Roger, we live in interesting times. I love having the right equipment, when I was young, I just dreamed of being able to use a camera with more than one lens. My enlarger had one lens (not the right one of course), and I had to work an entire summer to pay for a Federal enlarger. Now I hear from people who have Beseler enlargers to give away and no one will pick them up.
Which is redefining the niches, the camera makers are all running around to try and make the most of the emerging market, which is what they have done.
Though the niche markets have supported a long run in what perhaps might have been seen as obsolete technology for a very long time. If you had predicted in 1960 a new SM Leica thread camera coming out in the 1990's, people would have put you away, or threatened to.
I am a collector, and need to go through that stuff and figure what I really want, but it is relatively painless at this point to buy what was dream equipment.
Bit of harmless fun, as long as it does not get in the way of making handsome images.
There is perhaps a coming renaissance for the amateur image maker to fill a niche of making many terrific images for personal satisifaction, not to make money.
It has been gratifying to receive the validation of the perceived support of the camera industry that they made equipment and materials for a very long time that covered this niche quite well.
Bit of an ego blow to find out those Capitalist &*(^^%$ are deserting us for the newer market, but we never really complained about all the P&S makers and the one hour labs.
As was pointed out, there is an abundance of terrific materials to use out there and hopefully the prediction of "enough" stuff to keep us going is correct.
So, I have to toughen up and accept the very expensive equipment is not holding some fantasy values, but some is.
I see Frances does quite well with her Alpa, and I have friends in the camera show venue who still have access to great stuff and great sources of reasonable repair.
It will be interesting to see what film cameras are made in five years.
I need to look for some of those LF lens values that have flow under the radar, and get my 5x7 out for some exercise. Lots of stuff to do.
And I try not to over react when someone predicts that the extinction of the silver image is around the corner.
Nice to read your comments.
John |
