Will Film Camera Prices Crash? || Opinion

[@redguy2076]

Never underestimate desire. And, inflation. Most of my cheaper acquisitions in the early 2010's died off. I've been happy paying the premium in the last few years because I'm able to once again give myself no choice but to previsualize images and also make money off of the results. I used to mainly use electronic film cameras but have slowly built up a redundant roster of fully mechanical ones. I believe that there is a sizable amount of people who are sick of the digital world ripping them away from reality. We will be the ones to keep film photography alive.

[@markjfrey]

Hi, I will be 75 this March and started shooting film in 1969. Continued as a freelance and purchased Rb67, Hasselblad. and 4x5. Shot with these cameras till about 1980 when I sold the medium format cameras and took a break from photography till about 1995 or so when I purchased a Canon digital, and then other Digital and about 2008 started doing Weddings Till about 2020. Then I just shot photos for my own enjoyment, mostly landscape. In December of 2021 I decided to get back to analog! medium format and Large Format 4x5 and love it So glad I went back! Thanks for your channel and great information

[@markrussell5628]

Hi, I'm in my late forties and was introduced to photography as a teenager by a retired gentleman. He was into bw photography, using Bronica 645 gear and a darkroom for all the printing. He was passionate about amateur photography and serious about knowing how to operate the manual functions properly. Intetesting that the higher end gear gone up in price so much. For myself it's the middle of the price range gear, that give most value, Eg RZ 67 and C330. The gear then becomes part of the process of making pictures more.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Great video. I have considered the highest prices of film cameras to be fully exploitive outside of only the most premium cameras. Hasselblads and Leicas might actually be worth much higher prices than they were selling for during the crash, but most of these point and shoots should be sold for hundreds less. Expired film gouging is even more egregious in my opinion, too, and people are exploiting film shortages in the same way. I'm good with a market correction because these exploitive vultures are doing far more harm than good. Also, it's such a weird time that there are people like us who could horde what would have been tens of thousands of dollars of cameras for pennies on the dollar ... I've gotten to where I'm so happy with a small fraction of it.

[@areallyrealisticguyd4333]

I totally agree that expired film gouging has been so bad as of the past couple years. Personally I believe eBay and other selling sites need to step in because there's no reason why sellers should be exploiting a film shortage this much. I remember when you could pick up Portra 160/400 VC for around half or even less than the retail price of modern Portra but nowadays you're paying more some something that doesn't garuantee results

[@treyusher32]

Yeah I never understood the expired film prices, I always thought expired film would be the budget option but it seems like the opposite, tbf not much color film can be considered budget nowadays anyway though

[@semperfi-1918]

With the film i will say that there will be a correction there as well. Not sure if it is Kodak or fuji that said thst the steady 17% growth in production has been for a few years and will continue to grow. That said and being done its goona take some time for the film to catch up. Ive noticed some of my local schools are looking for 35mm cameras and dark room stuff to teach the kids how to do oldfashioned photography. If pentax and other companies make the similar fashioned ones like in the 60's and 70's sturdy cameras with manual controls and battery for the flash and keep it simple lenses... this market will grow again and will correct the prices. Some cameras will however because of limited numbers and hard to find will stay in the higher range wich is ok for me as then that means its an investment and would need to consider why im buying it.

[@davecarrera]

For me colour film will be a rare treat and then only on Ektar 100. Colour photography will be digital in the main going forward. Film for me will be B&W only and after some tests and cost analysis it will be Ilford products only. I am also enjoying making my own darkroom chemicals, mainly Vit C, for both film and paper developing. That’s my road map for my future photography.

[@drewsandersmedia]

35 here. Was big into film in 2008-2010. Took a break until ‘22 and have been shooting all last year. I was shocked to find that film prices had skyrocketed! And also found it interesting that everyone was now seemingly looking for the grain instead of trying to hide it. I also found it strange that my friends wanted point and shoot cameras or vintage, all mechanical SLRs. I had an AE-1 and was given a T2 and I shoot with it exclusively now. Came out in 2004 one of the last that canon made. Really like being able to shoot with EF lenses and have auto focus and all the metering options. I remember the world you talked about. You could go to the corner store and get film or get it developed. Now you have to send it off and wait for scans. I liked walking away with a cd and a sleeve of prints. Now I just get digital scans. But the quality I’m getting from the scans now is awesome. I feel more free taking pictures because I’m not going for a “perfect photo”. I’m experimenting. Heck I’d never pushed film until last year. It would be so cool to see a resurgence in film being driven more by these camera manufacturers having all the modern metering and autofocus advancements from the past 30 years put into a modern film camera. It would be so awesome. I’d also love to see what companies like Kodak could come up with especially since we aren’t just trying to erase the grain to make a “correct” image if you will. All those years of making film emulsions channeled into creating new types of color and B&W film embracing what we once thought of as imperfections and just being creative. Really great video! I liked what you had to say!

[@Riccardo_Mori]

I started photography around 1985-1986. My dad was passionate about it and his passion was contagious. For a few years I shot with the cameras he passed on to me: an old Agfa, then a Canon AE-1. During most of the 1990s my interests gravitated elsewhere, so photography went to the background. Between 2002-2006 I embraced digital enthusiastically, and shortly after my interest in film photography came back very strongly. And circa 2006 was a good time to get back to film. Used gear on eBay was cheap, and local film labs were still developing with good quality and very affordable prices. I have cameras in my film collection that I acquired for 15-20% of the price you'll find them today. A friend of mine managed to buy a Contax T2, a Contax T3, and a full Contax G2 kit for less than today's asking price for a Contax T2 alone! I have no idea when and if film camera prices will crash, but I'm sure there has to come a breaking point down the road. My guess is that breaking point will have something to do with equipment reliability. As you said, the film camera market has been essentially dead for a while now, and the cameras that are still around are getting old. Many mostly-mechanical models can still prove reliable and durable, but those that rely more on electronics are destined to become doorstops. (I have several doorstops and paperweights in the form of Minolta X700's for example). There will still be a market for collectable pieces (they just need to look pretty and in mint condition, they don't need to be working), but as film gear becomes unreliable and in constant need for repairs, I doubt charging too-high prices will remain justifiable. My 2 cents, of course. Keep up the good work! Cheers! //Rick

[@nonessentialanalog]

Ive only been into film photography (photography in general) for over a year and a half. But I've fallen deep into it lol. I wish i couldve paid that low of prices for cameras and film but ive managed to get good deals on my gear that i currently own (and hoard lol.) I dont regret getting into it and dont see myself leaving it for digital at all.

[@treyusher32]

Im in the same boat. Luckily I got an olympus om1 like 10 years ago at an estate sale when I was like 13 for 40 bucks. But I just started to actually use it and learn more about the hobby the past 2 years or so and Im really wishing I tried it out a bit earlier to learn Id want to invest in it. But I definitely don't regret it either I love what Ive learned and can't wait to branch out more (aka get more cameras cuz Im kind of obsessed lol)

[@charlespitts5901]

Because of the new higher price of film stock and the hassle of airport, hotel, and museum scanning, I have endorsed the newish revival of the CCD "film like" sensor. The prices on the most desirable versions are already starting to rise (still relatively cheap). I will still use film locally for photo walks but much less than I did.

[@wubbadubnub]

Yess! Many of the early Fujifilm Super CCD Cameras (I myself use a S2 Pro) create amazing images, very close to film in my opinion. I also love using them, and using Nikon F glass makes them so convenient. I've found myself using the S2 Pro much more than my Nikon F4 or Canon New F1 at this point.

[@slr7075]

I picked up a old $20 Nikon D200 exactly for this reason.

[@jacopoabbruscato9271]

I'm pretty convinced the price hikes in film will ultimately affect the demand for film cameras. A lot of people won't be able to keep shooting film, especially color; beginners will think twice before getting into such an expensive hobby (its cheap nature was the draw for a lot of us). The prices might be back to the 90s adjusted for inflation, but the cameras aren't new anymore and doing any sort of repair has become increasingly difficult and increasingly expensive. A lot of people won't be able or willing to put up with it for a hobby. The pool of potential buyers will most likely shrink faster than the supply, meaning the prices might go down.

[@deancummings586]

Excellent video! About three years ago, my dad gifted me his Nikon FE. I shot a few rolls with it and fell in love with film photography all over again, (I'm in my mid 50s, and grew up with film). Since that time, I've acquired a Minolta Hi-Matic 7s and a Pentax Mini Sport 35 AF for "people snapshot photography." All these cameras have served me very well and now I couldn't imagine not shooting with film!

