Excellent decision! I did that after retiring from being a staff photographer for large newspapers. I'm now in year 15 of going back to film. I'm so much happier and I like my work so much better since I've gone back to real thing.

You summarized the feeling of shooting film quite well. I struggled a bit lately with setting the wrong iso, wrong shutter speed for a studio shoot and having to pull a roll of 120 because I didn’t measure at the correct iso. I was a bit frustrated and thought about going back into digital. However, I started scanning the images from my Japan trip in September last year and the thoughts of switching were gone in an instant.

As a mere hobbyist I can't really justify the crazy prices of film nowadays. Added to that and my enjoyment of processing the film at home is gone, just too much hassle and little time, and in my area no shops develop film anymore, which in itself is ridiculously expensive too. So my F3 and RB67 have gone to new owners, only holding onto the 645 now, which I've a special attachment to, but eventually it'll also find a new home. It's a pity the way things are nowadays because, undeniably, there's no better feeling in photography than shooting a film camera..

I only got in to photography in this new digital age but started shooting film about 18 months ago. Logically, it makes no sense - cost, inconvenience etc But that misses the point of why take photographs. The whole act is more considered from pucking your film stock, taking the photo and then the magic of pulling your roll of film out of the developing tank to see if you have anything and then the absolute magic of making a print for yourself in the darkroom. Digital will never be able to bring this joy.

I completely agree understand the point you make. The Japanese use the term wabi-sabi as an expression for the value of imperfection, like what you can find in film. For me and looking at my pictures, digital is (mostly) technically perfect but emotionally flat.

Enjoyed that very much. I’m two months onto a one camera, one lens, one film, one year project with an M2, 50 Summarit, and HP5+, coming from an M10 and 35. Love it so far. All the best with your new adventure.

Very exciting!! Looking forward to seeing what you create Jeff! Happy New Year to you and Sarah!

I am looking forward to seeing the new content. Ive been shooting film and digital for many years. I find film is not easy but much more rewarding when you get it right and just reminds me why i do it. All the best for 2024.

I’m glad that you returned to photographic film again, I like your film works better, digital ones are also not bad, but their quantity does not allow time to evaluate them, but film ones are almost all different, you can peer at them for a long time, realizing that these images witnesses of that moment directly, and not through wires.

Really looking forward to seeing more of your work this year. You are so right about the importance of having time between taking and reviewing an image - works both ways, you are convinced you’ve taken a winner, and keep willing it to be one when it just isn’t, or the overlooked frame that really has something. Funny thing about film, I really like it, it’s more hassle for sure, but my hit rate of favourite pictures is many, many times higher with film than digital… Finally, the image you’re showing here is fantastic, I love the captured moment of everyone in the frame - separation is perfectly balanced. Great image! Look forward to many more.

Fell in love with your wedding photography twenty years ago, happy to see film back in your life!

Good luck on your latest adventure. Looking forward to seeing more great images

I found my old Olympus OM2 couple years and now can't put it down. Still shoot digital when needed but love film for all the reasons you said. Can't wait to see your pics. I develop them myself, except an occasional roll of colour and that's part of the whole process for me

Happy new Year! All the best. Pleased you deleted! Enjoy the adventure! Look forward to coming images!

Exciting development. Looking forward to where takes you in your journey.

Happy to see this video. I just sold my only digital camera (Leica Q2) and I’m only shooting film now (Leica M3, M6, Hasselblad, Rolleiflex). Couldn’t be happier. Looking forward to your 2024 film photography!

Thanks for sharing , I also am heavily investing in Film cameras this year , late 2023 I purchased my first real high end Rollei , a 55mm F4 Wide , and it forces you to compose and think. The images are great oo , warm intimate organic in color.

Waiting new pictures! Two years ago you (your chanel and pictures) inspired me return to street photography and digital Leica and reconsider my own style. Thanks!

looking so much forward to following this "new" film journey. I shoot both film and digital - and its never the price thats keeping me from shooting film. And its just a different experience to shoot and the look of the product.

