Is it worth buying analogue in 2021

[Reactivestills]

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Hi All,

I will be looking to purchase two of the same body in the coming months. Either M-A/P
 

In your honest opinion is it worth buying a film Leica in 2021/22 - Will Leica cease to care about analogue cameras 

Or am I better holding on for digital and paying double the cost. 
I enjoy both formats but if film processing and sales dwindle in the next 10 years will it be a complete waste of money.

 

Please advise. Thanks 

Edited August 7, 2021 by Reactivestills

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[pedaes]

Welcome to the Forum!

Not sure if this is a genuine post, but unless you are totally committed to film and all that involves I would suggest you stay with digital.

Having said that, I can't believe anyone is asking this question - only you can decide! Just make sure you know the facts to make your judgement.

It is not relevant what Leica do - if you have a mechanical analogue camera it will work forever with maintenance.

Edited August 7, 2021 by pedaes

[a.noctilux]

Of course, YES.

Maybe we are at last year (s) of M-A/MP productions.

I hope I'm wrong 😉.

 

[Stuart Richardson]

Film has already undergone its contraction and subsequent expansion. It seems fairly stable at the moment.. It seems likely that things will carry on pretty similarly for the moment, though of course, no one knows what the future will hold. B&W is the most resilient and unlikely to go away, as it is the easiest and cheapest to make and easiest and cheapest to do. Glass plate or paper negatives are diy processes, so will always be there for anyone, regardless of commercial prospects. Color negative is the next largest group, and unlikely to go anywhere for the foreseeable future. E6 was in a very precarious position, but has had a recovery of late, with Kodak introducing a new E6 film and it being received well.. I don't think there is much danger of film being gone in ten years...if it is, I think it probably means very bad news for the world, and film will be the last thing we are thinking about...

[andrew01]

Analogue photography seems to be on an upward trajectory at the moment.  I think there is less risk in buying Leica film cameras than digital.  Digital cameras become obsolete by newer tech within 2 years and then depreciate rapidly.

In my opinion a brand new MA/MP is not the best choice unless you absolutely must have a brand new camera. Instead of an MA I would find a very clean M2/3/4 and then get it serviced.  Instead of an MP I would look for a clean M6 and get it serviced.

[Helge]

There’s nothing wrong with a brand new M-A or MP, unless you don’t have the money for it or you like specifically the appeal of a vintage camera (I do but I purchased recently a brand new MP).

With a new camera you get full warranty and no wear and tear.

There is today no reason to believe that film would go away in the next 5-10 years. I personally think not even in 20 years.

 

Edited August 7, 2021 by Helge

[maate]

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Leica invented 35mm film photography. I hope they will go a long way to preserve the M-A/MP lineup. They have even been rumored ro add a third "cheap" analog camera to their lineup in 2021.

But ultimately, who really knows? Buy analog if that's what you love shooting, and for that reason only.

No, actually. If you like the "sharper than eye" modern digital experience/gimmick. Still, just buy analog 🙂

[a.noctilux]

Hoping that the rumored 'new/cheap' film M for 2021 would not mean the end of M-A/MP

[tom.w.bn]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb Reactivestills:

I enjoy both formats but if film processing and sales dwindle in the next 10 years will it be a complete waste of money.

 

If for some reason there is no film anymore in 10 years, you had 10 years of fun and you have the images you took in 10 years. It's a hobby, not a business investment.

[Jon Warwick]

I have no idea how film and associated processing and scanning availability will develop.

Regardless of film cost, I find it reassuring to see new entrants in the market, including when Kodak released Ektachrome again.

More the question I find i ask myself is (1) am I happy with the less convenient workflow of film, and (2) can I replicate a film look with digital (and effectively kill two birds with one stone in terms of # of cameras I own by just using digital)?

For the 2nd aspect, and for Portraits specifically - I’ve got pretty close with an M240 and Mandler 50mm v5 taken in the shade where the highlight roll-off of digital is less of a giveaway; but with an SL2 + SL 50 APO (and files with an M10R + M50 APO), I find myself defeated in my task.

So for Portraits, I generally feel that I have no choice but to use film ….however long that hopefully lasts.

Edited August 7, 2021 by Jon Warwick

[Ouroboros]

Fujifilm released the S1 Pro 21 years ago, it was the first mainstream 'affordable'  and viable dslr, mainly for professionals and enthusiasts who photographed weddings, portraits and events.

Many people seriously believed that film is dead after the release of the Fujifilm S1 Pro  and this was reflected in the mountain of perfectly good film camera gear of all formats that flooded the used market overnight and was selling, or not, at give-away (literally) prices.

So here we are 21 years on and guess what.....film is far from dead!  The main casualty of the mainstream transition from film to digital photography in that era were those labs who did not have the foresight or the willingness to invest in, and train their staff to facilitate shifting their own workflows to accommodate the new technology.  Mass lab closures reinforced the popular belief that film was indeed actually dead and film manufacturers suffered.

