OT: Film cameras and photography comeback?

[avalonracing]

Originally Posted by Jeff N.

I own two Nikon FA's with motor drives (and several Nikkor lenses to go along with the cameras) plus an FE2 and a FM2, all in mint condition. You can't GIVE this stuff away on Ebay.

People want them. They just aren't going to pay top dollar for one that isn't a bit rare (like an FM3A or an F3/T).

Nikon FEs and FMs make me so damn happy to see as my first camera was an FM followed by an FE-2 for my second. Later I had a Hasselblad and Sinar 4x5 as I was a commercial photographer for many years. I wish I had kept all all of my old cameras. Not necessarily to shoot with (although I can process and print black and white film in my sleep) but I just enjoy playing with older cameras like a fidget toy.

While I like the results of my Sony full frame digitals they feel like computers and I don't really "enjoy" using them but I still do pro work and they are the best tool for the job. If I were only shooting for fun I would be using Fujifilm.

[benb]

Even back when film was still a big deal there was always second tier which was just guys who were into collecting cameras and not as much into actually taking photos. There is/was a lot of weird and interesting stuff out there.

That is/was a huge thing no different than model trains or watch collections.

My guess is that is still going strong but it's a totally separate thing from anything approaching mainstream professional/commercial or hobby photography.

[pdonk]

I'd love to find a purchaser for a mid 1960's hassleblad 501 and a bunch of esoteric accessories (polaroid back, slide reproducer, other small parts and filters). Lots of people find them interesting, but no one wants to buy.

I also have a canon AE1 with a selection of canon lenses but no bites on it either.

[jkbrwn]

Originally Posted by pdonk

I'd love to find a purchaser for a mid 1960's hassleblad 501 and a bunch of esoteric accessories (polaroid back, slide reproducer, other small parts and filters). Lots of people find them interesting, but no one wants to buy.

I also have a canon AE1 with a selection of canon lenses but no bites on it either.

pdonk - do you have a Reddit account? You will easily, easily find a buyer over there: http://reddit.com/r/photomarket

[BumbleBeeDave]

After spending a career in photojournalism and shooting film, I never, EVER want to go back to it for so many reasons. The chemicals are the main ones. Smelly, unsafe, turned my fingers brown and stained so many clothes. You never forget the frames you lost when you messed up rolling the film onto the developing reel in the dark, or when the loading tube didn't engage properly with the drive shaft in the Wing-Lynch processor and you lost half your 8-roll take from an important football game . . . and the perfect shot you thought you had was always right at the waterline where you could see half of the frame you lost, confirming it would have been a front pager or an award winner if only . . .

If you're a veteran of the film era and want to go back to it, then good luck. If you're younger and have never used film, printing paper, and chemicals, then take my word for it that the old guys telling you about the romance of the "Good Old Days" of film are leaving out an awful lot of frustrating, annoying, and just outright dangerous chemical stuff that you will not enjoy finding out about.

BBD

[johnniecakes]

I shot a lot of film until the kids college costs started rolling in. But this conversation makes me think that digital music would eliminate LP's., which it did for while. Now it seems there is a market for vinyl. Makes no sense to me, but enjoy wherever you like. I am sticking with digital images and music

[jkbrwn]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeDave

After spending a career in photojournalism and shooting film...just outright dangerous chemical stuff that you will not enjoy finding out about.

BBD

Yeah but like.. 99.5% of people shooting film are never gonna even see dev chems nowadays letalone have to smell them or touch them. Film can still be fun.

[BumbleBeeDave]

Originally Posted by jkbrwn

Yeah but like.. 99.5% of people shooting film are never gonna even see dev chems nowadays letalone have to smell them or touch them. Film can still be fun.

. . . to have somebody else do the dirty work, then yes, I guess. But the myriad and flexible post-processing options for digital blow film away. The only thing I might still find useful about film would be the little plastic cans!

BBD

[RFC]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeDave

. . . to have somebody else do the dirty work, then yes, I guess. But the myriad and flexible post-processing options for digital blow film away. The only thing I might still find useful about film would be the little plastic cans!

BBD

Yes, I have a couple of the Vietnam era aluminum cans around. Good way to carry your stash.

[jkbrwn]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeDave

. . . to have somebody else do the dirty work, then yes, I guess. But the myriad and flexible post-processing options for digital blow film away. The only thing I might still find useful about film would be the little plastic cans!

BBD

Yeah, I guess everyone just has different tastes and workflows. I like film grain, so I still use it. But I pay other people to develop for me nowadays because I find it boring and frustrating.

[Alistair]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeDave

But the myriad and flexible post-processing options for digital blow film away.

But you get all the same post-processing with film (once you scan it)!

[tbike4]

How about a 20 x 24 view camera to shoot some polaroids. I sold my 8 x 10 cameras, lenses, polaroid equipment years ago. Managing a hundred sheets of 8 x 10 film from several photo shoots in the dark was challenging. Loading the film holders was easy IMO.

https://the.supersense.com/collections/20x24

[avalonracing]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeDave

After spending a career in photojournalism and shooting film, I never, EVER want to go back to it for so many reasons....
If you're a veteran of the film era and want to go back to it, then good luck.

Except we used to have a superpower, Dave. It used to be a rare thing when anyone who hadn't taken a few photo classes could take an image that was focused and exposed correctly, let alone a good image to start with. Now four-year-old kids can take legitimately good images with mommy's cell phone.

[avalonracing]

Originally Posted by tbike4

How about a 20 x 24 view camera to shoot some polaroids. I sold my 8 x 10 cameras, lenses, polaroid equipment years ago. Managing a hundred sheets of 8 x 10 film from several photo shoots in the dark was challenging. Loading the film holders was easy IMO.[/url]

Nice! I used to shoot lots of 4x5 as I did a lot of work as a studio photographer. But I never really got comfortable whenever we pulled out the 8x10 camera (that's film size, people, not prints). Expenses would just add up when you are pulling test shots at $10 a pop.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeDave

If you're a veteran of the film era and want to go back to it, then good luck. If you're younger and have never used film, printing paper, and chemicals, then take my word for it that the old guys telling you about the romance of the "Good Old Days" of film are leaving out an awful lot of frustrating, annoying, and just outright dangerous chemical stuff that you will not enjoy finding out about.

I ship everything to The Darkroom on the west coast. They're fast, reliable and pretty reasonably priced. The scans are fine for small prints or sharing on IG.

I did buy a setup to scan negatives at home using my Fuji, but it hasnt arrived yet. I am not sure if this is something that will be useful for every frame, but, we'll see.