Is there any place in this world for 35mm Photography?

The Garage
#1

G’day,

About to move house cos this one’s getting demolished, and came across our 2 metal suitcases containing OM-1 and OM-10 Olympus 35mm cameras plus lenses.

Both will need some maintenance before they can actually be used again, not to mention sourcing film, and development services / a dark room.

We own a Fuji S9500 fixed lens digital camera, which essentially superseded the OM10 (with the OM1 gifted to us later)… and yet, what do we do when we want to take a photo? Grab the iPhone…

Looking on eBay, I see there’s no clear defined price definition between the two models, but all up we could maybe sell the lot for $300-$350…

What have you done with your old cameras? Still living in the analogue age? Moved on and never looking back?

Cheers

cosmic

#2

I sold my canon AE-1 and 4 FD lenses about 12 years ago via ebay. Looking back I wish i had kept the lenses.

Hang onto the lenses.

If you ever get back into digital interchangeable lens cameras, Olympus makes some very good micro 4/3 cameras.
You can get adaptors to fit your old lenses.

1 Like
#3

There’s obviously still a place for “traditional” photography in this Digital World, just like there is still a place for Vinyl Records. The difference I guess is that with Vinyl there’s not that much effort or expense involved (okay, there is obviously some expense). But 35mm photography isn’t going to be cheap, or easy I would imagine, particularly if you are going to develop the photos yourself. I’m certain if you can do it well then it would be very rewarding, but when Digital Photography can produce similar results and is so, so much easier and cheaper, I can understand why not many people would bother with 35mm unless they really have a passion for it.

#4

I still have my Minolta SRT303 and my Dad’s old Zeiss Ikonta. Film is out there but in the end I can’t be bothered. Even small sensors are doing the job these days. I think its not far from over, for film. I should put my stuff up for sale, some collector might want it.

#5

I’ve got a couple of film bodies that I use primarily for a pleasure/artistic thing, however any serious photography that I need to do for events or just family stuff - the things that aren’t ‘just for me’ - I leave to my digital gear, it’s quicker and more forgiving and photoshop has a lot more accessible power than having to use a minilab.

I guess, what I’m trying to say is that the only place that 35mm film has nowadays is in the hands of serious hobbyists.

Especially now that the ‘look’ of certain types of film can be replicated to a good standard either in-camera - as is the case with the Fuji X-series or through various plugins like Google’s Nik Collection and others.

#6

It’s a niche these days, but over the last 1-2 years worldwide 35mm film production has actually increased. There still are a few pros shooting film, but very very much in the minority now.
Hillvale actually started a couple of years ago doing 35mm & medium format colour film development, and places The Fox offering popular courses in shooting and developing film