Very glad to have found your channel today! Cheers from 🇨🇦

I too have gone back to the dark side and sold my digital cameras. I now just use an MP , M2 and Rollei 35S only in B+W with HP5+. IMO developing your own films is an important factor in the whole film experience. Choosing developer etc adds another analogue layer to control the process. A lab will just give you middle grey. I think the fact that we can now scan our negatives instead of having to print in a darkroom makes film so much more accessible. There are a lot of film photographers that over photoshop and over sharpen their images almost trying to make them digital and join the latest 50mp sharpness obsession. Aggressive adjustments in Lightroom make the image film in name only. I am going the opposite - I scan using an Epson V800 scanner and Silverfast set on the least sharp setting - Less Auto Sharpness(-) and don't use Lightroom or Photoshop - Just Photoshop Elements (cheaper but no subscription) to get rid of the invariable dust. I also make no adjustments on my Mac except cropping as this also seems to sharpen the images automatically. I embrace light, mood and imperfection and sharp grain to me looks like sand rather than softness. Welcome back!

Can't wait to watch the next episode!!!. Hope I can use my Hassy more often in 2024 too.

Thanks for the video and yes I really get where your coming from. I like you really love the realism of analogue in both visual and audio. Before I go any further just like to say love the image on the beach. your composition is pleasing, the exposure and contrast is great with a lovely range of tones and of course the grain is wonderful. I also love there various groupings of people and what there doing, thats the beauty of realistic social documentation when you capture life in a truly candid manner. I once shot a wedding and the Black and White images I used Delta 3200 all shot with a reportage style they had bags of atmosphere. I learnt my craft as a photographer using film shooting 35mm, medium format and 5 x 4 large format. I reluctantly went down the digital road but enjoyed the convenience of digital and it was cheaper working as a wedding , portrait and social events photographer. But really when you look at a digital image it has no soul. I have retired from the business now and sold off all my pro kit, I have a couple of Leica`s, the M9 and a Q but it has crossed my mind to sell them and get an M6, OH and I also have a lovely old Canon F1 with a 50mm f 1.4 and a 28mm f2. OK film is much more expensive now but like you say using these camera`s your shooting much less and with your work flow being digitize after the film process your not having the expense of time in the dark room/ printing etc. Thank once again and look forward to seeing more video`s.

So, you're going full circle, here. I can only congratulate on this next step. Despite my bickering for years, your deviation to wide angle digital might have been a neccessary phase in your journey. And, who knows, you might stray fom film again. It is your personal journey and it is a priviledge and joy to see you exploring your own path. Please do continue to do so.

Bring it on. I'm excited to see what you capture mate. I've got an old pentax here I bought last year in Portabello Road. It's sits there, between two books I've not read, yawning at me. Maybe I'll put a roll of film in it soon. Great videos Jeff mate and thanks for the dialogues. Katie has to sssshhh me up when we're on the sofa as I'm often p1sing myself laughing. Ha!

Looking forward to what this decision brings in 2024. And YES, film offers the photographic equivalent of the pleasing fizzle of the run-out groove!!

Oh wow! The part where you said about moving to 50mm blew my mind. That is a very interesting move, but I get within the context of slowing down.

Fellow film shooter here (although I shoot the non-TTL M6). Really looking forward to see what you're gonna create back in the film world! :-)

I started shooting film last year after a 13 year break. I think i learned more last year about film than i forgot in that digital decade.

Looking forward to all your upcoming work and videos. And don’t give up on street, it just needs a different approach. I was the madman who came on your Oxford workshop with a film camera and I got some images I absolutely love. Photography is more interesting when you have something to learn and explore. As for your M6 shutter woes, may I suggest a Voigtlander Bessa? Very reliable 😉 Have fun, still the best photography channel on KZfaq.

Brave decision! I‘d be happy to take care of your Monochrome for the time being.