Fortunately, there are numerous 'pheonix' manufacturers under familiar names and brands and an increasing number of new specialist labs worldwide that are rising out of the resurgence of interest in film and traditional or alternative methods and processes.  Confidence in the long-term viability of film photography is high, this is why the costs of used film equipment has reached levels that simply would not have been believed only a dozen years ago.  

For most enthusiast photographers and for many professionals whose target market and workflows are compatible with film, there is no valid argument against buying and using a film camera as a long-term proposition.

 

      

Edited August 7, 2021 by Ouroboros

[01af]

Painting became obsolete approx. 150 years ago. Since then, photography is the better method to take pictures; it's more quickly, more accurately, and takes less skill and effort than painting. Yet, some still enjoy carrying canvas on easels, wielding brushes, and splashing paints from tubes. And they can; stores that carry painters' supplies still exist.

So why would anyone assume that film, developer, and fixer won't be available anymore ten years from now!?

Edited August 7, 2021 by 01af

[Mute-on]

The real question is do you get the M-A or the MP?

I vote MP (only because I have one, and love it. My non-metered Leicas are at least 50 years old). 
 

Good luck, and most importantly, enjoy!

[01af]

vor 11 Minuten schrieb Mute-on:

The real question is do you get the M-A or the MP?

I vote M-A (because I have one, and I enjoy the idea of a contemporary camera with no battery chamber and no on/off switch — and it works).

But then, the MP is acceptable too.

Edited August 7, 2021 by 01af

[Prosophos]

In the past year, I’ve purchased an M2-R and two M3 cameras.  So for me, film is definitely not dead. 
 

If only I hadn’t succumbed to this fear of film’s demise over the last 15 years, I wouldn’t have sold my previous film gear.   Buying it back at double and triple the price hasn’t been fun.  But it’s still a relative bargain as far as I’m concerned. 
 

—Peter. 

[Danner]

90% of my photography is film, shooting a pair of M6, and a Nikon SLR system.  So, I say YES!  It is true that film is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, particularly among younger people.  Full disclosure, I have a permanently set-up darkroom, including enlarger/processors/mounting and matting equipment, so it's convenient for me.  To me, there is no substitute for a fiber base paper silver-gelatin print.

 

My 2¢

[Tom R]

Assuming that the OP was genuine: Invest in film (and its associated technology) only if you believe that it will provide something that you need to advance your photography. We're talking about a tool/technology, which should be dictated by the broader question of what it is you are trying to do, and not the other way around.

[Guest Nowhereman]

3 hours ago, pedaes said:

...Not sure if this is a genuine post, but unless you are totally committed to film and all that involves I would suggest you stay with digital...

Yes, I share that sentiment with the additional thought that it's not really a "buying" decision, as such. It's a question of, "do I really want to shoot film"?. If yes, the answer to the OP is yes; if no, the answer is no.
_______________________________________
Frog Leaping photobook and Instagram

Edited August 7, 2021 by Nowhereman

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Hallo,

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[Jon Warwick]

35 minutes ago, Prosophos said:

In the past year, I’ve purchased an M2-R and two M3 cameras.  So for me, film is definitely not dead. 
 

If only I hadn’t succumbed to this fear of film’s demise over the last 15 years, I wouldn’t have sold my previous film gear.   Buying it back at double and triple the price hasn’t been fun.  But it’s still a relative bargain as far as I’m concerned. 
 

—Peter. 

Fortunately I kept my M7 from 2002 ….I think the new M7 and new 50mm Summicron v5 together totalled approx £2.7k at the time! Used for both together is now more.

I did sell my M4-P though. That was a mistake, in hindsight it would have been nice to have CLA’d it and had an all-manual camera like the M-A.

I also sold 5x4 gear after Fuji Quickloads disappeared, including an Ebony RSW45, and then later decided to get back into large format.  That’s the biggest regret, Ebony stopped making their cameras thereafter, and the opportunity for a new one was gone for good ….

Edit: And for good measure, I should add that I also sold a Mamiya 7 and 80mm lens for c £900 at the time …..hmmm, those seem like gold dust now ….
 

Edited August 7, 2021 by Jon Warwick

[OR120]

I vote YES for your film adventure. I spent years shooting/developing film for a living. It ended with my greatest M camera - the  three-lug M5. The thought process when you've only got 36 shots in the camera. You think and shoot in a very different way --- vs digital. I doubt I'll ever go back to film again but..........in my basement I still have bricks/pro packs of Fuji and Kodak film that have been chilling since the day they were purchased. Also a mint Leitz Focomat ready to go - just in case...... I think everyone should have that experience of shooting with film. It expands your photographic experience. 

Good Luck!

Edited August 7, 2021 by OR120
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