Shooting on film when digital photography rules the roost — what is it? Archaism? Outright opposition? Or is it a lifestyle and creativity?

I think everyone has their own definition of film photography in the modern world, but this cannot in any way affect the fact of its existence. Despite numerous predictions of film's departure from the photographic scene, the number of its adherents is growing.

When I started doing photography, the very concept of “analog photography” did not exist. The photograph was just a photograph. There was simply no other way to obtain a photographic image other than to shoot an object or event on film, develop it and print it on photographic paper. But progress does not stand still, and today there is a generation of photographers who have never shot on film. “And why all this fuss with films and chemicals,” the digital photographer thinks logically. In reality, it's not that simple.

Photographers have always strived to quickly see the result of the shooting, at least preliminary. But all they had before digital was Polaroid with all its disadvantages.

The ability to instantly obtain an image and quickly view the footage is the main merit of digital photography. What does a digital photographer do after a short series of images? Correctly — looks through the footage. A photographer's dream come true? Yes!

However, without in any way encroaching on the obvious advantages of digital photography, I am forced to state: digital has completely deprived photography of some magic, mystery... and a responsible attitude towards it. The possibility of significant correction and easy, high-quality editing on a computer greatly discourages a person with a digital camera.

When the number arrived, photographers joked: click, look, delete... Unfortunately, shooting really turned into an endless process of viewing and deleting useless images. But it doesn’t look much like a photograph anymore.

Habitual pose modern photographer. We began to spend too much time looking at the footage. Maybe it would be better to spend it on taking photographs?

If you shoot digitally and have never worked with film, try to step into the shoes of a film photographer on your next shoot. Turn off the camera display and view only through the viewfinder. Strictly limit yourself to the number of frames, for example 180 (exactly this amount fits on 5 rolls of 35 mm film, and with approximately this margin any reporter could easily go on a mission). Do not under any circumstances view or delete the frames you have just captured: you probably consider yourself a good photographer, so why doubt the result? Put off such a pleasant activity as viewing finished masterpieces until the next morning or at least until the end of the shoot.

I am sure that most of the digital generation photographers will not even dare to undertake such an experiment, especially when it comes to a commercial order.

For today's photographers, who get high-quality color (!!!) images with a simple click of a button, the process of creating analogue, even black and white, photography can seem incredibly complicated. But these difficulties are precisely what foster a balanced approach to each shot and teach you to be attentive to the little things.

Experience shooting on film will help you optimize your work with a digital camera. Believe me, viewing tens and hundreds of identical digital images on the monitor after shooting, in which you pressed the button, not counting the frames, takes up not only your time... And many hours of fiddling around in Photoshop in order to correct obvious mistakes made during shooting may turn out to be significantly longer than the process of developing and printing a competent analog photograph.

And if this does not convince you, here is an argument with which there is no point in arguing. The charm of a handprint on barrite paper is a theme for high literature. Fact: When manually printing from a negative, it is impossible to make two identical prints. Each print is unique! And if it is also printed personally by the author, then its price increases significantly. Remember, wasn’t it for the sake of creating masterpieces that you picked up a camera?

Well, can’t wait to finally start creating truly imperishable works? Then let's start by choosing a decent tool.

Deciding on the format

Two main formats of photographic film. Medium - type 120 (left), and narrow film - type 135, 35 mm format (right).

Before you start choosing an analog camera, you need to decide what film format you will work with, since the choice of camera depends on this. Of course, you can do the opposite by first choosing a suitable camera. But it’s better to know in advance what you’re dooming yourself to, since it’s the frame format that determines both the quality of the photo and, importantly, the shooting style. Here it is worth noting a point that no one thinks about in digital photography - the cost of the frame.

“The Polaroid client blinks at his own expense.” Once upon a time, photographers politely laughed at this truth of life, since the cost of each Polaroid photograph was incredibly high in comparison with the usual film. Today times have changed. Alas, each press of the shutter release automatically deducts money from the film photographer's account. Remember: the larger the frame format, the more expensive it is.

There are three types of photographic film: black and white negative, color negative and color slide (black and white slides used to be a rare occurrence, and today they are completely disappearing from the shelves). We will talk in detail about the features of negatives and transparencies-slides later, but now we will understand film formats.