[@IainHC1]

I got into Medium format photography when I purchased a Yeshiva Mat for £80 10 years ago. I couldn't believe the sharpness from that camera!! Ive been hooked and broke ever since!! Vive la film 🙂

[@samue1991]

Summer 2021 I bought a Canon rebel 2000 and a few rolls of film. I shot some and had fun with it, and my dad started telling me about all the cool medium format cameras he used to photograph our childhoods. I started researching medium format and saw some portraits taken on a Pentax 67 and have been absolutely hooked ever since. I'm far from done buying cameras

[@jaimeduncan6167]

Loved your perspective. Thanks for sharing. I will say also cameras are starting to break off limiting the supply even more. I expect that Hasselblad is going to pass the H soon as Nikon did with eh F6. 3d Printing, machining (subtractive process), low-cost electronics, and open-source code, I believe, are going to produce a revolution in film photography very soon. So even if prices of the classics keep going on there will be alternatives.

[@sfenwick]

Thanks for this video Nico. Your argument makes a lot of sense. I learned film photography on my dad's FE2 in the late '80s/early '90s. Then, digital came, and I abandoned film photography for about 20 years. My dad passed away a couple years ago. After he passed, as a tribute to him, I decided to shoot film again. I got the FE2 serviced, as well as a Ricoh Singlex TLS he gave me. Very quickly, I realized why digital never really did it for me. Shooting film is an entirely different process and experience that appeals to me. So, now that I can afford it, I'm buying a lot of gear. Why? It's a good question. I think, like you, I'm trying to figure out what I like best and what works for what I want to accomplish with my photography. This year, I think I'm going to begin selling some things to refine my arsenal, so to speak. I want to be a shooter, not a collector. Cheers man. Love your work on here.

[@paulcarlsen4088]

I went to a thrift store the other day, and they had a Nikon for $450. It’s outrageous, considering a lot of these cameras just get thrown into a bin before employees sort through the donations. They’re just picking prices off of eBay.

[@3c3c3c]

Ebay prices are usually high because they take a huge chunk of the sale, I bought all my cameras a half of the eBay price just by offering cash on the spot, its a very good idea to check your local online marketplaces, the people charge eBay prices but will be very eager to lower the price for convenience

[@Adrian-wd4rn]

@@3c3c3c This...What I would sell for $1700-2,100 for an M6 in person, is easily 2600-2700 on ebay.

[@tplyons5459]

I've been collecting Soviet era cameras for years and recently started on the Kiev line. I have noticed that since the war started the eBay price of Kiev-88's has gone up 10-20% in some cases. Also down here in Australia the new Koday point and shoots have shown up in the stores.

[@brineb58]

Well thought out observation ... I think that there really needs to be a new quality advanced amateur camera ... there is no place for pro film cameras, digital fills that, but the "hipsters" need a quality camera!!! I started with film in the mid 1970s and really never totally stopped ... I do have digital cameras and use them for creativity (first camera was a Kodak DC40 in the late 90s) but I still feel the magic of analog is still in my soul!!!

[@Martin_Siegel]

I was born when there was just film photography and I bought my first camera (Zenit 12XP) in 1988 from a shop. I did not buy the FotoSniper set although it was quite affordable, about 3000 ATS (a bit over 400 DM) but the regular was one third of that and I was a young father. I saw the camera prices go down in the early 2000s, lenses as well - a Helios 44M-4 was 5$/€. I longed for an Olympus XA for some years and suddenly one turned up for 15€ the batteries I bought were 14€. It was easy at the time to hoard cameras even on a medium income and I'm guilty of that. A late uncle of mine was a professional photographer from the 1960ies or so on. He did studio/catalogue work and and also outdoor for commercial/industry customers. He invested what would have bought him a car into the change to digital and never regretted it. When he retired I helped him clear his studio space and I got some nice cameras for that. I hope for a return of the camera repair shops but I am not sure. We have a few in Austria but I don't know if all will be able to pull through due to lack of people. Some were reduced to one-man shows who just managed to earn a living in the 2000s and without the possibility to employ and train possible successors. So a lot of knowledge faded - just as it is with Pentax. Film photography will remain as long as there is film, my guess. Downscaling is difficult as FilmFerrania proofs - even with the in-house knowledge they secured. Film won't get much cheaper I fear and producers are not earning a premium as many suspect they are just making a profit, IMO. Anyway, film photography is a great hobby let's hope it will last for a while.

[@TheNewBruno69]

i got into film photography actually recently but absolutely not for any of the social media, i started to get interest to my father's old camera Fuji STX-2, my father kept it super clean and very well mantained, with a 50mm lens, a 80-200mm zoom, and a 100mm macro fixed (macro and 50mm fujinon) and i started playing with it, shooting a bit, mostly cause i really wanted to try a piece of both my father's and my life aswell, he used taht camera to take the photos i see of both myself and my brother, and that gave more of a romantic affect to it more than anything, and after i basically got myself interested i found myself into this era of massive reinterest of film photography from anyone of my age to younger and slightly older, i'm in my mid 20 for give an idea, and that brought me to get interested to other cameras aswell lol, but i done what you've done too, i tried a bunch of cameras so far, and i chosen 2 SLR (the fuji as my main camera, and a classic Canon A-1 that i got gifted from my friend's father actually) got a range finder (Yashica Electro 35 GNS... or GSN can't remember right now) and the Yashica Mat-LM as a medium format TLR camera, wich i LOVE to shoot, it's my favourite camera to use and i only shoot B&W with it, it feels more right aswell in a way

[@JohnnyMcMillan]

You're definitely seeing an increase in young people starting film but wonder how long that will last when they realise how expensive film buying and developing can be

[@nonessentialanalog]

Thats why i just learned to develop all my film myself. Picked up my first digital like 5 months ago and rarely pick it up aside from digitizing my film.

[@tylerfukuda]

Depends on what they are using film for. I for one am a working cinematographer in the film industry and use it as a mixed medium. It’s also another toolset to master: Composition, exposure, patience.. etc. AND even if you aren’t necessarily getting paid to do shoot on film, then at-least you have your negatives that can be stored for another day. I can’t say much for hard drives and what will happen to them in the future. All this to say, it’s not always just a “trend”, some of us actually enjoy and respect the artform.

[@Yosser70]

@greypixelphotographydotcom5754Young kids have plenty of patience and produce very good work. Also, the demand for film cameras means theres a demand for film which we should be glad of. If this resurgence of interest in film hadn’t happened, we wouldn’t be seeing new films coming out and probably see even higher prices for film, until the factories all close down. We should encourage anyone interested in film to give it a go, for our own interests.

[@Adrian-wd4rn]

@greypixelphotographydotcom5754 Except before young people took over again, film was literally in its dying stages. Once young people lose interest again, kodak will pull out of color film, thus, no more color options. and Ilford will have to jack up their prices...Hope you enjoy $15 a roll for HP5 and $200 bulk rolls!

[@Adrian-wd4rn]

@@tylerfukuda I love film, but I also still have harddrives from years ago...They take up far less space than my binders full of film, and tbh, they have far less degradation than my film images from 15 years ago...so...

[@empiricusdremomys7210]

Also bought a lot when things were dirt cheap. Sold some cameras and lenses because the prices went up so much like for Canon FDs asphericals. Very happy that so much interest is coming back. Happy doing digital and film photography. I even build a Polaroid back for my RZ67 Pro II which I bought for $100 way back.

[@Dahrenhorst]

1. High priced analog cameras are high priced because they are hyped by Instagram, TikTok, KZbin etc. There are still millions of cameras out there to very low prices, simply because they are simply not known (I just bought a Sigma SA-7 with its Sigma zoom lens in fully working condition for 40 € - this camera can give any prosumer SLR a run for its money). 2. MMM - Metal, Mechanic, Manual. When you are looking for that you will find a massive supply of cameras made before the 60s. Watch some KZbin videos, buy a few books and some tools, and practically everybody can do a mostly needed CLA on them without large problems. Perfect cameras for great pictures, massive cool factor, and more or less completely unknown. A few weeks ago I bought an Agfa Ambi Silette with three lenses for 45 €. 3. As mentioned in another comment: CCD-sensors - the new coming trend. Spend a few hundred bucks and buy a dozen or two of the better of those cameras and you will be able to sell them for a multiple of that in a few years, if you are out for profit. 4. As mentioned in the Video, the killer factor is film. Until last year, in Germany we could buy Kodak Gold for 3,30 € per 36-roll. Now its 5,30 € here - compared to international prices still a steal, even cheaper than most b&w films. I buy Fomapan for less than 3 € per roll as bulk film directly in Czechia, and 120 film for around 4 €. That's ok. But I see most prices of film rolls climbing to 10 €/$ per roll and above, and that's not ok. The film industry has the potential to kill this emerging market, and looks like it is hell bend to actually do this.

