Via Slashdot, Nikon UK posted a press release yesterday announcing that they will end production of 35mm cameras, including many lenses and other related accessories, so they can focus on the growing digital market. I guess it’s obvious companies would go this way, digital cameras are becoming more popular than ever and that’s where the profits are. I’m sure 35mm will still be around for many years to come though.
Even though i’m in the hunt for a good (i.e. cheap) digital camera I can’t bear to part with my Minolta 35mm camera. There’s something more “real” about using film cameras IMO. And if it’s good enough for Daithi’s missus it’s good enough for me 
The end in sight for 35mm?
Leave a comment
I think Olympus made some similar announcement regarding 35mm SLRs the year before last. I was very saddened by it because both my 35mms – my compact and my SLR are Olympus and although the digital is grand and handy, I still think I get better pictures out of the film cameras.
I was reading on Slashdot that the resolution of 35mm film equals approx 22-24Mpx on a digital camera so the quality should be a lot better than your average digicam. Still, the digicams are bound to catch up eventually.
My 35mm is a 30-year-old Canon AE-1 and I still love it. What digital camera is still in use after 5 years, let alone 30?
While digital will soon conquer the “throwaway/family/holiday pix” side of the market, I think it’ll be a long time before digital has the kind of quality to make 35mm obsolete for high-quality and artistic photography.
Besides, nothing beats the aroma of darkroom chems.
Cionaodh, good point.
Do you do your own processing? Or are you cooking up something else in the darkroom?
Maca,No doubt the digicams will improve but it’ll be awhile before the cost comes down to something realistic for us “normal” people.One of the photographers where I work talked them into buying him a 28Mpx camera.The cost? $28,000 USD.When I told him to feck off and pelt shite at himself he produced the invoice.The good news is that 35mm prices are falling through the floor(at least in the US) The bad news is there may not be many places that can process the auld fillum.Time to turf the ‘shrooms out of the darkroom.
I think that 35mm cameras will never disappear, like LP’s haven’t disappeared after CD’s, and VHS hasn’t disappeared after DVD.
Those cameras will have a smaller market but they’ll survive.
I still use my faithful 35mm cameras, two Olympus, OM-10 e OM-4Ti with many lenses and accessories.
The digital camera is just a toy and I use it only for the convenience of being able to take as many pictures as you like. But I can assure you that none of my 2,000 digital pictures taken so far has ever been printed. They are on my PC (and on a back-up disk), that’s all!
If I want a real picture I use film!
Please read this link
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/filmdig.htm
P.S.: You haven’t bought your digital camera yet?
scríobh maca:
>>Do you do your own processing?
>>Or are you cooking up something else in the darkroom?
I process & print the B&W films, as the usual places that process colour often don’t use fresh chemistry on B&W, as there’s so little B&W photography being done. And it really does make a difference. Banjax the negatives and you can forget about a decent print off ‘em.
Alas, it’s been a few years since I’ve done any B&W work — I’m now too busy chasing after a toddler.
@Antonio I have an OM10 too.
Winds and Breezes,
how do you like it? I was very happy with it, I also bought that accessory to set manual shutter speed.
Three years later I purchased the OM-4Ti as this one has more advanced functions (such as the spot light measurement) though it’s still a totally manual camera.
The OM-10 is now my back-up camera when I travel abroad, my photo bag weighs over 8 kg
Sorry Antonio, I missed your question there. No, the digital camera iis on hold for a short while. I bought a MP3 player instead
The camera can wait until I can afford a good one.
I like the OM10 a lot, and like you, I bought the manual shutter speed mechanism. I also bought a long lense for it. I’ve taken some really good pictures with it. I haven’t used it so much lately – I meant to do more with it this winter, but just haven’t had the time. I never took it out of the camera bag while I was in Venice which was such a bad thing…but the weather wasn’t that great, so I didn’t have much opportunity anyway.
Winds and Breezes,
I’m sorry you had a bad holiday in Venice due to the weather.
This winter seems worse than others, especially in the North-East of Italy.
I live on the other end of North, I’m very close to France, and over here the weather is wonderful, apart from cold.
I hope you’ll have another chance to visit Italy and its art cities in the future!
Oh it wasn’t a bad holiday, don’t worry. I just didn’t take so many photographs. I liked the hot chocolate though.