Does anyone use SLR film cameras anymore?

[Don Plumley]

I have a decent Minolta 7000i setup - zoom lens, flash, super nice bag. But who uses film at all anymore (that isn't using a Hasselblad or other big $ devices)?

I'm going to drop it off at Goodwill, if anyone knows of a kid playing with film, I'd happily send it to them. Only needs a battery...

Thanks,

Don

[david914]

Hey Don. My daughter loves film. She'd be happy to use it!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I can't bear to part with mine but probably should - I had well over $2k invested and it irks me that it's now virtually impossible to find film or developing - truly a dying medium and I miss it. I think digital cheapens it quite a bit. The thought of having to buy stuff again that I already invested in truly galls me and is why I haven't bothered getting a digital SLR. Also the technology is like everything else in computer hardware now - anything you buy is obsolete by the time you get it home and out of the box. I've kinda lost interest as a result.

[robertocravallo]

Hey Don, very cool offer. Hope it finds a good home where it is appreciated!

[masraum]

I have my dad's old Canon AE-1 Program (he had an AE-1 that was stolen, ins company replaced it with the program), and my old Canon EOS 630. I can't bear to part with either one.

[scottmandue]

I still have my Canon T90 and the AE-1 it replaced... still fooling around with the medium format camera I bought for a song too.

[Manda Racing]

At least the film developers can put it on a CD with or without prints.

[david914]

PM sent. Thank you for your generous offer Don.

Daughter took photography last year of college and loved it. She does both film and digital. Loves black and white film for it's artistic value and she can develop it herself. I'm glad to see that film hasn't totally died out.

[JFairman]

I sold all my 4x5, 6x7, and 35mm SLR cameras on ebay and to Calumet Camera a couple years ago at a huge loss but I never used any of them anymore so that was better than nothing.
Film is now a hobby thing and all photography clients want high quality digital files now and for good reason.

[wdfifteen]

My last one was a Pentax 645, which I sold about 3 years ago. For my purposes everything ends up as a digital file anyway, may as well start out that way. Using Nikon 610 and 7100 now and I'm happy with them.

[Scott Douglas]

You guys that are heavily invested in the old systems shouldn't totally despair. You can use your old glass on a Sony Alpha system camera via adapters. I've got film cameras that will never be used again, but the glass lives on, on my Sony Nex-7.

[dad911]

I wonder if I will regret dumping film cameras in 40 years like I now regret dumping tube equipment in the 70's?

Nevermind, if I make it 40 years I'll be 93 and likely won't remember.....

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by dad911

Nevermind, if I make it 40 years I'll be 93 and likely won't remember.....

Remember what?

[Arizona_928]

I was gifted one from the saint Vincent's. Nikon with a $800 lense. I used it briefly got some 35mm BW film with my enlarger, then swapped the lense to my d7000...

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by masraum

I have my dad's old Canon AE-1 Program (he had an AE-1 that was stolen, ins company replaced it with the program), and my old Canon EOS 630. I can't bear to part with either one.

I have a beautiful AE-1. I'd wanted one for years then bought this "last a lifetime" quality camera. It sure will last a lifetime as it hasn't been used for 10 years. And I like everyone else, have gone to the darkside and are using digital. I must admit, my digital pics are better.

[david914]

My dad has an AE-1 that he bought sometime back in the early 80's. He bought a Canon digital several years back that uses the same lenses. Win-win!

[sugarwood]

My understanding is that with full frame sensors, digital is better in every measurable way.
No professional uses film. There is nothing you can do with film that you can't do with digital.
Of course, purists will start talking about things like "soul" and other emotions.

[winders]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

I think digital cheapens it quite a bit.

I have been an avid photographer since the early '70's. It took a long time, but digital is clearly better than film now and I would not go back. This is especially true now that my beloved Kodachrome is no longer available.

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Also the technology is like everything else in computer hardware now - anything you buy is obsolete by the time you get it home and out of the box. I've kinda lost interest as a result.

The biggest expense is still lenses. Those should last decades. Replacing a body every 3 to 5 years or so, if need to have the latest and greatest, is not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. The Nikon D3 is still a great camera and it came out in 2007.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

No professional uses film.

True enough. Professionals shoot for a final use that is inevitably a digital file.

Originally Posted by sugarwood

There is nothing you can do with film that you can't do with digital.

There are artists who use film and they think there is a difference. It's up to them to use the medium that gives them the result they want.

[Bill Douglas]

I like the way art school kids buy the film cameras and do film photography and processing as part of their course. It helps them understand what is going on behind the scene with digital.