Re: [APML] Astrophotography 2004 - Price Shock Horror

[belatrix <belatrix@ozemail.com.au>]

Greetings All
First let me say i wish i had joined this amazing list long ago! I have
learnt more in two weeks, reading all your truly brilliantly written
unbiased posts, on this almost taboo subject - than i have been able to get
out of any camera shop worker/ owner and magazine in years on the subject of
film and its future in years. I guess they all have to be careful what they
say and they say what is in their interest and the interest of their
advertisers/dealership. And probably its all moving to fast anyway to be
sure.

I (we) too feel sad/depressed at the possible impending? demise of film
astrophotography  (35mm) as we have finally just scraped together some half
decent lenses and a collection of old pentax cameras (MG's MV's and a ME -
most of the recent shots are taken with an MV) after a few years of
occasional shopping. And we too were taken by surprise at the rapid
development of the cheap DSLR's to the forefront of wide field
astrophotography.
 We thought that wide field would be the remain the sole domain of film for
a bit longer than it has. Luckily we live adjacent to some pretty decent
dark skies here on the edge of a desert in South Australia, and we know that
is worth a lot in the scheme of things, and some people would not feel very
sorry for us with the luck of our locality for astro pics (but then you also
have to live with lack of employment opportunities, water ect. so there is a
downside to that of course) But we dont have much in the way of elevation -
without the use of a helicopter to access remote mountains :-)
 I would like to mention one aspect of film that we find the most
interesting, and that is the magic, romance and almost alchemy type feel of
this organic medium. i have a very nice P&S digital - but it doesnt have the
same magic about it to me - its just zeros and ones! i cant hold an organic
copy of the image in my hand, and print outs while awesome just dont have
the same magic to me - its like the camera took the shots - not me, i feel
like a passenger, not the driver! (especially the image stabilisation
part!). I would liken it too the demise of the sailing boat compared to the
motor driven yacht - but people still live to be powered by the romance of
the wind.
 Now i know a lot of people who have used film forever and always done their
own development with dangerous toxic chemicals might not see this
magic/romantic side of it - and are overjoyed they dont have to inhale and
handle these chemicals ever again - thus prolonging their life and health i
suspect? And think we are mad to persist with film.
 But i am no Luddite and i love computers and all they empower. Also i have
been through this progress/technology thing too many times in many areas of
life outside of this hobby, and i am getting progress fatigue now (move over
old man i hear the young say!! heheh) I have been through the vagaries of
progress particularly in the field of popular music, which i have been
involved with on a very humble level for over 20 years - and let me tell you
this DSLR/digital technology thing has a familiar feel of deva vu for me
now. And music has gone from rich, technology talented boys game to poor
talented boys game and back again a few times now. i have serious
change/progress whiplash from it all. In Oz they call it 'someone moving the
goal posts', and it is very hard to get through the posts believe me. But
that is life and what being human is all about, evolution i guess.
 Another point is my main partner in film crime, Stewart, says if we went to
automated guided tracking ect. he wouldnt feel like he took the picture, but
Stew is a little bit of a luddite i think - fixes computer by kicking it -
(except for when it comes to new, you beaut, high powered motorbikes :-)
which he has a few of) We could learn to track/align much better! - but we
are so sporadic in our astro photography - that we forget everything by the
next time we go out for a session!
We will be sticking with the magic of film for as long as we can.

Film does ROCK!! (especially when i look at APML members sites - it doesnt
look dead to me - a very strong pulse :-))))))
Cheers 
Kearn Jones
  

> From: Chris Schur <comets133@yahoo.com>
> Reply-To: Discussion of Film Astrophotography <astro-photo@seds.org>
> Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 13:35:05 -0700 (PDT)
> To: astro-photo@seds.org
> Subject: [APML] Astrophotography 2004 - Price Shock Horror
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> The all too depressing financial reality set in for me
> this weekend at the RTMC from the current trends I am
> seeing in the amateur skyshooters options.  A decade
> ago, you could take a home made mounting, a less than
> a hundred dollar 35m SLR, and a 3 buk roll of film and
> with a lot of care and patience, get stunning images
> that could rank up there with the best
> astrophotograhers, and get those images published in
> the magazines.  
> Now all of that has changed.  Exept for mine, all of
> the talks this year were centered on digital or CCD
> imageing.  Must-have gear includes the $4000 to $8000
> ccd cameras, a new $12K mount because that mount that
> worked so well with film isnt good enough anymore, and
> of course a complete digital darkroom wtih the
> software alone costing more than the 35mm SLR was.
> Dont get me wrong, I do like to see the hobby
> advancing, but to now the playing field is no longer
> level - highly skilled astrophotographers can no
> longer compete on the world playing field without
> being very well to do financially as well.  This was
> painfully apparent when most of the old time friends,
> which were the best of the best film photographers
> only what seems a short while ago simply can no longer
> afford a fraction of the gear needed to show off thier
> SKILLS.  
> 
> The trend that seems to be geling is that most imagers
> of today must be both competent in both making money
> as well as have the rudiments of sky shooting skills.
> 
> I love change, but is this really fair?
> 
> Any comments ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
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