They don’t make things like they used to!

Once people think you collect old cameras - you collect old cameras! It started when I hung up my last real film camera and switched to digital I think. The once valuable and rather good camera, became obsolete. Oh I fought it for a while, even going as far as developing my own film, but while fun, it just isn’t practical. Film became harder and harder to find, proper processing and especially printing became prohibitively expensive and the once easy access to servicing disappeared.

I DO have a very good digital camera. Mostly that’s used for shooting “Thinking Out Loud” videos these days but non the less it’s a good camera. But, well, somehow it’s already ‘old’ despite working just fine and while I like it, I certainly don’t have the same attachment to it that I did to my old film cameras.

When it comes to editing the images or videos my nice “new” camera shoots I get told, “oh you need this format” or “you have to convert those files using this program, you’d be better getting a new camera.”

No, things aren’t made like they used to be because they are almost obsolete before they are sold! The real issue is that technology is moving so fast that the old doesn’t break or wear out before the latest and greatest thing is already on the shelves for sale at a lower price.

While we sometimes have a fascination with the past, (I do!) hanging on the the old way of doing things may be quaint but is rarely efficient or sensible. Steam trains, large format film cameras, anything mechanical and especially clever stuff that takes a minute to figure out, certainly holds my attention and deserves a second look, but moving on is also a vital part of life isn’t it?

No, they DON’T make things like they used to - we’ve done that! What’s next?