Even if it goes the way of etching and engraving and mezzotints there will still be something available, and more than likely you'll find a way to stay involved. And if not? All the more reason to enjoy it while it's here. We're too big of a niche market to ignore. Just look at all the flickr members who use film - multiply the number by approximate expenditure, and there's sure be some money worth having a slice of. I'd worry more about color slides and color negatives than black & white. E. -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: "Robert Lilley" <54moggie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > I would come under the hobbyist and fine arts photographer heading. I > follow all these digital vs. film discussions closely. I don't understand > the digital world as much as I understand film. So in the midst of all this > digital talk I am building a full sized darkroom complete with utilities, > ventilation, cabinets, sink, etc. Am I a fool? > > I was in a gallery in Blairstown, NJ a week ago. One of the exhibitors was > a silver printing photographer who had a little place card under her work > stating that folks better buy up silver prints now because there isn't going > to be any film or paper in the future. > > I listened to a former head of photography at the Museum of Natural History > tell me that if she was buying large format today she wouldn't purchase a > 5x7 camera. She doesn't think film will be in available in that size soon > > Five camera stores in my area closed this past year - the general lament, "I > can't compete in the digital market". > > Then I read your folks on the internet who are slowly but surely are going > digital. It seems that soon film will be relegated to just the collectors > who sound like tree frogs exercising their shutters as film's sun sinks in > the west. > > Am I a Don Quixote de la Mancha tilting vanishing windmills, a Luddite > watching the world pass me by? Do I not understand something, did I miss > the announcement? > > Rob > > --- > Rollei List > > - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' > in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > > - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with > 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > > - Online, searchable archives are available at > //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list > --- Rollei List - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org - Online, searchable archives are available at //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list