Post New Message | Read Current Messages | FAQ
An archived message
Posted by Martin Stockdale on September 13, 2002 at 13:05:08:
In Reply to: Re: Cost of APS and 35mm processing posted by Ed on July 24, 2002 at 14:42:34:
: : Go to K-Mart or Wal-Mart and see if you can find a roll of 110, 126, or Kodak disk film. In a few years you will have the same problem finding APS. The only advantage that APS might have is easier loading. The new 35mm cameras of today are nearly as easy to load as an APS camera, so that throws that argument out also. APS just doesn't make sense anymore. 35mm has a larger negative, more types available, cheaper processing, more speeds available, and lower cost per roll.
: : I feel sorry for those who went out and bought expensive APS SLR cameras and lenses. I can still buy film for my 30 year old Minolta SRT, and it will probably be available 30 years from now.
: Actually, I have seen 110 film available just about everywhere (photo stores, supermarkets, Wal Mart), along with Kodak's 110 camera (Star?).
: I know Disc has been discontinued, but I haven't seen 126 around in years.
: The camera companies seem to be offering new APS models, so I would guess that APS will be around for many years to come.
:: My 2 cents worth is that APS will not die soon, but it does seem that APS is being consciously backpedalled, with no new release of APS SLRS by a major manufacturer since the first crop a few years ago. Also, Minolta -the only company that went to the effort to produce a smaller, lighter SLR lens to take advantage of the small APS format- has stopped making APS cameras altogether! You can count on those for whom APS has been particularly profitable to do their best to keep it going: Kodak, Fuji and Canon, but in most other areas the preoccupying focus is getting the digital genie out of the bottle.
::Easy loading is certainly not the main adavantage of APS. There are two main advantages: mid roll film change (if your camera has this function) allows you to swap between a colour film and a black and white film quickly and easily without wasting any space on the negative. You could also swap between a slow 100 filom for daytime use and a fast 800 for low light conditions. The second big advantage is of course the longer standard rectangle for APS cameras (APS H format) compared to 35mm. This less-square rectangle makes more appealing pictures of nature scenery. The only big disadvantage to APS that cannot be remedied is that image quality can never equal the quality of 35mm because of the smaller APS negative size. Shame APS is dying as a serious contender to 35mm in film photography.
Follow Ups:
Select From Our Indexes
