Film’s Comeback?
I was doing a little holiday shopping in Seattle over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and will admit to being a little shocked at what I saw…
Lots of cameras. OK, that’s not exactly a surprise. And in fact at first I wasn’t shocked at all. I hardly noticed. Then I saw this cute, tiny little camera that seemed like it was intended to be a spy camera.
“I wonder how many mega…”
I was cut off in mid thought. That’s when I saw it. Not a boastful splash about how many megapixels were packed into this tiny little camera. Not wishful-thinking claims of incredible zoom at tack-sharp quality. No, it was something different.
A roll of 110 film. Yes, film.
And it wasn’t just this one little camera. There were bunches of them, of all shapes and sizes. Some were instant (remember Polaroid?). Some were 35mm. Some were 110. It seemed that the whole spectrum of film options from a simpler time were represented.
I wondered, “Is film making a comeback?”
But that thought quickly faded as I realized what was really going on: Film was becoming a gimmick.
Now I do realize there are many photographers producing many great images with film, even today. And I know many of those photographers will continue using film for quite some time. But seeing all these “toy” cameras using film in an upscale store in downtown Seattle made me realize just how far down the path of digital photography we had come.
By and large, it seems, film has become a novelty.
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December 3rd, 2008 at 7:32 am
Tim, As a former professional reviewer of high-end audio equipment for High Performance Review (Palo Alto), I follow the trends in serious audio equipment closely. In 2006 and 2007, there were remarkable gains in the sale of turntables and tube audio components in the U.S. Since these components often cost thousands of dollars, I do not see this as a novelty. Also, the Japanese are avid users of film cameras, and there is an annual fair in Japan where used film cameras are sold in large numbers.
I use film and digital cameras, and tube/turntable and solid-state audio equipment. It is wonderful to have these options. Duncan
December 4th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Film is not a novelty, nor is it dead. It is now another (older) photographic medium available to the photographer. Like other older photographic processes, film has it’s own unique qualities. Photographers will choose the medium/process that best reflects their photographic vision.
December 14th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
I am not a professional photographer but I’ve been taking photos for about 35 years now. I pretty much went digital only about 6 years ago when I got my first digital camera.
Last few weeks not only did I go BACK to film - shooting B&W, but I went a step further and started developing my own film.
Film is not dead. At least not as far as I’m concerned. It just took a short nap.
December 28th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Tim,
May I say one word: infrared.
January 4th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I love digital, I love the instant gratification and how there’s absolutely no limits to what I can create with digital images. I work hard with digital making the experience and the pictures the best they can be. I want to keep my digital. Yet I would set the digital camera on the back burner in an instant if society were able to see film as an equal. Media has done it’s magic on minds with how we are to view film as a “dinosaur to roll our eyes at.” I realize that to stay in the future I should see it that way. Yet I would have a sigh of joy and relief to be able to once again take a picture with a film camera and be rightly appreciated for doing it! Appreciated for it’s own kind of quality of photo it creates.
March 13th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I recently asked a fellow photographer who’s been shooting for some 40 years what he missed about film; it’s been a few years since he’s used it for his clients (Honda, Toyota, etc.) His answer: “Respect. I miss the respect it gave us as artists.” I can see his point. I miss that part of it too; but I still use it for my personal work and will do so until I can’t anymore. Sure the medium we mostly use now is based on ones and zeros but at least we can have access to both. At least technology can’t take away (my) skills and knowledge of film.
December 14th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Those who say they miss film, miss film intentionally, because it is still there - among those who value it’s unique properties. Sheet film is still manufactured in ultra large format sizes and ultra large format cameras as well.