Excellent! No more spray and pray and hours in LR to make a completely new image lol

Hello!! Great to see you again! Happy New Years to you!! Very interesting hearing your reasoning on this. I had something similar..as that I love film and digital too and the way I found the place was: If I could shoot it in Full Frame 35mm, I went digital. This is mostly on my Leica M10M. For anything else aspect wise...I shoot on film. I love Medium Format (6x6, 6x9,6x12, 6x17). For smaller 35mm film, I'm shooting that for pano too, I had a PressPan made for me to shoot 35mm film a bit longer than a Xpan, and I have the old Russian HorizonT camera... I basically on my side said "for FF, digital is best"...for anything else, I can't do with FF, I use film...and so far this works. LOL..however, even I mess with my FF...by almost always these days...using vintage lenses adapted to my digital. Anyway, I'd crossed this bridge a little while back and was quite interesting to hear how you went. Have a GREAT year and looking forward to seeing your next video!! CC

100% Jeff. I bought an M4 and a Rolleiflex and am loving going back to film. Love slowing down and metering even on the street. It’s bliss. Have a few Ricoh GRIII/X’s and am loving the film with limitations of 36/12 shots.

I feel the same. I tried and tried and tried to embrace digi but ultimately found myself frustrated with all the variability available and controls which are available on the body sometimes 2-3-4 places per preference. That's the kind of redundancy and options I DON'T need in my art making. So now I'm back on my Nikon F developing and digitizing those rolls myself. I love it.

The final image what you described. I like the shadow themes of though it was coming from the seagull. Good looking image.

well said and I can relate. I miss the old days. but I threw out all my film gear and darkroom stuff years ago. I'm just glad I grew up with a grounding in film.

Very nice commitment. I wanted to do the same when I bought the M7. But after shooting films for a decade I realised the it is never the camera which will finally make the final image but the scanner. The camera is a light box where the most important stays the lens (where generally Leica shines)Film is still fun and an other way of taking pictures but I am happier now with the Monochrome. Just my way of seeing things

As a newly 'reborn' hobby photographer that last used a a Zenit-E and Helios 44 in the 7-80's I've been struggling (it's only been six months) to get that excitement I had of going out with a roll of 12 and then waiting for them to come back from Boots. I bought an E-M10 and Panasonic GX880 as a daily with some OK lenses but I find I am now looking at used Fujifilm and Leica cameras with some hope that a more 'old world' camera will bring that vinyl record spark back. Thanks for this video, you've helped me decide where I need to go; it'll be digital, but low tech, maybe a Fujifilm X-E2 with a 40mm. Good luck, I'll keep watching.

Interesting. I used to shoot with Leica M6s snd a Rolleiflex 2.8f. Now I use digital Leica M246 Monochrom, and other digital cameras. What I miss about film is the long tonal highlight falloff, that digital never seems to match, and the beautiful, almost granulated skies, reminiscent of some water colour washes. In this sense film is irreplaceable. However, I do not miss the flecks and muck on negatives received from external processors, and I do not miss the home developing needed to make sure my negs were spotless. Price is also a factor. Good luck with you new direction, and I liked the image.

Totally enjoyed . Makes me look at what I really want after having 2 camera's break on me. 1 film and 1 digital .

Within the frame of the last beach photo, the nice thing about the people and groups of people is they form individual triangles within the larger frame. Much like Paul Cezanne's paintings, you created a happy accident with timing and luck! Great shot!

And selfdeveloping B&W and printing is so much fun. I can now even make a developer from scratch. Mainly I use beer and wine for this purpose. I kept shooting B&W on film, and I am very happy I did, while transitioning to digital compacts for colour (SOOC, digital C41 so to speak).

"It wasn't until just before Christmas that I was able to finally find time to look at those images I took back in the summer" is why, after about a decade and a half, I'm finally moving back in the other direction, putting my film cameras down and sticking with digital for street and other personal photography. I reached a point where it was just taking more and more time to finish rolls, never mind some more recent breaking points with film prices. I was fortunately enough to find a digital M at a great price to swap for my film bodies and it's really opened up new worlds without really changing so much in the way that I shoot, and I'm surprisingly so much happier for the switch.

You express my esthetic perfectly (film). Great video.

My canon r6 is my Hasselblad 500 c/m light meter and backup. I have balance. My EOS 1V is my "lazy" film camera. I have stopped scanning my films and now enlarge the fave negative. Balance.

I have gone back to film as well, I have put my Sony A7s down for my Leica M3, M6TTL and Hasselblad V. I love how it’s a tangible medium, I love the imperfections, and I love how it slows me down, so in the end I get more useable images instead of spraying and praying like I used to. But for me, most importantly (although subjectively) I prefer the way film conveys light, I feel it’s closer to what my eye sees, there is just something magical about light on film in my opinion…

This image on the beach is incredible!!!

