Everything I wish I knew before starting film photography
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- čas přidán 8. 08. 2023
- #filmphotography #tutorial #35mm
In this video I will tell you everything I wish I knew before picking up a 35mm film camera. I hope you get some value out of this video and you go out and shoot some 35mm film for yourself
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This was quite entertaining for an older person who shot film at your age hearing your experiences in the digital age and film! Back then, film was expensive to develope and print too! Good vid, keep it up.
So true. It’s easy to be shocked by current film prices, especially colour film and slide, but you remind yourself of what a roll cost in the 1990s or early 2000s, remember how much you were earning at the time vs now, do a little inflation maths and in actuality, it’s not quite so bad. The difference being that back then, there was literally no other alternative short of whipping out the crayons (!). Today, well digital is essentially until you want a physical copy.
I think the fact that most (though not all) cameras can be had today for a fraction of their new cost also plays into the mentality. Cameras that cost hundreds (or even thousands) new can now be had for less than the cost of one of the rolls of film you’re running through them. Kinda funny 😂
thank you!
I'm glad the cameras are cheap now! who knows, maybe in another 20-30 years the same will happen to today's digital cameras :D
@@crtvfrdmhello can I ask you a question (?) maybe you can help me out, is it possible to filme cameras to take sunset photos just like the digital cameras do(?), I’m new on film camera , just got one canon Ae-1 a few days ago, and I’m scared of wasting a photo trying to take a sunset photo and end up getting the same that I get on my canon 600D 😅
@@hugooliveira8886 The best way to figure it out is to try I would say! although personally I think taking photos during sunset is way more interesting than photo's of the sunset itself. If you make sure you have the correct exposure settings the canon AE-1 should be able to do it! I would also try to see it as experimentation instead of 'wasting' a photo. the photo might not come out but you will get more experience with every 'mistake' and get slowly better over time!
Have fun with getting into film photography, it's a very fun hobby!
As a older photographer here, in the 90’s it’s all that we used, film cameras. I would do shoots for the newspapers and weddings and never was concerned with my exposure, I had used my Nikon F3, and Nikon F5 with its built in meter was spot on. The F5 was like a digital camera that uses film. When we shot film, we didn’t really waste film, we weren’t click crazy like people today with digital cameras.
yea when I go out with my digital camera it's not unusual to come back with hundreds of photo's but I'll often only use a few. The canon eos 500N I briefly show in this video is very much like a digital camera in that way too, with the program mode it's fully automatic and delivers on point exposures every time. that being said though I do quite enjoy the fully analog process with the addition of the light meter app. Not something I would rely on for shooting a wedding or anything of the like though. Most of what I do would be considered street photography I suppose, I didn't really mention that in the video.
I have heard good things about the F series nikon cameras, would love to try one someday
@@crtvfrdm I still have and use all my Nikon film cameras. They are very rugged. I have never had to repair any of them or even clean them. They just run. The F5 and 6 are just like digital cameras except they use film. The older ones use match needle or arrow lights for exposure.
if you open a camera with a film inside, it will not ruin all the film, only like 4 frames. Film when it is rolled is not transparent. Of course unless you open it and leave under the sun for hours, then yes gradually the light will soak in deeper layers of the film.
I'm 62 and I've been shooting film since I got my first 'real' camera (Zorki 4) in 1978. My 'Top Tip' would be to always have a tripod handy and use a cable release (or the self timer) for slower shots. Also, if you're just starting out (with film), consider a night school photography course.
I was so lucky growing up before digital. I've shot 35mm, 120 and 4x5. I've been shooting digital in one for or another for 24 years with 26 years of film prior to that.
Great video! Just a tip: Developing your own films at home is really cost reducing and - in my opinion - half the fun of film photography. It is really easy to develop film, no skills required. 😊👍🏻
Thank you! I do plan to get into that at some point! Getting into scanning my film first
Understanding some basics is a must. I've seen teenagers asked something like "how to achieve this bokeh... I'm using this Kodak point & shoot camera..." I simply assume they never use any camera beside their iPhones and usually my assumption is right. Well, time to teach them a bit of photography 101 :D
everyone has got to start somewhere! I would say it's a good thing if teenagers even know the word bokeh :D get them down the rabbit hole!
