cesc Posted July 11, 2022 Share #1 Posted July 11, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) I know writing this post will open tones of different opinions but I am wondering if I am doing the right decision, some days I feel I am, and some others I feel I shouldn't... I am considering selling my Leica MP and stoping shooting film, because prices are getting hard to justify. I love grain and the imperfections that film offers and I have the feeling that going into digital I will get bored soon... Any thoughts are more than welcome Thanks all! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 11, 2022 Posted July 11, 2022 Hi cesc, Take a look here Help me to decide. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
logan2z Posted July 11, 2022 Share #2 Posted July 11, 2022 Is a few dollars a roll increase in the cost of film really enough for you to consider giving up film altogether? Hobbies cost money. I love tennis and play regularly, so I break strings often. If the cost of string went up a few dollars I wouldn't give up the game I love. Maybe I'd try a less expensive string or start to string my own racquets (which I did). If the increased cost of film is becoming an issue but you still love film photography then one option is to sell the MP and buy a much cheaper film camera (like a Nikon or Pentax SLR) and use the proceeds to buy film. Or switch to a less expensive film stock. Or develop your film at home (if you're not already doing so). Or buy a digital camera and only shoot film occasionally. Or any combination of the above. There are ways to keep costs down without completely giving up on your love of film. Personally, I'd keep the MP and suck it up 😀 8 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradS Posted July 11, 2022 Share #3 Posted July 11, 2022 (edited) Nobody can tell you what is right for you. Everybody's situation is different. We all have slightly different values. We each have to do what is right for us. I retired a few years ago and over night, I had to find a way to live on 20% of the income I had been making when working. Obviously, I live on a very tight budget but it works for me. I made the classic trade - wealth for freedom. As part of this transition, I made a similar evaluation...whether to stop doing traditional photography and try to learn to do digital photography....on the surface digital does seem less expensive but it is also far less enjoyable or satisfying. While I did end up buying my first digital camera, I definitely have not stopped doing traditional photography and I've actually bought a couple of new-to-me film film cameras. For me, the costs of film and processing are fairly insignificant when compared to the cost of travel, the value of having the memories and an envelope full of prints or a few days, or weeks in the darkroom. EDIT: I think I'd try to keep the MP if I were you. I've seen many, many folks friends and acquaintances sell all their film gear, go all in on the latest digital only to regret it in a very big way later...and come back to film. Edited July 11, 2022 by BradS 8 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmrider2 Posted July 11, 2022 Share #4 Posted July 11, 2022 (edited) Even with the increasing cost of film, the argument can be made that it is still cheaper than digital. This assumes that you must have the latest and greatest digital camera and factors in depreciation on digital gear. If you have looked at Leica prices recently, M film bodies have not depreciated. In fact, just the opposite. I purchased a mint black chrome fifty anniversary M4 body three years ago for $3000 and the dealer just offered me $3000 if I would sell it back to him. Presently, he has a mint black chrome M4 listed for $4000 and it is NOT an anniversary body. So I could say I have shot for three years for free except for the small cost of film. Try that with any digital camera (don't care what brand it is). It is kind of like the present high cost of fuel. People spend thousands and thousands for a car or heaven forbid a pickup truck ($50000) and then complain about fuel cost for a vacation. The US still has some of the cheapest prices for fuel on the planet. Now my solution to the fuel crisis was buying the smallest BMW motorcycle made (after my 21 year old bike caught fire up on the Haul Road to Pruedoe Bay), it gets 70mpg and is a hoot to ride (more fun than my Harley). Or even better a new mountain bike or electric bike. But as the previous post said, you pay your money and make your choice. I got rid of my digital Leica but have kept a FujiX100f just in case. I enjoy the film process but I am 69 years old and enjoy being the analogue dinosaur in this digital world. And free of the Leica mystique. Edited July 11, 2022 by ktmrider2 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
romualdo Posted July 12, 2022 Share #5 Posted July 12, 2022 (edited) 4 hours ago, ktmrider2 said: Now my solution to the fuel crisis was buying the smallest BMW motorcycle made (after my 21 year old bike caught fire up on the Haul Road to Pruedoe Bay), it gets 70mpg and is a hoot to ride (more fun than my Harley). Or even better a new mountain bike or electric bike That's what I've done - have ordered australia's first electric motorcycle (The Savic cafe racer) - i'm in the build slot for the first 50 (currently riding a 1972 BMW 75/5). Sorry to hear bout your bike catching fire. Please excuse my veering from the initial OPs post. BTW I have an MP black paint which I picked up relatively cheapl ($2800 Aus) 5 years ago - I highly recommend you keep it - you'll regret it in time I havn't given up on film - my son & I share bulk rolls & do our own B&W processing (not printing) - I enjoy the process of analog photography (the journey plus the destination) Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited July 12, 2022 by romualdo 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/334491-help-me-to-decide/?do=findComment&comment=4469576'>More sharing options...