Leaving aside large format sheet materials (9x12 or more), you will see that in fact the film exists in two formats:

• type 135, 35 mm format
• type 120, medium format

35 mm format, type 135, (narrow film)

Narrow photographic film is sold in rolls in light-proof cassettes. Film cassettes are placed in sealed plastic boxes that reliably protect the film from moisture and dust.

The most common film format, as it was used by both professionals and amateur photographers. Combines required quality, compactness, efficiency, minimal cost of the final frame and a large number of frames on one video. The standard frame size is 24×36 mm. The number of frames on the video is 36 (depending on the camera and charging method, a standard video can hold 37-38 frames, but more on that later).

Of course, there were and are cameras with a frame size of 24x65, 24x18, 24x24 or even 24x32 mm, but today we’ll leave non-standard options aside.

35 mm film format had been produced by Eastman Kodak since 1916, but type 135 (35 mm film in a standard cassette) appeared only in 1934 - thanks to Leica cameras that had gained noticeable popularity, Contax cameras that competed with them, and Kodak itself, which decided enter the market of mass film cameras. But above all, it was thanks to the incredibly compact Leica cameras for the 1930s that the 35 mm film format with a frame size of 24x36 mm became the standard in photography, and not just film.

Narrow film is sold in rolls in light-proof cassettes. After the film is shot, it is rewound back into the cassette, which allows you to quickly reload the camera in any lighting conditions.

35 mm photographic film is sold not only in cassettes, but also in rolls of 17 and 30.5 meters.

You can buy 35 mm film in rolls of 17 and 30.5 meters, and wind it yourself into reusable cassettes. What is the point?

Firstly, the frame will become significantly cheaper (almost half). Secondly, you can wind a little more film into the cassette, increasing the number of frames on the video to 40, and in film photography, each frame has not only a monetary value.

Medium format, type 120/220 (wide film)

Medium format (wide) film is sold in rolls covered with an opaque paper leader. The rollers are in sealed sealed bags and packed in boxes.

Wide film is the domain of professional photographers. This is exactly the image this format had in the second half of the twentieth century. Why? More on this below, but now let’s see what this format gives us. First of all, quality, which is ensured by the large frame size, and, to no less extent, by the optical features of medium format camera lenses.

There are two types of wide film: 120 and 220 (twice the number of frames). The number of frames depends on the frame format of the camera used: one roll of type 120 film will fit 8/10/12/16 frames of 6x9, 6x7, 6x6 and 6x4.5 cm formats, respectively.

Wide film is sold in rolls covered with a light-proof paper leader; more precisely, the paper leader serves protective layer along the entire length of the film. For film type 220, to maintain the volume of the roll with an increased number of frames, a protective leader is glued to the beginning and end of the roll. Film type 220 has practically disappeared from sale.

During shooting, the wide film is wound onto a take-up roller, which is removed after shooting. Recharge a medium format camera at direct sunlight not recommended, there is a risk of exposing the edges of the film.

Well, we got acquainted with the features of film formats. It's time to look at film cameras.

Brazilian portrait photographer Neto Macedo talks about the advantages of analog photography and the opportunities it offers.

I've been shooting film for almost four years now and I can safely say that analogue photography has truly changed my life and the way I look at creating images.

I first seriously encountered analog photography while I was in college, but then I could not imagine that I would still be shooting on film in 2018. Our old teacher led us into the darkroom, and I clearly remember saying to myself - I will never take a step into the darkroom again in my life. The smell was disgusting, and the whole idea of ​​loading film into a camera for a few shots, the whole cumbersome developing process, all of this seemed completely outdated in 2007. Back then, digital was already the standard for most photographers. I was no exception.

My second meeting with the film took place in 2012. A colleague of mine had an old Canon AE-1 that he used to shoot personal projects. I remember then I told him how stupid and wrong it was to use outdated technology, which would finally die in a couple of years.

But in 2014, I discovered that medium format was perfect for my photography style. However, at the time, a digital medium format camera cost about the same as my newly purchased car. That's when I decided to buy my first analog medium format camera - the Mamiya 645 PRO TL. After looking at my first (bad, by the way) photos, I fell in love with film and gradually switched to it completely.