[@35mm21]

There's definitely short term money to be made in old point and shoots, but I don't think that fad is going to last. Agree film prices are going to kill the film revival too -- if young people can't afford to participate in the craft it will slowly dye

[@odukar2315]

Like you, I started in the analogue world. Then switched to digital, however, and returned to analogue film again about ten years ago. The reasons were that I got tired of the mass of digital images and suddenly I could afford the camera stuff which I had dreamed of for many years. In those times I bought all the high-end cameras such as Hasselblad, Mamiya, Linhoff and Nikon F. Although I reduced spending on new cameras, I meanwhile look for good cheap cameras which have the potential for easy repair or some maintenance. Meanwhile, I own more than 150 analogue cameras, which all work fine. I have no special preference for cameras. Therefore I own 35mm, mid-size and large format stuff. Looking at the prices I paid and the potential prices I can achieve by selling those cameras, I would say that in total it will be a wash. One problem most collectors have will be the burden on their children when they will pass away, and the whole collection needs to be valued and sold. This may overstrain progeny.

[@joseerazevedo]

I started with film in the 70's, saved money I was given to eat at school during the week to shoot on weekends. Only color, at that time. Then, on the late 80's, when I married, I made a small darkroom at home and began shooting only B&W. In the late 90's after problems with the electronics of a Canon T90, it was time for a rethink. I was NEVER a big fan of electronics... After the second shutter failure in less than 2 years, I sold the T90 and found a mint Nikon F2A, a passion since I first saw it in the 70's. And... mechanical! As the family grew, I ended up selling my darkroom and went for a new concept at the time: hybrid. Shoot 35mm and scan on a Nikon Coolscan III. On the early 2000's, as prices were really low, I went for a Rolleiflex with a Rolleikin, so my hybrid concept was kept. At that time I fell in love with the Rolleiflex system and quality. At this time, since I had no more darkroom, I was shooting only color and all my B&W films were kept on the freezer since the 90's. My wife loved it. Then, for a few years my camera was the iPhone. The Rolleiflex an Nikon were well stored, sometimes I played with them but didn't shoot that much. Digital was the way to go. By 2016, I picked a D7000. Lovely camera, but I'm a full frame person. On 2020 I decided I had to go for a full frame: a D700. Why? It has buttons and the sensor with the biggest pixels EVER. Yes, it makes a difference, specially whe you enlarge it. This will probably be my last digital camera. After that, I had a digital full frame, a film full frame and a full frame Rolleiflex. Then, came the pandemics.Prices retracted. I found a Beseler 23CIIIXL for almost nothing and decided to build a B&W lab again, but this time for both 35 and 120. I took the Rolleikin off the Rolleiflex and am enjoying it more than ever. B&W mostly. BUT I also found a Rollei P11 and began to look for some slide 120 film. Those who never saw 120 slide projection should do it at least once. It is out of this world! After getting more and more into Rolleis, I discovered the 35. What a camera, what a lens - both the Tessar and Sonnar. Today I shoot mostly B&W, but because I develop at home and am lazy to drive to a lab where they develop E-6 and C-41. But I'll shoot more color, specially 120 Velvia 50. After all these years and many cameras, my system will consist of 2 Rolleiflex 3.5F, a Rollei 35 and a 35S, an F2A, an F100 and the D700. I believe that if you have one, you have none, that's why I have two of the older ones.I always treat them very well and do a CLA every four years, max. I believe if Kodak and Fuji bring back from death minilabs, color film photo will have a future. Close to home there's a place where they send film for processing. It used to take 2 weeks to have it back. Now it takes only one and they're offering enlarging services in two days, something that never happened for a looooooong time. I develop and enlarge B&W at home, it's a special pleasure. I believe it'll always have a future becaus it's a craft, am artisan process. I wish there were more paper options where I live but maybe sometime in the future. By the way, the future of photo printing is already here: laser printing on minilabs, be it color or B&W now that Ilford developed a paper for it. I don't like inkjets "fine arts". They might live longer than silver gelatin prints, I don't care. I won't be here to see any reach their end. I've many prints I made on my first darkroom in the 80's that are perfect. Inkjet is a fine process, but it's not a photographic process. Inkjet is not a photographic process, never will be. It's an ink printing process. But I'm old school.

[@josephmaltinsky549]

When I was stuck at home for a month at the beginning of the pandemic, I found my father's old Minolta XE-7. It was broken, but then lens was not, so I went to my local camera store and picked up a Minolta X-700. I've been a digital hobbyist photographer for a while, and remembered using an Olympus point and shoot camera when I was younger. Walking around with the Minolta when there was nothing else to do ended up being a great activity. I've always appreciated mechanical gadgets, so I became obsessed with film cameras. They're so much more fun and interesting to use than digital cameras. I'm afraid to actually count how many I have right now, but the ones I use the most are the Canon A-1 for 35mm, and the Bronica ETRs and Yashica Mat 124G for 120. I really hope that the price of the higher-end cameras comes down at least a little bit, because I'd really like to own something that shoots 6x7. I'm currently scanning my 36th roll of film that I've shot since the pandemic started, while my digital camera collects dust on the shelf. Maybe I'll use it some day to scan my film!

[@GordonMoat]

One of the cameras I’ve shot professionally, and then kept, has been the Bronica RF645. When I moved paid shoots to mostly digital, the RF645 wasn’t worth much to sell, plus I really enjoyed using it. Just for curiosity, I checked current used prices, and I’m surprised how much a good example costs now. While I’m not going to sell it, the price rise still is amazing. Lastly, I think most rangefinder cameras will continue to hold their values, because the experience of using a rangefinder is so unique compared to using an SLR.

[@isaiaharmstrong1799]

I'm saving up to get one now, I have a sqa and just love bronicas. I'm thinking of using it for a personal project next year!

[@horse_dog]

i started photography in late july-early august of 2022. i’ve only shot film. idk if i’ll shoot digital, as i wanted to start photography because i was inspired by street photographers of the past who shot film. i shoot with a nikon f2 and a bronica sq-a. i got my nikon f2 at a discount because the attached dp-3 light meter doesn’t work (iso wheel is stuck) and it came with a 50mm f/2 lens, and i got it for the price of less than just an f2 body. the bronica sq-a was a gift from my parents for christmas. it’s basically mint condition and came with a 105mm f/3.5 lens, my guess is they got it for around $600. i mostly shoot black and white because it’s cheaper and i also love the b&w aesthetic.

[@jonlouis2582]

I'm 58 and like you I grew up shooting film and took photography classes through school and Uni. I started with 126, then 35mm (Olympus), and some 120 in upper-level classes. (Yashica) I also inherited a Zeiss TLR, and shot film consistently until a few years ago. I never really took to digital photography, except for work, where I had to use it. I lost my job a few years ago, and can no longer afford film, so I'm organizing my film cameras to (mostly) be sold. Probably not 7 pallets full, but a lot.

[@PandasHaveNoFear]

I got into film photography first in 2011 for a few months. I found in my dad's closet a Minolta Maxxum 7000. When i asked him about it he said he payed about $25 for it and bought it by mistake trying to find a bargain digital camera. I got into photography somewhat seriously in 2021 when i got a Fuji digital camera on sale at a bigbox store. I went back home for the holidays and brought that old Minolta back with me. I instantly fell in love again with film when i got my film back and started looking to get a point and shoot as i did not want to carry around a big camera. First film camera i actually bought was a Contax TVS for about $330 and just went down the rabbit hole from there. I've bought and sold many cameras some at bargain prices and some at market value. Currently have an M6, a big set of Contax C/Y bodies and lenses and a Hasselblad kit and basically only shoot film for my personal stuff. I'm actually trying to downsize and just keep what I gravitate towards using the most.

