it makes no difference what your friends are doing, you should do what you want, what you like and what you think it's better for you. here are some of my thoughts:
I share some of the sentiment. Back in the day I used to buy film like it was 2 days away from the apocalypse but I stopped shooting it regularly around 2009. Since then I’ve been slowly burning through my (now all expired) stash. I only have a few cases of 400h and FP100c left, plus a box full of all sorts of random rolls. I love my old cameras, but the truth is it is a luxury in this economic climate. After I deplete what I have I will probably only shoot film on paid commissions that require it.
I still have a few rolls of 400H in 120! Planning to shoot some of it this year. I had 15 packs of FP100C but have sold a few, down to about 10 now I think. I should shoot that as well, but I feel like I need to use it for something special!
Pretty much in the same boat where I only photograph using film for very intentional occasions and it does feel somewhat foolish to own so many expensive film cameras at that point. I think it just comes down to the cost and fact that almost any digital file from any camera in the last ~10 years can be manipulated to look close enough to film that no sane or rational person would know the difference.
I still love film for the inherent limitations, the intentional way I have to shoot, and for the specific qualities of certain film stocks. It’s hard to justify the use of 35mm film at this point I think unless you really love using film and have your reasons (at which point, I don’t think the cost matters as long as you have your why). I had been sitting on a few hundred rolls since ~2021 when prices really skyrocketed and just started to have to buy some more. Not going to lie, the thought of buying 10 rolls of portra 400 was really unappealing when I saw the price so I’ve been sticking with some cheaper films like Gold and the newer Fuji 400 film which I like a lot so far. Like any hobby I guess the prices will quickly weed out anyone that either 1) doesn’t have a disposable income or 2) doesn’t really really love it.
Hopefully there’s enough demand for awhile to keep the prices stable 😅 beautiful photos here!
I enjoy taking pictures, and I also enjoy experimenting with different cameras, both modern and vintage, analog and digital. I have no intention and honestly I probably lack the skills to monetize this activity. For that reason sometimes I'm going to choose to shoot a vintage digicam for the nostalgic look; sometimes a Holga for the ease of shooting an unpredictable but often beautiful result that can't easily be replicated digitally; sometimes a panoramic format camera for a sweeping immersive shot; sometimes a vintage rangefinder for the small, subtle form factor and satisfying shutter click; sometimes I want to just carry a Fuji mirrorless because I can preview the results and take advantage of the multiple film simulations or easily adapt a variety of vintage lenses.
I did get three out of four right on your poll, so perhaps I can tell the difference, but I'm sure I could easily be tricked if someone was trying to do so. A great or interesting photo is made up of the various visual elements and subject matter and the means to get there is not that important to me.
I keep thinking that I'm going to continue shooting black and white on film, but switch to digital for color work, mostly because I don't have a good way to print color photos in the darkroom. But I don't stick with that idea and continue to stock up on my favorite color films if I see them on sale or switch into a monochrome simulation on a digital camera. Anyhow, I continue to enjoy your photos (both digital and analog) and writings. Thanks for sharing!
I still enjoy shooting B&W film and rarely shoot digital. That's not to say I don't enjoy digital photography, I do, but I just prefer to take a film camera with me when I'm out and about, especially in winter and summer. When the Sakura blooms here in darkest Wigan, I will be all over it with colour film and digital, but I will probably still have a film camera in my pocket loaded with B&W for shits and giggles.
Ha ha if the sakura bloom in Wigan I’m coming over Jim! 🌸 😅 I actually enjoy shooting black and white, I only shoot a few rolls year though. I must shoot more! I have some rolls of original acros in my fridge.
I think the effective withdrawal of Fuji from the color market has tipped color film into a death spiral from lack of competition. Given that Alaris is now owned by a PE firm who are busy cutting off direct supply from Kodak to the hobbyists you'll see them "sweat the asset" until the high price of color film, now basically from a single source of supply, effectively chokes the market (imho already happening). Color film photography will then retreat to an ever more expensive niche. I'm more hopeful for black and white as there is genuine competition in that market.
Yes it's been pretty much Kodak for a few years now. There are encouraging signs coming out of China that colour negative film will be produced there, fingers crossed!
I assumed all the photos were film just because of the subject. I can't tell the difference between film and digital photos. They look identical.