I've been using serious (not point and shoot compacts) film cameras for the last 25 years or so and was curious to hear what you had to say...
Nicely done. I think you covered most of the salient points in a clearly understood way.
Really loved this video! I'm just getting started in my analog/film journey and this was a super helpful starting place. Especially loved your point about a benefit being to get away from instant gratification. That is one of the many reasons I've decided to pick up this hobby.
Glad you found it useful! Enjoy the process! :D
I have been shooting film since using my mother's Brownie Hawkeye in the 1950s, owned a photo studio for 32 years and amused to see videos on low to load film, change a lens, etc and then I remember how I am with digital. I shoot and enjoy both, but still prefer film. A very well done video.
I'm glad to see someone with this much experience still get enjoyment out of my beginner perspective! Happy you enjoyed the video!
Good video. Yes, you are correct.... slow down, think , make good choices about the settings but most of all, enjoy the day. Take pictures and make memories.
You flashed around a few cameras but if it is a Pentax k1000 that you need a battery for you can use a LR44 silver oxide battery. It is equivalent to the original. The numbers changed a bit over the years. I found on the internet what the equivalent was and the information is out there for numerous old button battery sizes.
Thanks for the suggestion! Since releasing this video I have tested several different batteries and have come to the conclusion the lightmeter unfortunately does not work, I have gotten quite accustomed to shooting with the light meter app on my phone though so it is managable!
Keep it up man, video quality good, audio is good, context has substance. I subbed
Thanks man! I appreciate it!
Easily the best video i've seen on this topic. Not new to this, but it's fun to se this kind of videos once in a while, might even learn something new.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Well put together and simplified. Has great information to be able to start and enjoy film and latter digital photography.
Glad you enjoyed it!
One thing to remember on the "expensive equipment" part
Some of the most famous/important pictures taken were done on run of the mill "tourist" cameras
Great video! Clear and Concise! Thank you so much!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for this video. It's nice to see the film community grow and grow. I personally think that the Spotmatics are one of the best choices for a beginner: They're affordable, convenient to use, you'll definately learn about the exposure triangle and Pentax made great lenses. Last but not least they look neat and stylish.
Just a hint about the Spotmatic (SP II) lightmeter, as there are in fact batteries you could use as a replacement today: I got perfect results with a zinc-air hearing aid battery type 312. They run with 1.45V instead of the originally required 1.35V but the SPII can handle the difference. One just has to use a little rubber O-ring (or something similar) around the battery for perfect fit and isolation. I also once used a Weincell PX400 with exactly 1.35V. They work great, but are far too expensive. The only downside with both battery types is that they don't last very long (up to 3 months). On the other hand hearing aid batteries are quite cheap.
Thank you for the reply! I'll have to get some of the hearing aid batteries, they look very affordable indeed!
I ended up buying one of the weincell ones that for some reason doesnt fit in my spotmatic, however I tried it in my pentacon super tl2 and that one does take it! So not a waste after all.
It's been a few months since I posted this video but I still absolutely love the spotmatic, it really is a fantastic camera
It’s cheaper to bulk load your black and white film, develop your film, and send it to your trusted lab to scan them for less than $12. I wish I knew that back in high school, and I only started after college. Also, Ilford Ortho can be spooled in red light which is super slick.
Why not develop it at home?
CF, Nice succinct video on the perils of film. As an older commercial photog let me say this: a colleague of mine once said, "Photography is a good way to make a small fortune out of a larger one." Every time I bought a box of 4x5 Polaroid film, I was proving him right. Before digital, we became addicted to Polaroid film, especially in large and medium format. It's a substitute for the digital screen. However, very few photogs had Polaroid backs for 35mm format, but some did. I guess those photogs felt a little insecure or they were trying to impress the client. Yet, one art director told me that 35mm size Polaroids were so small they were all but useless.
The 387S battery fits in the Spotmatic camera. Spotmatic cameras have special circuitry that allows you to use a 1.5v battery. I have used the 387S in my Spotmatic SP with excellent results.
Thanks for the suggestion!