Herr Barnack Posted July 12, 2022 Share #6 Posted July 12, 2022 @cesc, The way I have learned to make film photography affordable these days is to shoot black and white film and to process it myself. It is not difficult at all to develop your own B&W at home and the chemicals needed are lest costly than chemistry for E-6 and C-41 developing. As for film, Kodak Tri-X 400 is my favorite B&W film. it is selling for $10.99 per 36 exposure roll which is a little costly. However, Kentmere Pan 400 Black and White is selling for $5.19 per 36 exposure roll and it is getting good reviews; take a look at the customer photos at this link: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/601021-REG/Kentmere_6010476_Kentmere_35mm_Black_and.html/reviews Most important of all is this question: Do you love your film MP, or is it just a tool to you? I would urge you to give this question careful consideration. If your MP is just a tool, perhaps selling it and replacing it with an M10 Monochrom is something to think about. If you love your MP and you sell it, you will come to regret that decision in short order. Give your next move serious thought before taking action. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydrxx Posted July 12, 2022 Share #7 Posted July 12, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've been down this road before. Now almost 80 and long retired, living on a small fixed income. Loved film and then digital, and I thought film was dying out. However, after going mostly digital for a few years, I wanted to keep my toes dipped in both pools and bought back (too many) film bodies. My suggestion is don't overthink what you will like most or spend your money on in the future. If you want to get into digital, go ahead, BUT DON'T SELL YOUR FILM GEAR to finance the transition, as you may want to engage in using both, but for different looks or purposes. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helge Posted July 12, 2022 Share #8 Posted July 12, 2022 vor 11 Stunden schrieb cesc: I know writing this post will open tones of different opinions but I am wondering if I am doing the right decision, some days I feel I am, and some others I feel I shouldn't... I am considering selling my Leica MP and stoping shooting film, because prices are getting hard to justify. I love grain and the imperfections that film offers and I have the feeling that going into digital I will get bored soon... Any thoughts are more than welcome Thanks all! I‘m doing analogue now for 56 years (since I was 6 yrs old), using really a lot of different analogue cameras 😀 Digital has kicked-in first about 20 yrs ago just to enable web publishing, the M10 was m first serious digital camera. Selling any of my old or present analogue gear would never happen due to film costs, you can get B/W starting at 5€, color negative starting at 9€, most expensive would be slides at ~20€, however processing slides is cheap (at least in Germany). If you shoot one roll/month should always be possible! I don‘t know to whom you might have to justify about 10-20€/month, but to me it seems rather that you are going to sell the gear not due to the price/roll but because you need the money you‘ll get for the camera or because you have decided to leave analogue for good. You may have to admit to yourself that the still reasonable film costs might be a lame excuse 😉 So, don‘t sell anything 😎 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mute-on Posted July 12, 2022 Share #9 Posted July 12, 2022 If you already have a digital M, and can afford to keep both, just put down the MP for a while. You’ll know if you want to pick it up again, regardless of film and processing cost. If you don’t have a digital M, do you want to spend the incremental cost of film all at once? An M11 is now $14,490 AUD. That’s a lot of film even at $20 a roll of 36 exposures for Portra or Ektar. At $20 a roll of 36 for processing, that’s still 13,041 processed photos. If you are a casual photographer shooting 1,000 photos a year (or around 20 frames a week) that’s 13 years of photography for the price of an M11. If you think digital is worth that, and the M11 (for an example), go for it. 5 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viv Posted July 12, 2022 Share #10 Posted July 12, 2022 Film photography is wonderful and satisfying, but the scanning to digital is a pain. That's why I gave up film. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock Posted July 12, 2022 Share #11 Posted July 12, 2022 4 minutes ago, Viv said: Film photography is wonderful and satisfying, but the scanning to digital is a pain. That's why I gave up film. Everyone is different but I rather enjoy scanning. When I think back to nights in the darkroom until the small hours with that lovely aroma of chemicals. 