Why We Still Love Film: Analog Photography in the Digital Age

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Just saw this and wanted to share it with you:


NBC documentary unit Left Field has created an interesting deep dive on the renaissance of film photography in the digital age. In the short doc, the Left Field team try to figure out why the analog process—so time consuming and expensive—has seen such a strong resurgence in recent years.

One of the themes of the doc is that the demographic for these videos and cameras seems to be quite young, with the biggest percentage coming from 18 to 24 year olds, followed by 24 to 35. The natural question is: why? Film photographer Nick Carver thinks he knows.

Source: https://petapixel.com/2020/01/24/wh...racing-analog-photography-in-the-digital-age/
 
Well it amazes me what some (all?) of the digi guys, on Talk photography, don't understand is that it's all quite simple:-
Many of the F&C members also use digi cameras and use a film camera because they want to..............period
 
Also because some people appreciate the design, feel and mechanics of classic and vintage film cameras and find that taking photos with them is pleasurable to the point of being therapeutic. As I've said before, I use digital cameras for taking photos and film cameras for photography. :)
 
I think the dispute comes about because some (not all) film users adopt a stance of superiority which rubs some other people the wrong way. There’s nothing better about using film instead of digital just as there’s nothing better about riding a bike instead of taking the bus. I used film for 45 years and probably made many more prints than most users. Doesn’t make me superior in any way.
 
The media always wants to polarize, to define things in terms of opposites and because of this attitude every new technology is always going to replace the old. A constant barrage of this overly-simple narrative then leads to surprise when, guess what, the new hasn’t replaced the old, both exist side by side. The resurgence of vinyl records was a big surprise, e-readers never replaced paper books and so it is with film. Personally I think there is something innate in human nature that wants to cherish physical artefacts.
 
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Personally I think there is something innate in human nature that wants to cherish physical artefacts.

I think you're right, particularly interesting looking and tactile artefacts. I mean, what sort of person wouldn't want to pick one of these up and have a look at it?

 
I still like film photography, or at least I think I do. It has been a long time, since I have managed to do film photography. :oops: :$
 
I still have slightly more years of experience with film than digital. When I first became seriously interested in photography I was driven by the technology. However, long ago I became much more interested in the final image. Not surprisingly, I have no interest in film now as I can achieve my image more readily using digital technology. I have no problem with others dabbling with film. I occasionally travel by steam on the Severn Valley Railway (with my camera) but would not like to travel any serious distance by that mode any more. There are those who also experiment with pinhole cameras; I did this decades ago I do not need to do this again but nor do I wish to prevent others from dabbling with old technology.

Dave
 
Some could say I'm consistent with my belongings.......

Mk1 Escort > 2010 Focus > lowered suspension & big wheels so it feels more like the Escort to drive.

Yashica FX3 > A7 > Voigtlander lenses so it feels more like the Yashica to use ;)
 
Some could say I'm consistent with my belongings.......

Mk1 Escort > 2010 Focus > lowered suspension & big wheels so it feels more like the Escort to drive.

Yashica FX3 > A7 > Voigtlander lenses so it feels more like the Yashica to use ;)
I think the analogy with classic cars is fair enough. We probably wouldn't want to rely on an elderly classic car as every-day transport (although some do, and fair play to them); I like power steering, the fact my modern car will start first time on a cold, damp, winter morning, climate control, air bag safety, etc.

But I have happy memories of driving this car back in the day... and of taking this photo on that Wednesday afternoon in the summer of 1983 with my Canon A1 SLR on Kodachrome slide film (that's not a great feat of memory, Kodak used to print the processing date on the slide mount!).