I used film for 20 years back in the day, hated not knowing if I’d got it in focus or exposure was correct. But loved the darkroom process of seeing my photos come to life. I achieve this with digital by using Lightroom on a 30 year old PC which takes me at least 5 minutes just to load an image.

Oh wow this is spooky,,, I decided at New Year that I would shoot film all this year, for the first time since digital arrived. I shot my first trial roll today in order to see how the workflow and process is going to play out. It felt immediately natural and simultaneously rather odd. Should be an interesting time. Go well with your year. Thanks for posting.

If you’re enjoying the process of shooting film and the end result pleases you then brilliant! The only Leica I could afford now would be an m2 or m3, I’d happily shoot film if I could but I’m kinda in the frame of mind of using older, less feature rich digital cameras.

Way to put the cat amongst the pigeons. Or should that be Doberman amongst the seagulls? Great stuff, Jeff. Looking forward to this next chapter. Best of luck to you and Sarah for 2024.

I miss film, but it is so cost prohibitive sometimes. That’s what spurned me on to get the Leica M9, to get that film workflow and mindset within the confines of an old digital system. This video has inspired me to dig out the Fed 2 and shoot a few rolls again. Good luck on your next chapter.

I have to say one thing. You did the right decision. I don't want to argue if it is better digital or analog (I believe that both have pro and cons), but I think that photography as a form of art needs to be practice with the tool we feel most confortable with. One thing that I can say, generally speaking, is that I don't understand the ones that shoot digital and seek day and day out to have photos with analog vibes...I shoot digital (I came from analog)...I don't deny that at the beginning I was very into to put more grain and so on...but then I thought, hey...if you want grain go and buy back the analog camera. It's like to do risotto with basmati rice...instead of Arborio (or other qualities...)...

I have also now completly transitions to film. The only digital camera that I occasionally use is my Nikon D700. But 95% of the time I shoot film. And despite being much slower, even family events with kid zooming around are not a problem.

I would do this with a darkroom, i miss that experience.

I am an amateur but I feel the same and I want to go back to my sweet cameras, the planning, the waiting, the prints to look at!

Great! More content like this 👍

My Leica Q3 is arriving tomorrow 😶 Looking forward to seeing what you share in film Jeff 🙌

So many good reasons to go analog. While only a hobby photographer, I am currently going through the same thought process. I would like to ask two questions: 1. How much, if any, processing do you do after scanning? 2. Do you have a preferred film? Looking forward to your next videos!

I get this ❤ totally

Image "capture" is only the start of the photographic process, whether it's via film or digital. But what about the rest of the process? As a professional, how do you share images with your clients without scanning film and delivering digital files? Or are you specifically going to be darkroom printing color and B/W onto paper via a wet process, exclusively?

Brave but understandable move. I have sold all my new digital cameras and gone retro with 10+ year old Sony apsc with manual lenses and recently several Olympus cameras so now I have to actually make the image instead of pointing and shooting for a digital looking over sampled image. Photography has become fun again for me.

I love that beach image. The composition, tones and contrast are perfect! Congrats on the move back to film. The last time I shot film was 2013. However, I still have three film cameras, and am planning on getting back into shooting some film this year. Was wondering which film scanner you use?

I also said bye to digital in 2023, im very happy for you, I go into large format.

I love film, I used it for the first twenty years of my photographic career. But I hate 35mm I do like medium format. I used a mamiya 7 for fun years ago, should not have sold it ☹️

A year ago I felt really bored by the photography I was doing and I took out my old Nikon FE2, searched for my Jobo 1520 in the attic and now I'm in fill swing again (Leicas are involved too). Developing and digitizing Ilford Delta 400, mailing exposed Portras to a friend who opened a dev/scan-service and makes a living from it. Film is not dead it's just the fixer on your hands that smells funny. 😅

I am am amateur and digital is convenient and more affordable. However, the film DSLR camera my ex had (which I used more frequently) had better quality pics for that price point (entry level). It was getting harder to find somewhere to process film.

Interesting decision!

Very Disappointed!, just found your channel a couple of months ago and it has been quite enjoyable and informative. I did my thing with film in the 70's and 80's and have no plans to return.

