Who remembers having a camera, with a limit on how many pictures you could take before the film ran out and then waiting for the pictures to be developed only to find that your finger had been over the lens for half of them?

It may seem strange but after several years of digital cameras and smartphones, the demand for disposable and analogue cameras has increased.

Production had stopped


Brands like Kodak and Canon had even stopped the production of film rolls, dedicating themselves to other industries. What they did not expect is that, mainly younger, people would start to replace their devices with those that were stored in their parents' closets. From that moment on, Fujifilm maintained the production of rolls, being one of the most common colour film brands on the market.

Purchasing a film roll, whether 24 or 36 exposures, can be an adventure. In all stores, the products are sold out, and it is quite difficult to purchase a new roll. Certain online stores offer the rolls for sale; however, they can be found at quite high prices. A useful tip would be to try to buy rolls that are out of date, later you will be able to understand better why they can be better.


Back to the past, but with a touch of the present


At a time when social networks are becoming more and more important in young people's lives, where photos are taken to be immediately published, sometimes people decide to wait until the roll runs out so they can go to a photography shop and ask to print the photographs. With the evolution of time, it is possible to choose to receive photos from the analogue camera digitally, mixing the past with the present.

The whole novelty factor can also appeal to younger people. Young people born in the early 2000s can see their parents' albums with printed photographs that were taken on their parents' cameras. However, those born a little later are unaware of these types of moments, as they always had access to digital photos. Since analogue photographs always allow for a surprise, it can be a curiosity factor for those who point the camera lens and only know how the photograph is after developing it in a photography shop.

Credits: Unsplash; Author: @alex_andrews;

Useful tips


Photographs taken by analogue cameras are not subject to automatic settings, or that can be changed manually, as on a smartphone or digital camera. Anyone who buys a roll of film will know that they will not be able to count on anything other than exposure to light, with only the flash as an ally. The choice of the film roll is also important, as it must be suitable for the machine and the environment where the photos will be taken. However, if the intention is a not very professional photo and you just feel the need to record moments in a vintage way, the expired rolls can be a good option. In addition to being cheaper, the surprise factor is constant, and the photos can come out with effects that only an analogue camera can provide.

Those who can't find their old camera can always buy a new one in the usual shops or in stores dedicated to photography, or even better, in an antique shop, guaranteeing a unique outcome.

Author

Deeply in love with music and with a guilty pleasure in criminal cases, Bruno G. Santos decided to study Journalism and Communication, hoping to combine both passions into writing. The journalist is also a passionate traveller who likes to write about other cultures and discover the various hidden gems from Portugal and the world. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos