OFFICIAL - Film is not dead

digiconvert · Dec 30, 2007

I was amongst the most vociferous of those who condemned Jessops for going the way of a consumer electronics supplier but just take a look at their website now , not a satnav in sight and chemicals for sale , many to collect from store http://www.jessops.com/Products/SearchResults.aspx?CatId=147&cl=1-132-145-147.

Welcome back old friend , lets be honest this is as much proof as you're likely to need that commercial interests recognise that film still has a place in photography - money rarely follows dead products

Andy K · Dec 30, 2007

Sorry, but I don't see any difference? The front page still has no hint AT ALL that film still exists.

digiconvert · Dec 30, 2007

Andy K said:
Sorry, but I don't see any difference? The front page still has no hint AT ALL that film still exists.

Yes but if you click the A to Z Enlargers are mentioned and once you get in to the site there is a clickable tab on the left to access darkroom products.

They are not proselytising for film , the reality is that digital is THE mainstream medium but they have obviously realised that it's too big a market to ignore.

Cheers

Andy K · Dec 30, 2007

That isn't new. They have always had film and chems on their site, and for the past couple of years they have done a very good job of hiding it away from everyone except those prepared to do a little searching. Anyone else viewing that site would not know they sell film and chems.

Paul. · Dec 30, 2007

Also if it is not on the shelf in front of you , we can order it for you sir, it will take 4 to 6 weeks. Yea film aint dead but we will make it bloody hard for you to buy it from us. I gave up a long time ago and went mail order, next day delivery in most cases and a lot cheaper even after the postage.

Just for fun go into your local J's and ask if they have any ferricyanide stand back and watch the fun.

Regards Paul.

pentaxuser · Dec 30, 2007

It would seem that Jessops have adopted a form of just-in-time stocking policy. You order the product online and specify the branch you want to collect it from and then collect it, I think they say, the next day depending on the order time. I haven't tried it but there is no reason why it shouldn't work.

Most branches won't stock much stuff on the shelves. These days, if they did they might never sell it before it's shelf life expired and /or they don't have the space.

I think this does represent a change of heart and last time I was in the Northampton branch the staff were receptive to "analogue" and were keen to explain and promote this just in time order system.

Of course if you live close enough you can pop into Nova or Silverprint or a number of other mail order places and collect on the spot altough some will only deal by mail order but for the vast majority of customers who don't live close to such places, the Jessops system is a viable alternative. There's going to be few places nowadays where you can run out of say paper etc at 4:00pm and expect to pick it up from a photographic store before it closes at 5:30pm.

pentaxuser

digiconvert · Dec 30, 2007

Paul. said:
Also if it is not on the shelf in front of you , we can order it for you sir, it will take 4 to 6 weeks. Yea film aint dead but we will make it bloody hard for you to buy it from us. I gave up a long time ago and went mail order, next day delivery in most cases and a lot cheaper even after the postage.

Just for fun go into your local J's and ask if they have any ferricyanide stand back and watch the fun.

Regards Paul.

Your point is made BUT why should they go out of their way to pander for the small minority of users that prefer film , that's sheer economics. I suspect any Jessops never had a huge demand for ferricyanide at any time so that is a slightly disingenuous example. Why can't we celebrate the fact that they still stock stuff which it seemed would disappear 12 months ago. We need to face the fact that for most users film IS dead we use it but for most consumer level photographers and many professionals the only image capture medium is now digital

The fact that Jessops have had a small change of heart shows that we are a reasonably sized minority. I know now that I can order MG developer online and go and collect it from my local store within a couple of days, as fast as mail order and saves on postage - that can only be good news.

Andy K · Dec 30, 2007

BUT... for most users film is ONLY dead because it is no longer obviously sold on the high street. And that is the fault of the retailer.

digiconvert · Dec 30, 2007

Andy K said:
BUT... for most users film is ONLY dead because it is no longer obviously sold on the high street. And that is the fault of the retailer.

I disagree 'film is dead' because a newer, more convenient and more profitable (for the manufacturers) capture medium is available which has had an awful lot of advertising investment ploughed into it. Canon have all but given up on film cameras because they know that they can release a new digicam every six months and people will buy it. The word 'digital' has become synonymous with 'quality' for most people and given the consumer driven culture of society that will be the case until the next big change. Instamatics were cheap and cheerful, no one would seriously use them for qulaity work but they sold in millions- they are now deader than a Dodo. Digicams will eventually suffer the same fate !

pauliej · Dec 30, 2007

I stopped into a CVS (large American chain) pharmacy in Columbus, OH last week while on holiday, and was perusing their cameras and film selections. They even had some APS film in stock - what are the odds of that happening??? When any Joe (or Jane) Nobody can walk in and buy some APS or 35mm film, I'm a thinkin' the talk of film photography being dead are to say the least a little premature.

