The Resurgence of Film Photography Is Good for Silver Investments

Only a decade ago, film photography seemed to be dying as more and more photographers turned in their old film cameras and went digital. Then about five years ago, people started to set aside their digital cameras as they took more and more of their snapshots on phones.

“Film is dead!” seemed to be everyone’s opinion of what was taking place in the world of photography. And because silver is the most important chemical used in the production of photographic film, paper and developing chemicals, it seemed likely that the demand for silver was about to drop. (Note too that silver was used extensively in older X-Ray technologies, which have now become all-electronic; that change seems likely to continue unchanged.)

Film Photography Is Not Dead!

For a time after the introduction of digital cameras, a number of serious amateur and professional photographers continued to cling to film. They loved to apply techniques of taking and developing pictures on film that they had developed over decades.

Recently however, film photography is enjoying a resurgence in popularity among amateur photographers. Here are two trends that show that is true . . .

Small Instant-Print Film Cameras from Fuji and Other Companies Are Becoming More Popular with Younger Snapshot-Takers

These cameras, much like the popular Polaroid cameras of generations past, are being toted by people who like to take snapshots and get instant prints of them, right from the camera. And the film that is used in these cameras, as well as the paper that they use to make prints, contains silver.

At Least One Major New Film-Producing Factory Has Been Built

This is big news. ADOX, a German maker of photographic supplies, has recently constructed a brand new facility where it is producing classic film, photographic papers for printing, as well as photo-processing chemicals. And the chemical that will be used in all those products is silver.

Photography Could Keep the Demand for Silver Strong

Will those photographic trends create a sudden increase in the demand for large quantities of silver? It is too soon to say that it will.

However, the return to film photography can only support the demand for recyclable silver and silver scrap. If you have silver scrap to recycle, call Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners at 800-426-2344.

And remember that in addition to recycling supplies of scrap silver, we can also extract silver from your old film, photographic paper and photo-processing chemicals. It is a case of “what goes around, comes around.” And there is little doubt that film photography is coming around again.

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It’s Time to Reclaim Silver that’s Hiding in Old Darkrooms and Film Processing Facilities
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Will the Return to Film Photography Make Silver Prices Soar?