Does anyone still use film camera?

United States
June 7, 2010 6:50pm CST
We all adapted to digital age, and most of daily appliances are in digital too. Television; computer; cable TV; and also camera. I was just curious about if there anyone still using film camera. I would say my mom still using her over 15 years old film camera in taking photos, as long as there is a roll of film still available for sale, and the camera still in good condition. She is unwilling to give it up, although I have a spare digital camera for her. Does anyone still use film camera nowadays?
1 person likes this
11 responses
@Torunn (8609)
• Norway
8 Jun 10
I still have a lot of film stashed away in my fridge which I should use soon, but I have to figure out what to take pictures off as I want to use them for something that I know I want pictures off. I have both slides and normal film. The other problem I have to "overcome" is that my film SLR is much better than my digital SLR so I know that when I've used it again the DSLR is going to annoy me for a while. Too noisy, too slow, too clumsy *sigh*
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
My mentor, a photo-journalist from 1950's to 2007 has the same notion as you with regards to DSLR. He said that a 135 Film at ISO 400 with an aperture of f11 can print larger and clearer images used for billboards as compared to some DSLR with 8-10mp. If a better image is desired (noise minimized), a DSLR has to have a larger MP and those are very expensive indeed.
@Torunn (8609)
• Norway
8 Jun 10
Yes, the professional DSLRs are definitly very expensive, I haven't got one myself (yet, hope I can afford one in the not so far future) but if you want same quality prints that you get from film you still have to cash out. Or go for medium format, the ones with where you can change part of the camera body. Must be great, I suppose they make them so you can change from film to digital now.
17 Jun 10
I do! It's an art form. Darkroom photography is really cool.
• United Kingdom
8 Jun 10
I still have my old camera that uses the old film that you install! I'm quite late in catching up with new technology but I think that I have finally arrived now! I purchased my first digital camera a few months back and I'm really pleased with it. Things are so much easier now and you don't have to visit your local High St and have the film developed. I'm pretty sure that digital cameras have put a lot of people out of business now. We all save our photos on our computers now and these digital cameras also have camcorder ability so it's a really good deal in my view. I like to keep my old camera all the same as it has sentimental value to me. I have vowed that I will always try and keep up with changing technology now and it feels nice when you pick up a product that has just come out. Well, I tend to wait a bit as I like to see the prices come down first before I pick up something new! Andrew
@verabear (796)
• Philippines
16 Jun 10
When I first started dabbling in photography I got an old film SLR. I'm one for instant gratification though so it didn't work for me. But I have a friend who still prefers film because of quality. Using film also trains a photographer to take photos with care because there is a limit to the number of shots you can take, and there's no editing. no cropping or zooming in.
@sallyj (1225)
• United States
9 Jun 10
Not very many, but there are a few people with computers that do not use them wisely. I love the digital camera because i am not good at focusing and can reset some things, center, remove back ground and all those things.
@ndubose (418)
• United States
8 Jun 10
I still use the disposable cameras because I love the quality of the picture especially the quality of the black and white pictures....
@ada8may21 (2405)
• Philippines
7 Jun 10
It was 3 years ago when I still have my camera using film. It is too expensive for me to buy a film. Then I realize it would be better to have a digital camera. I guess one of my cousin still using this camera until now. According to her, she would like to keep it because this one its easy to used and navigate. Unlike the digital camera, I guess she is just afraid to used the new one. Afraid to break it.
@reetu3 (262)
• India
8 Jun 10
i hope there will be very few people using film camera but there are people using it as i'd seen camera rolls on a shop ...two years back i was also using camera with roll but after that i purchased a digital camera ....
@jagjit273 (1754)
• India
8 Jun 10
Well yes people still use Cameras for different reasons Some still love the old way . We Use Still Photos from film cameras In Courts as tehy are the authentic proof of Evidence and as Addition and alteration can be made in digital pic through computer and other highly deviced technology
@ronz30 (275)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
Maybe the Old age :D hehe ! I use digitaL camera I think it is more easy to use, to carry and it is also nicer ! Lol
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
As a photography enthusiast myself, I started out with a film SLR camera and it did marvelously but there are a number of draw backs and they are 1. the cost of the film 2. the cost to have it developed and 3. sometimes you don't know if the shots you took was according to your perspective. When you learn your mistakes, it's usually too late because you can never repeat that great moment you captured. I got my DSLR 2 years ago and I love using it because you can see images immediately other that the fact that you can shoot and upload right after. But even so, a very good friend and mentor of mine still prefers a film camera to a digital because he says you can only know a really good photographer with the images he gets on film as a film's image is difficult to manipulate. His son bought him a top of the line Canon DSLR but he still rather use his good and trusty old film camera. Maybe we have advanced in technology but the old photographers take delight in showing unadulterated images taken from their film cameras.