[@ChrisMarxen]

Interesting thoughts. As with everything it's about supply and demand. It feels like the current "trend" is about to peak or maybe already has. I think certain iconic models (maybe used by famous photographers in the past) will stay at a high price level, others may come down a bit. One reason can be reparability. For me at least. I love the Hasselblad XPan but I would never get one because of the electronics. Spending 3-4 grand with the risk of an irreparable defect is too risky. I'm only interested in mechanical film cameras and i have a guy to fix them for me. In the end personally I don't care about prices in the future. I have a 500CM a FM2 and a Chamonix F-2 - all three in mint condition and i paid fair prices (for both sides). Which does not matter, since it's a one time purchase and i'll never sell them. I think there are enough cameras in rotation. Even some "new" owner will sell one every once in a while.

[@archieclark6065]

Very interesting and comprehensive description of the film camera market. I'm happy that part of the price support is coming from new interest in analog photography. But as you point out much of that interest may be focused on low tech cameras. To that end I hope that if market demand gives incentive for new camera production some of those products will support the photography education community. What something is worth is what someone is willing to pay for it. There's no point in describing high prices as greed. A rational person seeks to maximize her revenues. Two trends are in force. One is increased popularity of film photography. That trend may or may not continue. Another reality is the shrinking supply of used film cameras. That creates an upward pressure on prices. But it also creates opportunity for new production. I think the upshot is eventual long term equilibrium and stabilization of prices. Good luck to all who love film as I do.

[@neilpiper9889]

I got into film photography in 1958 when I was 13. I went into professional photography when I was 16, weddings portrait and press until I was 26. Then I started a family and bought a house. I bought a Pentax Spotmatic and an enlarger and had a home darkroom. Bought a Bronica EC with a 50mm Nikkor f4 lens. I am 77 now and have a darkroom, a Yashica Mat and still have the Spotmatic. In 2008 I bought a Nikon D40 with a 18-70 Nikon lens and a SB600 speedlight and did a friend's wedding. It turned out fine. I wouldn't do a wedding ever again though, too stressful. I bought a Pentax 67 with a 55mm f4 rubber grip lens and did some lovely work with it. When the prices went through the roof I sold it for a big profit but I miss it. Now, I can't afford one. So I use a 1957 Yashica Mat with a 75mm 3.5 Lumaxar lens and the Spotmatic with the wonderful 55mm 1.8 lens. I agree with your comment that it would be awful if Kodak went bust again. I will be paying the price of their films hoping that they keep going. Kodak Trix and Portra 400 are my go to choices.

[@Juusteli]

Very interesting video. I got into film a year ago and could still l get reasonably priced consumer/prosumer 35mm cameras, plus a few from relatives who didn't care about reselling their old film cameras. I'm interested in getting into medium format at some point and its disappointing to hear that the prices for those probably won't go down much. Although I'm more worried about the price of film than cameras right now, as I'm pretty happy with the cameras I have but can't afford to shoot as much as I'd like.

[@chilecayenne]

Yeah, you're probably not going to get into a Hasselblad or Mamiya MF camera cheap these days....BUT, there's other good MF film cameras out there, don't worry. I recently got a couple of old pre-WW2 Zeiss Super Iknonta cameras...folders with rangefinders, one is 6x6 and other is 6x9. Full manual, great images. Look for a Yashica TLR....the Mat 124G model is really nice and if you hunt and wait, I think you can still find a good price on that. Anyway, just look around. If nothing else, there some folks making really nice MF pinhole cameras out there...which is a fun game itself and something different. Lastly...maybe look into something like a LF camera such as the Intrepid. Good new camera, nice price, and while not portable...is useful as that you can also get adapters to attach MF roll film backs and take all sorts of different aspect ratio shots...and even get the lomograflock back and shoot instax instant film on it. So, you just gotta hunt and find the gems out there. Good Luck!

[@WittyDroog]

I stopped feeling "stung" by the price of film when I realized that when I used to sell film was during the rise of digital so it was in full crisis "keep the lights on" mode, and I took that pricing for granted. When looking at articles that outline the cost of films across the decades we're still below what people expectedly paid for film once you account for inflation, and there are some times when a 36exp roll of color film might cost an absolutely eye watering $80 a roll once you figure for inflation, and gives a lot of context to why rolls used to be 12 and 24exp more dominantly and why half frame cameras had that brief trend. Don't get me wrong, I don't WANT to spend $20 a roll if I can avoid it, but I try to keep everything in perspective. Not to mention if Kodak is true to their word and their pricing reflects not just continuing business but investing into rebuilding this business then I'll consider the cost to be a worthwhile investment for my hobby,. Your miles will vary, obviously.

[@theothertonydutch]

There's plenty of film around 6 bucks. Either expired or brands like ADOX or Fomapan come to mind. I get that people have preference but I also did not prefer to eat brussels sprouts. My mom still made me eat them and I've developed a taste for them, even if it's a sort of nostalgia. Reloading your own film is also very much a possibility. 12 exp film was fun/weird. I scored a bunch of expired FP4 several in 12exp years ago and my best pictures were taken with that film on an EOS 300 with a 28-75 tamron. The lens was the most expensive thing but I got that for documentation on my digital EOS and using it on analog EOS bodies has been a treat.

[@WittyDroog]

@@theothertonydutch Oh for sure my fridge is full of expired rolls and cheap Foma/Kentmere, the pricing I was discussing above is for color film which even the most basic "consumer" stuff demands $15+ stateside, which again adjusted for inflation is still under what people have historically paid, that's just how color film is. But sure you can absolutely save by shooting black and white and 24 or lower exposure. I shoot a lot of 120mm because, even though the per frame cost isn't as "bargain" the per roll cost just feels better to the wallet and of course the character of medium format is interesting. Helps that Gold is now available in 120, is reasonably affordable, AND most importantly in stock at time of this writing.

[@sriggs815]

I started with a Pentax ME film in high school, got a Pentax S1 digi in my late 20's and just inherited a Hasselblad 500c. I'm just a hobbyist who likes to shoot from time to time.

[@CalumetVideo]

I think you will see a new trend. You will see people that shoot 35mm color film starting to shoot less color film. We are already seeing a drift back to 35mm analog style digital cameras. I think that Black and White photography will remain strong as will medium and large format photography. Over all I see the trendy hipster shooters moving toward digital. I don’t think Kodak really anticipated the film renaissance, they were probably thinking this could be a short term “throw-back” project for a few years.

[@bakeee]

i agree with you completely, i stopped shooting color, switched to BW, and now im shooting a 20$ digicam for BW and it ALMOST looks the same as some BW film emulation. the reason why film cameras are so expensive is because film cameras are getting more and more rare because they are so OLD, some of them dont even work anymore. digicams wont go up in price that much because there are a TON of them, also they are fairly recently made.

[@35mm21]

I don't think the "Cheap digicam" thing is going to last very long. There's nothing special about using an old, yet still modern, digital camera. Like I can see the appeal of using an early cam with a floppy disk for storage but you can't tell me there's anything special about using a Kodak Point and Shoot from 2007. I get the appeal that it's "retro on the cheap" but the Lomo fad died too. The thing about film is that you can make it look as "lomo" or as high quality as you personally want it to look. There's just more appeal to more people. Plus the actual experience of shooting film is a tactile experience that's different than shooting digital. If you're using a shitty old digital camera its the same experience as shooting a new one...just the pictures suck.

[@xhornik]

@@35mm21 don't agree at all. The cheap digicam trend has the same source as the analog. The key element here is most of the analog/digicam buyers want cameras to be creative. And one of the best catalyst for creation is some sort of restriction. Modern cameras and cellphones are just too good to provide that stimul. Crappy dynamic range, poor low light performance and quirky controls are just another type or self implied restriction but not to different from 36 frames on film roll on analog cameras. I belive its just matter of time before there will me few high sought after digicams addet to the list aside all those Mjus, Contaxes and T4s.

