Film camera recommendations

[Scott Douglas]

A life-long friend of mine asked me if I knew anyone selling a film camera. His son, a newly minted doctor, wants to get into film photography and asked him if he knew anyone selling one.

I asked for more info but he didn't have any as far as what his son really would like to do, other than play in a dark room developing film. The reason he asked his dad is because he used to have a film camera a long time ago and might have done some developing himself. I don't recall if he did or not, to tell the truth.

I do know I asked him which camera I should have my neighbor send back from Nam when he offered to get me one at the PX before coming home in 1970.
Suffice it to say his recommended camera didn't last too long with me and was one of the worst cameras I've ever owned. I gave it to him when he told me had dropped his when on a hike.

So, my question for the collective is which camera would you recommend to someone who wants to get 'into film' but has only shot an iPhone camera?

[GH85Carrera]

That is sorta like asking what car should a friend buy. Sports car, utility blob or SUV.

What is the budget is the first question. Does he want a 35mm fully automatic camera, or an old Leica with no light meter, and high quality images.

As a basic recommendation is find a camera with the various lenses he might want. Nikon or Canon are both wonderful 35 mm cameras with an near infinite range of lenses.

It will all depend on how deep he wants to get into the hobby. Enlargers are another area of wide choices, quality, and sharpness. If he is doing 35mm only and does not see larger format cameras as a choice enlarges can be cheaper that professional level enlargers.

Black and white, or color is another large decision. Color printing at home is a challenge, but possible.

And 120 film, (2.25x2.25 inch) is a major step up from 35mm.

[herr_oberst]

And then there's the whole pinhole arena. He could build a pinhole from a kit or buy a really nice one from a pro...

I gave my friend a zero image kit for her birthday once, I think she took 2 or 3 rolls of film with it and sort of abandoned the hobby. I hope she sold it to someone who would love it.

https://bluemooncamera.com/shop/category/30-41/pinhole-cameras/217?srsltid=AfmBOorI4cN0kWusvoNvU7dDzNsnTzpHf50_Og rmPHMRipBZdULAIno_&page=1&category=30,41&cosmetic-condition=&function-condition=&price-min=1&price-max=0&sort-by=created_at+DESC&filters=217&groups=&in-stock=false&sale-only=false&manufacturers=&descriptor-filters=&exhibit-id=&tag-id=

[fanaudical]

The good news is that there is no shortage of gently-used stuff out there. A lot of people purchased 35mm film cameras, found out they aren't that easy to use, and stuffed them into closets...

My suggestion:

#1 - Determine if he is developing his own film and if so, what's he got for developing capability. If he is planning on having others develop for him, figure out what capability they have. Use that to size film.

#2 - Determine how "fiddly" he wants to get. Does he want to set everything? Or is he looking for a camera to handle focus, exposure, etc.

I'm biased toward Canon: If he's looking to set everything, find a nice old Canon AT-1 body and a few lenses. The AT-1 requires manual setting of everything but has its own light meter. If looking to minimize exposure adjustments, look at an AE-1 body. (Yes - That's all 80's tech...) Used full-auto film cameras are still available at some camera shops (and there should be a few still around in OC).

[Scott Douglas]

I knew you guys would have a good list of questions to ask him.

I don't know his budget. Being a new doctor with a growing family, it could be lower than expected or it could be higher than I would have thought possible. I just don't know.

I agree that camera choice is kind of like buying into a family when it comes to lenses.

I'm pretty sure it'll be 35mm film as that is what his dad asked me about initially.

He is a bike racer, so he may like the mechanical side of photography when it comes to cameras.

I've been thinking over what I'd reco based on what I know and I'm thinking of approaching it this way. Buy an automatic camera that will give good results if getting into developing the film is more of what he's after. If he's more into the making of photographs, not just snap shots, get a mechanical camera that doesn't need batteries to operate. Force the need to learn about photography ie the exposure trio, shutter speed/ISO/aperture setting.

Being a guy who loves his digital cameras, I'd try to talk him into getting a Sony RX10 IV. It'd be like getting a whole camera setup with multiple lenses all at once. It could be used to learn photography from the photo end of things but wouldn't include the dark room experience.

I'll let you know if/when I hear from him what he's really after as far as the photo experience goes.

[Baz]

I still have my old Yashika - plus a few from a friend who passed away.

I didn't think you could still get film for them let alone get the film processed.

And there's a market for these "dinosaurs"? Wow!

[matthewb0051]

I had a Nikon FG years ago. It was partially automated but could be turned off to be totally manual settings. I really liked it. Looking online you can possibly get into one for under $100 body and lens.

My father (now me) had a Cannon AE-1. Those contain much more auto programing. It is now in my closet somewhere. I found the receipt from when he purchased in the 70's for nearly $900 IIRC with a few lenses, which would have been equal to their mortgage payment back then.