That said, I bought a Holga last summer on a whim and have mostly disliked it. It recently cost $17 USD for me to get a b&w roll developed and three quarters of the photos were shit. Just a blurry mess, and even some I couldn't see what I had shot.
I can't afford any camera that costs more than $50 so I'm kind of stuck. I think film is fine and lovely but I'm too early in my potography hobby to have such terrible returns. It just feels like a waste. Digital might just be better. Especially mobile photography!
I actually found a couple hard to tell the difference when I exported them all to a folder, and I shot them! Holgas are a "love them or hate them" kind of camera. Have you seen the Reto Ultra Wide and Slim cameras? They are about 35USD. No battery, no flash, very simple cameras, but they give great results in good light. Another alternative would be a digicam, I love my early 2000s cameras!
I'm still enjoying my film 'renaissance' as time allows. It's been nearly six years since that gentle nudge from my Son to give it another go. Shooting almost solely b+w from the start of it and dev/scanning at home has helped keep costs down, so not such an issue. I enjoy it for the look, the tactile sense of something real, nostalgia, being able to play with some lovely old kit, exploring the wonderful world of mono (something I never properly indulged in first time round). I used to mostly shoot on slide film which was never cheap at the best of times. Nowadays it's a little eye-watering cost-wise, though I may be tempted to try a roll of Ektachrome for old times sake one day. These days I'm happy to leave colour to the purely digital realm. Still, there are a couple of old rolls of colour neg still lurking in the fridge..
I'm personally a digital shooter who loves to shoot instant film (particularly Instax). As a family man the immediacy of my shots are important. I do like film camera but don't find it economical for me. However, I can appreciate the process of slowing down and curating each shot. I try to do that even with digital cameras and especially with instant cameras. I regularly print my digitals at home on Canon Selphy for 4x6 albums and Instax mini, square, and Wide.
I'm the same except I shoot Polaroids of my family. I have a lovely little collection of them in an album. Great to hear what you're doing for your family, they will treasure those photos in years to come!
I see cost as a factor, but I think more so is just the ebb and flow of any hobby. You mentioned the time when you started doing more film photography and how you built relationships around film photography. It was new and exciting, enough so to make it a significant portion of your life. Over the years you've been able to get past the new and exciting phase and begin to explore why you enjoyed it in the first place. When I first really started shooting a lot of film again my Fujifilm X-T4 was basically shelved for anything other than video. And I love the images my Fuji takes. Now that I've settled on my film workflow digital has been reintroduced for the strengths that it has. I've even added an x100VI to the mix. I feel like your small sample size might just be in the same process of moving from the honeymoon period into the comfortable love period. I love film, and the majority of my photos are still on film, but now I don't feel guilty when I shoot digital. There are others out there just discovering film for the first time and packing their fridges with a wide variety of film because of their excitement.
Yes for sure, my only 2 interests in life that cost a lot of money are travel and photography. So I don't mind the cost of film or the lab cost, but I'm more careful with shooting film now. That's a good point around the connections I've made through film, some top people! I was super into Fujifilm cameras too, but have gravitated more towards my little Ricoh GRIII these days. Having said that, the X100VI was probably the most beautiful camera I've ever owned.
Lately, I have been selling a lot of my film cameras. It's not about the cost of film. Because I love the experience. It's more that I'm not getting the colors I want anymore. Fujifilm cameras have ruined that for me. The colors can mimic film so well to the point where my film photos look dull.
I'm still keeping one or two mechanical film cameras though, and have been loving B&W for film lately, as you can print it in the darkroom.
NO! Don’t give up!
I'll keep shooting film as long as I can get colour negative! :D
That’s what I like to hear
it makes no difference what your friends are doing, you should do what you want, what you like and what you think it's better for you. here are some of my thoughts:
https://open.substack.com/pub/perfectlight/p/why-i-shoot-black-and-white?r=2b8uel&utm_medium=ios
Yes absolutely!
I find it more cost effective to develop my own film.
Black and white buy bulk and roll yourself.
Have t tried developing colour yet
Nice, I’m a colour shooter but one day I’d love to do my own C41. I need more time and more space though!
I share some of the sentiment. Back in the day I used to buy film like it was 2 days away from the apocalypse but I stopped shooting it regularly around 2009. Since then I’ve been slowly burning through my (now all expired) stash. I only have a few cases of 400h and FP100c left, plus a box full of all sorts of random rolls. I love my old cameras, but the truth is it is a luxury in this economic climate. After I deplete what I have I will probably only shoot film on paid commissions that require it.
