Classic Camera Repair Forum

The Classic Camera Repair Forum => Collector's Lounge => Topic started by: Harryrag on Aug 12, 2009, 01:12 PM

Title: Film is dying
Post by: Harryrag on Aug 12, 2009, 01:12 PM
I was not the only one using film based SLR equipment on holiday in Normandy and Britanny, I saw two more individuals doing so.  
All the many thousand others were taking pictures either with their mobiles or, like the more elitist ones, using gad
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Brianshaw on Aug 12, 2009, 02:42 PM
No, maybe next summer though.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Tom_cheshire on Aug 12, 2009, 03:07 PM
Here is a link to the Kodak slide film webpage showing Ektachrome and others:  
 
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/color (http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/colorReversalIndex.jhtml?pq-path=1229%20target=_blank)
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Fredster on Aug 12, 2009, 07:29 PM
Went on vacation through Northern California.  I always look at the other folks camera gear, and almost all was digital.  I did see some film cameras among the obvious tourists in San Francisco and Tahoe.  Not just middle aged guys like me, but also s
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Chiccolini on Aug 13, 2009, 12:01 PM
Film is dying  
 
I was wondering what that smell was.  
(https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/forum/clipart/happy.gif)
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Fredster on Aug 13, 2009, 03:33 PM
The smell?  Stop bath, perhaps?
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Gez on Aug 15, 2009, 08:35 AM
Don't panic! As long as the movie industry uses 35mm cine cameras we will be able to buy neg and slide film for 'proper' photography.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Tom_cheshire on Aug 15, 2009, 02:26 PM
And as long as there is a back alley factory in China producing 35mm and dumping their waste in the local river we will always have $1./roll film.
 
But, seriously, I heard hospitals are going to digital x-ray.  Now, how does that work?
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Brianshaw on Aug 15, 2009, 06:41 PM
But, seriously, I heard hospitals are going to digital x-ray. Now, how does that work?
 
My dentist changed a couple of years ago.  For the patient the procedure is the same.  For the dentist... he has instant results with lots of interesting i
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Tom_cheshire on Aug 15, 2009, 07:59 PM
Alright, Lucky 35mm film from China Lucky Film Corp. of Baoding Hebei.  New life for old cameras.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Fredster on Aug 16, 2009, 05:01 AM
As if there is no toxic waste produced with digital cameras, memory, printers.  I can go 70 years with a couple of film cameras.  I think digital lifespan is less than a year if you count camera and camera-phone upgrades or just plain failure.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Harryrag on Aug 16, 2009, 09:05 AM
Brianshaw wrote instant results with lots of interesting image-enhancing capabilities, well, yes, if that is what you expect to get from photograpy, digital should be be the thing to go for.
I am after something else, for me photograpy means
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Marty on Aug 16, 2009, 03:22 PM
A few personal thoughts...
Back about 1970, I took a college photography course.  (I used an Argus C3, which the instructor discouraged, but it was all I had, and I got a good grade.
[img]https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/forum/clipart/ha
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Harryrag on Aug 16, 2009, 05:20 PM
There is really nothing to say against darkroom arts which I once tried out, but never really accomplished.  
What I am criticizing is something of a different nature. If, for example, one sees all those dolled-up overstyled fancy no-name beauty q
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Marty on Aug 16, 2009, 09:25 PM
Harryrag was saying
 If, for example, one sees all those dolled-up overstyled fancy no-name beauty queens in their shiny fashion mags. Does any sensible person really think they look like that in real life?  
Electronically processed fantasy bein
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Tom_cheshire on Aug 16, 2009, 10:45 PM
I'm still looking for that perfect woman but I want mine airbrushed, not Photo-Shopped.  Also waiting for the new Contax G3 to be produced.  
(https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/forum/clipart/happy.gif)
 
 
Privately, I just wond
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Glenn on Aug 16, 2009, 11:12 PM
Film may eventually fall into an expensive niche market - cost being dependent on the actual market volume requirement and what type of company is actually producing the film stock. You may only have a mediocre and limited range from an off shoot of a Chi
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Brianshaw on Aug 17, 2009, 02:22 AM
Harryrag said, Brianshaw wrote instant results with lots of interesting image-enhancing capabilities, well, yes, if that is what you expect to get from photograpy, digital should be be the thing to go for.  I am after something else, (snip)  (
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Brianshaw on Aug 17, 2009, 02:25 AM
all those dolled-up overstyled fancy no-name beauty queens in their shiny fashion mags. Does any sensible person really think they look like that in real life?'
 