One thing I would like to add is with digital photography few actually print their images, and there most likely will come a time when they simply delete them. With film the negatives will always be there. Think of all the old photographs and negatives dating back decades or even a century that people discover and enjoy. Another thing to consider is in years to come will it be possible to retrieve digital images, will the technology be available? Time will tell.
Had a darkroom in 1960 so have shot film for over 60 years. Shooting film without an lcd is taking the training wheels off for hipsters.
excellent topics presented very Clearly. Good job. lots of info explained very well
Glad you liked it!
Great video, the only thing I would disagree on, is that everyone will open the back with film in, in all the years I have been using film cameras, and that is well over 30, I have never done this, it just depends on the concentration, but then again, I grew up on film, and developing my own.
I am looking to get (back…one black and white class in college) into photography and really I just want to get to spend time with a technology I feel was robbed from me that I was fascinated with in my youth and take what I consider to be “real” photos of my fiancee and I on our camping trips. So, some art, and some or most practical. I recently purchased a Bell and Howell Dial on ebay but have not used it yet. (It didn’t occur to me til after i purchased it that in order to stop using my phone as a camera, I got a camera that looks like a phone.😂)
Now, the only thing that worried me was, because it is a half frame camera, getting through enough shots to be able to switch to a different film for night photography by the fire would be tough. Solution: today my Mom showed me that she has my Grandma’s ( who was 103 til last year) Olympus superzoom 2800 dlx point and shoot. So, perfect, while I’d like to be artsy and learn, now I feel I have the opportunity to do both that and easy quick photography.
Now my question for you is this: Which one do you think would be better to designate for a “night” camera and put the faster film in?
Wow I just looked up the dial camera as I had never heard of it before, that is one crazy looking camera! Very unique!
I would say the olympus is probably preferable for taking shots at night, as from my brief searching the dial will only really take film up to 400 iso. For anything at night I would recommend 800 iso at least!
Good luck with both cameras though!
I still use my Pentax Spotmatic
with Fomapan 200 and develop my own using Rodinal developer.
Light, looking and lens.
My experience as a Lifetime of photography. I am 78 now.
The three essential Ls.
The L that is not essential is a Leica!
I've been shooting quite a bit of fomapan myself, it's definitely the most affordable stock out there today, and honestly I like how it looks. Not gotten into developing myself yet, but I'm sure it won't be long before I do. What lenses do you prefer shooting with?
The three essential L s are Looking, Light and Lenses.
I prefer my Rikenon 28mm 2.8 and 100mm 2.8 Pentax on my Pentax K mount cameras.
I only use the fantastic 55mm f 1.8 Super Takumar on my Spotmatic.
The best lens I have ever owned.
The colour rendition and bokeh is second to none.
For digital I use a 2005 Ricoh GR digital 1 with it's 28mm equivalent f2.4 lens.
Hello. Nice to see a video about the drawbacks of film photography, but in a positive manner.
I see you have an original Pentax Spotmatic, but resigned on using thits lightmeter. You should give it a try, mabe it works. After all it was the TTL lightmeter that defined this camera from its predecessors and competitors. The original mercury battery is not produced anymore in any shape or form. But a small alkaline or silver button cell can fit inside. You will need a toric rubber washer for proper positioning and isolating the battery from the side wall of its compartment. A battery of 8mm diameter like the Varta V392 / SR41 fits nicely. Cheers.
thank you for this info! I had heard that the original battery isn't made anymore, and after some googling I found a possible replacement battery: the MRB625 from Wien. but after ordering one it ended up not fitting in the battery compartment, I also tried some other batteries that I had on hand and several at some camera stores but none of the ended up fitting the compartment either.
I had not heard of the Varta V392 / SR41. I'll have to see if I can get my hands on these. Thanks for the tip again!!
I like your video, a great introduction to anyone new to the subject of analog photography!
By the way, some of those hearing aid batteries are (1) small enough and (2) deliver the perfect voltage for the light meter in your Pentax Spotmatic! I've got a couple of Spotmatics and these batteries are super easily available and work just fine.
Thanks Tom! Do you happen to know the type of battery specifically? I've tried a couple and they all seem either too tall or too wide for my battery compartment
@@crtvfrdm Over here in Europe it’s called ZL 312. They are TINY but they do fit in the Spotmatic very well!