I still have a few rolls of 400H in 120! Planning to shoot some of it this year. I had 15 packs of FP100C but have sold a few, down to about 10 now I think. I should shoot that as well, but I feel like I need to use it for something special!
Pretty much in the same boat where I only photograph using film for very intentional occasions and it does feel somewhat foolish to own so many expensive film cameras at that point. I think it just comes down to the cost and fact that almost any digital file from any camera in the last ~10 years can be manipulated to look close enough to film that no sane or rational person would know the difference.
I still love film for the inherent limitations, the intentional way I have to shoot, and for the specific qualities of certain film stocks. It’s hard to justify the use of 35mm film at this point I think unless you really love using film and have your reasons (at which point, I don’t think the cost matters as long as you have your why). I had been sitting on a few hundred rolls since ~2021 when prices really skyrocketed and just started to have to buy some more. Not going to lie, the thought of buying 10 rolls of portra 400 was really unappealing when I saw the price so I’ve been sticking with some cheaper films like Gold and the newer Fuji 400 film which I like a lot so far. Like any hobby I guess the prices will quickly weed out anyone that either 1) doesn’t have a disposable income or 2) doesn’t really really love it.
Hopefully there’s enough demand for awhile to keep the prices stable 😅 beautiful photos here!
I enjoy taking pictures, and I also enjoy experimenting with different cameras, both modern and vintage, analog and digital. I have no intention and honestly I probably lack the skills to monetize this activity. For that reason sometimes I'm going to choose to shoot a vintage digicam for the nostalgic look; sometimes a Holga for the ease of shooting an unpredictable but often beautiful result that can't easily be replicated digitally; sometimes a panoramic format camera for a sweeping immersive shot; sometimes a vintage rangefinder for the small, subtle form factor and satisfying shutter click; sometimes I want to just carry a Fuji mirrorless because I can preview the results and take advantage of the multiple film simulations or easily adapt a variety of vintage lenses.
I did get three out of four right on your poll, so perhaps I can tell the difference, but I'm sure I could easily be tricked if someone was trying to do so. A great or interesting photo is made up of the various visual elements and subject matter and the means to get there is not that important to me.
I keep thinking that I'm going to continue shooting black and white on film, but switch to digital for color work, mostly because I don't have a good way to print color photos in the darkroom. But I don't stick with that idea and continue to stock up on my favorite color films if I see them on sale or switch into a monochrome simulation on a digital camera. Anyhow, I continue to enjoy your photos (both digital and analog) and writings. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much Daniel! I love a good digicam too. I've only shot one roll through my Holga but I did like it! Too many cameras, not enough time.
I still enjoy shooting B&W film and rarely shoot digital. That's not to say I don't enjoy digital photography, I do, but I just prefer to take a film camera with me when I'm out and about, especially in winter and summer. When the Sakura blooms here in darkest Wigan, I will be all over it with colour film and digital, but I will probably still have a film camera in my pocket loaded with B&W for shits and giggles.
Ha ha if the sakura bloom in Wigan I’m coming over Jim! 🌸 😅 I actually enjoy shooting black and white, I only shoot a few rolls year though. I must shoot more! I have some rolls of original acros in my fridge.
here's some shots from the same place on Vision 3 250D
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmMWCuAz
Happens every year just around the corner from my home. here's some digital shots from 2020 when lockdown restricted our going out time.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmMyHP2y
Oh wow very cool Jim! I lived in England for 12 years and I never saw any, super pretty!
Having a pub up the road called The Cherry Gardens helps too. 😎
I think the effective withdrawal of Fuji from the color market has tipped color film into a death spiral from lack of competition. Given that Alaris is now owned by a PE firm who are busy cutting off direct supply from Kodak to the hobbyists you'll see them "sweat the asset" until the high price of color film, now basically from a single source of supply, effectively chokes the market (imho already happening). Color film photography will then retreat to an ever more expensive niche. I'm more hopeful for black and white as there is genuine competition in that market.
Yes it's been pretty much Kodak for a few years now. There are encouraging signs coming out of China that colour negative film will be produced there, fingers crossed!
