Retro Trend Amidst Film Camera Market Contraction and Pandemic Supply Chain Disruptions
Price Surge Due to Supply-Demand Mismatch
Apps Mimicking Film Photography Effects Gain Popularity as Substitutes
With the rise of the Newtro (a blend of 'new' and 'retro') trend, more people have been seeking film cameras, but as the imbalance between supply and demand worsens, film prices continue to soar. Those who find it difficult to bear the high cost of consumables have ultimately started to focus on 'applications that create film effects' instead of actual film.
From 3,500 KRW to 18,000 KRW per roll: What is behind the rapid rise in film prices?
In 2019, a post appeared on a secondhand trading cafe offering '8 rolls of Kodak ColorPlus for sale as a bundle.' The total price was 27,000 KRW, which breaks down to 3,500 KRW per roll.
In 2023, a post on the same cafe offered 9 rolls of the same type of film for sale as a bundle. The price was a staggering 160,000 KRW, or 18,000 KRW per roll.
Although it is the same film, the price increased more than fivefold in four years. The amount of money that could buy 8 rolls in 2019 now cannot even buy 2 rolls.
The main reason for the sharp rise in film prices is understood to be that supply cannot keep up with the rapidly increasing demand.
(Above) 2019 Film Sales Post (Below) 2023 Film Sales Post [Photo by Naver Cafe 'Junggonara' Capture]
Kodak, a famous film manufacturer, filed for bankruptcy in 2012 as digital cameras became widespread, and its business declined. As a result, film production had to be reduced.
Then, in the mid to late 2010s, the Newtro craze brought popularity to analog sensibilities, and demand for film cameras surged among young people.
The once-shrunk supply chain is unable to keep pace with the sharply rising demand. Moreover, there is a limit to how much film can be shipped at once, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 further complicated film supply. The recent global inflation, which increased the costs required for film manufacturing, also added extra burdens to expanding production.
"It really feels like a real film camera and I love it"… Camera apps that create film effects are a hot topic
As film prices continue to rise, people have started looking for ways to replace the sensibility of film cameras at a lower cost. One such method is filter apps that create an atmosphere similar to film cameras.
Recently, the camera app 'Dazz' has become a hot topic on social media. 'Dazz' is a retro special effects camera app that includes various film-like filters, allowing users to shoot with their desired filter. It also lets users adjust the photo’s temperature or choose whether to use a time watermark.
'Dazz' users have responded with comments like "It's an app that gives a film camera effect, but it feels real and I love it," and "I tried it on recommendation and am extremely satisfied." It has gained even more popularity as it became known that famous celebrities like NCT's Haechan use 'Dazz.'
There is also an app that displays a viewfinder, one of the charms of film cameras, on the screen. At the top of the 'Huji Cam' screen, a small viewfinder is placed just like on an actual film camera. When you bring your face close to the viewfinder, it enlarges, allowing you to shoot in full screen.
After shooting, pressing 'Lab' applies a film-like filter to the photo, which can then be saved. Additionally, the watermark on the photo can be set to the year 1998, adding to the retro feel.
Besides these, apps like 'filmhwa' and 'CALLA' also allow shooting with film effects. These camera apps generally offer unlimited photo shooting with a one-time payment and have the advantage of convenience since there is no need to visit a photo studio for development.
Meanwhile, methods to edit photos to resemble film photos using photo editing features instead of camera apps are also being shared on social media. These methods express the unique faded look of film and use grain effects to represent texture.
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