Film camera values?

[Tight Fart]

What's the opinion on film camera values, do people think at some point in the future film will make a retro comeback and prices soar? I can't see it myself as I can't see the computer generation would see the satisfaction of spending hours in a darkroom to produce a couple of prints?

 

[colpepper]

Purely IMHO film camera prices will go through the roof in the next 5 - 10 years, at least for quality kit. Film photography will become a craft skill and attract an appropriate premium. It's nothing to do with the images and everything to do with the process, plus the engineering quality of the equipment.

 

[Arkady]

What's the opinion on film camera values, do people think at some point in the future film will make a retro comeback and prices soar? I can't see it myself as I can't see the computer generation would see the satisfaction of spending hours in a darkroom to produce a couple of prints?

Some will, others won't.
Collectibles like old Leicas will always command high prices...newer Leicas more than Zenits, for example... rare cameras will cost more as stocks diminish...
For working film cameras, things are a little more complex.
Good-condition Nikons like the FM/FM2 are starting to go up already, especially the rarer examples...
F2 bodies are quite expensive still - mint limited-edition examples are still listed around the £1,000 mark.

The problem with some cameras that were produced in the mid-to-late 80's is that they used nascent LCD technology which is starting to fail now as the screens get old and repairs become prohibitively expensive. While an F3 might be worth salvaging, would an F90 or lower-spec camera?
OK if they're being bought as display-only items, but for users wishing to actually use them, then the even older, mechanical cameras actually have a better chance of remaining in workable condition than 'newer' cameras...
So as people wake up to this, then I think we can expect some of the older 'quality' cameras like Pentax Spotmatics, Nikon F2's and Nikkormats to go up a bit...
I don't think they'll ever soar though...

 

[colpepper]

Older cameras with a CdS powered needle meter, or with none can be used equally well with a hand held light meter. None of the operating functions require battery power for the camera to work. Given a suitable donor body or bodies for spare parts a camera can be expected to last a lifetime.

With Leica, Contax, etc, attaining museum status and prices the cameras most likely to be in demand from users longterm (as opposed to collectors) will be the Spotmatic, F/F2, Nikkormat, F1, FTn, SRT generation that aren't reliant on circuitry that'll become obsolete. Prime non-AF lenses from Nikon, Canon, Pentax and other quality marques are already showing signs of booming.
The engineering quality and materials of pre-1980s cameras would be prohibitively expensive to reproduce in the present day, so retro cameras would cost an arm and a leg even if manfs wanted to bring them back, giving old models some immunity from price fluctuation.

What would effect values is unavailability of film, which will consign cameras to a glass case.

 

[Carl V]

For working film cameras, things are a little more complex.
Good-condition Nikons like the FM/FM2 are starting to go up already, especially the rarer examples...
F2 bodies are quite expensive still - mint limited-edition examples are still listed around the £1,000 mark.

Indeed. I regularly keep an eye on used dealers' websites, especially Grays, in case something grabs my attention. I've noticed they have an FM2n body for £495 in mint condition which is nearly £100 more than the list price from when they were available new a few years ago. Also an F2 SB for £3,000.

I would imagine mechanical and pro-spec bodies in particular will slowly increase over the coming years - certainly desirable and good condition examples.

 

[joxby]

....I can't see the computer generation would see the satisfaction of spending hours in a darkroom to produce a couple of prints?

That's a fairly narrow and negative point of view, if that's how they perceive film photography, I don't suppose they will.

 

[Knikki]

I can't see it myself as I can't see the computer generation would see the satisfaction of spending hours in a darkroom to produce a couple of prints?

Every year when Colleges Of Further Education take 16 year olds in (computer generation) to do art courses and some do photography, as part of this is a Film bit where the students have to go out take pictures then dev and print.

Some love it some don't.

I think nearly all art based colleges have darkroom facitilities plus you can spend just as much time infront of a PC screen editing the huge amout of images taken on a card as you can in the darkrrom.

 

[colpepper]

I think nearly all art based colleges have darkroom facitilities

The picture is changing rapidly. Colleges and universities pay heavily for space (square footage) and darkrooms are specialised areas with dedicated use. Institutions are moving away from such subjects wherever possible and photography has no requirement for wet imaging or the gear that goes with it.
There are even specialist degrees that no longer have access to a darkroom, let alone taster subjects or access. Professionally there is no requirement to use film any longer, it's viewed alongside hand loom weaving and hot metal typesetting in education terms.

 

[Mohain]

I can't see it myself as I can't see the computer generation would see the satisfaction of spending hours in a darkroom to produce a couple of prints?

The community darkroom I attend is mostly full of 19 to 25 year olds and it seems to be getting busier all the time. I'm one of the oldest there (at 40).