Time Magazine bullish on film photography

gr82bart · Sep 23, 2017

Time article two years ago:
http://time.com/4011238/the-future-of-film-photography-instant-toy-cameras-and-small-scale-labs/

Time article this year:
http://time.com/4649188/film-photography-industry-comeback//

Regards, Art

TheRook · Sep 24, 2017

The article from two years ago demonstrates really poor, lazy research by a writer who obviously doesn't have a clue what's going on in the world of film photography. In contrast, the more recent article is a significant improvement, even including quotes from people in the industry. I don't fully agree that it is professionals who are fueling the industry, but rather that it is the hobbyists who are having the greater impact. But overall this year's article is not too bad.

Bob Carnie · Sep 24, 2017

I get a laugh when a shooter comes into my place and says OHHHH I love the smell of the darkroom... bullshit fix stinks and I hate the smell..

I have a small custom lab and I refuse the one off film dabbling, I do think there are better places to satisfy that need than me trying to make a living processing one roll of film at a time.
A few years ago I thought about buying dip and dunk technolab to process one three day shift C41 and then switch to Black and White, but frankly I am not seeing this magical trend back to film..

I do think digital film though is a huge potential market for someone like me. Don't get me wrong I love film and everything about it but I do think that ship has left port, not to return

Paul Howell · Sep 24, 2017

+1 with Bob, a small uptick in film is not going much of difference in the long haul. With only a few quality film cameras being produced and out of the price range for entry level photogprher and used stock aging at some point used equipment will be priced out of reach for most.

Poisson Du Jour · Sep 24, 2017

TheRook said:
I don't fully agree that it is professionals who are fueling the industry, but rather that it is the hobbyists

Professionals!?
I don't think so. Their observation certainly is anomalous.

CMoore · Sep 24, 2017

I do not even own a digital camera. MY interest lies with Film/Traditional photography. So i am glad when film sales are Steady/Up......but just because something sells better than normal for a few years is not an indication of anything...other than sales were good for a few years.
Anybody still waiting in line, and then paying 100 dollars for a Beanie Baby.?
Film sales might dip 15% in a few years.....Who Knows.

TheRook · Sep 24, 2017

Bob Carnie said:
I have a small custom lab and I refuse the one off film dabbling, I do think there are better places to satisfy that need than me trying to make a living processing one roll of film at a time.

But if you get enough of the dabblers coming to you, you won't need to process one roll of film at a time. And some of those dabblers may eventually become serious about film photography; if they have been satisfied with your work in the past, they will continue coming to you with larger projects.

Cholentpot · Sep 24, 2017

I processes everything I shoot myself. I shoot 1-2 rolls a week. The only thing I constantly buy is fixer and paper. I bought exactly 1 roll of fresh film since peel apart was killed. I bought a roll of Portra 400 to see what the fuss was about and that's it. Otherwise I shoot all expired stuff.

I do go through a c-41 kit or two a year. I used to buy Shanghai GP3 before that died too. I'm content with shooting my trashed old film through a trashed old camera. If I wanted constant perfect results I would shoot digital.

On the flipside, I've given out 3-4 SLRs to kids along with around 10 rolls of film. They send back to me for developing and scans and now they go out and buy fresh film when they moved on. So I did my part I guess.

Bob Carnie · Sep 25, 2017

TheRook said:
But if you get enough of the dabblers coming to you, you won't need to process one roll of film at a time. And some of those dabblers may eventually become serious about film photography; if they have been satisfied with your work in the past, they will continue coming to you with larger projects.

I have been waiting for 22 years... for this even to happen, I have all but lost faith in this concept.
Digital Silver Film output is now an item purchase more than original film develop in my shop, and I see this growing.

I think the days of Labs running film is over..but the crying... I happen to have a couple of very long term film projects that will keep me busy some of the time, and like many here I only use film for my own work , never owned or used a digital camera.

But the film market is going to reside here with the workers on this site, and an occasional dabbler.

msage · Sep 25, 2017

Bob Carnie said:
I get a laugh when a shooter comes into my place and says OHHHH I love the smell of the darkroom... bullshit fix stinks and I hate the smell..

Sorry, I disagree! I love the smells of a darkroom!

Bob Carnie · Sep 25, 2017

Then I suggest you have your nostrils fixed as something is wrong with them.

Prest_400 · Sep 25, 2017

Most of it is on Hybrid workflow.
It is possible to see this trend on the hybrid workflow labs. I'm seeing some of them expanding and it's noticeable when they get more scanners (Noritsu vs Frontier topic). I talked with one of the cofounders of Carmencita lab in Spain who began with a single Frontier minilab and now own 4+1 scanners and employ a decently sized team. The pro $ comes from Wedding and editorial shot on film. The model of mailorder and results through wetransfer is the place where people see growth.

Sure Digital might make more sense on shooting for digital files, but the scans do retain film characteristics. Although it is a bit ironic to reduce the grandiousness of film into a Jpeg, as the normal option is a 8MP 2400x3600 "graded" JPEG. Talked with a pro in that it makes sense as it acts as editing outsourcing and kills hours editing RAW files, making film more direct although it is more expensive. IIRC it was about 30h editing on digital vs 6h editing/culling on film scans.
I did find value into a small wedding photographer lab in UK who offer TIFF files out of the scanners without much adjustment; the guys added recently a Noritsu on premises!

