New film cameras?

Do any of the camera manufactures make or design new film cameras for this that still play around with film? Or are we stuck with what is currently out there?

I bought a new Voigtlander (Cosina) film rangefinder not too long ago. I'm not sure what else they're making besides those. I found a new film point 'n shoot for my mom for Christmas (probably slightly 'old stock', in the box but not sure how recently it was made). But it wasn't easy, I don't think those are currently in production.

I think one of the bigger manufacturers had still been making a more or less student SLR a few years ago but I don't know if they are currently. I've seen a couple of stores in the area that have the supply lists from area universities and carry student supplies etc., seems like I saw that they still were selling new film SLRs.

I already have film SLRs that are all manual/mechanical and that's what I like to use; I've also bought film cameras and lenses used and done well with those. If you want to send me a PM I can tell you where I've seen film SLRs etc.

I can't imagine any new 35mm slrs coming out - I think that product has been eclipsed. The models currently out might hang on for a while as a niche, but there's no pressure to innovate.

Fuji's Instax is new. I think there might be a market for innovation in novelty instant cameras. Also, disposable film cameras probably have a future and will hopefully improve.

I'm not sure how much room for innovation there is in the medium & large format markets. I think medium format's days are numbered. Large format has been more of an art/hobby medium for years. I wouldn't expect any innovation there, at least not in the equipment.

So in short, no, I wouldn't buy stock in a company that is tied too closely to film. (Kodak.)

Polaroid made the Mio and now a similar camera that I think is just called the 300 that's comparable to the Instax. And now they're pairing up with the Impossible Project - I guess they figured out somebody is buying the IP film and decided there was enough interest to be worth getting back into camera production for pack film.

Polaroid came out recently with a camera that combines digital and instant. That seems to be a trend, not just in photography (such as the 'return' of vinyl and turntables, but in a new way). I've discovered people working in alternate processes like tintypes etc., I've gotten interested in doing photograms myself. I was just reading about someone making developer out of coffee and actually produced some images. Not that any of this is mainstream, but I guess as the saying goes, if there's a will there's a way.

From an 'ol film photographer . . . . .

Be happy with the innovation of digital photography.
This is a dream come true !
If you want a complete Pentax line & a darkroom to boot
I'll send it to you FREE ..... you pay the shipping.

GT . . . . .

Gary Trent photography wrote: From an 'ol film photographer . . . . .

Be happy with the innovation of digital photography.
This is a dream come true !
If you want a complete Pentax line & a darkroom to boot
I'll send it to you FREE ..... you pay the shipping.

GT . . . . .

This is the gospel.
I have a couple "older" film cameras, Nikon F100 and N90 (many older) that I use from time to time, most of my modern lenses work on them. I can't imagine getting much more in a film camera than the F100 offers. I'm kinda of sick probably, but there are times I take it out to just hold it.....

LOL No that's not sick, I got so I couldn't watch a hockey game without holding a camera (after doing marketing photos for a team and taking pictures at like every game for years) - it's a wonder I don't sit at home watching games on TV holding onto a camera.

I think it's OK to use either or make worlds collide and use both. Since every so often someone posting seems to be pining for their old cameras, why not throw in a roll of film and take it out for a spin.

Gary Trent photography wrote: From an 'ol film photographer . . . . .

Be happy with the innovation of digital photography.
This is a dream come true !

and I was a die hard film geek determined to hate digital.

Fuji introduced a new 6x7 folder a couple years ago. It looks very sexy, but I'm not buying one.

effron wrote: I'm kinda of sick probably, but there are times I take it out to just hold it.....

I fondle my old film cameras often. They are wonderful devices, and fun to use. If I didn't have to put up with the limitations and drudgery of film after I get done with the fun shooting part they'd get used more often.

Not too long ago I was in a camera store and I do believe I saw a film camera. Now I didn't go over to check it out, so it could have just been the design that look like a film camera, but I really think it was a new film SLR camera.

B&H has quite a few large and medium format film cameras for sale.

