Young photographers offer hope for future of analogue cameras as repairers retire

ABC NEWS (Australia)

With young people embracing old technology like analogue cameras, there's growing anxiety over who will fix them as a generation of camera repairers retire. Despite the concerns, hope remains for the future of film.

Transcript

00:00In a small town east of Perth, this unique building is home to the Southern Hemisphere's

00:07largest private film camera collection of almost 4,000.

00:11Over here we've got the oldest camera that I have. It was made in France in 1830.

00:17Eight years before photography was even invented.

00:24Boasting camera gear throughout the decades when smartphone snaps were not an option.

00:28This is a rolly cord, number one.

00:31There's your Mickey Mouse camera.

00:33His nose is the lens and to take the photograph he pushed his ear.

00:38But that's classed as the spy camera.

00:43Quite often we tell the children when they come in that they were big ones

00:46and we wash them and they shrunk.

00:48To me digital just doesn't have that little spark.

00:52When things go wrong, cameras of this vintage need specialist care.

00:56My clients are anywhere from teenagers to, oh, crumbs.

01:02I've even got people that are getting back into film now.

01:05You know, even customers that I've dealt with for 30, 40 years.

01:11It's like liquid gold for a repairman.

01:14Mr Howe has been in the same place in Perth's picturesque London court since 1978, repairing cameras.

01:21He started as a teenager and eventually took over the shop from his stepfather.

01:25These are just great cameras.

01:27This camera will be around in another 50, 60 years, not a problem.

01:33So it's a part of the love affair with film cameras.

01:35For me it's longevity.

01:37Business is booming in the twilight of his almost 50 year career.

01:41And he loves the enthusiasm for film from young clients.

01:45I call you my kids.

01:47You're my kids.

01:48Because I like the fact that I can deal with people, especially young people.

01:55It's just great.

01:56It keeps me young.

01:57But nearing retirement, he fears it's a dying art.

02:00Mr Howe estimates there's a handful of vintage camera repairers nationwide.

02:04They purr.

02:06They'd be lucky to be 10.

02:08And most of the people that I know that still repair have retired and are just dabbling in certain things.

02:17Leaving the next generation, like this 21 year old music photographer, in a tough spot.

02:23I love the excitement, especially if I've left a role for a while.

02:27When I get it developed, I'm like, I don't know what's on here.

02:30It's such an exciting process.

02:32If that was suddenly denied, I'd probably not know what to do.

02:35When Mr Howe shuts up shop, his spare parts will find a new home, in a younger pair of hands.

02:40We're seeing everything from medium format to 35mm, film lenses, panoramic film cameras.

02:48You name it, and we're doing it.

02:50As long as we can still get parts for them.

02:52Parts seem to be the biggest challenge with the film gear.

02:55Mr Ward plans to train up his younger employees in fixing film cameras

02:59believes 3D printing or international markets could help with parts.

03:03And for the future of film...

03:04I think it'll be fine.

03:06I think I'm probably more worried about the influx.

03:10I think there's going to be a lot of cameras coming our way once Clinton finishes.

03:14With film photography, and the quirkiness of it, and the uniqueness of it,

03:20I don't think it'll disappear.

03:23I honestly think film photography will stay, digital photography will go.

03:28Despite the concerns, there's the belief that the next generation of photographers

03:31will be able to find a way to keep this time-tested technology alive for decades to come.

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