Recent Guardian article on film's new popularity

[Agulliver]

Mostly about young celebrities that probably aren't on *our* radar using P&S cameras.

‘Mistakes are romantic’: the revival of point-and-shoot cameras

Models, athletes and TikTokers shun phone cameras as 35mm sales surge and a new Pentax film camera is launched

www.theguardian.com

 

[brbo]

Yep, those young "celebrities" surely can't stay away from those beautiful mechanical film SLRs that Pentax should be producing instead of the 17 failure...




I think I saw a swimmer snap a picture on a (disposable?) compact film camera in the Olympics (though she might also be using a digital compact)...

 

[Tel]

Good to see that Snappy Snaps are still in business. Used to be my answer to airport scanners: breakfast in a cafe on Chiswick High Road while my negs were souping across the street, then on to Heathrow…I hope they still do one-hour turnaround!

 

[cmacd123]

The Pentax 17 is a really nice camera, I will be using mine on certain days. About the only show stopper so far is that it can't be set to take 250 ASA film, so Double-X 5222 is out. (for that mater Ferrania P30 is also not supported speeds of 50 and next 100 )

 

[MFstooges]

Yep, those young "celebrities" surely can't stay away from those beautiful mechanical film SLRs that Pentax should be producing instead of the 17 failure...




I think I saw a swimmer snap a picture on a (disposable?) compact film camera in the Olympics (though she might also be using a digital compact)...

If they get more demand for P17 than supply how is it a failure?

 

[brbo]

If they get more demand for P17 than supply how is it a failure?

Maybe you missed my sarcasm? And/or didn't read the article where only p&s film cameras were mentioned. No "SLR is King" nonsense that was repeated ad nauseam in that Pentax thread.

 

[Don_ih]

I like how these articles always list so many reasons to use film cameras (and film) except that the photos are good.

 

[GLS]

I like how these articles always list so many reasons to use film cameras (and film) except that the photos are good.

Also always trotting out the tired old glamourising of film's "imperfections". I certainly do not enjoy dust, scratches, light leaks, development issues etc (nor do most serious film photographers I am sure). Not being a hipster I also am not doing this for the sake of "retro cool".

I thought the article was a garbage piece of fluff.

 

[albireo]

The Pentax 17 is a really nice camera, I will be using mine on certain days. About the only show stopper so far is that it can't be set to take 250 ASA film, so Double-X 5222 is out. (for that mater Ferrania P30 is also not supported speeds of 50 and next 100 )

I've never used double X but I'd be prepared to bet it looks great shot at 200?

 

[BrianShaw]

New popularity? Author must be a youngster. LOL

 

[Agulliver]

Shoot XX at 200 and P30 at 50. I don't see the problem. P30 tends to like a little over exposure anyway. I shoot it at 50 and develop as per 80. The difference between 200 and 250 is negligible unless you're doing laboratory analysis on the negs.

As for the article and the reasons young people are turning to film....yes, it's not the way we do things. We are the old fuddy-duddies for the most part....the crusty old folk who never stopped shooting film or who resumed after a short hiatus. We are emphatically not the demographic driving the increase in film and camera sales. That's down to the younger folk who are buying the P&S cameras and using them in ways we might consider "wrong"....but let's not be so hasty to look down our noses. Sales of photographic film and gear were always lead by the total amateurs, that's what the Kodak name was invented for. Some of those people will come here, and I hope we welcome them whatever their reasons for using film. Because ultimately, lots more film being sold = lots more film being manufactured and possibly = more new cameras....and that is good for all of us. And maybe we can teach them a few things, perhaps they can teach us a few things. I've been out taking film photos with someone in her early twenties and some of the things she had an eye for, particularly angles I just wouldn't have thought of, did make me think. No, her photography stile is nothing like mine but it was genuinely interesting.

 

[brbo]

Shoot XX at 200 and P30 at 50. I don't see the problem. P30 tends to like a little over exposure anyway. I shoot it at 50 and develop as per 80. The difference between 200 and 250 is negligible unless you're doing laboratory analysis on the negs.

Nonetheless, ISO dial that only acknowledges speeds that correspond to the film box speeds from The Big Three is a bit silly (and, yes, I know you can use exp. comp. dial).

 

[Agulliver]

Nonetheless, ISO dial that only acknowledges speeds that correspond to the film box speeds from The Big Three is a bit silly (and, yes, I know you can use exp. comp. dial).

Once again.....it's not aimed at us....

And for any of us who do buy it, there are easy workarounds. I fail to see the problem. The article is attempting to explain the market conditions which brought about the existence of the Pentax 17.

 

[loccdor]

More market demand for film should mean more choices and better prices. Scorn not other's reasons for using it.