Goodbye to film cameras??? UK News
wholenewlight
Registered Users Posts: 1,529 Major grins
Copied from DPReview:
UK high street retailer Dixons has announced today that it plans to stop selling 35mm cameras, following the huge surge in popularity of their digital equivalents. Dixons reports that sales of digital cameras are now outstripping sales of 35mm cameras by 15 to 1 and it says that it will not stock any more 35mm cameras once the current stock runs out. The company says film is now an 'increasingly niche market' and Bryan Magrath, marketing director at Dixons, says that "digital cameras are now the rule, rather than the exception".
Wow! Times change fast!:tough Gotta be good news for smugmug leadership.
UK high street retailer Dixons has announced today that it plans to stop selling 35mm cameras, following the huge surge in popularity of their digital equivalents. Dixons reports that sales of digital cameras are now outstripping sales of 35mm cameras by 15 to 1 and it says that it will not stock any more 35mm cameras once the current stock runs out. The company says film is now an 'increasingly niche market' and Bryan Magrath, marketing director at Dixons, says that "digital cameras are now the rule, rather than the exception".Wow! Times change fast!:tough Gotta be good news for smugmug leadership.
john w
I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
Edward Steichen
I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
Edward Steichen
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Comments
I think you'll see a huge influx of film enthusiats and just like vinyl records a resurgance every few years in purchasing film and film cameras with many niche outfits filling the void.
Film will always be around, but as a niche market only.
www.zxstudios.com
http://creativedragonstudios.smugmug.com
Dixons are pretty much cr@p anyway. Bad service and pricey at the best of times.
I think a few other large co's will follow suit which in turn should really strengthen business for the smaller local independant's. Which can only be a good thing.
However, this is coming from someone who has used a film camera probably no more than three or four times in his life! So what do i know, i'm just a 34 year old 'digital' child.
I posted the thread in amusement to the comments I heard from "pros" just a mere 5-10 years ago - that film is here to stay and that digital will be the niche market. Now I know that there are many professional photogs who swear by film and I applaud their craftmanship and dedication to tradition. But i feel that the balance scales have tipped toward digital solutions for nearly all photographic applications - flexability, control, desktop "darkroom". and instant review of one's work. Love it!
My background: owned a small portrait studio 1978-1983 and was a partner in an "early adapter" one-hour photo business 1885 (two locations). Gave up photography as a business in the mid-to-late '80s but the digital age has brought me back to the "fun of shooting".
:photo
I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
Edward Steichen
I dropped off a roll of color film for processing about two months ago. There had been a one-hour photo processing facility there, but it was now gone. I had to wait for one of the floor managers to free himself and accept my film. Estimated return date was 7 to 10 days.
If I post it, please tell me how to make it better. My fragile ego can take it.
When that happens film will go the way of the dodo, buggy whips and all else that has been surpassed by either evolution or the ever improving technology courtesy of mankind's boundless ingenuity.
I'm not convinced that will happen. While I don't use film myself, there's something about it that is just alluring. The comparison to vinyl is a good one. It sees a strong resurgence every few years and not just amongst DJ's (who don't even need them anymore thanks to Final Scratch but still do), but also in that certain % of people who enjoy collecting. I know quite a few young vinyl enthusiasts who have moderate to large collections who also own it all in superior quality flac/mp3 on their ipods ect.
Even with software readily available to downgrade your shots to look like they were taken on old equipment, but that doesn't duplicate the enjoyment of using the gear.
The market for the equipment will shrink but I doubt it will disappear entirely.