Being Film February I wanted to ask (as I'm sure most have) is it worth looking at a film camera? I have no previous knowledge with film so I'm not sure where to start. I have a few old Pentax K mount 50mm lenses so I would like to use them. I have looked on our local trading post and someone is selling a Pentax K1000. Is this a good option? What faults should I look for in the camera's? Also where do I buy the film? Is there different types of film? As I said I'm a rank amateur at this so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your time James
Film is great and with a little research and cost quite achievable. I cannot help you with information on a Pentax I am afraid. For black and white you will need
A camera (depends on what format you want to shoot)
Film (again depends on your format)
A Patterson developing tank (cheap)
Thermometer
Developer
Fix
Washing up liquid.
It is not essential but a scanner with a backlight is good to have.
20 - 25 minutes.
There is a different sense of achievement with film which is rewarding and can be frustrating.
35mm film is your ordinary everyday film. It is not supposed to scan well compared to medium format.
120mm is bigger and cheap of ebay and deligful to use.
I love using my film cameras and developing film. It is not hard to do just requires some effort.
I love my digital and lenses. Shooting film requires more thought and time.
Google search your local camera shops and ask them if they have film developer and fix. If you cannot get the chemicals it really is a none starter.
Hope this helps.
Ps- I shoot film on a different format/style of camera than my digital because it is a different experience completely. In my head it made sense to learn something from scratch rather than only half the experience. Otherwise I figured just stick to my digital. Hope that makes sense.
Sorry, I am an olympus kind of gal, but in some cases you can find a camera that shares the same mount as your lenses that may not be a pentax. I find my best luck with ebay, adorama or even thrift stores and large flea markets. And the best place for old manuals is http://www.butkus.org/chinon/on-line_manuals.htm
On cameras it is okay to start small and simple and work your way up. I tried a variety and have now settled on two that I switch back and forth with.
I fully recommend film as a great challenge (or a great flashback depending on your age). Before you invest in loads of film gear you may want to check to see if any local stores still deal with film and chemicals (I live in the 5th largest city in America and yet we have only three) or do you have labs that will process your film if you chose to not do 35 mm (we have two that I know of). I for one get no reward from developing my own film and dealing with the chemicals so I have my local shop develop and scan for me. I do find the scanned copies to be a bit of a let down. Also you may want to consider looking for local studios that either teach darkroom or have rentable darkroom. I find the most rewarding part of the process actually working out the right timing for printing and then hanging them. For me film would not really be as enjoyable if I did not have a film support system near me. Also by taking a darkroom class at the local art center, I have found a great local community of film shooters which really encourages me.
Other than using some of the lenses you already have, why do you want to try film? Paula offers some good advice. Film cameras are not expensive now but getting the chemicals might be. I have opted to avoid the darkroom/printing route because I do not have one (a dark room) and it needs much more space time and cost.
Is there a local night class or camera club? Here are my approximate costs
Patterson developing tank - free from work about $20 from b&h
Film developer - $50 NZ dollars (developed 10 x 120films)
Film - $36 for 10 x 120 film roll from ebay. (12 shots per roll)
Fix -$50 NZ dollars (reusable so lasts ages)
I then invested in a scanner which is not necessary if you have a macro lens and like to fiddle around. I did not but still got some decent results using a 50mm lens. This is to photograph the negative and then invert in photoshop.
I also got a lubitel 166b which cost $50 NZ from ebay. So all up for a little over $200 I was able to start shooting film from scratch. I have already have much more than my money's worth from this.
While it might seem like cheating to some, you can always get your film commercially developed and printed. You can get your negatives scanned as jpegs, indeed some, like Walmart in the USA, don't give you negatives back at all. To learn what film does, and how shooting with it is sometimes quite different from digital (especially in borderline light conditions) commercial developing is an inexpensive route to get started. If you do, look for "C-41" process film. Many labs, especially smaller or non-specialized, will only deal with them.
Perhaps it is further "cheating" to bring the scans into Photoshop, but I don't think the classic masters would mind at all. They were always laboring over the printing process, and that is quite analogous to what Photoshop does, custom print processing.
A 35mm film camera can be purchased on eBay for US$30 or so. I got a Nikon SLR F80, released as the N80 in the USA in 2000 just before the digital era, for $30, and it works well, auto focus and focus tracking too with my full frame lenses, image stabilization works fine as well. A, S, P and M metering modes. Remember, you cannot adjust the ISO on the fly as with digital, you are stuck with the speed of the film you purchase. Remember to set that before you shoot to accurately use the camera's light meter.
@spanner@phillyphotos@frankhymus Thank you everyone for posting your great responses. I attend a few music festival which you are not allowed to take a DSLR into because they don't want you to take video footage, where as a film camera is allowed. I think the medium format makes a lot of sense too Spanner. Hhhmm lot's to think about, thanks again
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A camera (depends on what format you want to shoot)
Film (again depends on your format)
A Patterson developing tank (cheap)
Thermometer
Developer
Fix
Washing up liquid.
It is not essential but a scanner with a backlight is good to have.
20 - 25 minutes.
There is a different sense of achievement with film which is rewarding and can be frustrating.
35mm film is your ordinary everyday film. It is not supposed to scan well compared to medium format.
120mm is bigger and cheap of ebay and deligful to use.
I love using my film cameras and developing film. It is not hard to do just requires some effort.
I love my digital and lenses. Shooting film requires more thought and time.
Google search your local camera shops and ask them if they have film developer and fix. If you cannot get the chemicals it really is a none starter.
Hope this helps.
On cameras it is okay to start small and simple and work your way up. I tried a variety and have now settled on two that I switch back and forth with.
I fully recommend film as a great challenge (or a great flashback depending on your age). Before you invest in loads of film gear you may want to check to see if any local stores still deal with film and chemicals (I live in the 5th largest city in America and yet we have only three) or do you have labs that will process your film if you chose to not do 35 mm (we have two that I know of). I for one get no reward from developing my own film and dealing with the chemicals so I have my local shop develop and scan for me. I do find the scanned copies to be a bit of a let down. Also you may want to consider looking for local studios that either teach darkroom or have rentable darkroom. I find the most rewarding part of the process actually working out the right timing for printing and then hanging them. For me film would not really be as enjoyable if I did not have a film support system near me. Also by taking a darkroom class at the local art center, I have found a great local community of film shooters which really encourages me.
Is there a local night class or camera club? Here are my approximate costs
Patterson developing tank - free from work about $20 from b&h
Film developer - $50 NZ dollars (developed 10 x 120films)
Film - $36 for 10 x 120 film roll from ebay. (12 shots per roll)
Fix -$50 NZ dollars (reusable so lasts ages)
I then invested in a scanner which is not necessary if you have a macro lens and like to fiddle around. I did not but still got some decent results using a 50mm lens. This is to photograph the negative and then invert in photoshop.
I also got a lubitel 166b which cost $50 NZ from ebay. So all up for a little over $200 I was able to start shooting film from scratch. I have already have much more than my money's worth from this.
Perhaps it is further "cheating" to bring the scans into Photoshop, but I don't think the classic masters would mind at all. They were always laboring over the printing process, and that is quite analogous to what Photoshop does, custom print processing.
A 35mm film camera can be purchased on eBay for US$30 or so. I got a Nikon SLR F80, released as the N80 in the USA in 2000 just before the digital era, for $30, and it works well, auto focus and focus tracking too with my full frame lenses, image stabilization works fine as well. A, S, P and M metering modes. Remember, you cannot adjust the ISO on the fly as with digital, you are stuck with the speed of the film you purchase. Remember to set that before you shoot to accurately use the camera's light meter.
Good luck!