Who cares... real life is never as good as a good fantasy!  
[img]https://kyp.hausl
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Shutterbug2 on Aug 17, 2009, 02:58 AM
i,ve been collecting camera,s over 10 years now. was introduced to photography back in late 60,s by my father that mainly shot color slides. i have,nt shoot roll of film of any kind in 30 years. i,ve got a bunch of camera,s i,ve collected in
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Fredster on Aug 17, 2009, 04:57 PM
Film will always cost more than digital, just as an oil painting/watercolor will always cost more than a photograph.  As I mature, I see more clearly that it's value, not cost and ease.  And when technology shifts to portable full color lifelike h
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Glenn on Aug 17, 2009, 11:57 PM
As Fred hints in his latest post, this lament is a old as photography its self. Frederick Scott Archer and his friends probably had the same discussions in the 1880s when the dry plate replaced the wet collodion process.
 
The method of recording t
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Tom_cheshire on Aug 18, 2009, 12:39 AM
However, no matter what the recording medium is or may be, this is down purely to the individual photographer.  
 
Ah, well, there is an area that can stand improvement.  I gag over the scores of egotistical little pups who think they are sud
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Karl on Aug 19, 2009, 09:24 AM
I use film all the time,all kinds 35mm,medium format,APS etc.The only film so far I have had problems with getting processed on the high street is 110,but in reality 110 should have died in the 1980s.Where I work we sell hundreds of single use cam
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Karl on Aug 19, 2009, 09:45 AM
Just another thought,more and more people seem to prefer to take photo's using their mobile phone and the phones are getting better at doing it,I would say the digital camera as is,is doomed.Nikon,Canon,Pentax,leica etc,please take note.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Tom_cheshire on Aug 19, 2009, 02:31 PM
Yeah, that Dick Tracy wristwatch is getting closer every day.  Cell phone, camera, MP3, satellite radio, tv, etc. all in one.  But no coffee maker yet.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Karl on Aug 19, 2009, 06:01 PM
I'm going to hold out for the coffee/time machine model,then I will change my outfit.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Ethostech on Aug 20, 2009, 09:38 AM
In 1994 I moved from Melbourne to sub-tropical Queensland (both in Australia of course) but never re-established my darkroom because of the sheer expense of airconditioning my outside workshop and providing running water.   But the truth and reality is th
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Clay on Aug 20, 2009, 05:25 PM
Hi Stuart,
I am with you on my F2AS.
Served me well since new and still rocks along fine!
Best regards,
/Clay
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Shutterbug2 on Aug 22, 2009, 02:43 AM
well i stopped by local walmart today.for other things but checked out photo section again. asked employe if they still developed 110 film in house. they do but they don,t carry 110 film any more since feb. this year. she said they on average only devel
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Bill_alexander on Aug 30, 2009, 05:45 PM
Nice subject..having  to deal with new tech Cameras seems to evolve everyso often, I have seen many changes since the early seventies.back
then people were lamenting the demise of  older
systems and films 620 127 etc..When you could
pick-up Kod
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Tom_cheshire on Sep 01, 2009, 01:37 AM
If you really want to freak people out, next time, show up with a folding camera.  If they ask say, Digital? Uhm, yes, it is.  I use one of my digits to shoot the shutter.  
[img]https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/forum/clipart/happy.gif[/im
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Paul Ron on Sep 02, 2009, 07:44 PM
HAHAHAHAHAHahahahahahahaha That's great.  
 
My doctor keeps offering me a digital, but I nicely decline and explain I'm very happy with my old analog.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Karl on Sep 30, 2009, 08:01 AM
Good news from Fujifilm, September 2009.
 
Fujifilm re-think Pro 800Z withdrawal
Due to demand from its customers, Fujifilm Professional has decided to continue production of Fujicolor Pro 800Z. It was announced recently that the company was t
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Glenn on Sep 30, 2009, 10:54 PM
Lets hope that all those customer demands actually result in film stock moving off the distributor's shelves. In many other instances where there has been an intimation of 'service' withdrawal, all those customer demands have turned out to be noth
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Gez on Oct 01, 2009, 08:10 AM
For E6 processing in Britain I can recommend Metro Colour Labs, www.metrocolourlab.com (http://www.metrocolourlab.com%20target=_blank). Fast turn around and excellent quality. Perhaps a little pricey.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Glenn on Oct 01, 2009, 05:24 PM
The above mentioned Fuji lab in Leeds does very good work - almost on my doorstep!
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Krafty5260 on Oct 30, 2009, 08:25 PM
Hey, I'm getting in on this demise of film thing a bit late. There's one thrill about film I was reminded of last week. No digital photographic pretender will ever get the rush of dropping the back off the old Contax only to discover he hasn't rew
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Paul Ron on Nov 04, 2009, 07:44 PM
No just old photogrpahers are. Film is still alive n well... just go over to APUG n see for yourself.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Harryrag on Nov 05, 2009, 02:50 PM
Yep, alive, as alive as one can be under exclusive living conditions. Very interesting, though, thank you for the info.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Kevininsky on Sep 17, 2011, 04:40 AM
This thread was interesting...and although it has died out, film still has not. I'm still shooting film, and now, digital as well. I'm as likely to be out taking pictures with a Kodak 120 brownie, or a Yashicamat 124 G, or a Pentax Spotmatic
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Paul Ron on Sep 19, 2011, 08:58 PM
Funny this thread came back to life. I was talking to my son last week about this. He's upgraded to an expensive Mach someting Cannon digital n has been popping off shots like a bag of MnMs falling on a glass table.  
 