[GH85Carrera]

In about 1969 I was already deep into photography and I bought a brand new Yashika Mat 124G.

It uses 120 or 220 film, and makes a large 2.25 x 2.25 negative. I bought in on base at the BX, and it was 19 dollars. The first wedding I shot with it, I was money ahead. I still have it tucked in the closet. I really should sell it just to be rid of it. I will never use it again. Only Elon Musk could afford me as a wedding photographer, I will never shoot another wedding for any remotely reasonable price.

I have a Canon 5DsR full frame sensor in a 35mm format. I rarely ever use it, as my iPhone is always right there, and takes amazing photos.

Another thing to ask him, what does he envision as his main subject. If it is racing photography, he will want long telephoto lenses. Photos of the kids and dog will be better with a 50 mm lens or even wider angle.

[GH85Carrera]

In my single days, I dated a few ladies that wanted to learn to process film, and make prints.

I was always willing to set up my home darkroom, and show them my darkroom techniques!

It always seemed so quaint doing it at home when I worked a 5,000 square foot professional photo lab just a mile away. We had every bit of photo gear imaginable. We made locket size prints, to 4x12 feet prints. We had 8 - 4x5 enlargers, and two 8x10 enlargers. A safe full of Hassleblad and Nikon gear, and Sinar 4x5 Studio and a 8x10 studio camera. We were a Kodak Q lab which meant we got tested by Kodak weekly by processing a test strip we had to buy from Kodak. I would read it, and mail it to Kodak to be read on their equipment to earn and keep the Q-lab logo in the front window.

[Scott Douglas]

Looking back at my life one of the things I wished I'd done is take a photography class. Never seemed to be able to find the time in my class schedule to take one even with having gone to summer school every year that it was offered after elementary school.
I'm a self-taught photo buff. I know just enough to be able to get my cameras to produce mostly what I want.
I'd love to have been able to use film way back when, but I didn't earn enough money to afford that luxury. Digital was an epiphany for me and it's been full speed ahead ever since I got my first one.

[Scott Douglas]

Glen, that's why I would recommend the Sony camera to him.
From AI of course,
A powerful all-in-one bridge camera featuring a 20.1MP 1-inch stacked BSI-CMOS sensor, a sharp Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-600mm equivalent f/2.4-4 zoom lens, lightning-fast 0.03-second autofocus, and 24 fps continuous shooting.

If this had been available when I got my first digital I'd probably be thousands of dollars ahead now as I'd still be shooting it.

[herr_oberst]

A local digital photog at the weekly Cars and Coffee limited his shots to multiples of 36 and no more than 3 or 4 "rolls" per event. His explanation is that limiting the exposures forced him to work smarter, thus getting better pictures.

[KNS]

I'd recommend finding a nice condition Nikon FM or FM2. Lots of lenses to work with those.

I was pretty lucky while I was in college, I worked in the college dark room. It was my job to maintain the equipment, keep the chemicals fresh, etc. I had a key to the building and could use it whenever I wanted.

I was huge into photography at the time and had a Nikon FE, FM, F2AS with MD-2 motor drive as well as an F3 with MD-4. Still have the F2 and F3 with their motor drives and several lenses.

[Scott Douglas]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

A local digital photog at the weekly Cars and Coffee limited his shots to multiples of 36 and no more than 3 or 4 "rolls" per event. His explanation is that limiting the exposures forced him to work smarter, thus getting better pictures.

When I look back at some of the pics I took with my first digital camera I think my shots then were more 'artistic' than what I shoot today. I know it's not because my cameras are more limiting than it was. I'm not sure what happened to me to make the artist go away.

[Scott Douglas]

Kurt - Those are high on my reco list. Good mechanical cameras are a joy to me.

[GH85Carrera]

Shooting film, processing it, and then printing it is kinda fun. I set up a home darkroom when I was in high school. I was the yearbook photographer, and 90% of the photos in the yearbook are mine. I took away the business of the professional that used to shoot for the school.

Literally, I was sitting in class and I felt a tap on my shoulder. The pro that I took the business from asked if I wanted a job. I replied yes sir. He handed me his business card. That was my job hunting done. He taught me a lot, and I worked for him for 6 years.

[GH85Carrera]

Me in high school.

[pwd72s]

Still Have my Olympus OM-1 & OM2 bodies, lenses, winder, etc. Also had a B&W only darkroom. Did submissions to PANO back in the day. One reason I went to it was the when brought t0o eye level when wearing glasses, I could see the entire field of view...it's light meter seemed to be pretty effective through a wide range of lens and shutter speeds...shot mostly tri-x at 400...

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Me in high school.

Hasselblad....WOW!

[Scott Douglas]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Hasselblad....WOW!

I'm betting it's his Yashika Mat, not a Hassy.