With this article I want to answer everyone who asked me why I am still doing analog photography. This is not a comparison - digital versus film. main idea: to show that film cameras are a very real tool for some specific purposes and tasks, just as digital cameras are for others.

1. Either it’s a plan or it’s gone

When I started shooting in medium format, I realized that it was no longer possible to spoil the footage like with digital. I live in Brazil and professional films, color and black and white, are very expensive here. And I didn't plan on going bankrupt by clicking the shutter. So I had to understand - we need to plan personnel. Much more serious than with digital shooting.

When shooting on film, the quality of your images increases significantly. You think twice or thrice before clicking the shutter. And you quickly learn to determine what material will give great photos.

I can't count the number of times I've set up a model, looked through the viewfinder, and after a few minutes of trying to find the right composition, I've said, “No, forget about that, let's try the next photo.” Even for those who shoot digitally, analog photography is a great way to practice mentally visualizing a picture so you can focus only on what will really work for your goals.

You become more attentive to what's going on around you because you click the shutter less; and there is more time left for what really matters: communicating with people, interacting with the model and with the environment, exploring places, and so on. You understand that photography is not what happens in the camera, but what happens outside it. And, since what happens outside the camera is what creates good photo, you pay more attention to it.

2. Shooting on film - a look into the future

If you are completely unfamiliar with analog photography, then I’ll tell you a secret: analog cameras do not have a screen on which you can view finished photographs. Yes it's true. And this is true for all film cameras. And this forces you to give up the bad habit of constantly reviewing the shots you have taken. The only screen you'll be looking at is the viewfinder and the image in it. The picture you are looking for, not the ones you have already found.

Digital cameras force us to spend a lot of time checking photos, not to mention the tension this creates between the photographer and those being photographed. After all, with a digital camera, people can see how they turned out in the photo (and they have certain expectations about this).

As I said above, everything important happens off camera, and the lack of a display on which you can see the photo you just took forces you to focus on the future; on what you will do next. That is, an analog camera is a bridge that leads you to the future, and not to the past, at least for the duration of the shooting. But with a digital camera, people are immersed in the screen, flipping through pictures, and now they have lost contact with the world and what is happening around them.

3. Variety of equipment

Although the situation is changing now, in general, in the digital world you do not have the same choice as in the analogue one. And “digital” can sometimes be very, very expensive (yes, I’m talking about medium format and large format backdrops).

In the analog world, you have options available in any format you need, from cameras that use 110-type film to large format cameras that have an 8x10 frame size. And in each format there will also be a wide choice. Do you like 35mm full frame digital cameras? The Canon EOS 30/Elan 7 can be found on eBay for just $149 and can be used with all your Canon EF lenses. The previously beloved Olympus OM2 can be purchased for about the same price, complete with lens.

Even medium format cameras, which 99% of digital photographers cannot afford, can be purchased online at a very reasonable price. My Pentax 67II cost me about $400, paired with a 135mm f/4 lens. Not to mention the fact that you usually can’t get a “real” medium format in digital format, since most matrices are “cropped”, 44x33 mm. And a “real” medium format image can only be achieved by using 6x6 or 6x7 (60x70 mm) matrices.

But there is no large format as such in the digital world, because backdrops are extremely expensive and are used in very limited areas. Most large format photographers still work with film.

4. Working with film teaches you how to judge light correctly

Everyone does this: they estimate the light by eye, click the shutter, check how it turned out and make an exposure correction for the next frame. Having to refer to the screen wastes time and connection to the scene being filmed. Sometimes they don’t even pay attention to exposure - if everything is not too bad, you can restore details in dark/light areas in post-processing. But in analog photography there is no escape from carefully measuring light.

I often hear people say, “Oh, the beauty of analog photography is that you don’t know what you’ve got until you develop the film.” This is a common belief, but completely wrong. Shooting on film means knowing every aspect of what you're doing. At least try to know - and this forces you to learn more and more. You click the shutter and know exactly what will happen as a result. You see the picture and take it. Of course, you can't show it to others until you've developed and scanned the film, but you know exactly what you've done.

