Switch to Digital?

I possess a Canon EOS Elan II(E), Canon 28–80mm and 75–300mm USM EF lenses. I have been actively pursuing photography as a hobby for over 10 years. I have used colour negative films and continue to use them even today. However, I remain quite dissatisfied with my prints. Inspite of that, I could never graduate to colour positives mainly due to the availability, storage and also displaying/viewing the slides.
I visited a few colour labs in Pune a few days ago, but could not get a slide roll. Has the market for colour positives ceased to exist? If the answer is “no”, then for how long can I utilise my analogue camera? How do I source colour positives and where do I process them? How do I view/display them? On the other hand, if the answer is “yes”, is it the right time to buy a DSLR?
Atul Gaur, via email

The market for colour positives still exists, although its size is very small. Even in Mumbai, it is difficult to find colour positive rolls. The other problem is that even if you manage to get colour positives, very few labs will be able process them today. You can continue using colour negative film with your film camera, but you can only scan the prints and store the scans as digital files. Before you begin shooting, we suggest that you check both your lenses for fungus and dirt. If your lenses are affected by either, then there will be considerable loss in colour and contrast in your photographs, no matter what kind of film you use. As far as buying a DSLR is concerned, this is the right time to invest in one.