I know I'm a little behind on the whole digital camera thing, but I prefer film cameras. I was wondering if stores sell them "in-store" since I don't see any listed on different store websites, i.e. Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, etc. If your going to stay with film you might want to head over to the 35mm. The Advantix is such a tiny market I doubt it will be around for much longer. 35mm still has a long life ahead of it no matter what people think on here. I believe Wal Mart and Target still does.
I still buy the film from them. If you're really determined to buy a film camera, get a 35mm. The Advantix format is still out there, but it may not be forever. Depending on your budget, you might want to consider getting a Canon or Nikon SLR film body that works with their full line of auto-focus lenses (for Canon, it's the EOS line, not sure what it is for Nikon). Then, when you do decide to get a digital, you can get just a digital SLR body, and still keep your investment in lenses and accessories.
IMO, film as a medium, at least in the 35mm format, is on its way out. Digital cameras continue to improve at such a fast rate that they've already overtaken film for many professional photography applications. Film will continue to survive in the larger formats (120, 4x6 & higher), and in the hands of hobbyists (heck, people still shoot movies on Kodachrome film), but for the mass market, I can't see 35mm lasting beyond 2015.
One thing to consider, price-wise, is that if you plan to shoot a large number of photos, you can afford to spend several hundred dollars more on a digital. Unless you develop your own film, you will recoup the extra cost in a year or two with savings on film processing. |