In my opinion, best strategy for beginning photographers - learn the basics of digital photography, where you can quickly check the result, and then practice, train the acquired knowledge on film. This will solidify everything related to light assessment and camera settings.

6. Film teaches productivity

When shooting on film, you have to learn to catch the right moment in right time. If you work with moving objects, then you simply need to develop a sense of time and space.

Over time, you begin to work like a Swiss watch - very accurately and very clearly. Additionally, most analog cameras only have the most basic features. No image stabilization, no autofocus, no other technological innovations. With rare exceptions, when shooting on film, it's just you and the metal box with the lens in your hands. And - I repeat - it helps to concentrate on what is happening outside the camera, and not inside it.

7. Gorgeous colors and photographic latitude

The popularity of presets that simulate film will confirm my words: the color rendition of film, as well as black and white tones, are excellent. There is simply nothing like this in the digital world: I couldn’t get the same colors as with film in digital.

As mentioned above, I got into analog photography because I was looking for an opportunity to shoot inexpensively in medium format. I got what I wanted, but today I continue to shoot on film because I found incredible colors that I never imagined a camera could create.

In addition, with an analog camera you get many different “matrices” with different color rendition - after all, you can use one film today, and tomorrow you can take another one from a different brand. For example, my favorites most of the time are the Kodak Portra 400 and Kodak Portra 800, but if I'm shooting in a location with a lot of greenery, I like to use the Fuji PRO 400H for its green tones.

The photographic latitude of film (if properly metered and developed) is another feature that can only be achieved with the most expensive digital cameras. The potential versatility of low-cost films such as Fuji X-Tra 400 or Kodak Colorplus 200 is comparable to or even greater than that of professional full-frame digital cameras.

The film retains light well, and if you overexpose it, you will not lose detail in the highlights, just saturate the shadows. As you shoot, light areas become saturated and stop retaining light as quickly as dark areas. In analog photography when metering exposure we're talking about It's more about contrast. Overexpose your photo and you'll have more shadow information and less contrast. Underexpose and there will be more contrast and less shadow detail.

Summing up

No, no one these days would give up digital photography to go all film, but I'm not advocating that. But I hope that I was able to present analog cameras as a very real tool for:

1. access to a range of different formats without breaking the bank,
2. practice the basics of photography and exposure metering,
3. communication with the outside world and less immersion in the camera,
4. obtaining results other than digital shooting.

Another goal of mine is to attract more attention to analog photography. It will be a great pity if she dies, when so many beautiful and historically important photographs were taken on film. The tape is still alive. May it continue to be so in the future.

New is well forgotten old
These days, you're more likely to find the latest fashion trends in your grandparents' closet. The same applies to photography: retro, vintage and old school are trying to stop the digital revolution. Analog things sink their teeth into the chips of voxless digital gadgets and tear them to pieces. And this guide is about them all. What films to buy, what cameras to shoot with and what to do with them later, all this is below.

Film vs digital

On the Internet you can easily find hundreds of film photography pioneers and other activists arguing with techies that film is better than digital. I'm not here to say which is better, but it would be nice to know a couple of differences between them.

The first difference is latitude, or as professionals call it, dynamic range. Simply put, it is the detail in the light and dark areas of a photograph. Film by definition has a greater dynamic range (especially black and white). Film also differs from digital in terms of resolution. Most 35mm film can't compete with top digital cameras in terms of resolution, but 120 film holds up quite well against digital cameras, which brings me to my final difference between the two camps - looks.

The film looks different, some say it is “softer”, others that it is less “plastic”, and others that it is “richer”. But these are very vague definitions and to fully understand them, you need to shoot with it. The photo below shows the full width of the black and white film, if you were taking this shot with a digital camera you would have to choose between an all black car interior or an all white subject, but with black and white film you can have both.

Rangefinders

Rangefinders are the brothers of SLR cameras. These names (mirror, rangefinder) describe how the camera focuses. In an SLR camera, light passing through the lens, reflected from the mirror and prism, is projected onto the focusing screen, which allows you to see whether the image is in focus. Rangefinders use a small rotating mirror and two windows to determine the distance to an object.

When you focus with a DSLR, things look blurry (out of focus) and sharp (in focus). When you focus with the rangefinder, everything appears to be in focus because you are just looking through the viewfinder window. For focusing, there is a translucent spot in the center of the viewfinder; when you move the focusing ring, this image also moves - just combine the two images and shoot.

