Film Photography's Revival and What It Means for Used Camera Prices

In a world where a smartphone can produce technically flawless images in a fraction of a second, the resurgence of film photography might seem counterintuitive. Yet the evidence is unambiguous: film is back, and its revival is reshaping parts of the used camera market in ways that buyers need to understand — whether they are interested in shooting film themselves or simply trying to navigate the secondhand market for digital equipment.

According to data published in January 2026, film photography sales have increased by 127% since 2020, with 2026 showing the strongest wholesale demand yet. The vintage camera market — which includes both film cameras and collectible digital equipment — is projected to grow from USD 1.19 billion in 2025 to USD 1.68 billion by 2031, at a compound annual growth rate of 5.92%. These are not the numbers of a passing trend.

The Cultural Forces Behind the Revival

The film photography revival is not driven by a single factor, and understanding the multiple forces at play helps explain why it has proved more durable than many industry observers expected when it first gained momentum in the early 2020s.

The Backlash Against AI-Generated Imagery

Perhaps the most significant new driver — and the one that distinguishes the current moment from earlier phases of the film revival — is the growing cultural reaction against AI-generated imagery. As tools like Midjourney, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion have made it trivially easy to generate photorealistic images from text prompts, there has been a corresponding appetite for images that are verifiably real — that carry the physical trace of a moment in time.

A film negative is, by definition, a direct chemical record of light hitting an emulsion. It cannot be generated by an algorithm. It cannot be fabricated after the fact. For photographers who want their work to carry unambiguous authenticity — photojournalists, documentary photographers, and artists working in contexts where the reality of the image matters — film has acquired a new kind of credibility that digital photography, however excellent, cannot fully replicate.

This dynamic is particularly visible in fine art photography, where film prints are increasingly commanding premium prices precisely because their provenance is verifiable in a way that digital files are not. The analog negative is, in this sense, a certificate of authenticity built into the medium itself.

Gen Z and the Analog Aesthetic

The generation that grew up with smartphones has, somewhat paradoxically, developed a strong affinity for the visual language of film. The grain, the colour shifts, the slight softness, the imperfections that digital photography has spent decades trying to eliminate — these qualities have become aesthetically desirable to a generation that has grown up with technically perfect but emotionally flat smartphone images.

The UK-based retailer Analogue Wonderland, writing in January 2026, described the phenomenon as a search for "presence over perfection" — a desire for images that feel lived-in rather than optimised. The Mental Health Foundation has noted film photography's appeal as a mindful, screen-free activity that encourages deliberate attention and presence. In a media environment characterised by infinite scroll and instant gratification, the constraint of 24 or 36 exposures per roll has become a feature rather than a limitation.

Social media has played an unexpected role in amplifying this trend. TikTok and Instagram, despite being digital platforms, have become significant channels for film photography communities — with hashtags like #filmisnotdead and #analog accumulating hundreds of millions of views. The visual distinctiveness of film photographs stands out in feeds dominated by smartphone imagery, creating a virtuous cycle in which film photography attracts attention precisely because it looks different.

The Deliberate Practice of Film

Beyond aesthetics, many photographers cite the process of shooting film as intrinsically valuable. With a finite number of frames per roll and no instant review, film demands a different kind of attention than digital photography. You cannot check the screen after every shot. You cannot spray-and-pray. Every frame costs money — typically 50p–£1 per shot including development — and demands thought before the shutter is pressed.

This constraint, counterintuitively, often produces better photography. Photographers who shoot film report that they become more deliberate about composition, exposure, and timing. The delayed gratification of waiting for developed results — sometimes days or weeks — creates a different relationship with the images than the instant review of digital photography. Many photographers find this process more satisfying, and the images more meaningful, than the equivalent digital workflow.

The Effect on Used Camera Prices

The practical consequence of the film revival is a significant bifurcation in the used camera market. Digital cameras — particularly DSLRs — have seen prices fall as the industry pivots to mirrorless. Film cameras, by contrast, have seen prices rise substantially for certain models, driven by demand that now consistently outstrips supply.

The most dramatic price increases have occurred in the compact 35mm point-and-shoot category. Cameras like the Olympus Stylus (Mju) series, the Canon Sure Shot range, and the Nikon L35AF — which could be found for £20–£50 in charity shops a decade ago — now regularly sell for £150–£400 on eBay UK. The Olympus Stylus Epic (Mju II), once a common find at car boot sales, now commands £200–£350 for a clean example. The Canon Sure Shot Z115, a compact zoom model that was unremarkable when new, has become sought-after for its sharp lens and compact form, with prices rising accordingly.

