The Analog Renaissance and Brooklyn Film Camera

There is no doubt that a film photography renaissance is in full swing… just ask anyone under the age of 25. And to be fair, there are many wonderful artists—of all ages—who have never stopped using film as their primary photographic format. To anyone who grew up shooting film and then made the transition to digital, it’s a bit curious to see such a resurgence in a medium that has long been listed as “critical,” if not simply dead.  At the B&H Photography Podcast, we still shoot with film cameras and enjoy the processes involved, but the guests on today’s episode are putting money (and time and energy) where their mouths are and have opened up a physical store (in addition to their online business) selling film and film cameras. 

Brooklyn Film Camera started as a stall at a flea market and specializes in instant film and film cameras, particularly the Polaroid SX-70, but has grown to include refurbished 35mm cameras and film. They are a complete service organization offering sales, repairs, photo tours, and a home base for a burgeoning community of film shooters in North Brooklyn. We speak with Kyle DePew and Julien Piscioneri about their company’s origin as an outgrowth of the Impossible Project, and about the services they provide, but we also discuss the who, why, and where of the analog renaissance and whether this is a millennial trend or if film and digital can co-exist peacefully.

We are also joined by Michael Armato, of the B&H Used Department, and former proprietor of Armato Cameras, in Queens, NY. Armato brings his insight from running a camera store for more than forty years and sheds light on which film cameras and formats are most in demand at the used counter. Join us for this enjoyable chat and don’t forget to enter the B&H Photography Podcast FUJIFILM X-H1 Sweepstakes by August 15, 2018.

Guests: Kyle DePew, Julien Piscioneri, and Michael Armato

Photograph courtesy Brooklyn Film Camera