🙂 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helge Posted July 12, 2022 Share #12 Posted July 12, 2022 vor 23 Minuten schrieb Viv: Film photography is wonderful and satisfying, but the scanning to digital is a pain. That's why I gave up film. Why scanning? I‘m very happy with the analogue results. How is it, if you don‘t scan and enjoy the analogue results (prints or slides)? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted July 12, 2022 Share #13 Posted July 12, 2022 (edited) Cesc, The two systems can become complementary, if you want to. In my long amateur photography life, I was happy having done so many slides (Kodachrome and Velvia), but digital M will never "replace" slides. I've done lateral moves a bit with time : - discovering b&w in film and Monochrom is quite revelations and demandings at same time - for many years, scanning old slides and newly released b&w films became a full time "job", not pain at all for me - after all, I'm happy to learn over time and having possibilities to learn Anyway, each photographer is different, we have infinite possibilities, costy or not depending on individual income and priorities. Any choice can be choosen differently ... ... Please have a look in this inspiring thread Arnaud Edited July 12, 2022 by a.noctilux 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted July 12, 2022 Share #14 Posted July 12, 2022 Ha ha ! Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/334491-help-me-to-decide/?do=findComment&comment=4469766'>More sharing options...
loughtonsmith Posted July 12, 2022 Share #15 Posted July 12, 2022 Just to inject my two cents into the conversation, consider the “value” of depreciation into the mix when buying a digital camera. Since 2002, when I sold my last Leica body and lenses and went all in on digital, I estimate that I’ve lost $5000-6000 to depreciation due to selling digital bodies and upgrading. Add that to all of the paraphernalia I’ve bought to support my digital arsenal, and it’s been pretty expensive. All of that said, I’m back to a film M (an M3 and M4-2), and not many regrets… I keep costs under control by keeping an eye open for deals on film, processing my own b/w, and slowing down my trigger finger. I still send out my C41 and E6, but I only shoot color occasionally (special occasions, travel, etc). I’m not on a fixed income yet, but getting ready to retire from teaching in a few years… so I’m on a budget. These are tough decisions, but look beyond the budget and consider where you are in your photography, and where you’re likely to be in the next several years. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kivis Posted July 12, 2022 Share #16 Posted July 12, 2022 I started owning Leica M's in the mid 70's. I have bought and sold many M's. I have never sold a Leica M camera that I didn't regret it. In other words, DO NOT sell your MP!!! 4 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cesc Posted July 12, 2022 Author Share #17 Posted July 12, 2022 Thanks so much everyone for your time and comments. I think I will keep shooting film (just a bit less... now I shoot mostly 2 rolls per week) And even I have not that much free time I really like developing BW myself. Moving to an hibrid solution it's the good choice in my opinion, as all of you mentioned, having digital for that moments less important, everyday shots.... and keep shooting film for those special moments or trips. Probably I just needed to read your comments to be more secure about my decision. Again, thanks so much! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayD28 Posted July 12, 2022 Share #18 Posted July 12, 2022 (edited) Deleted response. Edited July 12, 2022 by RayD28 OP made his decision. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmrider2 Posted July 12, 2022 Share #19 Posted July 12, 2022 When I want to share photos, digital cannot be beat. Thus, the FujiX100f which easily sends images to the phone or even just the phone when I am really lazy. When I want to travel light or really enjoy making photographs, I leave the X100f at home and take either the M4 or one of my other film cameras. And honestly the film may not get processed immediately so the images are always a surprise. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fotoklaus Posted July 13, 2022 Share #20 Posted July 13, 2022 Don´t sell it. If you are not in a situation where every dollar counts just don´t sell it. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.