They "dying world of chemical photography"

[hpulley]

Friday for me as well. Shot and developed some on the weekend. Printed some today. I'm doing my bit! Ilford mostly, Kodak, Fuji. Would like to see them survive but I know my little purchases are a drop in the bucket.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I haven't bought film in at least three weeks. But I usually just purchase when I need it.

Hopefully Kodak film will be around for a while longer. I like their film and chemistry. But I could easily survive on Foma or Ilford.

- Thomas

 

[Moopheus]

Any comments on that information?

Mick.

Here's a kinda geeky article about NFL Films. It sounds like one of the reasons they use so much film is for the high-speed (slow-motion) shots. It also sounds like they're starting to use more digital stuff too.

http://digitalcontentproducer.com/hdhdv/depth/nfl_films_lensing_10232007/

Also, those one-use cameras sold at drug-stores and so on are still pretty popular. There are still a lot of people who have no camera of any kind, and just go get a disposable for birthdays and whatever. Those things probably account for way more film use than we do.

 

[removed account4]

thomas

i don't really think they are going anywhere fast ..
they have been in the same state for quite some time ...

 

[Paul Sorensen]

As a matter of fact Ralph, last night I ordered 300 4x5 sheets of Ilford FP4+ from Badger in the USA.

I purchased from there because that business offers this film in 100 sheet boxes, and the film is sharply priced.

Mick.

So you're the one who bought it. Now they indicate that they are out of stock.

 

[johnnywalker]

jnanian

I know the feeling! It helps to realize that photography never was the hobby of the poor.

With good reason. I wasn't poor until I got into this "hobby".

 

[mooseontheloose]

With good reason. I wasn't poor until I got into this "hobby".

Don't I know the feeling!

I do have some film (about 100 rolls, plus sheet film and quickloads) in the fridge/freezer, but it's not hoarding...I don't live in a place where the films I like to shoot are readily available, and it's much cheaper to buy online (and internationally) which means buying in bulk in a variety of formats (35/120, colour/B&W) to make the best use of the shipping prices. That being said, I did buy some films (like HIE) and papers (for lith) once I found out that they had been discontinued (which usually happens right after I discover them).

 

[RalphLambrecht]

... "And the [Ilford] price increase? Not a problem. In fact, I'm not even going to alter my purchasing cycles to try to "beat" it. I will simply continue to purchase what I need, when it's needed, at whatever price helps to provide for its continued availability.

"To do otherwise would be, I believe, both short-sighted AND truly shooting myself in the foot..."

Ken

I feel the same way.

 

[Moopheus]

Vinyl records and high end analog audio equipment thanks to MP3s

I hope that photography doesn't become like high-end audio equipment. I want to be able to afford to keep doing it.

Even though I stockpile film, I still buy film as I use it up. I try to use a FIFO system--as I pull older stock from the fridge, fresher stuff goes in, so that there's always a certain amount in there, and it doesn't get too old. I also don't see it as affecting the film market much: the film is out there, either I buy it, or someone else buys it, or no one buys it. If 1 or 2, eventually it will get used, if 3, then production will end that much sooner.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Other things which are "dying": Vinyl records and high end analog audio equipment thanks to MP3s, drawing and painting by hand since the arrival of the digitablet, classic cars are history now that the Volt has arrived, sculpting by hand is no more with the arrival of 3D printers, Home brewing of Beer now that canned beer has arrived, Chefs have gone the way of the dinosaur after frozen dinners introduced, fly fishing has died since factory fish farms have come on the scene. I could go on...

I have seen a lot of classic cars around where I live.

Jeff

 

[michaelbsc]

I hope that photography doesn't become like high-end audio equipment. I want to be able to afford to keep doing it.

While the bamboo reed needle on a 78 may be the metaphorical equivalent to pin-hole photography, no one is likely to consider that high-end audio.

 

[holmburgers]

I think that b&w photography will always be around, in some capacity. And I mean always. Color emulsions are what we should be worried about and I know we are (worried).

 

[hpulley]

I think that b&w photography will always be around, in some capacity. And I mean always. Color emulsions are what we should be worried about and I know we are (worried).

If we have B&W emulsions and filters then worse comes to worst we can still do color the hard way, three exposures...

 

[holmburgers]

Exactly!

As long as it's panchromatic...

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

Finding film has never been a problem here . Problem was to find a reliable camera . I gave hell of money to Rollei 35 S because of sonnar lens and than someone sent me Nikon with a Sonnar lens and all cameras give me 10 good picture per 36 and others have burned. I am an old fashion photographer and preferred Leicas until today and I really scare to give hell of money to a Leica via keh or others and get my hand burn. But this summer will be the last chance for analog cameras , I will buy a bgn R4 and a telyt from keh and if they dont work , I will never be afford to these 30 years old junks again.

 

[carlosmccosta]

If we have B&W emulsions and filters then worse comes to worst we can still do color the hard way, three exposures...

How can I learn how to do it?
Thanks

 

[hpulley]

How can I learn how to do it?
Thanks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_photography#Three-color_processes

Not in depth obviously but there are some good references.

 

[holmburgers]

How can I learn how to do it?
Thanks

There are many ways...

You can use screen-plates, like the Autochrome -> (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

You can use a 1-shot camera -> http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/1377632_HJEJJ/1/65026459_3dDPF#65026459_3dDPF

Or you can take 3 separate exposures through 'color separation filters', Red, Green & Blue.

Or, you can play around with Lippmann photography -> (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

As you can tell, this too is an area of interest for me.

 

[KarnyDoc]

When my GF worked for Unique Photo here in New Jersey, she told me of times when people wanted FILM, but were disappointed when informed their desired selection was either discontinued by the manufacturer, or as on the case of Agfa, the manufacturer is defunct.

Dieter Zakas

 

[Markster]

It's one thing to have film disappearing from supermarkets and the like... To have it not available from a specialty PHOTO store is a dis-service to that store's customers. I too have felt that sting locally here in Denver. I find it annoying to have a nice selection of B&W but next to no color at such stores as Wolf Camera. Seems they are more interested in selling prints or photo sessions than actually selling customers the means to make those prints. Oh well. I have a few places to get things done locally. I won't start to worry until they start to go away as well.

 

[Athiril]

If we have B&W emulsions and filters then worse comes to worst we can still do color the hard way, three exposures...

The Chinese film will be around for a long time...

 

[njkphoto]

Well you might have seen this but I though it is interesting..

http://www.bjp-online.com/british-j...news/2027581/kodak-relaunches-portra-160-film

Come on now guys film would be around for a long time..You guys was on to me when I posted a thread a while ago is film dying?

After some deep thinking I believe it will be around for a long time. I mean there is always rumors and such. I was a staffer for a newspaper and the fear was that newspapers would soon be gone because of the internet. True some have closed but the ones dedicated to community journalism will still be around and so does film. I mean Kodak is a huge company and in it for the money. What I would like to see from the film companies is to push and advertise film a bit more..Not that the public does not know film is here but to make it more appealing, etc..Maybe come up with a portable darkroom for starters or something to attract people in it

Take it from this site with 41K members if we all decide on a film company we can have them stick around with just us buying film...I think...

 

[kwall]

"...the NFL Films shoots...about 23 miles of film every week during the football season. They are the largest purchasers of Kodak film in the world".

That's 37 kilometres of film every week, which is a fair bit.

Any comments on that information?

Mick.

We need more football games?