Rangefinders are generally easier to focus in dark situations and are almost always more compact than their DSLR counterparts. Well-known rangefinders such as Leica are lauded by photojournalists and have been in use for 70 years, almost every major event is filmed with these cameras. The photo below was taken on Zorki 4K during the 2004 US presidential election.

Photo courtesy of Phototuts+

Zorki 4K

If you have never heard of Leica (Leitz), then know that the cameras from this company are incredibly expensive and high quality. This company has been on the market for a billion years and any of its new cameras instantly becomes a bestseller. But after World War II, German companies were forced to give away many of their patents. And so the Russians began to rivet their own copies of German watering cans. Many of them are simply pasted with the watering can logo and sold as real ones. Although the design was repeated down to the smallest detail, the quality and assembly were lacking on both legs.

Despite this, there are magnificent Russian cameras released in this era. For example, Zorki 4K is a tank, also produced under the name Zorki 4K. The simplest design, no exposure meter, only manual settings. But there is the famous watering can thread and interchangeable lenses. And it's damn cheap. I ordered my camera from Ukraine. She arrived a month later, the box almost folded in half under her weight. And the price is only 30 bucks. However, be careful - FIRST advance the film one frame, and then select the shutter speed, if you do this in reverse, the shutter will definitely break!

Photo courtesy of Phototuts+

Minolta Hi-Matic E

So, you don't have a light meter, but want to show off a cool camera at a retro party? No problem. This camera has a semi-automatic aperture priority system that works damn well. IN model range Hi-Matic has other cameras, but this one is my favorite because of its size and great lens.

The camera's lens is not replaceable, but this is more than compensated for by the exposure metering system. Most older cameras used a dial on the back of the flash to correctly expose the shot. In the same camera there is a counter that measures the amount of light even when the shutter is open and closes it if there is too much light. This system is also used by the most famous camera in the Lomography community, and first appeared in cameras from Yashica and is called Electro; This system quickly eats up batteries, but works flawlessly. Just attach the flash, the camera will do the rest. So, with this camera you get manual focusing using the rangefinder, excellent performance (including indoors) and, if you're lucky, a comfortable leather case.

Photo courtesy of Phototuts+

DSLR cameras

As I said earlier - DSLR cameras allow you to look straight through the lens, giving you a very detailed idea of ​​what the final photo will look like. These cameras dominate most genres of photography. They give you the most control and provide the invaluable ability to quickly change lenses. There are thousands of DSLRs out there, but we're retro guys, so let's look at cameras with manual focus and manual exposure settings. The photo below was taken with a Nikon F3HP.

Photo courtesy of Phototuts+

Pentax Spotmatic

Sturdy and precise like a titanium Swiss watch, this camera works always and under any conditions. Although it has a strange exposure metering system that requires you to first close the aperture to get the correct reading, it makes up for this with spot metering. This camera will take some getting used to, but the sheer number of features is worth it.

Lenses for this camera are mounted on a Pentax Screwmount or M42 mount. These lenses are very easy to find and very cheap. There are many companies that have produced lenses for this mount. I have a 24mm lens with built-in filters; as far as I know, this is the only model with such filters. The camera itself, as I said before, is very durable and has a classic design. This camera is the predecessor of the Pentax K1000, which is being bought by hundreds by university photography students. But I still prefer Spotmatic for its light meter and cheap lenses.

Photo courtesy of Phototuts+

Nikon F3HP

I think this is the best camera ever made. This is the longest produced Nikon camera, which was produced for almost 20 years in a row. This is a fully functional professional DSLR camera. Like the watering can, it has been used by many photojournalists around the world. It is incredibly durable, waterproof, with big amount accessories, viewfinders and detachable focusing screens.
The only negative is the hard to read exposure meter, which is especially problematic in the dark. Since it's Nikon, you have hundreds of thousands of lenses to choose from. The camera will also work with new autofocus lenses. I can't say exactly how much famous photos has been done with this camera in the last twenty years, but definitely a lot.