For 35mm format they are down to:
Leica M rangefinders
Voightlander Bessa rangefinders
Zeiss Ikon rangefinders
Nikon F6 & F100 SLRs
Nikon F10 SLRs (actually made by Cosina)
Canon EOS 1v SLRs
Vivitar 3800N (Pentax K-mount) SLRs (probably made by Phenix, they also make Nikon and Minolta mount 35mm SLRs, and a medium format swing lens pano camera)
a few Fuji 35mm point-n-shoots
and a whole bunch of plastic Lomography cameras.

Regarding "Film Cameras"

In my (small town) you can't even buy a roll of "film" .... anywhere.
Sure in the big city some specialty camera stores sell everything
from the film to the darkroom but who in their right mind will ever
go back to the hassle of darkroom .... esp. the chemicals & water waste.

The invent of digital has eliminated the threat on
the environment & your health.
Ask yourself:

Did you buy rolls of 100' and make cassettes of 20 expos ... to cut costs?


Did you have several different papers for diff. projects? ... more waste


What did you do to dispose of your chemicals? .... dump them in the toilet?


How many hours did you breath in the fumes of developer & fixer?


Did you ever re-cycle your fixer for the silver? ... too much hassle right?


Could you retouch your portraits in the matter of minutes? .... NO !


On & on & on . . . .

About the only thing I will personally miss is the 'ol quality
of slide film .... which you didn't even process yourself.
As far as standards, this was the best ever medium for
any sort of reproduction.
Maybe still is.

Oh, I forgot to mention.
Anyone want a Maymia TLR with all the lenses .... for FREE
You pay the shipping.
Where do I get 120/220 film for it ???

I even tried to give my old eq'mt away to the school.
Guess what?
Even they don't want it.

Welcome to the world of DIGITAL .... like-it-or-not ! ........

---

PS: I won't be "fondling" my 'ol Pentax watching TV.
It's in the bathroom suspended over the toilet .........





GT . . . . .

Still have a hankerin' to use my Nikon N90s once in awhile along with my Nikon FE. They just feel solid and still very comfortable in my hands. Miss buying boxes of Fuji Pro Press film and being very selective about the shots taken with only 36 exp per roll. Don't miss slide film as much but miss slow agfa film for the color saturation and lack of grain.

@ Rob.

If this image you've posted is from either film or slide
look at the extreme contrast & over saturation.
I have this same problem as well, converting film to digital.
Even PS cannot correct this problem.

Now, I have spent a great amount of time scanning
many, many frames into my computer.
Why?
Basically for filing.
I have dozs. of ring binders full of slide/negs yet it is almost
impossible to find a particular shot I want.

Now that I have them filed/numbered and set into subject albums
on computer, it takes only moments to find a particular image I want.

That's about all this scanning work was good for.
Filing.

I have made an album here that is converted neg film to digital.
Sure it's a nice memory album, but look at the contrast.
These images were (tried) corrected in PS yet it's the
B&W ones that seem to turn out best.

Please view:

whazit2u.multiply.com/photos/album/213

GT ......

That's a lovely photo Rob. I haven't scanned in much yet, I've so far noticed mine tend to be a little lighter and not quite as sharp, but I've scanned prints (and I haven't done slide film). Either way, it's going to be time consuming with years of photos, whether it's organizing negatives or scanning them.

There's expense, and either waste or recycling either way; we could end up with an electronics wasteland at the rate the technology changes. I'm at least 'recycling' old photo paper! - I've been using that for lumen prints/photograms. Guess it's a matter of whether or not we all manage it responsibly like other resources.

I can see for those who are working photographers why it would be more efficient to work in a digital format instead of a darkroom. For me it's been a sideline and something I've just done with B&W. I like the smell of the chemistry... LOL. At least it won't turn us into mad hatters as supposedly daguerrotypes could do.

Gary I 'lost' my darkroom, a shared one at a local university that had studios available to the public - they're remodeling the building into the new student union. So I might be in the market for some equipment...