[@martinxu7252]

I think the big difference between film making a resurgence and these digicams is that a 35mm negative is about 10 times the size of even a modern phone camera sensor (e.g. 1/1.28" sensor in the iphone 14 giga pro maximum or whatever) let alone phones back then, so it literally blew our minds back in the early 2010s when we discovered you could buy a ratty old camera from someone's garage, slap a roll of superia in it and get photos that not only had nicer colours, but also comparable if not better level of detail than flagship smartphones at the time. On the other hand, these small sensor compacts are literally just worse than phone cameras in every way possible and if Apple/Samsung/Google figure out how to put a proper flash on their phones, it's hard to see why anyone would buy a digicam

[@jeffffff]

​@@xhornik The Canon sd1000 has spiked up in price over the past year or so and is becoming the trendy digicam. I'd imagine there are a few others. Thankfully other than aesthetics there's nothing really special about the sd1000 so you can just use any other digicam. (the sd790 looks similar and is better and cheaper :) )

[@kiwipics]

@Nico's Photography Show .... Isn't this just like everything else in life ? Supply and demand exists in everyday life. Fads come and they go, and so it is in photography. This is now evident in both digital (CCD point and shoot lust / envy) and analogue photography....... Life goes on. I find all of this amusing, and I just amble on in photographic bliss, because although I "only" started out my photographic journey in the mid to late 70s, I shot on 10x8 & 5x4 Sinars, Blads, Bronicas, Kowas, Mamiyas, Nikons, Pentax and Canons during my analogue apprenticeship / upbringing, and didn't shoot digital until the release of the Canon 10d. I now don't feel the need to shoot analogue because I've done that in the past ... I have my analogue gear, but very rarely.

[@MaxthonFan]

I got into film photography as recently as 2019 when I picked up a fully functioning Revue 5005 for under 10€. Paired it with my M42 lenses I was adapting to my mirrorless Fuji. Later got myself a Fujica ST801 for 20€ and had it serviced fo 150€. Last addition was a 6x9 Zeiss Ikon Nettar folding camera for 25€ + 100€ servicing. Literally haven't touched my mirrorless in over a year now. There are a lot of great mechanical cameras for reasonable prices out there and there are many great people in the community who can do a CLA on these.

[@JanneRanta]

Film photography is not dead but smells funny??? 😀

[@tellme1948]

Still miss my Polaroid...that moment as the Photo developes! priceless!

[@Bonsees]

I’m a channel that only gets views from reusable plastic film cameras 😬 haha I was just chatting with a friend about how we think camera prices will probably drop this year, mostly because film prices are going up and seems like some kids are moving on to early 00s digicams 👀 I hope it settles though, I love film too much haha

[@MrHauerManuel]

3:57 the digital camera wave that made hasselblads cheap at that time also happend to digital music gear hitting the market (roland tr909 for free at some stores!) and now they r selling for 5k !

What is very frustrating for some time, is that more and more people not necessarily very interested in film photography take advantage of it to make money by raising the prices. There are a lot of cameras and lenses that are way overpriced. Another problem is the KZbinrs who make the prices of some equipment go up. This has to stop, it doesn't help the photography community at all. Moreover, on a planet where natural resources are running out, where competition for strategic metals is increasing and where energy is going to be more and more expensive, film cameras have a great future ahead of them, especially those entirely mechanical. I would bet on that. I also think that more and more people will turn away from the immediacy and hypertechnicity of digital photography to rediscover the simplicity and slowness associated with film.

[@linjicakonikon7666]

I got into film photography when I turned 18 in 1971, a golden year in photography. I was gifted a Canon FTb as a high school graduation gift and headed off to Europe for a year with rolls of High Speed Ektachrome (160 ASA) and Ektachrome X (64 ASA). I returned with a life-changing passion for photography that continues to this day (I'm 69). I have numerous books to my credit and numerous cameras, both digital and analog. My color is relegated to digital and medium and large format film photography, the rest, in every format, is monochrome. I used to travel across the continent and occasionally overseas, but now I've turned my attention to just the rural town in which I live and most of that is focused on the hill which I call home. My most used cameras are the Nikon D3 DSLR and Canon VT Deluxe film rangefinder. Both are satisfying to use, dependable and good companions, well suited for my walk around photography. I buy film in moderate quantity (50 rolls at a time) and work at a leisurely pace. I used to shoot Velvia in large quantity but those days are forever gone, sadly. At my age I've learned to accept the seasons of life. What if the future? I'm not concerned, I've enjoyed a good run. Each generation finds it's own way.

[@JHurrenPhotography]

Wow, awesome story. Reminds me of a friend of mine who still comes to his used camera shop 3 days a week. He lived in LA in 1969. He loved his Nikons, for a time Hasselblad until 35mm film got good enough with the advent of Portra. What an interesting man.

[@JHurrenPhotography]

He totally quit film with everyone else, but periodically dabbles

[@HawklordLI]

In the last several years I have bought several cameras on e-bay and found several good deals at thrift stores. I've noticed in the past couple of years that finding film cameras at thrift stores has become very rare and and the cost of film cameras on e-bay has gotten ridiculous. (I started film photography in 1974 with a Minolta SRT-100, didn't get into Medium Format until a few years ago... and yes I have far too many cameras.)

[@robhowarth77]

I have been in photography since the early 70s. What I have noticed is that there are an extraordinary number of u tubers who post all kinds of of ( sometimes erroneous ) information regarding film photography , when they have little or no experience or knowledge of the nature of film photography and do not even understand the basic details of the nature of light and how film reacts to light. All they seem to do is collect vast numbers of film cameras , apparently in the belief that the more cameras they own , the bigger the expert they are . It is these people who have contributed the shortage and rising prices of used film cameras . I was mainly amateur but did continue to do pro assignments when the assignment interested me until about 2007. Professional photographers did not collect cameras ; they generally had about 3 cameras to cover 35mm and 6X6/6X7 format . Some of them stuck with these cameras for the rest of their lives and the camera became an extension of them in their photography . Pro photographers were not were not interested in additional expense or continually having to familiarise themselves with different cameras .

[@zerixos]

Its funny, I remember I picked up my first camera for a school project and it was a Nikon F501, because i couldn't afford a digital camera. I fell in love with photography and saved up my side-job salary to buy a Nikon D90 (because it also could use the same lenses).
A few years later I got back into film photography because everyone was doing digital by then and wanted to shoot film again, found a Leica fIII and Hasselblad for next to nothing. I shot a few dozen rolls on the Leica and even less on the Hasselblad to sell them off because all the labs where closing and I didn't want to send my rolls via mail only to rack up the price twice as much. Couple years later once again got back into film and bought a Leica M4 for a fair price and started developing at home. This made it all a bit cheaper until prices started to increase just before the pandemic hit and figured I’d sell my M4 to buy a Nikon f3 to have some money for film and wanted a light meter, but recently I sold a kidney to upgrade my F3 to a Leica M6 and sell off other limbs to get film. I wonder at wat point I just sell it all because it gets too expensive to maintain. At this point potra 400 in 120 is cheaper than 35mm, maybe I should get a Hasselblad again?

[@JHurrenPhotography]

Hahahahah. What a tail. Makes me feel just fine about some of the sales I've made lately. I may have sold the Mamiya 645 Super, but I kept my Mamiya 7 and have some money to buy some Kodak film before the price hikes in March.

[@TXGRunner]

The collector market is another factor affecting prices of older mechanical cameras. Especially on eBay, there are camera listings targeting collectors with no intent to shoot regularly - they do want a working example, but they are more concerned with appearance than usability. The '58 Baby Rolleiflexes and Minolta Miniflex are good examples where prices are relatively high compared to a TopCon PrimoJR which is much easier to use, has a brighter viewfinder, faster lenses, and greater functionality in a smaller package. A top condition Miniflex is over US$1000, while working PrimoJRs regularly go for US$150-$200 in very good condition. I think that similarly explains some of the price differences between Rollei's and Yashicas or Flexarets: collectors. There is another interesting development, at least for mechanical cameras. The low price of 3D printing and desktop CNC machines means specialist repair shops (e.g. kiijtos in Japan) can and do make their own replacement parts for higher value cameras or for parts where wear or time (brittleness) make new replacements worthwhile. I think the dynamics for all/mostly plastic cameras and those with significant electronics are very different. I think they have less collector appeal and repair limitations make them poorer candidates for users.

[@philipu150]

Well, I'm ancient history in this respect. As a 16-yr-old in 1968, I got my first 35mm, a Nikkormat FTn with a 50mm f/2 for $200. In the early '80s as a pro, when my camera bag was stolen, I replaced my 2 FTn's with FM2's, fairly new and going for about $250, I think; a got some new and some used lenses, all primes, to replace what I lost. During the film denouement, I sold my Nikon equipment since I had to get a desk job to pay bills, but I kept my M4 kit (M4 and 50 Summicron gotten in college for about $400), my used Mamiya 645 kit, and my Omega 4x5. I never had the money or interest to switch to digital. I remain a film man.

