Film Photography – Will Film Cameras Survive the Era of Digital Cameras?
It’s not going to be easy, but film camera and analog camera fans are making it possible. Film photography has made a comeback after several years of sales decline. News reported that a third of film photographers are in fact a young generation aged below 35. Despite the market collapse, some groups and companies have held on to these nitty-gritty gadgets until now.
Lomography
– makes and sells a line of film cameras at their website and in a couple of physical stores in the U.S., Japan, Brazil and U.K. For a budget of $100 to $200, one can already purchase an instant camera complete with lenses.
The Impossible Project
-is a spin-off of the defunct Polaroid. The company now offers a range of instant film, including a Polaroid kit, complete with a camera and a pack of film for less than $200.
Fuji Instax
– is another company that markets instant film cameras. For a little more than $100, one can get an instant film camera and a supply of films.
Other funky film cameras may be bought online at eBay.Com, Craigslist.Com and KEH.Com. Some of the finest film cameras to buy online include:
Pentax 67
– is a rugged, bulky yet durable medium-format film camera that creates standard size pictures in a dark room. It can take 120 to 220 roll film. Its starting price is $126 (body only) and $320 (body with 165mm lens).
Ricoh GR-1
– is a slim film camera that auspicious for shooting in a crowded place where attention isn’t needed. It features full auto controls that easily convert to aperture priority mode, and an AF that locks in focus on a distant object. It sells at $150 – $200 online.
Nikon N80
-is an affordable 35mm film camera with lightweight, plastic casing. It features a full range of manual controls. Body-only N80 can be had for as low as $13 at KEH, but Craigslist sells a comprehensive pack for $150.
The challenges, creativity and intimate experiences brought with film photography are just some of the compelling reasons why more and more people are into analog. For many young film photographers, the excitement of using an antique camera over the rather mundane digital ones is convincing enough.
