I am not hipster . But nobody starts this debate digital vs film with me any more.
Also 5-8 years ago I was finding Leica mini point and shoots, and Mju cameras, Contax P&S for like 5-10 euros, now they are sky rocketing to couple of hundreds. So market is definitely rising, more and more people want film.

 

[Prest_400]

Right now I am in Manila for couple of weeks, ordered some chemicals (that I cannot bring with me from Germany), and local shop (Film Folk) informed me that shipping will be delayed due to high demand. So looks good here as well.

Darko, hoping you're having a good time in Manila. I've got relatives on the country but not in Luzon.
Actually, as of the topic itself I can trace a positive evolution for many countries.
I recall researching sources for film when I last travelled to Asia, well, 10 years ago. It's good that the film ecosystem is getting healthier.
Spain used to be not really that well catered for film shooters but since Carmencita lab opened, it has shifted a lot (they dev+scan, empower a community that is international and distribute film at an excellent price).
Locally in Sweden I participate in a camera club and there's a renewed interest in film. Both from older demographic that seeks a different approach to photography and younger people that are dipping in. Commitment on darkroom printing is perhaps not the highest on the younger demographic (more scanning and social media output).
As discussed by Henning, I've also observed the more "practical" approach that women have with photography. Much less gear talk.
Sadly I don't see myself revisiting Philippines anytime soon.

That is very true. Before in time Canon 5D mark I - always they were showing me how better and sharper digital that is. Now I need to explain that I am not hipster . But nobody starts this debate digital vs film with me any more.
Also 5-8 years ago I was finding Leica mini point and shoots, and Mju cameras, Contax P&S for like 5-10 euros, now they are sky rocketing to couple of hundreds. So market is definitely rising, more and more people want film.

Finally. I've been here for a decade and remember those times. I actually find it cool that one can discuss film without that ad nauseam digital criticism. Bear in mind that the perception amongst younger demographic is actually not well captured in APUG, and what the OP perceives is much different.

I'm even surprised at the popularity of YT channels for film. Think that Willem Verbeeck, a 20 yo has 162K subscribers and mostly talks film. Photrio/APUG is, 50K?
I'm a bit critical on how the "hipsterism" in the community can be, and how it drives market prices around some gear and even being a bit of a meme (OOh Mamiya 7 and Portra!). The knowledge is sometimes questionable, just read something about photochemistry with the participation of PE here (RIP) and there's no comparison...
But it keeps a lively scene.

 

[Henning Serger]

That even established and convinced digital photographers are now starting with film and enjoying it is one very important sign that the "Zeitgeist", the trend, the general attitude to film has changed to the positive. Some years ago as a film photographer you have often heard these arrogant "film is dead" or "film is for dinosaurs" comments. That has changed now, finally and fortunately.

Another very important sign of this change:
The worldwide biggest digital imaging photo website - dpreview.com - has been "the church of the film-is-dead preachers" for about 20 years . Well I know it is bit polemic, but it has a true core.
But even they are now realizing the change, and reacting to it by adding a "Film Photography Talk" subforum. Happened just yesterday:
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/1072
So now even in the "church of digital" , to talk about film, and show some love for film, is possible and allowed. At least in that subforum .
So even the hell is freezing now ......., good for film .

Joking regards ,
Henning

Just another additional info concerning that topic:
I am not a big fan of social media (I prefer the real, tactile life and meeting people personally), but because of my job and the market research projects I am doing I must have an eye on social media, too.
On 'reddit' there is a subforum for film photography with meanwhile 701,000 (!) members. Mostly young people there.

Best regards,
Henning