[@MichaelQC]

Hi Nico, recent subscriber here. I agree with your prediction that the bottom prices will continue to go up as more young people want to just get their toes wet in film photography but do not want the troubles of repairing serious gear. I have been through the phase of thrifting cameras and lenses and now settled on 2 cameras that I use regularly (among a collection of only 6 cameras). I think more and more film photographers -- if they do not quit due to price of film rising -- will do the same. They will cut back on the number of cameras/lenses that they use, and will not bat an eye to send their daily gear for $300 repairs.

[@toulcaz31]

To me there are two important trends that led to higher prices lately that could drive things down a bit: 1) As you mentioned, Supply matters. Right now, a lot of stores have Inventories way bigger than a year ago. Someone who is buying from a store that is not moving products is likely over paying. 2) The one who sells a camera, serviced and with a warranty supporting the seriousness of that service, should command the higher price. Too many sellers align, with KEH prices for instance, without providing these guarantees. These are definitely overpriced. At the end of the day, it's a lot about the buyers taking their time, doing a bit of homework before opening the wallet. Future will tell how much of these impulsive buyers will remain...

[@huntercreatesthings]

I got started in 2018 so just ahead of the film explosion - got my K1000 SE with a huge pile of extra bits and bobs and a few lenses for close to €30, it's 10xed in value since then. Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to jump on the medium format bandwagon!

[@PalKrammer]

Thank you for this excellent analysis of the state of film photography and how we arrived at this point. Like you, I was able to buy Hasselblads, RB’s, Pentax 6x7’s and their lenses at amazing prices up until around 2015. I began serious film photography in 1971, but could only afford a few really nice cameras up until about 2000. It’s crazy, but I have over 100 film cameras now - many of them high quality such as Canon F-1N, Nikon F2, F3/T, F4, Leicas, Olympus, Minolta, … crazy. I do use them all and try to get them serviced when needed. Would love to hear your comments on the RB67 series and their care. Thanks again.

[@jaimeduncan6167]

2:56 The professional that adopted digital were mostly photojournalists forced by corporate. The rest were hating on it (slow, low resolution etc) eventually some started to do it as tech improved, even some high fashion and product photographers one digital back got to 20 megapixels. We are talking about names like Douglas Dubler )and he wonders if it was a mistake nowadays), but most professionals keep shooting film. The photojournalists started to love them because of the immediate process and the number of shoots (more than 96) and the rest is history.

[@arricammarques1955]

Hasselblad 503CX with Carl Zeiss Distagon 50mm. Adore this camera.

[@jeff8289]

GAS is a highly infectious condition. In 2011, I sold my Hasselblad to buy a Canon 30D. I had many regrets. I missed that Hasselblad kurplunk. Around 2016, I found on eBay 3 Hasselblad EM bodies, as well as a 500CM. There was also a 150mm C lens to go with it. Someone owned a portrait studio and sadly passed away. The grandson was selling these off, apparently not knowing the value. Total price: $400. We were both happy. Over the next couple of years, I sold off the C lenses and replaced them with the T*. I now have a 50mm; 80mm; 150mm; 250mm. My total investment is probably less than $2,000. There is something very satisfying about taking your time to set up the shot, as opposed to snap and run. My very first camera as a teenager was a Yashica D, Looking back at it, the lens had wonderful contract and was very sharp. I traded it in for a Leica IIIf, only to get holy ***** for the exchange from my parents. Along the way, and Exacta VXIIA, then a Pentax Spotmatic. The journey has been fun, although I have added a Chamonix 4x5, as well as a 5D4 just to stay in the game. When I was a teenager back in the 60s, I used to show cats with the Cat Fanciers Association. At one show, Sports Illustrated had a photographer there working the floor. Striking up a conversation, he asked me to help him when I wasn't called up for judging. I don't think the shoot made it to the magazine, but it certainly resonated within me. It clearly cemented my relationship with film.

[@marcp.1752]

I do shoot film since i was little, 1984. I won't stop. I love the haptics, love the whole film shooting experience, love the gear, too. It's simply no comparsion to digital. Of course, digital is better than 35mm Film, but the fun, the joy film photography does give you - truly only one which is shooting film, knows it. And that's totally different, then just a RAW file, or jpeg onto your memory card...which is boring. /edit You can buy everything, from literally free, as "found in the attic" 35mm SLR, and you can pay 1000's for your preferred Leica, and everything into between. It's great, to have choices.

[@MichaelTuck94]

Around 3 years ago I think I was probably overpaying just to make sure the cameras worked like you said but recently I'm more than happy to pick up bargains if they have small issues I can potentially fix myself

[@jodroboxes]

Dropped out of school in the early 2000's, got a job and from my first paycheck i bought a Nikon F55. Good times, in the following years i bought a Hasselblad 500cm and later on got a Pentax 6x7 with 4 lenses for free. Haven't touched them in a while, should mess around with film again soon.

[@henrigraber2741]

In my country (Switzerland) all photo exchange market have gone, except one. On the other side, price of old gear has increased on eBay. Strange.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Probably its become harder to keep working cameras in the market and people are giving up, thats why testing and repairs is going to be so important.

[@czkawuszka]

I'm 19 and I got into film recently, I shot my first roll on christmas 2020 with a borrowed Canon EOS300, I bought a camera shortly after a Zenit 3m which was like 20$ here, it's a fine camera, but honestly I just don't like the limited shutter speeds. Now, I'm onto a Canon A-1 which i bought for 120$ with a 50mm lens, it was a lot at least for me but I like it a lot more. I develop most of film at home, since I have no good labs nearby, and it also reduces the costs.

[@faizalf119]

As someone who already did film photography for years I getting used to cheaper film cameras. When I get back into photography after 3 years of photography hiatus it blew my mind that camera price skyrocketed so much. Maybe I can sell my excess cameras now and use it to get a Leica or a medium format one before the bubble burst or plateau'd. Also hot dang film rolls used to only cost me $2 apiece. On positive side I'm glad younger people start dwelling into film photog again. Even dispo cameras got a revival as well.

[@arturors30]

Yo también lo estaba pensando al principio del vídeo. Si Kodak dice adiós, las caídas en los precios pueden ser muy importantes.

[@marcp.1752]

Espero poder seguir rodando película en los próximos 10-30 años... me encanta. El digital tiene sus ventajas, pero la película es lo que más me gusta. Buenos días.

[@klausmoritzpeitzsch690]

It is exactly how you say - I got my my 4x5 and my 503cx over 15yrs ago for a fraction of the price I would have to pay today.

[@sophietucker1255]

I think there is a ceiling for prices on most of the cameras out there and I do expect to see some leveling off. The supply is what is driving the prices but if players like Leica, who never really stopped building a film camera, and now Pentax are successful. Pentax is really the hope for the future because they are going to try and build a good point and shoot before moving into the higher end or at least more complicated SLR camera. I have had a Hasselblad 500 C since 1978 and don’t really plan on selling it ever. I have picked up a Nikon or two, F, F2, F3 and a F4 and those are working just fine though I do worry about the electronics in the F4 and to a lesser extent the F3. I also have a 35TI that has become a paper weight because of a battery holder/door issue that appears to be unrepairable. So for now for me I’ll stick with the more mechanical cameras and steer away from the electronic nightmares that are out there. On the price front they will only come down if Pentax is successful and that success convinces Canon and Nikon to make something new too. So I’m rooting for Pentax to carry the day and yes I will buy one of them when they are available

[@Adrian-wd4rn]

Pentax waited far too long, and now the film market has cooled. They might see a small blimp, but that's it. Even the M6 release didn't have as much hoopla, since most people who ACTUALLY enjoy using their cameras, aren't spending 5k on a old, new camera.

[@sputumtube]

Buying film cameras is not the issue. There are plenty to choose from, the problem is getting them serviced because there are fewer and fewer qualified repairers. I'm 62 years old now and was gifted a Zorki 4 in the late 70's. This helped me to learn how shutter speed, aperture, film speed, focusing etc. created a nice image. I'm considering the purchase of a Nikon F2as right now (from Japan) but I need to know if I can get it CLA'd before I spend the money.

[@iseolake]

I bought several large format cameras because I like large format photography, and I like the cameras. They're beautiful. They sell for a fraction of their original cost (monorails especially), are in great working condition and are easily repaired, as they are so simple. I actually have started down a path of designing and making large format cameras. I'm not so interested in roll film cameras, but cheer them on, as they drive film production. But there are alternatives in large format. X-ray film (although this will go away), paper negatives, artisanal glass and tin plates. I take my perspective from oil painting -- which is hopelessly out of date -- yet continues on.

