What???
Lately I’ve been inundated with comments and personal messages that I’m “full of shit” and “Film is Dead”, and I should just “get over it”. (and die) Good Lord! I’ve never said anything bad about digital cameras or photographers. Nor have I ever suggested you should only use film. In fact, I own and use digital cameras all the time. While I personally only use digital as the new Polaroid, quick turn jobs, and “fun” photography, (documenting “da clubs”, friends and family, etc.), I DO USE DIGITAL CAMERAS.
The Great Demise?
Sure, this is not 2000-2001, and digital cameras are no longer 2-3 MP “toys”. Even so, I many times use a 4.1MP Nikon D2Hs for documenting club pics. And even a consumer grade lab, (MPIX, etc), can produce pretty awesome 11×14 prints from such relatively tiny files. (see above) The point is, most “film” photographers use digital on a daily basis.
Ye Doth Protest Too Much, Methinks?
As William Shakespeare said in Hamlet. I’ve yet to meet a photographer who sometimes uses film who complains about those damn ‘Digital Only Photographers’. However, the opposite cannot be said. And please understand I have no personal animosity toward people using any particular type of media to record their vision. It’s all good to me. Didn’t we already have this fight when it came to acrylic vs oil painting? It’s silly, and in the end means nothing. People use film for many different reasons. However, as far as I know, not one of those purveyors of film “hates” digital. Except maybe as a preference for their personal vision. And actually, hate is probably too strong of an emotion to suggest as it pertains to any inanimate object or process.
Yeah, But…. Digital Photography?
“You never show options for digital” Well, actually, I do. Scanners, cameras, and, as a KEH camera affiliate, digital camera sales. I recently promoted a slew of used digital cameras, with a 5% discount for newsletter sign-up, 20% discount for using code OS20A, (unsure if that code is still good), and a link to Overstocked Feature items, much of which were digital or lenses you could use with digital. Those sale items included, but not limited to;
Featured Products, Nikon D5, Nikon D6, Canon EOS 5D Mk IV, Panasonic Lumix DC-S1, Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III
So, as you can see, I promote both digital AND film products. And, of course, KEH has free shipping over $49 and a 180 day return policy. If it’s photographic in nature, count me in.
My Stupid ‘Film’ Site
Yes, I’m aware that promoting film and film photography is a losing game with diminishing returns. Even with the small amount of income this site generates with affiliate links, it just barely breaks even. Even Google “demonetizes” pages with nudity. (even though that type of nudity is equivilent to an everyday ‘Italian Vogue’) So, if I were trying to make lots of moolah, I would at least remove all nudity. 🤔 Well, I’m not. So, why do I bother? This is strictly a labor of love. Why anyone would be upset with my promoting film photography or photographers is well beyond my understanding. If you don’t like the site, or the photographers on the site,….just move on. Why take time out of your (assumed) busy day to tell me I’m bent. And, yes, I’m already aware of my perceived condition.
In The End
It really comes down to your own aesthetic. While I love film and film cameras, this is a very personal preference. And like other personal preferences, (religion, politics, lifestyle, etc.), I have no desire to elicit converts. As I said before,…ya’ picks your poison,…and shoot. And, I still know of no digital camera that gives me “the look” of my Contax G1. Even if I adapt those Contax lenses to a digital camera. Why is that? I have no clue. But for most people, the subjective difference wouldn’t be enough to trade in their Canon 5D. And I truly understand. And now we have a generation of people who have never even used a film camera, and who feel the learning curve wouldn’t be worth the bother. Yes,…I understand. That’s fine.
The point of this article is NOT to convert droves of readers to film. It’s just to get the adamant naysayers to stop commenting and writing. I get it,…you think all film photographers are poseurs and hipsters. That’s fine. Because I’ve never met a film or hybrid photographer who actually cares what other people think. And if you are one of those “Karens”, my response is basically what I said above,….”Good Lord!”. (translated: get a life) 😎