Canon, one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of video and still cameras, sold its very last film camera this week. Originally reported by photography site PetaPixel, Canon sold the last of its EOS-1V line of film SLRs, after production on the model ceased in 2010. The camera debuted in 2000.
The fact that anyone is still buying brand-new film cameras may come as a surprise to consumers, who are far more likely to use the camera on their phone. Rival camera manufacturer Nikon still sells two film body cameras, the FM10, a bare-bones fully manual film SLR, as well as the F6, a heavy-duty camera built for professionals. Amazingly, the F6 still sells for $2,499, a steep figure that puts it in the same category, price-wise at least, as its digital cousins.
While digital dominates the creation and distribution of photos, film lovers have carved out a niche within the industry. One of the biggest camera success stories in the past few years is the Fuji Instax, which creates pocket-sized photos with instant film. Stubborn holdouts (many fine art photographers still use film exclusively) and newfound enthusiasts have even convinced some companies to reverse their exit from the film industry; last year Kodak announced it was reviving its beloved Ektachrome slide film.