Renew My Faith Please ...

[fparnold]

But you can still buy buggy whips, or special bullets for black powder rifles, to take another example of a long obselete technology.

Yes, but try to get enough men in Red coats together to use those black powder rifles to keep your colonists in line these days.
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To the OP, with apologies to the Kodachrome enthusiasts, there have never been better color films available than there are today. In B&W Ilford makes great products, and Kodak TMax and TriX seem to be safe for the forseeable future. Shoot them, make prints and enjoy the possibilities. If it goes away, you still have the artisitic skills (or can start making your own Autochromes). If it doesn't, then you're several albums of negatives/transparencies ahead of where you'll be if you sit around fretting.

[DBP]

Yes, but try to get enough men in Red coats together to use those black powder rifles to keep your colonists in line these days.
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Those were muskets, for the most part. The rifles came along during the 19th century unpleasantness.

[Black Dog]

Novena? wasn't Kurt Cobain their singer But seriously, while some fantastic products have bitten the dust (RIP VP, TP and Ektalure(, there are loads more out there (Delta 3200 in 120, Fortezo, Kentona etc etc) and others hopefully on the way (come on down, Delta 25). There is also a hard core of analogists and more of us are coming out of the woodwork.

[Steve Smith]

On the subject of continued availability of film, Ken Rockwell summed it up on his website with this comment "..Thus if the three people left on the planet who shoot super-8 in Kodachrome can still get film I doubt we'll ever have a problem in still formats.."

In fact, read the whole article here: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/filmgoingaway.htm

Steve.

[Simon R Galley]

I really do not think you have to worry, choice will inevitably diminish ( which is a shame ) and further consolidation in the coating of silver halide products will take place, but I think the obituary for film is just a little premature, I think the somewhat dramatic reporting of the changes from film to digital and the 'agonies' of the manufacturers as they adapt to the new market realities just hype it all up from time to time. Monochrome will always have a place ( and silver colour too ) it always will, why, because ART and CREATIVITY cannot die, and the requirement to make that ART last will ensure the future of the silver halide process: Photography did not kill painting, in fact it let many more people experience the art of painting...also as long as people want the best, a manufacturer will make it. But analog photography does need advocates and people to share their knowledge and teach the next generation the methods of traditional photography, its why I and my company support APUG..

Simon Galley ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

[catem]

... as long as people want the best, a manufacturer will make it. But analog photography does need advocates and people to share their knowledge and teach the next generation the methods of traditional photography, its why I and my company support APUG..

Simon Galley ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

Thank you!

[eubielicious]

I personally do not find anything to worry about. So long as there is enough demand for film, there will be someone enterprising enough to fulfill the demand. So if Kodak stop making film, there will be an ADOX or Foma to fill their shoes. As Simon Galley made very clear, Ilford Photo have no intention of going away and appear to be not just standing still selling the films that have worked so well in the past, but appear to be looking at new products.

Euan

[Steve Smith]

If my experience is anything to go by (which it usually isn't) I think we will see a slight increase in film use in the future rather than a decline.

I have owned film cameras since I was about ten (I'm 41 now) starting with an Agfa folder then progressing through Nikkormat to Nikon and had always done a bit of photography. However, I didn't get fully into photography until I received a digital compact as a christmas present. This was followed by a Nikon D100 which has now been displaced by a Bronica ETRS, a Rolleicord, a home made 5x4" and numerous other e-bay bargain film cameras some of which I have modified to take film that they were never inted to take.

There, I've admitted it, digital made me a committed film user! Does anyone else have similar experiences? ...... No?..... Just me then!


Steve.

[catem]

If my experience is anything to go by (which it usually isn't) I think we will see a slight increase in film use in the future rather than a decline.

Steve.

I can't say I've gone the same route as you but i also feel more confident about the survival of trad photography than I did a couple of years ago. Although it will always be a niche market i think people (consumers of photographs too) are beginning to realise that they want to preserve it before it's too late. Triumphant claims about the end of film just ring a little hollow and boring to me now, whereas I used to find them depressing...
cate

[wysiwyg]

Triumphant claims about the end of film just ring a little hollow and boring to me now, whereas I used to find them depressing...
cate

I guess that I am at the depressing stage? Anyhow, I think after a couple days of visiting traditional film developing stores and Henry's in the region, the general concensus that I got was that film photography was becoming extinct and the film will not be able to be sourced. I have limited developing resources in the region that will develop professional film, so I can only go by what these people are telling me. And trust me, they are not the typical high school student working weekends, which I try to avoid.

I think my main worry is that I will not have someone to develop and print my pictures close to home, as well as anyone to sell the type of roll film that I would want. Simon Galley gives a lot of hope. Being from Ilford and hearing what you have to say, does encourage me to keep going with my interests and fight the digital beast for a few more years.

Thanks for all the comments. And again I must give credit to this forum. It really shows how many people out there are still in film.