Spotted a whole new generation getting into film photography at the Portland camera swap

I went to the monthly camera swap meet in Portland last weekend, and the vibe was totally different from a few years ago. The place was packed with people in their early 20s, all digging through bins of old 35mm point-and-shoots and asking sellers about film stocks. I saw a kid, couldn't have been older than 16, get super excited over a beat-up Pentax K1000 his dad probably used. He was asking the seller all the right questions about the light meter and shutter speeds, which was cool to see. It wasn't just about buying gear either, groups were huddled up comparing notes on local labs and where to get C-41 chemicals. I guess the whole 'tangible process' thing is really catching on again, not just as a retro fad but as a legit hobby. Has anyone else noticed this shift at their local spots, or found a good way to help new folks learn the basics without just pointing them to a YouTube video?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamesroberts6d ago

Yeah, it's wild. I was at a thrift store last week and overheard two teens seriously debating if a broken Zenit was worth fixing for the "authentic Soviet grain." Like, my guy, it's a brick with a lens, just buy a working Canon.

susan_wright345d ago

Get where you're coming from, but that's the whole point, isn't it? The grain and the flaws are part of the story the photo tells. A perfect, clean shot from a new camera just feels different. It's about the process, not just the final picture. Sometimes the struggle with the brick is what makes the result interesting.

mila_murphy215d ago

That's so cool to see it happening in Portland too! The part about them asking the right technical questions is huge. Do you think this new crowd is actually more into learning the camera mechanics than people were before, or is it just a different style of the same hobby? Like, are they reading old manuals instead of just going for the vintage look?