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Dinosaur

Dinosaur: noun; a person or thing that is outdated or has become obsolete because of failure to adapt to changing circumstances, like film photography maybe?

Well, strangely, it is the "serious" digital camera world that is year on year heading towards extinction (being killed off by ever more capable smart phone cameras) and good old film (analogue if you absolutely must) photography that is enjoying something of a resurgence.

Quality film cameras, which of course are mostly no longer made except for a couple from our old friends Leica, that used to be available for little money on the used market now attract silly money if indeed you can find one that isn't a well battered 'wreck'.

 

Premium condition film Leicas, Contaxes, Pentaxes, Nikons, Canons, Minoltas, Bronicas, Hasselblads and so on, all command corresponding premium prices many way above those of modern digital models. Even bashed up old film cameras in good working order sell well. Here again, Zeiss Ikon ZMs e.g.with a Zeiss Distagon 35mm f1.4 ZM as shown below now attract 'Leica money'.

Google 'Analogue photography' and you will get thousand and thousands of hits. Social media has sections specially dedicated to it. Influencers promote it. Pundits praise it. Photographers love the realness of its process and the uniqueness of its look. There is something about the pure aesthetic of it that is bringing older photogs back to it and new ones to it for the first time.

If you want to freeze a moment authentically and see the real reflection of life organically through pictures, then I would argue this is best achieved though film and not heavily edited and tweaked digital images that reflect an artificial, ultra-clinical, hyper-reality.

 

In the end it's about purpose. When I want a photograph, something that matters, something I want to keep, then I grab my film camera and am happy to spend that little bit of extra time getting it right in camera. But if it's a case of a short lived, shrink wrapped, throw away image to briefly share and then forget, well digital is just fine and more often than not these days I will reach for my compact little Sony RX100 VII or simply my iphone.

✧ Jokul Frosti ✧

A space containing the thoughts, experiences, photos and collected curiosities of a walkabout photographer with a snapshot style.