I’d like to be able to persuade myself to go back to film. I have several 35 and 120 rolls that have been sitting in the fridge for over 10 years. I even bought a Zeiss Ikon folder to use up the 120 film. I just can’t do it! The cost puts me off and I can get what I want with digital. Meanwhile the film just sits in the fridge!

My Leica Monochrom is an M6 loaded with B&W film.

I made the same choice. I chose slowness and living in the moment instead of stealing it. Nice black and white. Do you usually push hp5 or foma? Even with the yellow filter?

Good luck with the Film, I have done my time with film and the darkroom. People think SD cards can be expensive lol. One thing's for sure many new wedding photographers wouldn't be taking 3000 photographs at a wedding and charging £300!

There must be some kind of film virus going around. I think I caught it too! I got my film cameras out before leaving on holiday (didn't bring them, of course) and shot a few rolls with the Pentax 645Nii and cleaned up my Nikon FA. I grew up with film and shoot digital like a film camera... deliberately. I'm planning on doing a lot of film this year, both 35mm and medium format. I'm looking forward to your results!

Enjoyed the video a lot - would you retouch the scanned films?

Some prefer vinyl. I love the unrivaled experience of 24 bits sonic purity. I used to shoot with a M6, decades ago. Currently I shoot M262 and M10 monochrome and I'll never ever go back to a film camera. Everybody has different tastes. The only thing that matters is to enjoy.

Hi Jeff, is your decision based on printing on actual paper (either inkjet or traditionnal wet darkroom) ? I am asking because your explanation is screen oriented I think black and white is "hard" to have good results with inkjet… ( I do have an Epson P900 which is pretty good in B&W / inkjet)…

I would love to shoot more film but it’s too expensive for me. I still do a roll or two per month though.

I have a question. Is it possible for me to join your online workshop from LA?

I know exactly what you mean about film. However, I'm probably going to stick with a film / digital set up for this year now (but only in B&W). I was out shooting a couple of rolls in Bournemouth today. There is something magic about film. I am hoping to shoot with TMAX3200 in the summer, but I'll need an ND filter to control the shutter speed as my camera tops out at 1/1000.

I'm doing the opposite. I'm trying to get more digital. I shot film in my 20s (back when dinosaurs walked the earth); went digital in the early 2000s; after a while I didn't like it. Went back to film for the last 10 years and now I'm getting too impatient for it - maybe that's not the right word. Let's just say, it's about making a change for lack of any other reason.

It is very nice to return to photography using film. But the question is? Do film manufacturers still produce good films in sufficient quantities? Are there still development laboratories that develop films? I believe that if these companies and laboratories return to work, the film photography market will rise again.

I doubt if it's more expensive today than 50 years ago adjusted for inflation I remember having to make 5 rolls of ektachrome last for a vacation if I remember right the film with processing was about $6 a roll which would be $60 today I finally bought darkroom equipment I paid $180 for the enlarger ,that would be about $1800 today film was never inexpensive and I think it is actually cheaper today if you scan it yourself Film cameras are much cheaper than they were back then I paid close to $300 for a Mamiya C220 back in the day equivalent to $3000 today I just bought a near mint C33 for $150 Remember film takes some work we have been spoiled by digital cameras where you can shoot hundreds of pictures for almost nothing and if you spend $6 on a Starbucks latte you can buy a roll of film for the same money you just have to really want it

I love the Leica M6, but if I want to get one I'd have to sell my whole digital equipment.

Film & analog cameras and lenses have a distinct personality. Digital images look the same too sharp.

I'd love to do this but in reality I can't afford the price of film considering I take one good picture for every 99 bad ones.

I have fond memories of the darkroom. You are shut off from the world and time seems to just disappear.

