SUMMARY
Els Vanopstal, a film photographer since 2010, details significant changes in the medium over 16 years. Film costs have tripled, with a roll of Portra 400 now costing around €20 compared to €7 in 2010, leading to a shift towards more affordable options. Several beloved film stocks, like Fuji Superior and Fujifilm FP-100C, have been discontinued. Scanning workflows have evolved from basic home printers to dedicated scanners and accessible DSLR scanning, with labs now offering direct digital delivery. The infrastructure supporting film photography, including labs, chemicals, and online communities, has expanded, and new cameras are entering the market.
TAKEAWAYS
Film photography costs have significantly increased over the past 16 years.
Several popular film stocks have been discontinued.
Scanning technology and lab services have seen substantial improvements.
The overall infrastructure and community around film photography have grown.