That being said, analog photos are certainly on the decline, with digital being on the upside. This is a fact of life, so get used to it. No amount of whining, complaining, belly-aching, cursing, etc. will change it. The calendar is ready to turn to 2008 and we live in a money grubbing world more than ever. Whether you think of the capitalist camera/film/etc companies as evil or honorable, the only thing they understand is the dollar (or pound/franc/euro/peso/etc) signs lighting up in their eyes when they scan the sales reports and such.

Oh, and by the way, dont buy any gas this coming Wednesday, as we are trying to bring the evil oil companies to their knees...

I hope this helps you.

paulie

Jarvman · Dec 30, 2007

film sux pixelz rox!

digiconvert · Dec 31, 2007

Jarvman said:
film sux pixelz rox!

Now is this
a) A troll trying to get a reaction.

b) An ironic comment on the lack of education which allows the marketing men /women to win.

c) An actual example of the Yoof of today expressing their opinion on the antiquated views of those who cling to an outmoded art form.

Answers on a postcard please to the Vogon Constructor fleet , Sol3 .
(The answer 42 is not allowed )

jovo · Dec 31, 2007

Jarvman said:
film sux pixelz rox!

Sounds more like what "Java Man" would utter as he struggled to learn a comprehensible language.

digiconvert · Dec 31, 2007

Ahh I presume you do not teach teenagers , it's perfectly comprehensible to those of us that do (unfortunately)

Andy K · Dec 31, 2007

I put a clip on youtube demonstrating the multiple file opening capabilities of the iMac. Got a comment saying 'dude, you have mad file opening and expose-triggering skillz!' Not as bad as many I have seen.

jovo · Dec 31, 2007

digiconvert said:
Ahh I presume you do not teach teenagers , it's perfectly comprehensible to those of us that do (unfortunately)

Actually, I do teach teenagers, hence the wink emoticon at the end of the sentence... dude.

Paul. · Dec 31, 2007

You are of course right film is a shrinking market but when the mail order people do stock ferricyanide and can deliver from stock next day anything I have ever wanted they will get my money. For me it is a 40 mile round trip and parking to pay to my nearest J's so the postage is not an issue when you take the time and costs into account.
I support those who have supported me and didnot try to sell me a digi phone when I wanted a roll of HP5+.

Regards Paul.

Paul Goutiere · Dec 31, 2007

Jarvman said:
film sux pixelz rox!

My favorite is "Film roolz, digtal sux" but these days I may be quoting the Antichrist.

No film is not dead. It may become a smaller market in some places but I'll be a lot older then, and by that time there may come a digital camera I actually like.

Removed Account · Dec 31, 2007

pauliej said:
I stopped into a CVS (large American chain) pharmacy in Columbus, OH last week while on holiday, and was perusing their cameras and film selections. They even had some APS film in stock - what are the odds of that happening??? When any Joe (or Jane) Nobody can walk in and buy some APS or 35mm film, I'm a thinkin' the talk of film photography being dead are to say the least a little premature.

paulie

At the drugstore chain I work at, at least in my store, we stock several types of Kodak and Fuji APS films, as well as 1 type of Kodak 110 film (not that I've seen anybody buy it) and we even have some Kodachrome 64 in stock! Of course, we also have a few brand new betamax tapes...

- Justin

Fintan · Dec 31, 2007

Andy K said:
BUT... for most users film is ONLY dead because it is no longer obviously sold on the high street. And that is the fault of the retailer.

I don't buy the cheapest film I can find online anymore and just buy it in my favourite shop in Dublin. I think the bargain hunters like myself may have contributed to this problem of high-street not stocking film.

I bought 4 dozen rolls of 120, some paper, chemicals and toner before Christms and the guy behind me said I was nuts for not buying online from the jersey islands. I turned to him and said I'd rather the shop stayed f***ing open than save a few quid and asked him who stocked 5L of Fixer in Jersey? He looked at me blankly for a few seconds and said, you're bloody right :rolleyes:

Ilford have a neat idea on their website and I'd love to see it rolled out to include Ireland. You can order on their site and the sale is sent through the distributor/shop. Trust them to come up with something like that. Ingenious.

Alex Bishop-Thorpe · Jan 1, 2008

Just got five rolls of SFX200 in the mail today (only place I could find it in the country yet) - film isn't dead.

OFFICIAL - Film is not dead

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OFFICIAL - Film is not dead

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