Film photography, expensive or not.

Mozziephotography

Mozziephotography

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Stephen
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I started using film in January 2025 and I'm loving it. Bought a few cameras off ebay, had a few gifted and other outlets as well. How much has it set me back and should I dust off my digital cameras. With people buying the film for me, Xmas and birthday, that's certainly cut the amount spent on photography down by quite a bit. Taking into consideration all the other costs, it amounts to £8.50 a week. Having shot 40 films over the last 21 months, I'm happy with the outcome. Don't drink or smoke or have subscriptions to any TV channels, surely it's worth the pleasure I get from this step back in time. I have quite a few friends who often take part in road races, spending anything between £18 and £40 for a 10k race. Trainers are well over a hundred pounds and last for 500 miles. Happiness is paramount.
 
Happiness is paramount. :agree: (y) (y)

At 20p/mile driving is a big part of the expense for my photography (film or digitat), getting my films processed is about £25 per film (never mind purchasing the film it'self) so I'm careful when I use film so I don't waste it. Sometimes I use a film per week but other times I can go several weeks using digital. I'm not ritch by any means but a bit like petrol for my motorcycles I don't really count the cost of my hobbies I just budget for them.

I'm alos very fortunate to have a wife that doesn't mind my expensive hobbies.
 
Kevin Allan said:
That's not much more than the cost of a coffee and a scone. Sometimes the film might not work out, but then again a scone can turn out to be so crumbly that it's difficult to eat in a dignified manner.
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I hate it when you buy a scone and they give you a couple of those small packs of butter which are out of the fridge. I usually stick them under my arms to soften them.
 
Film for my 5x4 camera often costs £50 for just 25 sheets, add to the developing & printing materials it's pretty expensive (particularly when I mess up) and I guess that's on top of the lenses/cameras & darkroom (I don't want to thin of the cost there)

The satisfaction when it turns out OK is much greater than mere digital.
 
Regardless if it’s film or digital, for me part of the joy of photography is capturing a moment or a moment at a place.

I’ve got lenses that are “worth it” to me just because of one photo they’ve let me take. I’d have paid the cost in a heartbeat just to get that one image that will bring joy, sadness or a fond memory vividly to mind.

You can’t buy happiness, but sometimes you spend a little* money and it sets you up for happy times.


*that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. ;-)
 
I have been doing a lot of digital recently but was going to do last weekend's photowalk on film until I realised too late that my stash of KM400 and Tri X was all gone !!!! *
I could have called in at WEX on my way to Stratford for replacement film but instead took the digital camera, looking at the shots I took they would have been very different had I used film, not better just different.


* Gone as in my Son has returned to Uni having spent the summer going "Dad can I get some film (from the flight case of film in the basement) ? " and I am sure the last three rolls of Tri X followed him to Birmingham, the KM400 would have been used during the summer. In that respect it has recently been expensive for me but not for him.
Let's not talk about the Portra 400 120 either...


Edit: I do not begrudge him as I have enjoyed how he has taken to learning photography and the time we spent together though the Nikons he has become fond of are a little more questionable. :)
 
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I shoot about 30 rolls of 120 a year, I pay for the film and the developing but scan myself. It can be expensive depending on film stock, but I often stock up on film on deals (Black Friday, Wex loyalty promotions, discounts, etc)

Some of the cost is offset by the rising values of film cameras, I like to try different cameras and I’ve found found that moving them on after I’ve had them 3-4 years results in a tidy profit which can help offset the expense.

That said there is something really satisfying about nailing a shot on film, I just don’t get the same level of satisfaction with a digital shot, and that in itself is worth the expense
 
It feels expensive sometimes. Have blasted through something crazy like 60 rolls since March. Lots of new films keep appearing so I am a kid in a sweet shop. Many were bought years ago so I am pruning the stash down.

I was thinking about it the other day. Modest colour film used to be about £3 a roll and I used to get paid about £3 an hour. Now its about £12 and minimum wage is £12 an hour or so it’s not actually more expensive than 30 odd years ago.
 
If it makes you happy. Seems appropriate! Messing about with film - the cameras, the films, shooting it, processing it, tweaking in PP, all make me happy. I have loads of expired film in the fridge-freezer in the garage, all sorts, I just want to get out with it more often. It makes me happy.
 
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