Film to be extinct in X years ?

[student]

Until full frame DSLR becomes the norm, i will still continue to shoot film.
Start stocking up on film and chemicals now! :thumbsup:

That is not the reason for me to use films. I can buy a full frame DSLR this afternoon if I wish to.

The reason for me is that I just prefer the look of B&W images on film. Over the CNY, I spent several mornings in my darkroom, printing many images from 35 mm Tri-X negatives. Of course enlarged to 11x14 the grains were obvious. But I just love them!

The light reflected from those little silver halides embedded in the fibre papers is just so different fom that reflected fom pigments.

 

[lsisaxon]

That is not the reason for me to use films. I can buy a full frame DSLR this afternoon if I wish to.

The reason for me is that I just prefer the look of B&W images on film. Over the CNY, I spent several mornings in my darkroom, printing many images from 35 mm Tri-X negatives. Of course enlarged to 11x14 the grains were obvious. But I just love them!

The light reflected from those little silver halides embedded in the fibre papers is just so different fom that reflected fom pigments.

That would be a very valid reason to still shoot film. In fact many people still shoot B&W even when colour is already available because of the very same reason. There is still an aspect of the B&W photographic art that is still very intriguing. There are also so many formulae for processing the film and paper to yield many different results.

However, this reason would not be that real for those who shoot pseudo B&W using C-41 based film and printing on colour paper.

 

[fuwen]

If after CDs have been booming for decades and yet still cannot kill LPs, I believe film will stay for decades (at least that is what Zeiss believe, from their website www.zeiss.de, lens news issue 23). After so many years u still can buy brand new LP players and LPs from so many brands and some even selling at very high price. So there will be supply/demand but will not be main stream.

While Konica/Minolta backed up from photography business, Samsung, Sony and panasonic are starting their DSLR lines, so while some find one business no more profitable, some find one business a new revenue. So, film likely to stay. However in the long run may not be cheap anymore.

 

[Paul_Yeo]

I am wondering for the next or the next-next generations to come, will they know what's film?

 

[metallilan]

All things must come to pass.

... vinyls, catridges, cassettes, CDs, DVD-Audio...
... 8mm reels, tapes, LDs, DVDs...

As mentioned in earlier post, it'll be so expensive and exotic one day that only pros who swear by film will be buried in it.

Embrace technology. Like it or don't like it, it's here to stay.
Film would soon be dead. Long live the KING!

somehow the 3 1/2 inch floppy wasn't mentioned... and i still use them to submit my practicals and assignments! ;p

 

[Sion]

The other night I put away a few boxes of slides deep under a table. It's an end of a nostalgic era and a part of learning process.

I like shooting digital now because when the light hits the CD or DVD surface, it reflects a spectrum of magic than no other medium could come close to radiate. And a satisfaction of it is that the CD or DVD hides the craps it contains.

 

[user111]

maybe 10 yrs

 

[forward]

I am wondering for the next or the next-next generations to come, will they know what's film?

It won't be too long that films that I have kept will be a showcase!
A treasure hunt for films with its original box.

I have a roll of HIE 135-20 (High Speed Infrared Film) dated
back Feb 1974 and a couple of rolls of Kodacolor VR (CP 120),
Kodachrome 64 (PKR 120) still in my fridge.

Film will still be available for the next 50 years. Imagine a
student photographer studying for his degree in photography in
2030 only knows about digital...........

 

[user111]

they dunno also doesnt matter

do the kids now know what a typewriter is? no. and i doesnt matter

 

[student]

they dunno also doesnt matter

do the kids now know what a typewriter is? no. and i doesnt matter

You are absolutely correct that one does not need to know what a type writer is in order to write a beautiful poem/essay.

But don't you think that the centuries old Chinese calligraphy using old fashion inks and brushes has a charm of its own? I doubt the computer and laserjet can replace the brush and ink here.

 

[user111]

only if the kids can sense the charm

kids nowadays are predominantly braindead. only know how to eat, sleep and play.

 

[student]

only if the kids can sense the charm

kids nowadays are predominantly braindead. only know how to eat, sleep and play.

Heh?

I thought one of the more important objectives (besides oogling at girls!) of photography is to wake up the dead?

 

[user111]

braindead kids will take a long long time to wake up

 

[Ah Pao]

kids nowadays are predominantly braindead. only know how to eat, sleep and play.

braindead kids will take a long long time to wake up

Really, these two opinions are pretty much...well, opinions...but personally think it's a bit strong-worded. Just feel uncomfortable seeing sweeping statements hanging around the forum - regardless of who posted it. No offence, but my experience with the next generation so far is not so much of a "braindead" one.

Anyway, film (especially negatives) is slowly but surely being relegated into a niche market. How fast or how slow is anybody's guess, perhaps less the CFOs of Kodak, Fujifilm and the other major film makers.

