[_the_bside_]

It's indeed not unique to Pentax.. From what I can see, some names are high up in the current trends. A Yashica T4 or a Contax T2, Canon AE1 and Nikon FM2..
Some are praised and sold as entry level, some come with the historical heritage package.. Yet I have the feeling that those it-cameras, those must have are very western-centric. Speaking from experience, in Indonesia, yes, some brands and names make users dream, but when it comes to the reality and the day-to-day practice, any camera will do.. Because, the joy comes from the idea of capturing a moment and sharing the experience with a group of friends, rather than being focused on the object.. Like a friend of mine told me, 'here, we don't care about what hangs around your neck, we just love the idea of shooting on film and sharing those moments with small prints and build a community around analogue photography'..

[cobbu2]

As film popularity increases, the infrastructure available to support it has yet to catch up, if it already isn't. Repair options for many popular film camera brands are limited in both expertise and parts. Repair persons (with the exception of Leica) are getting older and the knowledge needs to be passed down and enlarged if the trend continues with only 40-50+ year-old equipment available. Also, unless one lives in a major metropolitan area or processes at home, access to C-41 and especially E-6 processing is also constrained.

I guess my question is, at what point can the film resurgence continue until something, whether it be increased service and processing availability or new products/facilities, gives?

[ChrisPlatt]

The 6x7 forms the core of my physical fitness program.

Heck, most times a 35mm SLR outfit seems too heavy for me to lug around!

Never got bitten by the Pentax 67 bug. I got over my medium format fantasies years ago.
For those who insist on the bigger negative there are so many more compact and lighter options...

Chris

[tuco]

Nothing pleases Chris. Film, developers and cameras. If it's not what he uses, it's not good.

[TwoUptons]

As film popularity increases, the infrastructure available to support it has yet to catch up, if it already isn't. Repair options for many popular film camera brands are limited in both expertise and parts. Repair persons (with the exception of Leica) are getting older and the knowledge needs to be passed down and enlarged if the trend continues with only 40-50+ year-old equipment available. Also, unless one lives in a major metropolitan area or processes at home, access to C-41 and especially E-6 processing is also constrained.

I guess my question is, at what point can the film resurgence continue until something, whether it be increased service and processing availability or new products/facilities, gives?

I suspect the economics of the whole affair will end it...

We'll get to the point where there are few working, readily available, reasonably priced used cameras floating around that aren't in collections.
The number of people who are willing to pay for a new, high quality film camera will be small, and eventually utilization will drop off.

It will stop being cool...

It will not come back as anything but a high-end specialty thing...

I'd be happy to be wrong...

-Eric

[ChrisPlatt]

Nothing pleases Chris. Film, developers and cameras. If it's not what he uses, it's not good.

My experience and opinions seem to offend you. Clearly we see things differently.
That's no excuse for ad hominem attacks. Feel free to add me to your ignore list.

Chris

[_the_bside_]

I suspect the economics of the whole affair will end it...

We'll get to the point where there are few working, readily available, reasonably priced used cameras floating around that aren't in collections.
The number of people who are willing to pay for a new, high quality film camera will be small, and eventually utilization will drop off.

It will stop being cool...

It will not come back as anything but a high-end specialty thing...

I'd be happy to be wrong...

-Eric

You might be wrong..

[cobbu2]

I suspect the economics of the whole affair will end it...

Unless the economics drive everything in the opposite direction; the demand dictates the reopening of processing options, more people getting trained in camera repair/service, the introduction of new camera models, etc.

Maybe (probably?) wishful thinking on my part, but if the introduction of new and formerly discontinued films is any indication, there have to be some strong business motivators at work, more than mere fad and curiosity.

But (as my wife reminds me occasionally) I also could be wrong.

[tuco]

My experience and opinions seem to offend you. Clearly we see things differently.
That's no excuse for ad hominem attacks. Feel free to add me to your ignore list.

Chris

I'd be curious of your list of 6x7 medium format SLR cameras (more accurate shutter speeds 1/500+ than leaf shutter cameras) you have in mind that have long focal length options and weigh less enough to count than a Pentax 67 configured with a folding hood?

[goddo31]

Heck, most times a 35mm SLR outfit seems too heavy for me to lug around!

Never got bitten by the Pentax 67 bug. I got over my medium format fantasies years ago.
For those who insist on the bigger negative there are so many more compact and lighter options...

Chris

Use a compact lens and swap the prism for the folding focus hood (ie. WLF) and the P67 becomes an easy walk around camera.
I don't really get why people think of it as "huge". Perhaps because it so closely resembles a 35mm SLR?

[TwoUptons]

Use a compact lens and swap the prism for the folding focus hood (ie. WLF) and the P67 becomes an easy walk around camera.
I don't really get why people think of it as "huge". Perhaps because it so closely resembles a 35mm SLR?

It is huge compared to a Mamiya 7 or an antique folder... or some of the more compact square-format cameras, like the Hasselblads or any of the TLRs...
Though in those cases, to heck with the compact lens... how's that Mamiya 7 or Yashicamat with a 300mm lens? How compact are the Hasselblads with something that long?

But compared to something like a RB or any of the 'press' style cameras? it's very compact, even with the prism.

And it is huge compared to anything in 35mm, though not a whole lot heavier than something like a F3 with a motor drive.

-Eric

[nickthetasmaniac]

Olympus OMs are still cheap enough though.

Really? In my neck of the woods OM1/n’s are routinely being listed for $4-500 with a service* and a 50/f1.8.

*’Service’ probably meaning the seller has poured a bottle of isopropyl alcohol through it...

[tuco]

It is huge compared to a Mamiya 7 or an antique folder... or some of the more compact square-format cameras, like the Hasselblads or any of the TLRs...


-Eric

The thing about MF film cameras they all seem to have a strength and weakest in many of the aspects of photography. You can make a list of pros/cons for each type of cameras such as TLRs, leaf shutter, SLR, square, wide, etc. If all I did was say handhold street and candid type photography with medium format, a rangefinder might be better. But if you needed long glass and reliable higher shutter speeds a SLR with a system of glass might be better.

A 500C/M with a 80/2.8 weights almost the same as a Pentax 67, folding hood and a 90/2.8. The difference is not worth talking about to give you an idea. And I had a Mamiya 7II. A light MF camera with excellent glass especially its 43mm but it's a fragile camera that needs to be treated so gently. Changing to its 43mm you have to be extra careful not to scratch its rear element because it protrudes past the lens housing recessing into the camera body.

[_the_bside_]

Really? In my neck of the woods OM1/n’s are routinely being listed for $4-500 with a service* and a 50/f1.8.

I don't know where you're located, but here they sell between100-250€..

[goddo31]

I don't know where you're located, but here they sell between100-250€..

The clue to his location is in his name

It feels to me like some of these trends are region specific. Are the good point and shoot cameras also very expensive in Belgium?
For example the Olympus mju