[@TheYuhasz01]

Total cost of ownership to participate in film photography is larger issue. Cost of film and processing materials/chemicals is rising significantly now. That may have a real impact on price thresh holds to participate in film photography. I benefitted from film camera low prices 6-9 years ago: Nikon F3, F4, F5.and 6 manual focus lenses; Mamiya C330 TLR and 4 lens. I develop my own film at home. Recent price increases in film and processing have given me pause here. I just picked up a mint , low shutter(

[@chronicfish]

I got into film photography when I was 17 in 1997, when my father gave me his Nikkormat Ftn. I loved that camera and used it extensively throughout art college. It also was useful as a good back up ..... weapon ... on certain streets of London, if I ever needed it (thankfully I didn't). I remember paying literally a pound or two per roll (35mm) and again, just under 3 pounds, to develop and print per roll. Those were the days.

[@Chris-NZ]

How cool was that, I was using a second hand one in ‘75, yours must have been well cared for. Now in 2023 I wish I still had it in my collection , I traded it for a Nikon 301 , which I do still have in perfect working order !

[@Karwan89PL]

I bought RB67 Pro like 4 years ago for 370 USD, but with 645 back, paid additional 70 USD for 6x7 back. It has some light leaks but I still love it. Looking now to switch to Pro S/SD or first buy back from SD.

[@retter2critical]

They should bring back high quality TLRs ... That might the simplest way to provide medium format.

[@rickschricter]

I was around during the change to digital in the early 2000s. If there was a glut of cameras offloaded from pros is was the Hasselblads and various 6x7s for magazine and portrait photographers and cameras like the Nikon F5 used by photojournalists. Older cameras like the Leica and Rollei were not used by professional photographers during this time. The market for those cameras were artificially inflated by collectors. Japanese cameras from the 60s to 80s (SLRs, TLRs, rangefinders) were very very cheap before digital and also into the 2000s. Maybe those are being horded now too. I see young people with AE-1s now and it blows my mind.

[@johnbragg]

Hi, I'm 61 and have never left film. The only difference these days is I have a scanner instead of a physical darkroom. I develop at home (HP5+) and scan. I bought a Nikon F5 at crazy low price and bought 5 or 6 Mju ii and Mju i point and shoots for as little as £1. No more the cheap camera bounty of years ago so I sold my Mju collection and with the proceeds, bought a wonderful Nikon F4, my dream camera when it was new. I felt as if I had succeeded in playing the stocks and shares market.

[@jdc327]

I think the inlfux into digiCams r/n is due to film price rises/shock and people (with lessfunds) just scrambling to keep going. But I also feel that part of it (as note elsewhere) is due to film prices being 'artificially' cheap for the past decade and the "early re-adopters" now being shut out from their 10$/roll Portra or WTV [I skipped all this and only got back last year]. BUT with all the "DigiCam is HYPE!!!!" madness currently brewing; the simple fact remains: IT IS DIGITAL.....NOT tactile....not PHYSICAL//ANALOGUE experience!! >>Film is not just about the "look" it is about the *EXPERIENCE* and that cannot be replicated with SD cards + battery packs. >>If all your doing is shooting+lab+scan+(maybe) edited/not prints....you are MISSING OUT! The full and wonderful experience comes from WHOLE processing; either adding in DEV or ENGLARGING to your process (C-41 or B&W)....that is where you *unlock* the TRUE magic of FilmPhotography!! 😊

[@knowyourguitar1842]

Hey Tom from only analogue KZbin channel on the side of doing KZbin and my daily job I buy and sell film cameras and I have started to notice a drop in the high end market and a increase in midrange camera like Leica barnacks and the midrange slrs and I think this is a good thing not company’s that make a leaving out of buying and selling cameras but to beginners who instead of buying a Kodak point and shoots but are jump straight on the nikomats and Pentax ranges and think this is why the middle level your talking about would benefit from a new film camera on the market I watch your news updates and love your content thank you for making it and can’t wait for the next news update happy shooting kind regards Tom

[@andyvan5692]

interesting point of view nico, but you also have the "stenopika" italian cameras and the Intrepid UK cameras in the LF space, as well as some Linhof's still being made (tecnikardan, Teknica 4 and 2000/3000 cameras ) so in this market there are some new players; but I do get your view, when considering the MF and 35 mm space, esp. for slide film, and the associated processing, mounting and projection services and equipment availability.

[@H2o3G2a]

I got into film in 2019, and found an fm3a for around 250$, I thought it was a cheap begginer camera but it came with a 1.2 lens which I though was worth more than the camera so I bought them. I have since bought a lot of cameras and to be honest, I would sell everything but the nikon fm3a, it is the greatest slr in my opinion, it's forever.

[@kennethhancock2433]

I’m concerned about price and availability of 4x5 film. I started shooting again after several years. Velvia is gone. Provia went from $79 for a 20 sheet box a couple of years ago, to $129 today. I have the gear I need and some I don’t, so that’s a plus. I sold all my darkroom gear, barely used, around 2000. I sold my Hasselblad in the nineteen nineties for the same price I purchased it for in 1983. The thing was I wanted to keep it and always thought I’d find another. Ditto the darkroom. Not these days. I miss watching a print come alive in a tray, though not the fumes. I miss the sound of the ‘blad shutter after locking up the mirror and the magic of Zeiss lenses that can’t be measured but have an undeniable certain something. I still enjoy striving for perfection when so much can, and does, go wrong. Photography, like many pursuits, has been commoditized. It is what it is but I feel we’re a bit the worse for it. I enjoyed this video a lot.

[@RodGSilva]

I got into film back in 2012 and I also like to hunt for stuff online, not just cameras it's kind a hobby on it's on, So my case it's similar case and at some point I end with 5x P67, 4x Leica M bodies 2x 0.95 "Dream Lens" and so on... I sold a good part but still have more than I could ever dreamed. With the pandemic I pretty much stopped with photography and I'm yet to return but I can say that I don't need any more gear.

[@lucuslanders8033]

One thing to note about the demand for cameras is that there are now several new emerging markets for film photography. China for instance has hundreds of thousands of young people looking at film photography. And some percent of them are willing to pay huge premiums to buy mint cameras from the US and Japan. These markets hare huge! As that market gets stronger and stronger, it has the potential do drive prices significantly higher than we might expect. I don't think it would be unreasonable for desirable cameras to double in price from what they are now. Leica has set the price of a new M6 at a little over 6k. I think there is potential for the original model to reach 4-5k. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more new cameras tho! Excited to see what happens in the next few years.

[@irenedp4947]

I don’t think that Kodak will burst. On the contrary, it seems to be recovering and expanding cautiously. And I believe that some venture capital money will come into small camera manufacturing operations. Not the very large business it used to be but a few Pentax-like companies. And that would dampen prices a bit in the upper end. I am quite optimistic about film.

[@khanscombe619]

Like your apron coveralls? What are they?

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Carhartt.

[@DavidAlekhuogie]

Got my mfa in 2015 my bfa in 2011. bought and sold all the cool cameras. Rarely ever paid over 1k back then. Leica, hasselblad, contax, mamiya you name it. I Started shooting film in 2008. I think it all balances. My generation shot film because digital was too expensive and this generation shoots digital when film is too expensive. Artists will find a way to make interesting work at the end of the day.

[@michaelharmon721]

I think there is a influx of new film photography by the younger generation. I have seen prices rise over the last few years. Of course the higher end of cameras will continue to hold their prices.

[@michaelsherck5099]

It isn't "fake": prices rise when cameras are in demand. What it isn't is permanent: it's a fad right now but rising prices for equipment and supplies (film, etc.) will kill the bubble sooner or later.

[@35mm21]

It's pretty easy for sellers to manipulate prices on uncommon goods though

[@dumkopf]

That's what makes it fake, it's a fad. And people will take advantage of other people using that fad

[@marcbink5370]

Interesting. I used to shoot film cameras and have quite a few vintage ones left over, early Rolleiflex, Exakta, Zeiss-Ikon, Pentacon medium format and my favorite, a Leica IIIa. Haven't used them for years, thought film photography had gone the way of the dinosaur before I saw this. I loved the technical aspect but unfortunately was a terrible photographer in that I didn't have "an eye" for a good picture. Now I'm tempted to stoke up the old Leica again, except for the fact that no one develops film around here and there's maybe one outfit that sells it anymore. The other thing is service; - I fix old watches and the works in a camera isn't much of a stretch, but does anyone know if that old correspondence course on camera repair is even around anymore?