Interesting, I just bought an M6 for that exact reason, want to slow down, want to concentrate more. Struggling I have to say, noisy as f**k, bloody expensive, but very enjoyable

Mmm… I respect your decision, but I’ll say this now. Your work is breathtaking, you’re up there with the absolute best street/social documentary photographers in the world (Sarah is amazing too but I’m talking about you here). And your work is shot on digital, there is no need for you to waste hundreds of pounds a month on film, it’s gone, it’s not as good as digital….. your work cannot get any better and film won’t facilitate any improvement. But as long as you’ll be happy……and skint 😉

I don’t like the way digital is going, especially with AI. Okay you can manipulate the image to some degree in the darkroom, but with digital I really don’t know what I’m looking at.

oh no video ended haf way out of nowhere see you later

Nobody says you have to make fast pictures with digital just because you can. That’s complete nonsense. I never do it. And alone the fact that no chemistry is needed and pollutes the environment is reason enough to never look back to film...

Making digital pics and then making them look as if shot on film, that's definitely not 'style'. Film has character, whereas digital painting by numbers. Of course you can take pics faster than 1 sec, if you want that use a Robot camera. Keep up the good work, analog rules, OK.

"Why I'm saying hello again to analog photography." When I saw your title I thought: "What?! How can he justify shooting film?" If you're going to be rational in your thinking, I don't think you CAN justify your choosing to shoot film. You shoot film because: 1. you can afford to shoot film; and 2. it's fun to shoot film. Those are probably the same reasons you'd use to buy a Leica camera. Now, I'd appreciate your trying to justify shooting B&W. I watched a fellow shooting "street" in downtown Hanoi. His GoPro was in color and his Leica M-A was in B&W film. No way did his B&W still photos compare with the equivalent "color" stills of his GoPro. In my view, color just blows B&W away.

Shoot film for your soul, digital for your business. Film is magical, but so is digital if not abused in all these AI piwered image editing software.

You'll come back to digital. Give it 6 months

Many of us, with both decades/generations of Film only, beautiful cameras worthy of good work, think, remember, the golden days.. Not true! Ya can't stop time, nor go back! Every so often again, used Film, because it's special, in a few special shoots of famous friends. Me = Idiot! The negatives sucked, the shoot a shambles. Digital is better all round, for me! Tri-X is a crap film nowadays! It curls with malevolence! How to scan? My scanner is s l o w. Glaciers are melting faster! Price of Tri-X or Kodak products are almost double Ilford, made far away in UK! Kodak almost visible across the lake in USA! I am in Toronto. Gouging? What traffic can bear! Leica jam at exp. 15! Yes, in new ones! C'mon Leica, do a real upgrade, try to copy your M3! If I have to shoot a one time thing, let's get that Nikon F3 or better, smaller FE! The F3 is really small, just heavy! 550gms vs. 780gms! Good luck! Next few months! Ya gonna need it! Jeff, film was not romantic! It was bloody hard work. Processing and printing thru the night! Numbering negatives! An added punishment! Play with film Jeff! But keep those digital boxes! What I think you ought to do, is use, your awesome capabilities with some DSLR/SLR. Your Weddings were pure Joy and Magic! SLR or DSLR are better! We All voted in 60's! I've coasted on Romance! I do better with Digital. Mine are ALL, very old! I will write what I think of new models from Sony, Canon and Nikon! They are pure crap. So fragile plasticky things! An insult to a real photographer. Why? One word PHONE! Whatever you choose, Bravo!

Back to film full time ? 🤔 Nope, only the odd roll every now and then for me.

.Listened with pleasure. I,'ve just finished roll of Ilford 125 b/w in my f90x, tooked me only 6 months :D Next roll will be colour film. Are you going to shot only in b/w Jeef or there will be some colour films considered? I watched the movie " Kodachrome" plus the small doc with Steve McCurry shooting last roll of Kodachrome given him by Kodak and I fell in love in this colour characteristics. I'll tell you funny story. In my younger days when I shoot film I didn't have money to make prints so I signed up to local culture centre which had photography group and their own very well equipped darkroom. So I went there, ask if I could make some prints and soon enough Ive been granted permission. Following day director of the photography group gave me a darkroom tour and just left me there so I could peacefully work on my prints. I think I've made more than 25 prints that day and I run out from paper so I went and asked him can I receive new pack of paper - it was kodak matt professional. He asked me if I am joking that I runed out of paper , I said no no I've made more than 20 prints and I need new pack of it. He said, this pack I was given it was their monthly grant! For the whole photography group! But.. how could I know ? 😂 End of story I was banned from darkroom for some period of time.