It's fairly easy to find and usually costs around $400 (and it's worth every penny). You can pass this camera on to your children and even grandchildren. She takes photographs at the most extreme conditions. Another one interesting feature– this is the ability to completely remove the viewfinder with a prism and shoot like a TLR camera. It's impossible to say too many good things about this camera, so if autofocus isn't an issue for you, this camera has everything you'll ever need.

Photo courtesy of Phototuts+

Medium format

First, I’ll make a reservation that medium format film is quite expensive and its development is also not cheap. There are very expensive and impressive medium format cameras like the classic Hasselblad. Rollei still makes excellent 2-lens SLR cameras that are built like a tank and cost almost like a real tank.

I'll focus on two inexpensive "non-pro" cameras that can take outstanding photos and are fun to use. The photo below was taken with the Holga Wide Pinhole, which even in bright daylight takes more than five seconds to get a normal exposure.

Photo courtesy of Phototuts+

Holga Wide Pinhole (120WCP)

This piece of plastic is simply a beast, it is the only camera I mention that has been invented in our time. You can easily get a brand new one for 50 bucks. Pinhole photography itself is very interesting; instead of a lens, a small hole is used. The hole uses quantum technology and other magic to focus the image on the film and we get a photograph.

The exposure time is very long because very little light reaches the film. This means that all moving objects will at least be blurred, and if they move too fast, they will not remain on the film at all, so you can easily make even the busiest city street empty. This camera is special because it can produce giant negatives measuring 6cm x 12cm. And its wide angle gives a field of view of approximately 160 degrees.

Since this is a pinhole camera, everything (that doesn't move) will be in focus. Also known fact that a pinhole lens does not distort the image like regular lenses, a regular wide-angle lens will twist straight lines, but a pinhole lens will not. Exposure for a pinhole camera is very easy to calculate by following these steps: calculate the exposure for f/5.6, then divide the shutter speed by 1000. So if you want a shutter speed of 1/60th of a second for the Holga Wide Pinhole you would use a shutter time of 16.6 seconds.

Photo courtesy of Phototuts+

Zeiss Nettar 515-2

When it comes to an affordable, easy-to-use medium format camera, it's impossible not to mention the Zeiss Nettar. These German cameras are built to last, and their ability to fold makes them more practical than huge TLR cameras. This particular model shoots negatives measuring 6cm x 9cm, which are quite close to the proportions of conventional 35mm cameras.

The viewfinder and shutter button are designed for horizontal shooting, so this camera is more convenient for people accustomed to regular 35mm DSLRs. But be careful, this is a very old camera, so there is no exposure metering and it focuses on a distance scale, just like the Rollei 35. But don't underestimate it. The lens is very sharp and the camera itself is compact and easy to use. Bring it out at your next family gathering and watch your relatives' shocked faces. When people say “Classic Camera,” this is what they think of.

Photo courtesy of Phototuts+

Scanning

To wrap up the article, I want to talk a little about scanning. If you plan to shoot film, buying a scanner will save you a huge amount of money. There are many good scanners on the market and technology does not stand still.

If you're only going to shoot on 35mm film and need very high resolution scans, I suggest avoiding dedicated 35mm scanners. For most of my publications, I use a regular flatbed scanner with a wide lamp that scans different types films. If your scanner has a resolution of 3000dpi or higher, it will not be difficult for you to make high-quality scans of your masterpieces. Search around and you'll likely find one for around $150.

Well that's it, now go and shoot! Be original and take interesting retro photos!

(approx. per.)
Tips for buying cameras are quite specific and these cameras are difficult to find, especially in the vastness of our vast country. If you want such a guide for our rashka, then write a comment, I’ll cook something up.

Does anyone still shoot on film these days? After all, it’s 2017 and digital technologies were supposed to destroy analog photography... A completely expected development of events, but in fact this did not happen - just as they did not become a thing of the past paper books, lamp equipment and vinyl players. Moreover, last years Analogue photography is rapidly returning to the lives of modern photographers.

Since the early 2000s, all we've heard about is how film is dying. One by one, the once numerous minilabs were closed, and day after day manufacturers announced the discontinuation of film cameras and the films themselves. In 2006, Nikon released its last scanners (which remain unsurpassed to this day), around the same time optical printing presses finally disappeared, giving way to digital ones. It was difficult to even imagine that analogue photography could survive for at least some time.