[@kiwipics]

It's a case of take it apart, tinker, reassemble and pray that it works. PS: Not the IIIa though .. 😂 PPS: Contact Japan Camera Hunter for selling off the rest though .....

[@euroyank860]

The major factor is servicing the cameras, that's where the problem begins, together with the pricing of emulsion of course. Also, the cameras that are most eligible to withstand the market pressure are those that are not produced in masses. To see the future for film photography look at the analogue music market, vinyl records, High end Hi-Fi ....a lot to learn there. So a Pentax K1000 or Canon AE will not make it, that simple. Leica, Zeiss, Early Nikon and Canon, that is a different story as is medium format and large format.

[@hankbaker1614]

I’m 59 years old, own a camera store. I wonder as a photographer and store owner after people realize how much they have to pay for film how long their desire to keep shooting film will last ? I don’t think it’s the price of the hardware as much as it is the price of the media that will give people pause. I know there will be a small percentage of people who will shoot film no matter what. But as far as having a larger audience, my guess is this is a fad, and when the price for shooting film is realized it will go by the wayside. Film is already at $15 per roll and Kodak just announced a 40% price increase coming this year.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

As far as I have heard the 40% is only for Japan, its 17% average on all the stocks, some more, some less.

[@onocoffee]

I've been shooting since the early 1980s with mostly Canon (and the M645-1000s), today my go-to film is either the Canon F-1N or EOS 1n. Prior to the pandemic, my local photo store was essentially giving me old FD lenses. Today, I don't touch them because the prices have risen with the increasing interest of a new generation of film shooters. Will prices go down? I think this is dependent on several factors, like continued demand and whether or not the manufacturers enter the picture. Will the people shooting today continue with film? Or is this just a flash in the pan? Will they return to the convenience of digital? If not (and manufacturers do not make new and cheaper cameras) then I think prices will continue to rise.

[@Thefuror38500]

I personnaly shoot an EOS5, that I got mint for 80€, for two reasons, simplicity of it (exposure, autofocus, everything is like a normal DSLR), and because I can share lenses with other modern camera (or even use modern lenses on it) I consider buying something like an AE1, mainly for the mechanical feel those fd camera have ! Oh and, obviously, if I find a pentax 6x7 at decent price, i'm buying it aha

[@northof-62]

Looks like low and middle end SLR prices are levelling off. High end cameras and collectors items are still rising slightly. Large format gear is still very cheap compared to new. It also looks like old gear is not as easy to sell anymore. Leicas at around 20-30K don't find buyers that easily, I think; seeing them listed for a long time. Cheers from an old film guy that started in the late 60s-early 70s.

[@sdhute]

Getting hard to thrift film cameras for instance goodwill sells all there camera on their online auction site. Started in 2019 digital and have been shooting film now too. I think if Pentax or another mfg comes out with a modern film camera at decent prices some of the good oldies will drop in price.

[@mikeliutic]

Back in 2014 in italy I had several alternatives to pick from buying a Leica M6 TTL in mint conditions in northern italy for a thousand euros. Today, not only there are none at less than two to three times the price, but you’ll have to drive for at least several hours. Don’t even want to talk about the Film prices. Used to buy from camera film photo with taxes and customs it was totally fine. Today, buying locally is twice as expensive and availability is ridiculous. Film is not dead yet, but moving forward this way I’d not be surprised if it would.

[@BIGSAM-O-A]

I recently bought a Yashica MG1 beautiful camera . I will eventually get an M5 Rangefinder.

[@Yosser70]

Cameras are expensive but only a select number of them. I picked up a minty Bronica ETRS 645, 75mm, metered prism and grip for £450 from a shop with 3 months warranty, yes it would have probably cost £150 a few years ago but the increased cost is because of demand and the more demand for film the better. There’s loads of good cameras out there for next to nothing still, Nikon f501 £30, Canon canonet QL19 £50 and so on. It’s good for us as we get new film coming to market, supply security because Kodak aren’t likely to go bankrupt as they are selling more film now than they have for probably 20 years and it helps retailers like the shop I got my Bronica from, to stay in business. These are all good things :)

[@tomsun3159]

In terms of rolleiflex, i can say that even optically perfect cameras need an experienced service, not just an CLA (which every monkey means he can offer), unfortunately the able persons are dying away one by one. I got two rolleiflex which seem to be really perfect but i turns out both had severe maintenance as in the seventies some workshops used the wrong lubricants. Now i have to Rolleis completely maintenanced with warranty, i had to spend quite a good amount of money, but now they are good for the next decades. If ou have a newer rollei commencing with the 60s its worth to spend the money, the older ones and cheaper ones are more for the showroom. from my experience you can plan about 500€ each, because a good technician always finds wear and tear, and he wants that you enjoy your camera (thats his best advertisement and brings future turnaround, in getting other cameras for repair) You will have than a camera good as brand new (what with a simple CLA is not always, or nearly never the case). And a good technician also says when its not worth the money to invest.

[@patryk2700]

I would add was the COVID period when prices on a lot of stuff went up - most likely people stuck at home and bored/spending extra money left from being unable to go on holidays, or supply issues for their usual luxury items... I think sellers would still like to milk that 'COVID feel' looking at used prices. Also, a lot of the usual 2nd hand photo equipment sellers sell a lot of premium 'iconic' (hyped) point and shoots for ridiculous money with no warranty. How come? Tey know they will break and they know there are new-2-film-aspiring-togs gullible enough buy into that promise of being the next daido moriyama.... But the key to all this are film prices. Colour stock is already ridiculously priced, despite higher demand(or because of?) and manufacturers are taking advantage of this short-term bubble rather than working towards establishing long-term customers. I have already boycotted Fuji and Kodak, only shoot ilford b&w as it has a distinctive look and support a company who price their products realistically. To be honest, I choose (and would recommend) to print more digital shots (dedicated be inkjet workflow & canon selphy 1300 for that colour snapshot look) to end up with a tangible product (if that's what you are after) rather than "invest" into film and feed that downward spiral... Finally, you can't beat the feeling of anticipation, until you receive that roll of film sent for development with what (you think) could be your shot-of-a-lifetime, until you receive it... and look at it with disillusionment... the film promise wears off pretty quick, seen that many times. :) t being able to go on holidays,or supply issues for their usual luxury items... I think sellers would still like to milk that 'COVID feel'. Also, a lot of the usual 2nd hand photo equipment sellers sell a lot of premium 'iconic' (hyped) point and shoots for ridiculous money with no warranty. How come? Tey know they will break and they know there are new-2-film-aspiring-togs who will buy into that promise of being the next daido moriyama.... But the key to all this are film prices (colour stock is already ridiculously priced - despite higher demand (or because of?) and manufacturers are taking advantage of it short-term rather than working on a longer-term business perspectives. I have already boycotted Fuji and Kodak, only shoot ilford b&w as it has a distinctive look and support the company who price their products realistically, colour stock lost to modern digital a few years back anyway. To be honest, I choose (and would recommend) to print more digital shots (dedicated be inkjet workflow & canon selphy 1300 for that colour snapshot look) to end up with a tangible product rather than invest into film and feed that downward spiral... Finally, you can't beat the feeling of anticipation, until you receive that roll of film sent for development with what (you think) could be your shot-of-a-lifetime, until you receive it... and look at it with disillusionment... the film promise wears off pretty quick, seen that many times. :)

[@samprstn]

Paid 1500€ for an M6 in 2022 and have been lucky enough to pay not quite such extortionate prices for any other gear in comparison to some stuff i see out there.

[@paulmcivor9994]

It is a weird time indeed, especially with Pentax reentering the film camera market. Is it a classic demand outstripping supply thing? Is that why Kodak feels emboldened to hike its prices again? I don't know. I do know that I see a lot of window shopping going on with the online market sites... lots of highly priced, nice equipment that doesn't sell (same goes for digital... I've been trying to sell my Leica SL for more than a month now). So I wonder like you if the prices on eBay and such are just notional if people aren't buying at those prices... maybe it's an artificial price floor.

[@JHurrenPhotography]

You have to look at completed items on eBay to know the actual current value of things. You still have to judge it against supply pool and now selling cameras factor in to a degree. Pricing is complicated. I usually price fairly low, but stay firm. It's kept cameras moving in and out of my collection nicely.