Kawaiithulhu · Sep 25, 2017

Bob Carnie said:
I love the smell of the darkroom... bullshit fix stinks

What people mean is "I love the darkroom memories I get when I smell that stink," so you've got to give them some leeway in interpretation

Ces1um · Sep 25, 2017

TheRook said:
But if you get enough of the dabblers coming to you, you won't need to process one roll of film at a time. And some of those dabblers may eventually become serious about film photography; if they have been satisfied with your work in the past, they will continue coming to you with larger projects.

I was a film dabbler. My father gave me his pentax k2 and I wasn't sure if it would work or if i could get a decent picture from it. Luckily my lab did process it, although what they do is run the machines for one day a week and process film on that one day, then they shut it down. I now easily spend $30 a week on development, every week. I've bought photo albums, film, usb sticks, filters, step up rings, printed 4x6's and 8x10's, 8x12's, etc.. all because that camera worked and they processed my first roll of film. That was four years ago now. Just something to think on...

Richard Man · Sep 25, 2017

I think people get way too hung up on digital, film, hybrid, purity etc. Results are what count. If you have a good image, then it's a good image, regardless of process.

And while I process my own film (and quite a lot of it), I can't say I enjoy the smell of the fixer. It burns my lung.

canuhead · Sep 25, 2017

Bob Carnie said:
I get a laugh when a shooter comes into my place and says OHHHH I love the smell of the darkroom... bullshit fix stinks and I hate the smell..

if I had a dollar for everyone who says this I could buy a few pro packs of Acros lol. I never liked the smell of darkrooms (worked in a number of them and had to mix up fresh chemistry daily) and hate, absolutely hate the smell of fixer. Life is sooo much better with TF-5

But this 'resurgence' in film is, imo, a brief uptick. Enjoy it while you can cuz it ain't gonna last forever.

Bob Carnie · Sep 26, 2017

When I go home after a long session printing, my wife (who adores me by the way) says that I stink, the next words out of my lips is Honey thats the smell of money in our world.

I am actually going back to the jumpsuit apparel soon to combat destroying all my clothes.

WilmarcoImaging · Sep 27, 2017

I enjoy the smells of C-41 bleach and fixer. Also B&W fixer, to a lesser extent.

E. von Hoegh · Oct 4, 2017

Who remembers Cibachrome chemistry? Not only did it make fixer smell like lilacs, it could make you sick.

FoidPoosening · Oct 5, 2017

Bob Carnie said:
I have been waiting for 22 years... for this even to happen, I have all but lost faith in this concept.
Digital Silver Film output is now an item purchase more than original film develop in my shop, and I see this growing.

I think the days of Labs running film is over..but the crying... I happen to have a couple of very long term film projects that will keep me busy some of the time, and like many here I only use film for my own work , never owned or used a digital camera.

But the film market is going to reside here with the workers on this site, and an occasional dabbler.

I don't know about this. I live in NYC. Since life is busy I get my film developed at ColorHouse in NYC and they do extremely professional work extremely quickly.

When I first moved to NYC over two years ago, the lab seemed to be doing a pretty decent business. When I went back to drop of a handful of rolls after a vacation recently, the line was out the door and the person in front of me dropped off over 50 rolls for development. I asked the staff and they said times have been extremely good as of late. This may be purely anecdotal, but at least in NYC I have seen a very large and noticeable uptick in film usage recently.

canuhead · Oct 5, 2017

was at Toronto Image Works recently and a photographer was dropping off some 8x10 b/w film (320 TXP in holders iirc). Counter person said they were the second person dropping off 8x10 b/w that day and were mildly surprised lol. Doesn't say much other than TIW is still being used for professional (and amateur I presume) colour and b/w processing.

Ai Print · Oct 12, 2017

canuhead said:
But this 'resurgence' in film is, imo, a brief uptick. Enjoy it while you can cuz it ain't gonna last forever.

Uptick or not, film will be around for a good long while. As long as it is stable, that is all that matters.

Sirius Glass · Oct 12, 2017

Ai Print said:
Uptick or not, film will be around for a good long while. As long as it is stable, that is all that matters.

+1

msage · Oct 13, 2017

Kawaiithulhu said:
What people mean is "I love the darkroom memories I get when I smell that stink," so you've got to give them some leeway in interpretation

No, I enjoy the smells of the darkroom! Makes me wonder what you do to the fix to make it stink!

c41 · Oct 14, 2017

I like the smell of fresh paper, that nice medicinal aroma. I agree ‘that fixer smell’ is just shorthand for missing a darkroom in most cases. Its not an aromatic pursuit imo!
I buy and use only fresh film, i like to contribute to the suppliers and find photography more than serendipitous enough as is.
Its good that theres an upsurge in use, itd be superb if an equipment manufacturer managed to push back into the mainstream. I think peak digital photography is upon us so its impressive that film can survive in this environment.

Time Magazine bullish on film photography

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