35mm SLRs have seen more moderate but still significant price increases. The Canon AE-1 Program — arguably the most iconic film SLR ever made — now sells for £80–£180 depending on condition, compared to £20–£40 a decade ago. The Nikon FM2, a fully mechanical professional body, commands £150–£300. The Pentax K1000, valued for its simplicity and durability, sells for £80–£150. These cameras remain good value relative to their quality, but the days of finding them for a few pounds at charity shops are largely over.

Medium format film cameras have seen the most sustained price appreciation among serious photographers. The Mamiya RB67, Hasselblad 500 series, and Bronica systems have all increased in value as professional and serious amateur photographers seek the distinctive quality of medium format film. A Hasselblad 500C/M in good condition now sells for £600–£1,000 — still far below its original retail price, but significantly above where it was five years ago.

New Film Cameras: A Surprising Development

One of the most striking developments in the film revival is the emergence of new film cameras — products designed and manufactured in 2024 and 2025 for a market that was supposed to have died decades ago. The Pentax 17, a half-frame 35mm camera launched in 2024, sold out repeatedly on release and has become a genuine commercial success. Lomography continues to release new camera models. Kodak has reintroduced discontinued film stocks including Ektachrome E100 and Kodak Gold 200 in new formats.

These developments signal something important: the film revival is not simply a matter of nostalgic photographers returning to old habits. It has attracted a new generation of photographers who have never shot film before and who are approaching it as a fresh creative medium rather than a throwback. For this audience, the appeal is not nostalgia — it is novelty.

Implications for Digital Camera Buyers

For buyers primarily interested in digital cameras, the film revival has an indirect but positive effect on the market. As photographers who might otherwise have bought entry-level digital cameras instead choose film, it reduces competition for certain digital models and helps keep prices in check. More broadly, the film revival has reinvigorated the specialist used camera retail sector, which benefits buyers of all types through better-stocked shops, more knowledgeable staff, and higher standards of grading and inspection.

Ffordes Photographic in the Scottish Highlands — one of the UK's most respected specialist dealers — has long handled both film and digital equipment and has benefited from the renewed interest in analog. Their eBay store reflects this breadth, with film cameras sitting alongside digital bodies and lenses. You can browse their current stock on our Trusted Sellers page.

Is the Film Revival Durable?

The honest answer is that the film revival has already lasted longer than most industry observers expected, and the structural drivers show no signs of abating. The reaction against AI imagery is, if anything, intensifying as AI tools become more capable and more widespread. The appeal of analog aesthetics to younger photographers is well-established and commercially validated. The community infrastructure — film labs, specialist retailers, online communities, photography clubs — has grown substantially and is now self-sustaining.

The more relevant question for buyers is not whether film will survive, but whether the price appreciation in certain film cameras has run its course. For the most popular compact 35mm cameras — the Olympus Mju series, the Canon Sure Shot range — prices may have reached a plateau. They are now expensive enough that buyers are beginning to look at alternatives, and the supply of cameras in good condition is finite. For medium format systems and less well-known SLR cameras, there may still be value to be found before the market fully catches up.

For buyers who want to explore film photography without paying premium prices for the most fashionable cameras, the advice is to look beyond the obvious models. A Minolta X-700 or a Pentax ME Super offers comparable image quality to a Canon AE-1 at a fraction of the price. A Mamiya 645 system offers medium format quality at significantly lower prices than the Hasselblad equivalent. The film revival has created a two-tier market — and the second tier still offers genuine value.

Sources

Serrano Rey, "Why Film Photography Is Surging in 2026: 7 Market Trends Driving Wholesale Film Demand," January 2026. TechSci Research, "Vintage Cameras Market Size and Outlook 2031," 2025. DataHorizzon Research, "Film Developing Service Market," February 2026. Analogue Wonderland, "Why Film Photography Matters in 2026," January 2026. FStoppers, "Why Gen Z Is Ditching Digital: 5 Reasons Film Photography Is Experiencing a Renaissance," August 2025. Mental Health Foundation, "Mindfulness Through Film," 2025.