At the turn of the 21st century, American shutterbugs were buying close to a billion rolls of film per year. This year, they might buy a mere 20 million, plus 31 million single-use cameras — the beach-resort staple vacationers turn to in a pinch, according to the Photo Marketing Association.
Eastman Kodak Co. marketed the world's first flexible roll film in 1888. By 1999, more than 800 million rolls were sold in the United States alone. The next year marked the apex for combined U.S. sales of rolls of film (upward of 786 million) and single-use cameras (162 million).
Equally startling has been the plunge in film camera sales over the last decade. Domestic purchases have tumbled from 19.7 million cameras in 2000 to 280,000 in 2009 and might dip below 100,000 this year, says Yukihiko Matsumoto, the Jackson, Mich.-based association's chief researcher....
Jim Lincoln wrote: John U.K., so you enjoy all that pink noise that vacuum tubes added compared to transistors?
Nay Jim, not pink noise, nor white noise, nor 50Hz mains hum, but that juicy 5-10% harmonic distortion which you can get naturally with valve amplifiers. Many of the world's top electric guitarists insist on a valve amplifier, so they are still in huge production, even though valves are harder to obtain. Last time I heard, there was still a supplier of valves in Russia, of all places. Not that I'm still involved in the rock music scene, ya dig?
' "Kodachrome" made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart and five weeks later, the song moved to number nine... just behind "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" by George Harrison. The song then became a major hit in the United States, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.'
That great American philospher, Paul Simon, in one of his songs, Kodachrome, said:
"It's a wonder I can think at all And though my lack of education Hasn't hurt me none I can read the writing on the wall"
John U.K., so you enjoy all that pink noise that vacuum tubes added compared to transistors? I don't know about UK but Chicago John you can pick up a turn table that was designed to play your old records -- and turn them into MP3 files! It down to $50 at some stores.
Anyway you probably can get foreign film for slides and you can develop your black and white, Have fun, I've done that!
Colossians 2 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.---NASB
John Yurich USA wrote: Really, they still press 78's and they still manufacture the gramaphone record player? What manufacturers still press 78's and still manufacture gramaphone record players?
Sorry John, I didn't say that 78's are still being pressed, merely that you can still buy them in good numbers at all sorts of outlets, especially markets. The UK has been through a great retro thing, as folks have realised that some things made years ago (like the King James Bible and guitar amplifiers) are far superior to the modern versions. In the case of guitar amplifiers it is the inbuilt distortion in valve (tube) amplifiers which give that distinctive guitar sound which modern technology cannot quite reproduce, no matter how many fuzz boxes they plug in.
Record players are now available through mail order catalogues which will play the old vinyl.
John UK wrote: The USA film manufacturers must be insane and psychotic for even considering stopping production of rolls of film. However, I shouldn't be too concerned John, for as long as there are "proper" photographers around, there will always be a film for them to buy. Just like you can still buy 78's and the gramaphone to play them on.
Really, they still press 78's and they still manufacture the gramaphone record player? What manufacturers still press 78's and still manufacture gramaphone record players?
John Yurich USA wrote: Now why would they want to discontinue manufacturing photographic film? As long as there are individuals who like to use photographic film in the United States then they should continue manufacturing photographic film because the United States is a free country where everybody should be given a choice to choose whether to use photographic film camera or digital camera.
The USA film manufacturers must be insane and psychotic for even considering stopping production of rolls of film.
However, I shouldn't be too concerned John, for as long as there are "proper" photographers around, there will always be a film for them to buy. Just like you can still buy 78's and the gramaphone to play them on.
John Yurick, being such a good traditionalist Catholic we would expect you to hold on to any tradition good or bad, Roman Catholic Tradition.
Both digital and film cameras have their strengths and weaknesses, and the greatest weakness of film cameras is the price of film. Anyway, a short well said commentary, here, Digital vs. Film Photography. I would also add to get even the resolution of a 35mm film camera, your digital camera would have to have to be at least a 25 megapixel model, there are not many of those or the computers to handle the images from them.
Of course I only use digital now.
Of course John, the U.S. is a free capitalistic country, and if you use enough film and get it developed to make it profitable to make and print film pictures, I'm sure Kodak will be happy to oblige you when you shoot your 300 millionth picture today.
Scott McMahan wrote: I thought film was already gone.
Now why would they want to discontinue manufacturing photographic film? As long as there are individuals who like to use photographic film in the United States then they should continue manufacturing photographic film because the United States is a free country where everybody should be given a choice to choose whether to use photographic film camera or digital camera.
EP wrote: All pictures are second class to original.
Ordinarily, yes. But don't forget that in a watercolour the artist can remove things unnecessary or grievous, and put in things that are beautiful, even if they are not there in the original scene. Notwithstanding, the creation of God is always tops, and is awe-inspiring, as Psalm 19 tells us.
beta/news/yahoo had their contribution to this brave new digital world last evening. http://video.yahoo.com/editorspicks-12135647/featured-24306389/the-arctic-light-by-tso-photography-25412815.html?nc#crsl=%252Feditorspicks-12135647%252Ffeatured-24306389%252Fthe-arctic-light-by-tso-photography-25412815.html
I enjoyed the scenery, details and colors, but I didn't care for their choice of piano music nor the moving water, it detracted from the picture or my concentration on it. Works for the advertisers, 'sort of'. I would have rather been there, if it was a little warmer. There are many things in life you miss unless you are living it. All pictures are second class to original.
COMMENTS | 
compared to transistors?
this article