 

[Dave P]

I recall in 1999 a friend and pro photographer from London telling me after using one of the new and hideously expensive Nikon digitals that it was to slow and not good enough quality and will never catch on! I told him that in 5 years film will go the way of the vinyl record!

Things have changed dramatically in terms of quality and speed. It is not there yet; but for consumers; film is dying fast. Digital labs are far better then the old wet process labs and I wouldn't want to go back,

For pros and keen amateurs medium format is still streets ahead; but with hi res digital backs and the new MF digitals; those who have money will pay for quality. I could never justify $10000 + for a camera; but in the 1990s the Nikon and Kodak digitals were even more expensive. Now almost all keen amateurs have digital SLRs of a quality and price that would have been undreamt of 5 years ago.

Developments in digital technology will mean that the quality, dynamic range and speed of digital will surpass film in a few years! I have been using a digital SLR for nearly 3 (Fuji S2pro) for nearly 3 years and would not want to go back to 35mm film.

The advantage of film over digital is theoretical rather than actual. Digital works best with real world objects and does not always perform as well on test charts. Dynamic range is a greater issue than pixels. Understanding the limitations and compensating for any limitations in the equipment is the hard part.

Too many people see a digital camera as a universal panacea which will suddenly get them great photos the easy way. The multitude of auto modes actually reduce the ability to think about what they are actually doing. Without the basic knowledge of how a camera works and the relationship between aperture and shutter speed you cannot get the best out of a camera; digital or film!

Whether a photo is taken on film or CCD should not make any difference. The ability for the knowledgeable and experienced photographer to produce great pictures is less to do with the picture taking machine; than the eye of the photographer and technical ability.

To do digital well is not the easy option it appears; it does require as significant amount of computer knowledge. This is probably why some film photographers are frightened or resentful of it.

 

[student]

Really, these two opinions are pretty much...well, opinions...but personally think it's a bit strong-worded. Just feel uncomfortable seeing sweeping statements hanging around the forum - regardless of who posted it. No offence, but my experience with the next generation so far is not so much of a "braindead" one.

Anyway, film (especially negatives) is slowly but surely being relegated into a niche market. How fast or how slow is anybody's guess, perhaps less the CFOs of Kodak, Fujifilm and the other major film makers.

I am in full agreement with you.

While the appreciation of beauty and art is a highly individual thing, I dare say few could see the sweep of the ink brush strokes and not admire the "simple" beauty.

 

[yyD70S]

Too many people see a digital camera as a universal panacea which will suddenly get them great photos the easy way. The multitude of auto modes actually reduce the ability to think about what they are actually doing. Without the basic knowledge of how a camera works and the relationship between aperture and shutter speed you cannot get the best out of a camera; digital or film!

Whether a photo is taken on film or CCD should not make any difference. The ability for the knowledgeable and experienced photographer to produce great pictures is less to do with the picture taking machine; than the eye of the photographer and technical ability.

To do digital well is not the easy option it appears; it does require as significant amount of computer knowledge. This is probably why some film photographers are frightened or resentful of it.

Exactly & well said. Ultimately, it goes back to basics. Exposure, composition and a keen eye!

Embrace technology. Like it or don't like it.

Regards

 

[student]

Exactly & well said. Ultimately, it goes back to basics. Exposure, composition and a keen eye! Embrace technology. Like it or don't like it.

Embrace technology?

No, I do not.

I use technology.

I embrace life.

 

[forward]

Embrace technology?

No, I do not.

I use technology.

I embrace life.

Many of the younger folks here would be glad to know how one can embrace life when one's passion is in photography? Going digital is the trend but knowing photography and using its technology is another thing. Perhaps all humans will have to search for solitude first.

We don't seem to want to find opportunity to develop further
photographic skills, isn't it. Share leh.... :bsmilie:

 

[skipper53]

Ladies and gents,

rest assure nothing on mother earth will ever deminish the sheer quality of film photography.

I switched over from film in recent months, and i still have to say that, watching ur pictures turn up on the lcd at the back of ur DSLR, is NOTHING compared to the feeling of poping open a used film canister, un-rolling that reel and using funny smelling fluids to bring werid colored negatives to brilliant life.

It's just the feel of it my friends.

The 35mm film still bares commercial value, it's just that consumers have discovered the convinience of digital photography. Empowering anyone and everyone to deem themselves an artist of "light." But u see, digital photgraphy is all abt buttons and numbers. Whereas film photgraphy requires u to understand and comprehend the science of light. When developing in a darkroom, the developer can tell u truly y the light turned out in a certain manner. Not because of megapixels and dimensions but purly because how the light was playing on the film... and to any realist photographer it's that very science of light, the understanding of it, that sends shivers down a person's spine!

As such i concure, film is immortal.