I think that there will "always" be specialty shops that will carry chemicals for photographers. If you check out Bolstick and Sullivan (I think that is there name) or Photographic Formulary and there are even some places that you can buy film for 620, 127 and 628 cameras. Apparently there are more models of large format cameras being made now than twenty years ago and some of the new models are very large, like 16X20 and 8X20. Buying a used film camera on ebay is much less of a financial risk than ordering a brand new 5 grand large format camera if the longevity of film is your greatest concern. But than those in large format believe that it will be the last survivor in film as it is highly unlikely that digital cameras will ever replace the deliberation and slowness that large format entails.
I have just started being serious in 4X5 and have also used a D2X and they are totally different animals. Film for 35mm sold everywhere may soon be a thing of the past but with the resurgence of alternative processes and the number of new users of large format photography, film in some form will be here for a long period of time. I cannot see how the market place will drive Nikon or Canon to create digital cameras that could compare to an 8X10 and why most consumers would even be interested in such large files. I hope that medium format lasts as well but not as sure of that. Digital can complete with that format as movements and lengthy considerations of composition that are large formats strengths are not with medium format. I would love to also have a medium format system but with having the large format and owning an older Rolleichord TLR I could not justify it. My next camera will either be a better 4X5 than I now have or a digital SLR. But I cannot see one format replacing the other. Now if digital backs for the large format are ever economical for the masses perhaps but at ten or twelve grand for a back that has a very high cropping factor .... -----Original Message----- From: William Robb [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: January 9, 2006 4:12 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Pentax lens test on DIGITAL? All Pentax DSLR same imagaing? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gonz" Subject: Re: Pentax lens test on DIGITAL? All Pentax DSLR same imagaing? >> Medium format is primarily a professional photographer's camera. That >> they are dumping the stuff in droves is not going to help the pricing of >> it on the used market, nor is it going to do much for keeping manufacture >> of film viable. >> OTOH, I suspect that processing will be available for some years to come >> yet, so if the format interests you, be aware that you may want to buy >> enough film to keep you happy sooner rather than later. >> > > And probably the chemicals for processing. Its been a long time. Can the > chemicals for processing keep for a long time like film, under cold > storage? Chemistry, no, not really. You can get black and white chemistry in powdered form that will last pretty much forever, but colour chemistry does have a shelf life of a few years at most, and can be harmed by cold storage. I expect that film processing will be available for many more years, perhaps as little as five, as long as ten. If you can live with that short a time for your investment to become a gamble on usability, definitely the quality of your photography will improve for using the large camera. William Robb -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.14.14/222 - Release Date: 05/01/2006
