Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/12/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 12/19/03 8:30:13 AM, bdcolen@earthlink.net writes: << And, even if I'm wrong about that, once a camera is sold, it is "out there in the world;" that doesn't mean it continues to be used - it may well be sitting on a shelf, supplanted by whatever digital it's owner has purchased. >> My experience watching my friends shoot is that it doesn't matter whether it's digital or film. With film the camera only came out for special occasions. And then, they would only take a few shots! So it would take 2 or 3 or 4 months to get one roll developed. (the exception is new parents. they shoot everything, including the baby's first movement, second, third, etc). Anyway a number of my friends have moved to digital. Faster they say. So okay, special occasion comes and instead of 6 shots it's now 20 but it goes like this, "Okay everyone smile for the camera." shot taken. Shot reviewed. Frown. Shot not good enough. "Okay everyone, smile for the camera, take 2," and so on until the crowd revolts and refuses to pose for anymore shots. The inertia to get the photos upload and developed is still the same. It's like there's a force field at the photo/digital lab that they're afraid to cross. And I've yet to have someone leave the party to download and print the shots (so it's not like a polaroid) but have received some jpgs. In the old days I might get a copy of a print. Now I get a jpg and gotta pay for a print myself. Sucks. And I have to say, I'm very good about my cyber file system of stuff I've gotten from other people. I have a whole folder of shots that say stuff like "Jeffsmkbowl" which can either refer to Jeff smoking pot or Jeff rakuing a pot. Most are more obscure than that. jsp14new1a.jpg......whatever that refers to. All I'm saying is that with my friends, their mindset isn't to document an event the way a photographer would nor are they typically using the camera for fine art. A couple shots here, a couple there, film, digital, it's pretty much the same. The fact that they can get a digital file onto a T-shirt hasn't really rocked their world other than one who does their own scanned artwork in photoshop and translates that into digital output. glicee was the hot term, which really means what in french? So instead of hearing them bitch about film processing costs, I get to hear about clogged inkjet heads or the cost of printer cartridges, etc etc. I have to say one recent interesting development is that of the last 4 parties I've been to, several trends....1) forget digital point and shoots..at parties (especially ones with dancing and various stages of undress) people were shooting cell phone cameras everywhere, 2) polaroid. retro and cool. kinda like party favours, used to create instant buzz and 3) disposable cameras...lots of black and white. Handed out to guests at the party, the idea being that if you're not having to pay for the camera or the development costs, that you're going to go crazy with pushing that shutter. It must be crazy times for anyone involved in the film/imaging biz. So many options, so many fickle consumers going off in ways you might not have ever imagined. Kim - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html