FUTURE OF 120 FILM

[Jan_5456]

Before abandoning the “digital path” completely
and spending my life savings on top quality 6x9
camera system, ... I have some serious anxiety
about the future of 120 film availability and
processing ... worldwide.

As an example ...
I love Agfa SCALA 200, but its availability is VERY
limited (and so are the labs processing this film).
... when will AgfaPhoto pull plug on this one ?

I am sure that most readers of this site have same (or similar)
concerns as I do ... What is the future of 120 film, really?

Will our precious cameras and lenses collect dust
somewhere in the attic soon? Or will we be forced to send our
films for development into one single lab ... with uncertain
future (i.e. when that lab will “pull-the-plug” on us all ?).

I want to invite comments of all on this topic (, but especially
of those involved with film marketing, processing, research
and development and/or professional photographers).

Thank you for your thought!

Jan

[Edward (Halifax,NS)]

Jan if you choose wisely you can mount a 22 Mp back to your 6X9 camera. Now they are obscenely expensive but by the time "the plug is pulled" on 120 film they should be reasonably priced and might not even need to be chained to a laptop.

[Laura Lea Nalle]

When photography was invented someone said, 'from this day on, painting is dead.' Another argued, 'no, from this day forward, painting will be liberated.' Painters were no longer burdened with reproducing life like portraits because photographers could do that now. Painting moved in a whole new direction as a result, and I think digital photography will have a similar affect on fine art and wet photography. I know plenty of professional photographers who do certain type of work in digital because it's more economical, faster turnaround time, and they don't need huge prints, but they still shoot all the 'important' work on 6x6 or larger. I don't foresee wet photography going anywhere anytime soon. First, digital has not caught up (anyone here willing to trade in their LF camera yet?) and second, there are plenty of purists out there, including myself, that are not willing to give up the quality and feeling of film. As long as there is a market for film, they will make it. Not many people in a capitalist society will stop making something that people want to buy unless their business is just unsustainable. Photographers are the consumers of film from a business perscpective, so, in a sense, it's up to the photographers to keep film alive and well.

[Dan Fromm]

Have you tried sending b/w film to dr5 for reversal processing? They do most emulsions. Do a search for dr5 and "film processing".

Also, IIRC Kodak sells a reversal kit for TMX.

There just may be life after Scala.

Cheers,

Dan

[Gene Crumpler]

Yes there is life after film. I can hang a back on my hasselblad and go digital to the max. Right now that option costs 29 grand!

I expect film will be with us for a while and B&W is likely to be with us for a very long time. Some of us like the craft of B&W and there should be enough demand for it a long time.

[Scott Fleming]

Some of us OGs who have the time should volunteer our services to introduce kids to our ancient craft. All would benefit.

[martin_4668]

Hi jan

I work in a pro camerashop in scandinavia, a lot of pros has gone digital, but som still use 120. On the amateur market the sales are rising !! I have no wories about 120. 35mm on the other hand.....I have only a few pros using 35mm, and almost all of the consumermarket has gone digital. Leica is the only 35mm camera manufacturer that sells (and not very good at this point !) Contax is out, Canon europe sold less than 10 EOS 1V last year..!!! The Nikon F6 was a surprise, and is actually selling, but only to conniseurs, not to photographers.

i would say, 120 is hot, 35 is not.

[Andre Noble]

"Canon europe sold less than 10 EOS 1V last year"

I find that hard to believe, but incredible if true.

[Conrad Hoffman]

I don't have any inside knowledge, but do know a thing or two about manufacturing. As long as film is made, it will be no big deal to cut it up into sheets. IMO, sheet film will be around longer than we will. Roll film, OTOH, requires spools, special paper backing, tape, and more labor to put it together. The special paper backing will be less and less available as demand declines. IMO, a small demand for roll film will not be sufficient for anyone to keep making it. 35mm is easier, and the user base was far larger, so it will probably continue longer just through inertia and the people who can't/won't go digital.

[Joe_5422]

Well, at the rate I am consuming 120 film, the manufacturers (especially Fuji) will be making money for a long time LOL

I have a mixed bag...shooting 120, then scanning it, like many others. Half analog, half digital. Beautiful prints.

It will be a long time, IMHO, that the digital back to match the equivalent 100 Mpx scans becomes available (at a reasonable price).

120 has a pretty good life still, me thinks.