Isn’t it odd to think that buying a film camcorder is a new experience for many photographers, if not all? A majority of people were using and buying film cameras 20 years ago. Countless photographers today have never even shot one roll of film. Film photography is still possible. There are film and film cameras available to purchase for creating photographs. Here are some things you should know before buying your first 35mm film camera or entering the film world.
First, you might be shopping for a used camera.
You might not have noticed that not many manufacturers make brand-new film cameras anymore. The majority of our discussion will focus on used film cameras. Although I might be biased, the B&H Used Department is one of the best places to find a used camera. You can shop at the Used Department or spend a few minutes with me while we talk about your 35mm film camera options. A shaded box will be found at the end of the article. This will let you know what’s new or available in film cameras.
35mm Film Cameras
There are three basic types of 35mm film cameras. They are the SLR (single lens reflex), compact (point and shoot), and rangefinder. The SLR (single-lens reflex) is the film version of your DSLR (the D stands for “digital”). This camera features an optical viewfinder as well as interchangeable lenses. Compact cameras are smaller and lighter than full-size models. They have interchangeable lenses that can either prime (fixed focal length) or zoom lenses.
The Leica rangefinder is a legendary camera made by Leica and other photographers. It has interchangeable lenses, an optical viewfinder that doesn’t look through the lens, and it can be used as a viewfinder for an SLR.
There are many other types of film cameras. I will talk about them at the end. For now, let’s stick with the Fujifilm roll 35mm.
Take into account
I won’t tell you what 35mm camera you should buy; that is up to you. But I will give you some ideas as you shop for your first camera. While some of these tips won’t work with every camera, most of them will.
Identical “Sensors”.
Film cameras shoot film. This means that the medium on which the image is captured is the same between all cameras, provided you use the same type of film. If you use the same film stock as your lens, you can capture the same image with a professional Nikon F6 (recently discontinued).
You might wonder, however, “What makes one camera better than the other?”. The lenses are attached or fixed to the camera and the film used. If automation is desired, this is also an option.
Part 1: Lens Considerations
The film is the equalizer between various film cameras. The lens is where the rubber meets the road. A poor lens can lead to poor photos, just as digital. When shopping for a film camera, make sure you do your research on lenses.
The sharpness and performance of zoom lenses from the film era are a problem. You can’t go wrong with 50mm large aperture lenses, such as a 50mm F/1.8 lens or 50mm F/2 lens on a film (or digital!) SLR.
You can’t go wrong with an older Nikon, Canon or Pentax, or Olympus SLR if you have a Nikon or Pentax 50mm lens to get you started.