However, 10 years have passed and humanity has become homesick for physical material, returning more and more in thoughts and deeds to analog technologies. Gradually, news began to appear about the revival of film production and the release of new materials. At first, this news looked like the madness of individual enthusiasts (which is not far from the truth), but over time, more and more high-profile brands began to join in.

Perhaps it all started in 2008, exactly when, according to the laws of evolution, everything should have ended. In these difficult times for analog photography, the Impossible company emerges, which buys and restores the factory that produced Polaroid cassettes. The seemingly crazy project remains alive and is still actively developing.

A significant increase in interest in instant photography was also anticipated (and perhaps shaped) by Fujifilm, which in 2010 began to develop the once popular Instax direction with renewed vigor. Today, their products have captured the lion's share of the instant photography market worldwide. There are rumors that by 2017, Fujifilm's profits from instant cassettes/cameras almost exceeded profits from the sale of digital cameras, but these are, of course, just rumors.

However, sales of Fuji Instax cameras have been growing steadily since 2013. At the end of 2016, the company sold more than 5 million cameras. According to research conducted by Fujifilm and cited by European CEO magazine, the main users of cameras are representatives younger generation- those who were born and raised in the digital era. The same source indicates that according to research by Ilford, 30% of their film users are under 35 years of age, while 60% of all users first started shooting film in the last 5 years.

A few years later, in 2012, in the USA, enthusiasts created the company CineStill, which began repackaging Kodak film for the needs of photographers. It is worth noting that Kodak never stopped the production of film materials, because this is the main income of their analog division, because For cinema, film is purchased by the kilometer.

The creators of CineStill have invented and patented a unique technology for removing the soot layer from film films. This allowed them to establish large-scale re-production of films developed using the C-41 process. In 2016, CineStill introduced new technologies and released 120-type medium format film, which, along with narrow format 35 mm, is successfully sold all over the world through an established distribution network for the goods they produce.

Then, in 2012, a group of other enthusiasts began restoring the Italian Ferrania film factory. In 2015, the factory released the first trial batches of b/w photo and film, in 2016 trial batches of Scotch Chrome and Solaris films, and in February 2017 announced the release of the first batch of the new b/w photographic film P30.

In order to start restoration work, Ferrania announced a fundraiser on Kickstarter and instead of the required amount of $250,000, they raised $322,000.

Another swallow sang in the summer of 2013, when Ilford first opened a developing and analog printing laboratory in California. Even in the heyday of Ilford film, they limited their production activities exclusively by Great Britain.

But the main boom of analog technologies began in 2015, when news about the return of film photography began to pour out of a cornucopia.

In the fall of that year, the British dragstore chain Boots announced the start of sales of Ilford b/w film in 450 of its locations.

Let us remember that Boots position themselves not just as pharmacies, but also as stores of essential goods. In addition to Ilford films, all Boots sell 35mm Fujifilm and Lomography films.

One of the Boots stores, December 2016

In the same year, Quentin Tarantino’s already legendary “The Hateful Eight” was released on cinema screens, even the credits for which were made using scissors and paper. This film was shot on 65mm Kodak Vision 3 film, with rental copies printed in 35mm and 70mm formats. To show his film, Tarantino restored more than 50 medium-format cinemas in the United States. In Russia, the film copy was rented at the Oktyar cinema in January 2016, and each session invariably attracted a full house of viewers who wanted to evaluate the quality of the film copy in contrast to the digital image.

Film “The Hateful Eight”, 2015

But Tarantino is not the only director who shoots on film. In the same year of 2015, many other films were shot on film, including “ star Wars. Episode 7", "Jurassic World", "Mission: Impossible", "Child 44", "007: Spectre", "Night Fugitive", " Steve Jobs" etc.

Perhaps it was thanks to Tarantino and the support of Hollywood that 2015 became a turning point for Kodak, whose sales increased for the first time in many years.

According to statica.com as of mid-2016

The following year, 2016, continued the momentum, giving the world such film films as “Suicide Squad”, “La La Land”, “Jason Bourne”, “American Honey”, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, “Midnight Special” issue”, “Hail Caesar!”, “Castle”, “Jane Takes a Gun”, “Sing Street”, “Paterson” and many, many others.

