Future of Film

Well said. You have an enviable mind. Thanks.

After I read the report on tourists... I did a little research myself.

It is true labs are having the best year in a while and if the numbers are less it is because medium and LF is less quantity because its more quality.

 

Then there is the fact that it wasn't that film was down this year. Everything was down this year EVERYWHERE . the first 4 months buyers used stock instead of hiring photographers as much" they regretted it big time" because it backfired and the results were counterproductive.

 

The campaigns got postponed and now everyone is too busy to tell.

 

What Diwan said is also very true, if you are concerned about the future of something then help insure it.

 

Personally I'm more concerned with the future of all your work which ultimately is more important than the medium used.

 

I believe we should consider ourselves bound by the motivation to create imagery regardless of the size of a negative or if it is film or digital.

 

I believe in the photographic community as one and not the because someone uses a smaller film of numeric he or she should stand on the other side of a line drawn in the sand.

 

Any LF user can use medium or small format or Digital sometimes and vise versa.

 

Also I don't think newbies can be expected to know how to ask the questions.

 

Photographers are manufacturers of images for personal gain or financial or both, photography is an individualistic quest most who excel are those the least concerned with what others do or think or use most I have admired and got to know always wanted to do things differently. the manufacture of this individuality should be a photographers only concern, yet I have to say I do believe that this has been shifted as Mr. Landry suggests to statistics of manufacturers of gear and supplies or lens curves.

 

it would be utopia to expect to agree at the expense of ones individualism as it would defeat the purpose, it is also perhaps the reason people seek to find agreement on trivial things such as " the future of film"as creative photography is a personal and solitary journey of self discovery but man is a social animal and agreement is necessary and healthy.so as agreement on original vision would be unlikely , photographic technique a personal experience, maybe that is the reason these trivial topics are sought reiteratively.

Film is fine, digital is fine. lets be a photographic community bound by the motivation to create and not by size or technology

 

Cheers W.

As long as it's around until digital quality surpasses film quality I'm happy. Well, let's say affordable digital quality as in LF backs that surpass film and are less than the cost of a new car.

 

I have no problem with the medium used so long as it is better than the medium I used to use...make sense? I have a great amount of nostalgic affection (I guess you'd call it) towards film, but I'm not one who thinks digital is somehow easier than film...manipulations, whether in the darkroom or on the PC, are still an art to get right.

 

All that being said I personally expect to use film and light sensitive paper for the next few decades at least. Nothing has indicated otherwise yet; everyone worth mentioning is still making new film cameras in every format and the LF market is actually increasing according to the dealers I've asked.

I can no longer find Kodak Gold 100 of Fuji Superia 100 at Target. But I can still find film for my 4x5 Crown Graphic as easy as ever at the local pro shop.

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/06/14/204220&tid=188&tid=97&tid=1

 

If you follow the logic of the above headline, LF film is essentially dead and has been dead for a long time - after all, Walmart doesn't carry LF film. ;-)

 

When I read it, I immediately thought of this thread. You may now return to your regularly scheduled program.

I'm still shooting 35mm, 6x7 and 4x5 and have no trouble buying film locally or securing pro film in 4x5 et al. Personally I am with whoever said they will go to making Palladium if it comes to it - what the hell, I won't apologize either - I love film and have every intention of supporting those who sell it, by buying it. The key here folks is that if you want film to do well you need to keep buying and shooting it - nothing sends a message like sales - can ya say ka-ching?

 

On an aesthetic note, I have no interest in the carrot on a stick money pit of obsolescence that comes and goes with digital - I have no such problems with my Crown Graphic and can get on with the business of being creative rather than worrying about the batteries, sensors, whether my computer has enough memory or whether I'm up to date or not. Vive le Film!

Just by way of an analogy, I still own a tube-powered amplifier from early 1960, and have no problems stocking tubes for it. I can't go to the neighborhood radio shack and buy them, but they're easy enough to find on the internet, brand new, not new old stock.

 

The tube amps still have a quality about them that you dont get with a solid state amp, unless youre interested in spending BIG $$$. Clearly solid state threatened to put tube equipment out of business but it never QUITE happened.

 

My guess is film stays the same way, somebody will be able to make a profit churning it out (at least for the remainder of my lifetime.)

You know -- my son conned me into buying an amp for him -- a tube amp ... long live EPP. Thanks -- i can't reproduce that on my digital.

Plug it in, rip of the back, and start taking macro shots!

<p>the future of film ? film is screwed. Film depends on cheap energy and oil to produce it- both of which are getting more expensive, literally by the month, and year. <br>

do a Google search on "peak oil" and you'll see what I mean<br>

don't put all your eggs in the Polaroid instant film basket. If someone makes you a good offer on your 4x5 or 3x4 cameras, take it. Because when Fuji decides enough is enough, the show is over. The market for film at $3/shot from specialty mfrs. is very slight indeed. It's barely affordable at $1/shot. All those fancy converted 4x5 and 3x4 cameras, will be worth what a Polaoid model 95 roll film camera is worth now- about $10.<br>

almost zero professionals use film to do major events anymore, i.e. weddings, sports events, etc. Many customers would just walk away (or run away) if the photog was going to shoot their wedding with anything other than high-end digital. Film is just is too labor intensive to develop, the chemicals have all kinds of HAZMAT fees and laws ruling them. The cost digital vs. film is dramatic, film being much more.</p>

<p>Enjoy it while you can- it's going the way of the blacksmith.</p>