For us Gen X and Boomers, film photography with a classic camera is probably something of a nostalgia trip. For today's Millennials, it's probably a retro discovery thing; most will never be able to have the experience of driving a classic sports car/hot hatch on (by today's standards) quiet roads with unrestricted speed limits. They'll not be able to experience the joys (and frustrations) of the now unavailable (at least processing wise) Kodachrome slide film; but they can still enjoy classic film cameras, and modern day films such as Portra 800, Ektar 100, etc. coupled with the delights of using still affordable classic film cameras. So it's not such a bad world for them these days after all... and I can fully understand the growing popularity of film. :)
 
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i must admit i am not really sure why i enjoy using film, its partly that i enjoy using some of the older camera's and the whole process but i think its mainly it slows me down and makes me consider my shot more before pressing the button. I have tried to take that back to my digital process but it never really happens. As a consequence my film composition is better than with digital- still crap but better:p I also can now afford to buy pro grade cameras i lusted after many years ago
Also in the words of someone from here, waiting for the development or films to be returned is great-it delays the disappointment:LOL:
 
.... I have no problem with others dabbling with film. ....
nor do I wish to prevent others from dabbling with old technology.

Dave

Well that’s a relief, thanks Dave :LOL:
 
I think the dispute comes about because some (not all) film users adopt a stance of superiority which rubs some other people the wrong way. There’s nothing better about using film instead of digital just as there’s nothing better about riding a bike instead of taking the bus. I used film for 45 years and probably made many more prints than most users. Doesn’t make me superior in any way.

Well you are some one different\apart using a film camera compared to 5 billion digi users :D
 
Well you are some one different\apart using a film camera compared to 5 billion digi users :D
Hoy! I don't use no stinking film camera and don't you go spreading nasty rumours that I do. :naughty: :naughty: :naughty:
 
Hoy! I don't use no stinking film camera and don't you go spreading nasty rumours that I do. :naughty: :naughty: :naughty:

...but some here at F& C are convinced you get superior results using film...probably B\W. So in a way a film user could be superior to a digi user if they dev the film then working in a darkroom to get all the tones for a B\W print compared to a point and shoot digi user who just uses Photoshop....just saying.
 
and then of course there are the elite togs who will always be the best …..The ones that shoot film through a Canon T90 :p:LOL::LOL:
 
I still have slightly more years of experience with film than digital. When I first became seriously interested in photography I was driven by the technology. However, long ago I became much more interested in the final image. Not surprisingly, I have no interest in film now as I can achieve my image more readily using digital technology. I have no problem with others dabbling with film. I occasionally travel by steam on the Severn Valley Railway (with my camera) but would not like to travel any serious distance by that mode any more. There are those who also experiment with pinhole cameras; I did this decades ago I do not need to do this again but nor do I wish to prevent others from dabbling with old technology.

Dave

This exactly :agree: - well not 'exactly' as I don't like steam trains :D

Dave
 
I still have slightly more years of experience with film than digital. When I first became seriously interested in photography I was driven by the technology. However, long ago I became much more interested in the final image. Not surprisingly, I have no interest in film now as I can achieve my image more readily using digital technology. I have no problem with others dabbling with film. I occasionally travel by steam on the Severn Valley Railway (with my camera) but would not like to travel any serious distance by that mode any more. There are those who also experiment with pinhole cameras; I did this decades ago I do not need to do this again but nor do I wish to prevent others from dabbling with old technology.

Dave
Well that’s a relief, thanks Dave :LOL:
This exactly :agree: - well not 'exactly' as I don't like steam trains :D

Dave

Must be something to do with the name Dave.
 
Kind of grates when people use words like 'dabbling', as if somehow using film could only be considered whimsical. I'm sure it wasn't meant in this way, but even still. Some people choose to use film as their sole format, some even make good money selling the characteristics of film or the connection to the photograph. As said by @sirch, the two media can exist side by side, as let's face it, both have their respective, quantifiable advantages over one another.
 
Kind of grates when people use words like 'dabbling', as if somehow using film could only be considered whimsical. I'm sure it wasn't meant in this way, but even still. Some people choose to use film as their sole format, some even make good money selling the characteristics of film or the connection to the photograph. As said by @sirch, the two media can exist side by side, as let's face it, both have their respective, quantifiable advantages over one another.

Me too but I have almost given up replying to posts about it (almost, but not quite).
 
Also because some people appreciate the design, feel and mechanics of classic and vintage film cameras and find that taking photos with them is pleasurable to the point of being therapeutic...

That is exactly my case, I do not know if film is helping me to improve or if my film photography is better than my digital, but for sure I enjoy a lot more using the film cameras and I find myself more relaxed when using them too.
 
I have yet to find out, if I still like using film. I sort of hope I do. :giggle:
 
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