[millsware]

No, but not because I don't use film. I wouldn't buy one because the Pentax cameras I tend to like and use are much older.

Which is what seems to appeal to most people. I meant "would you buy a brand new (model whatever) if Pentax literally pulled the schematic off the shelf and put it back into production?"

[ChrisPlatt]

If I were carrying my Spotmatic and I were mugged, I could probably beat the mugger up with the camera and it would still function fine.

I would just let him take it. He couldn't get much for a film camera.
Instead he might start using it and become another film convert...

Chris

[AquaDome]

The majority of my film bodies are only a few years younger than my own body. I would buy a brand new body, for myself or from Pentax.

[samtr87]

I would just let him take it. He couldn't get much for a film camera.
Instead he might start using it and become another film convert...

Chris

Just saying, Spotties are built like tanks.

On a side note, there are some listed on eBay with ridiculous asking prices.

[6BQ5]

I wouldn't buy a new film body for several reasons. Most have already been outlined in the thread already.

• The used market is extremely saturated. You can get a good working film body for $10-$50, with AF too.
• I can't begin to think of what features are missing in yesterday's models that I would want in today's model.
• Today's build/manufacturing philosophy has changed dramatically since the 60's-80's, which is what we would be comparing against. We wouldn't be satisfied with anything different than a modern copy of yesterday's cameras.

[Kerrowdown]

Would you buy a new film camera from Pentax

Especially if it was an LX with a FF interchangeable digital back.

[johnha]

Firstly, it won't happen, the market is far too small and the product would be the wrong one. Film photography today is either old users who still prefer (or occasionally prefer) to use film or the Lomography 'hipster' brigade who prefer blurred, grainy & badly exposed photos as 'artistic'. There is very little room for a film camera to produce carefully composed, focused and exposed photos and that, that is, is probably better served by medium format.

The Leica MP is a true 'retro' camera, removing most of the advances of the breed over the decades to make something that feels/looks like the original, but something that will sit in show cases more than be used. Why else would they replace the useful & effective rewind crank with the harder to use knob that only makes life harder/more inconvenient for the user - for no photographic effect? It's like removing the instant return mirror from an SLR.

If Pentax re-launched the LX system I'd be all over it (I already have two 'used' examples - the opportunity to buy a 'new' one would be hard to resist), If they re-launched an AF SLR I wouldn't be interested - there's no market for a new AF 35mm SLR - anybody who needs results will always do better with digital.

The Vivitar v3800N was mentioned earlier, OK it's plastic, but it also seems to be a mechanical SLR with 1/2000th top shutter speed, the only Pentax to shoot that fast mechanically was the LX.

John.

[stevebrot]

Film photography today is either old users who still prefer (or occasionally prefer) to use film or the Lomography 'hipster' brigade who prefer blurred, grainy & badly exposed photos as 'artistic'.

...or hipsters who prefer a quality tool. Here in the Portland area, I don't know that I have ever seen a Holga or similar plastic camera on the street, but it is not unusual to see quality manual focus vintage gear in use and only very seldom is it being used by some old guy.


Steve

[arnold]

Clearly the market aimed at would not be for utility type users. People who just want to take a picture are covered with phone cameras. Professionals are covered with digital SLR. A plastic automated film camera is pointless here (never liked them myself). Those who would buy a new film camera would likely be those who appreciated a fully manual high quality metal peice of art, along the lines of the MX, KX, K2 or LX. Yes, I know one can get a used one restored, but if prcatical logic was the only factor, why do people want to upgrade every time a new DSLR model comes out? K5 > K511 > K3 for example.
I would love a sparkling new MX even though I have four of them now. The only logic involved is the pleasure of enjoyment in this case, not practical usage.

[Nuff]

The Leica MP is a true 'retro' camera, removing most of the advances of the breed over the decades to make something that feels/looks like the original, but something that will sit in show cases more than be used. Why else would they replace the useful & effective rewind crank with the harder to use knob that only makes life harder/more inconvenient for the user - for no photographic effect? It's like removing the instant return mirror from an SLR.

John.

Leica makes 2 film cameras, the retro MP and M7 with aperture priority and all the electronics. You have choice of either.

MP is styled after M3, which many consider the best leica ever made. Mostly because of the high magnification range finder.

As for me, I wouldn't get a new film pentax. I would get a used rolleiflex f2.8 or a Leica m3/m6/m7 or Zeiss Ikon ZM...

I might consider new Pentax 67.

That's about it.

Edit: I forgot to mention, Leica does make an accessory crank for MP. Of course it costs fair bit, but compared to price of MP it is nothing:
http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/accessories/film_advance/2213.html

[monochrome]

Film photography today is either old users who still prefer (or occasionally prefer) to use film or the Lomography 'hipster' brigade who prefer blurred, grainy & badly exposed photos as 'artistic'. There is very little room for a film camera to produce carefully composed, focused and exposed photos and that, that is, is probably better served by medium format.

In my neck of the woods High School photography departments are reopening their wet darkrooms and CLA'ing their K1000's. Demand for the 30 seats is so high that there is a lottery at my local High School. They're actually costing out providing fee-basis extra-curricular classes (but there are all kinds of liability issues).

[rt22306]

I would, but have mixed feelings about it. I see younger folks running around with film cameras (the fellow next to me
at the zoo recently was much younger than the Minolta XG-M with winder he was carrying) that perhaps are art students; but the labs/processor network is ever shrinking as others have mentioned. For those of us without our own lab, we may have..10 years?

[aurele]

I would, but have mixed feelings about it. I see younger folks running around with film cameras (the fellow next to me
at the zoo recently was much younger than the Minolta XG-M with winder he was carrying) that perhaps are art students; but the labs/processor network is ever shrinking as others have mentioned. For those of us without our own lab, we may have..10 years?

Yes, the number of lab is shrinking, because the user base has already shrinked, compared to the golden era of film (around 2000).
But the market is getting smaller, of course, there will be less labs, but they are going to be again very profitable. And, only the best ones are going to remains.

To paraphrase the film "Side by Side" (film and digital, in the cinema industry - very good film btw)

Film has been around for a century, digital for 40 years (counting the first CCD from the Panavision cinema camera). films of yesterday are not always still viewable on modern computer, because we don't have the "reader" to read it from the Zip, CD, tape, or whatsover.
"The only way you can make sure that a film or anything of a moving image is gonna be around, maybe, 60 to 70 years from now, interestingly enough, ironically enough, is celluloid" (Martin Scorcese)

This apply to photography too ! How many picture have you lost because of a dead hard drive ? way too much to my taste. The only way to save those is to print them, or make them on film.

[LFLee]

I hope one day people realize both digital and film are different kind of shooting experience and .... continue to shoot both.

I just got few rolls back and holding the prints in your hand is specials.... even missed focus shots are special

[aurele]

prints is source of so much satisfaction for me. I wish i could buy more prints