It would seem, what does cinema have to do with photography if we are talking about photography? The fact is that the production of photographic films and films is based on similar technologies and partly on the same equipment, so the film industry largely supports the photographic industry.

It is curious that not only full-length films are shot on film, but also series - for example, “Breaking Bad” from the 2nd to the last season in 2013.

TV series "Breaking Bad", 2008-2013

Another interesting fact- also in 2015, the market for vinyl players and records experienced phenomenal growth. This is what the graph looks like for mid-2016, according to the Consumer Electronics Technology Association:

In 2016, Leica again drew attention to analog photography and announced the start of production of Leica Sofort instant photography cameras using Fuji Instax Mini cassettes as consumables.

The Russian film community was not spared the news either. In 2016, one of the members of the “Rangefinder” club, Denis Korablev, production facilities One of the military industry factories (which one he keeps strictly secret) began producing its own b/w photographic film, known among amateurs as “Type D”. He himself developed the emulsion of this film and continues to improve it.

And now comes 2017, which in the first two months brings several fresh news from the world of analog photography.

On January 5, KODAK announced the resumption of production of the legendary Kodak Ektachrome positive film, which was discontinued in 2012. The reason given is the steady increase in sales of professional photographic films over the past few years, caused by the surge in popularity of analog photography throughout the world. Kodak promises the appearance of this film on store shelves in 35 mm and Super 8 (cinema) formats in the fourth quarter of 2017.

In the same month, that is, in January 2017, the Italian Film Ferrania reported on the release of the first alpha batch of P30 from the assembly line.

And in mid-February 2017, the French company Bergger released the newly invented Pancro400 photographic film. This film was their first new development in the last 15 years, and should go on sale in March of this year. Possessing a classic emulsion, Pancro400 is distinguished by the favorable location of the anti-halo layer between the substrate and the emulsion on the emulsion side, which significantly reduces reflections in the layers of photographic film and increases the degree of image detail.

To the collection of good news and facts, you can add modest statistics from the film laboratory SREDA film lab, which has been operating in the Russian film photography market since the fall of 2015.

Despite the rapid revival of interest in analog technologies throughout the world, of course, film photography has been and remains the preserve of a narrow circle of aesthetes, art photographers and progressive youth. However, the number of amateur photographers who prefer the completely impractical but incredibly inspiring processes of analog magic is growing every day. It is quite possible that film photography is just beginning its renaissance, and in the coming years we will see something very unexpected from the point of view of the evolution of human development. Wait and see!

Don’t forget to follow the accounts of the Creative Laboratory “SREDA” on social networks!

A recent experience in which he had the opportunity to compare film and analog photography in high resolution. Let's find out what the difference is between the two options.

“For a recent project I was tasked with photographing a Hot Rod. It was interesting from the very beginning, because this car is quite rare in my area. The owner asked for his dog to sit on the fender of the car and for the image to be huge. 100 megapixels is too little for him, he wanted three times more.

A medium format digital camera can produce 100 megapixels from a single frame. These cameras are not that easy to rent where I live, and they are very expensive. I decided to stitch a panorama using digital reflex camera Canon 5D Mark III with Canon 100mm Macro lens and Nodalninja panoramic head. I also shot with analogue equipment - I took my large-format Linhof Master Technika camera with Kodak Portra 160 VC film.

To stitch a panorama with a dog, it was necessary to take the right frame with the animal. It was more difficult to shoot with the Linhof Master Technika, having parameters of 1/18 sec and F/11. Fortunately, the dog turned out to be quite calm and patient. I only used 4 sheets of film.

In the end I got enough resolution with both cameras - each image is about 300 megapixels. Linhof - with one frame (scanned in high resolution), and Canon - with 24 separate frames.

After several hours of work, I came up with two versions. I had to tinker with post-processing because there were midges stuck in the grille, one tire was a strange color, and the tread grooves were filled with pebbles and grass.

Finished digital photo:

Finished film photograph:

For fun, you can compare 100% cropped images:

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The client ultimately chose the analog version. The car looks much better on it. I am sure that similar cameras were in use when this car was just launched.