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Just wondering: can you still buy a new, top of the range camera that will produce a negative or a slide after you have taken a picture? Or have digital cameras taken over the market completely?

I know certain photography shops still deal with slides and negatives but they are slowly being phased out, sadly.

Despite having to contend with endless problems that come with owning a slide or negative — such as dust, dirt, fingerprints and scratches, there's nothing quite like a good slide or negative to treasure and cherish.

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    \$\begingroup\$ have you even tried to google that? \$\endgroup\$
    – aaaaa says reinstate Monica
    Feb 22, 2018 at 1:04
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    \$\begingroup\$ this website is not design to "communicate with anyone" but to get answer to questions, within scope and appropriate style. Googling or research if an important part of asking good questions: photo.stackexchange.com/help/how-to-ask \$\endgroup\$
    – aaaaa says reinstate Monica
    Feb 22, 2018 at 1:19
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    \$\begingroup\$ I think this is not so much a question as a semi-concealed digital-vs-film rant. Also, it is (to put it bluntly) ignorant to think that answers should not be researched first. You think it's better not to have an archive of information, but rather ask everything over and over again, in the name of "communication"? \$\endgroup\$
    – osullic
    Feb 22, 2018 at 9:37
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    \$\begingroup\$ @RichardGray 'No and I have no intention of doing so'...then I think the stackexchange platform is not the appropriate place for your personal rant. \$\endgroup\$
    – laurencemadill
    Feb 22, 2018 at 12:04
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    \$\begingroup\$ @RichardGray this really isn't a platform for personal rants, neither is it a platform for questions that are easily answerable by going to a shop (online or otherwise) to see a range of products. What Stephen is saying is that the nature of the question isn't really a fit for this site, and may be better asked on photography discussion forums, and that your attacking attitude does not belong here either. Leave that at the door, ask suitable questions that are a good fit for the site, and people will be happy to help and will upvote your questions instead of downvote them \$\endgroup\$
    – laurencemadill
    Feb 22, 2018 at 16:29

3 Answers 3

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There are still plenty of people shooting film. But, demand has indeed fallen, and it's become a buyer's market.

To my knowledge, only Nikon and Leica are making new 35mm gear - though I could be wrong. The real value is in used gear in great condition - and there's a lot to go around.

Canon's flagship EOS 1V can be had in mint condition for less than $500. Yea, it's some old tech compared to what's in the new digital cameras - but it's a beast of a camera.

For medium format, Pentax 645N's and lenses go for super cheap. A mint body with 75mm manual focus lens can be had for ~$600. The manual focus 35mm goes for ~$350 while a used copy of the autofocus 200mm can be had for $800 off retail. It's out of my budget but I've come across the 600mm f/5.6 for only $2,000. (Yea, it is expensive, but cheap compared to what Canon wants for a 600mm)

For most people, I don't think it makes sense to drop thousands on new film equipment - especially when there is top shelf gear to be had for so cheap.

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There are many film cameras being made and sold today.

For example for 35mm Nikon still makes the F6 and sells the FM10 (manufactured by Cosina).

Leica still makes various film cameras for their M mount, like the M-P and M-A.

Medium and large format cameras are still made as well. For example Arca Swiss, Chamonix, Shen-Hao make new large format cameras.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Damn - beat me to it by a minute >_< \$\endgroup\$
    – OnBreak.
    Feb 22, 2018 at 0:40
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It's really too bad you didn't feel the need to google that question

Because hit one would have been a great answer! "15 Film Cameras you can still buy brand new".

Now, this is the top google hit (Because the Exchange network is awesome for searching and finding answers as a Q&A site)

Additionally, cameras don't really take "slides or negatives", film cameras expose film, and then a lab converts the exposed film to slides, negatives, or digital (Often throwing away the negatives today)

And lastly film is making a comeback! At least for now. A generation has never really seen analog photography and are apparently fascinated with the process of it.

And we really shouldn't approach problems with the "kids these days" trope. Today's kids have inherited an unprecedentedly peaceful world, with access to incomprehensible data and unceasing social interactions. Maybe the world has forgotten how much the world has changed since the internet came out, but I haven't forgotten how amazed I would have been in the late 90's if Yahoo, Lycos, AOL, or even Google would have returned search results as relevant as these

(And for the Exchange members who are clamoring for how off topic this is, I really wanted to leave a long comment or a thread in Meta but neither is possible)

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    \$\begingroup\$ Ah, the kids these days trope. I personally cannot wait to give my daughter the dilemma of continuing a phone conversation (in the kitchen) vs. getting online. \$\endgroup\$
    – OnBreak.
    Feb 22, 2018 at 15:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ Some of us don't have the time or the inclination to spend the sometimes hours worth of research it takes to find an answer to a question. You may have found an answer to this question right off the bat as you claim or it could have taken a while to find an answer. Hence why I'm asking people here. For the record I've googled many photography related questions recently and have had to spend an inordinate amount of time finding an answer. Kids have inherited a peaceful world? With all these wars in the middle east? I don't think so. Compared to 25 plus years ago I think I had it much better. \$\endgroup\$
    – Richard Gray
    Feb 22, 2018 at 15:42
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Corey "When I was your age, we had 3 people yelling to get off the phone because we weren't rich enough for that new call waiting" \$\endgroup\$
    – AthomSfere
    Feb 22, 2018 at 15:46
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    \$\begingroup\$ @RichardGray Maybe you really should start learning to learning to do basic research. Some questions are hard to find good answers, and that's what this network is for. And yes, undoubtedly the kids kids have inherited a peaceful world. Even with "the middle east" as your single data point, that region has seen conflict for millennia and this decade isn't worse than the last century (world wars, civil wars, western meddling...) \$\endgroup\$
    – AthomSfere
    Feb 22, 2018 at 15:55
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    \$\begingroup\$ @RichardGray - not every question is going to get up voted. That being said, the purpose of SE is to provide utility to future readers in addition to helping you, now. Speculative topics like, will film be around in... are generally too broad for this type of site. But, it is important to frame questions in a way that provides that future utility, if at all possible. \$\endgroup\$
    – OnBreak.
    Feb 22, 2018 at 15:55

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