I assumed all the photos were film just because of the subject. I can't tell the difference between film and digital photos. They look identical.
That said, I bought a Holga last summer on a whim and have mostly disliked it. It recently cost $17 USD for me to get a b&w roll developed and three quarters of the photos were shit. Just a blurry mess, and even some I couldn't see what I had shot.
I can't afford any camera that costs more than $50 so I'm kind of stuck. I think film is fine and lovely but I'm too early in my potography hobby to have such terrible returns. It just feels like a waste. Digital might just be better. Especially mobile photography!
I actually found a couple hard to tell the difference when I exported them all to a folder, and I shot them! Holgas are a "love them or hate them" kind of camera. Have you seen the Reto Ultra Wide and Slim cameras? They are about 35USD. No battery, no flash, very simple cameras, but they give great results in good light. Another alternative would be a digicam, I love my early 2000s cameras!
I'm still enjoying my film 'renaissance' as time allows. It's been nearly six years since that gentle nudge from my Son to give it another go. Shooting almost solely b+w from the start of it and dev/scanning at home has helped keep costs down, so not such an issue. I enjoy it for the look, the tactile sense of something real, nostalgia, being able to play with some lovely old kit, exploring the wonderful world of mono (something I never properly indulged in first time round). I used to mostly shoot on slide film which was never cheap at the best of times. Nowadays it's a little eye-watering cost-wise, though I may be tempted to try a roll of Ektachrome for old times sake one day. These days I'm happy to leave colour to the purely digital realm. Still, there are a couple of old rolls of colour neg still lurking in the fridge..
"I feel more of an accomplishment when I take a banger on film"
Definitely agree
Yes! It's all that pent up expectation when the scans drop ha ha!
It's that little gem amongst all that failure lol
Yes ha ha, I didn't go into it, but that's another reason why I'm happier... to offset any disappointment on the roll! ha ha
All part of the fun 😊
I'm personally a digital shooter who loves to shoot instant film (particularly Instax). As a family man the immediacy of my shots are important. I do like film camera but don't find it economical for me. However, I can appreciate the process of slowing down and curating each shot. I try to do that even with digital cameras and especially with instant cameras. I regularly print my digitals at home on Canon Selphy for 4x6 albums and Instax mini, square, and Wide.
I'm the same except I shoot Polaroids of my family. I have a lovely little collection of them in an album. Great to hear what you're doing for your family, they will treasure those photos in years to come!
I can't tell which one is the offending digital image haha
Hopefully film has found it's equilibrium point and just continues chugging along with newbies entering as curmudgeons leave :)
Curmudgeons unite! ha ha. Yes hopefully as people leave newbies will come to eagerly buy film and drive demand for new film cameras!
I see cost as a factor, but I think more so is just the ebb and flow of any hobby. You mentioned the time when you started doing more film photography and how you built relationships around film photography. It was new and exciting, enough so to make it a significant portion of your life. Over the years you've been able to get past the new and exciting phase and begin to explore why you enjoyed it in the first place. When I first really started shooting a lot of film again my Fujifilm X-T4 was basically shelved for anything other than video. And I love the images my Fuji takes. Now that I've settled on my film workflow digital has been reintroduced for the strengths that it has. I've even added an x100VI to the mix. I feel like your small sample size might just be in the same process of moving from the honeymoon period into the comfortable love period. I love film, and the majority of my photos are still on film, but now I don't feel guilty when I shoot digital. There are others out there just discovering film for the first time and packing their fridges with a wide variety of film because of their excitement.
Yes for sure, my only 2 interests in life that cost a lot of money are travel and photography. So I don't mind the cost of film or the lab cost, but I'm more careful with shooting film now. That's a good point around the connections I've made through film, some top people! I was super into Fujifilm cameras too, but have gravitated more towards my little Ricoh GRIII these days. Having said that, the X100VI was probably the most beautiful camera I've ever owned.
Still love and shoot film!
Your videos and website are a wonderful trove of reviews and knowledge for film shooters Alex!
Lately, I have been selling a lot of my film cameras. It's not about the cost of film. Because I love the experience. It's more that I'm not getting the colors I want anymore. Fujifilm cameras have ruined that for me. The colors can mimic film so well to the point where my film photos look dull.
I'm still keeping one or two mechanical film cameras though, and have been loving B&W for film lately, as you can print it in the darkroom.