So I ask him are your picture
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Glenn on Sep 21, 2011, 02:12 PM
Sorry but that argument does not wash, why should you need to use digital in a more undisciplined way than film? The average 'frame' count is no different on my M6, to that on the M8 or M9 when I use both media on assignment.  
 
The undispute
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Paul Ron on Sep 21, 2011, 05:19 PM
My post wasn't an argument, it's an opinion, a discussion I had with my son who does both film n digital for business n pleasure. A personal experiance.  
 
So whether it washes or not is irrelevent, it's the reality of what was said that
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Waynemel on Sep 21, 2011, 06:32 PM
One of the most ridiculous and telling comments I heard from a digital shooter was with digital photography, quantity means quality, meaning that the more you shoot, the more chance you have of getting a keeper. This is like giving a soldier a machi
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Karl on Sep 22, 2011, 07:15 PM
Thank you Waynemel,you brought some memories back with (suspense instead of instant feedback).That was exaclty how it felt when I first started taking photos in my teens,the wait was half the fun.The,did I get the shot or not,was a great feeling a
Title: Film is dying
Post by: M_currie on Sep 23, 2011, 02:14 PM
My wife and I shot a bunch of film last week on vacation, and when I took it to the local processor, he said he'd gotten a lot of film in recently.  I don't think it's dead yet.  
 
I sure hope not anyway.  I think there will still be film f
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Fallisphoto on Nov 08, 2011, 10:04 PM
I've been hearing that for years now, and they are still making it.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Msteen1314 on Nov 09, 2011, 06:29 PM
While no one can contest the speed at which digital results can be obtained for immediate viewing, film does indeed force you to slow down and give each exposure the respect it deserves.
While not ideal, I take my rolls of 35mm to the pharmacy who
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Waynemel on Nov 09, 2011, 07:15 PM
Where can you get processing for $3? I can take my film to Shoppers Drugmart and it costs $7 with prints (they do not have the option of scans and negs only).
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Msteen1314 on Nov 09, 2011, 07:51 PM
I thought the price may surprise some.  
 
We have a Shoppers Drug Mart in Moncton, New Brunswick that process the film and does a straight scan to CD. The cost is $2.99. Whether you process 1 film or 6, the price is $2.99 as long as they are goin
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Waynemel on Nov 10, 2011, 12:58 PM
That's a good deal.
I have recently started processing my own C-41 at home, so the cost is also very cheap. If I could get 35mm done for $3, the home processsing wouldn't make much sense. Medium format however is about $8 to have processed, n
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Jeffk on Nov 12, 2011, 08:46 PM
I notice that the local supermarkets and drug stores no longer sell film, so I either buy some at the professional shop that I use to develop and print/mount my negatives or slides, or lately I just buy it online.  35 mm, 120, 4x5, 5x7, or 8x1
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Electricnerve on Nov 26, 2011, 08:59 AM
Film is dying? Then fogging an entire roll is one sure way to kill it ;)
 
Karl was talking about grabbing rolls of film from disposable cameras:  
 
the single use camera mostly just has a normal 35mm cassette in the back so if you are in a jam
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Neuberger on Jul 21, 2012, 10:34 AM
Let us be brave.  
The short pragmatic answer to OP's question is yep, meanwhile film is as dead as a dodo, no, deader as any dodo could ever be. In other words, game over, gone forever. Sad but true. No film available, no lab processing i
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Paul Ron on Jul 21, 2012, 01:41 PM
Well here we are again 3 years later n film is still alive n doing just fine.
 
I love when this thread comes back up, it is like our journal, documenting the survival of a good old friend suffering from a terminal desease.
 
So how many of
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Brianshaw on Jul 23, 2012, 01:43 PM
Well, film is faultering slightly.  Let's face realityin a realistic manner.  But as long as it is still staggering we'll be OK.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Brianshaw on Jul 23, 2012, 01:44 PM
p.s.  Still shooting film 99% of the time... but less of it than ever.
Title: Film is dying
Post by: G3bill on Dec 26, 2012, 08:17 AM
I'm glad to see the finer camera shops are carrying many types of film and some at not bad prices. I'm glad this thread proves some things can continue but perhaps not exactly as before. In my area Costco used to have many bins to pic up your prints a
Title: Film is dying
Post by: Biloraguy on Jun 10, 2013, 06:24 PM
I just read that 35 million rolls of film were bought in this country last year. When that figure hits 27, I will start to worry. And then I'll make my own film.