Awesome thank you! I'll see if I can find those
Sunny 16 is helpful to check the light meter in your camera (besides damages or wrong adjustment, the light metering in the camera can be tricked quite easily depending of what's in the frame). It is a good idea to learn the basic "rules" of it (it can get really complicated, I would rather stick to the simple rules - or what is printed inside the film packaging, where there's still a simple chart with some film stocks).
Unfortunately the light meter in my pentax appears to not be working. I've checked several different batteries and I can't get the indicator dial to move. Perhaps it is time to train my sunny 16 knowledge some more
@@crtvfrdm I think there are some "cheat sheets" available somewhere. Wanted to create my own one (already collected some data for that), but never got around to doing it - I also use a light meter app on my phone (more than one, but mainly the LUMU lightmeter app for iOS, which might be no longer available, but sometimes "MyLightMeter" by David Quiles, because it has a classic mode which lets me read aperture/shutter speed combinations in an instant). Or I use a "real" light meter (a small Sekonic, or the spot meter from Reveni Labs).
Great video
Thank you!!
developing film actually is really cheap, and scanning is just one time payment
Well after getting my digital set up to the point it overqualifies my skill and needs as a hobbyist and finding my old point and shoot film camera, a new journey begins 'till at least the development stage if not printing as well. Can't wait to shoot a full manual slr and develop the film for better or worse
Often less is more! Enjoy the journey!
Not a bad video , however you can still get batteries to fir the Pentax Spotmatic , also praktica’s etc. Infact there are a number of battery hacks you can do on older cameras , granted there are still the odd camera you can not get batteries for . As for cost film photograph did go through a phase of being cheap but its never been very cheap hobby infact I’ve brought and own cameras now as a kid growing up using my Praktica MTL5 with a number of second hand lens could only dream of owning such as a Hasselblad SWC and 500cm and Leica . To be fair I own one digital camera a Pentax Kx which I use as a preview camera thus saving a wasted number of frames and time especially when I am using Medium Format . All in All good advice ! Actually never opened the back of my own cameras by mistake loaded a medium format film wrong once ! however brought a contax RF from a second hand shop the other day tried it as I thought dry fired etc. opened the back to put in a film and there was one already in from the previous owner ! Should have checked the frame counter and loooked for the spindle moving when I wound on !
In years gone by we shot bw and developed it at home as this was so much cheaper. Now can scan at home cheaply. You must not forget that taking and scanning was only half of the process and the second half was printing in a darkroom. Part of the process was selecting image to print from the contact sheet. Many of best photographers would only print one or two frames from contact sheet of 35 images
I think this is still the cheaper way to go honestly. I dont have the room to set up a dark room currently, so dark room printing will be out of the question for a while. I do plan on getting into scanning at home soon as that is my main expense in shooting film now
Yes. Best of luck. You still can get film style experience with some digital camera including Fuji xe cameras with manual controls. Fit manual lens though adaptor.Set jpeg type to bw film and view bw image on back. I have a few vintage lens if you want ago
I do have an adapter to fit my m42 lenses to my canon cameras, haven't gone out and shot with it yet though
do you have 50m f1.8. Try shooting this wide open. Choose something like train station bus queu.
I have a takumar smc 55 1.8 and a carl zeiss jena 50 2.8. The takumar is my favorite so far and I love shooting it wide open! If you check the first video on my channel you can see some of the photo's I've taken with it
I knew all this (been shooting film since the 1990s), but it was still interesting. I'll just say this about the light meter apps on smartphones : be a little wary of them. I have the same one you're recommending, but I also have a "traditional" hand held light meter, and they do not give me the same results. And in every situation, the hand held light meter is right, and the app is wrong. On the rare occasions when I relied solely on the app, my negs came back underexposed, sometimes enough to make the image unusable, so more than 1 stop... so beware :) But keep shooting film ! It's expensive, it's a pain, but it's so rewarding, and so much more beautiful than digital :)
I was talking to somebody who works in a camera shop about this recently, he said that it greatly varies per phone and the quality of the camera in the phone that will give different results.
For me the light meter still gives me good results to this point although I have not tested it against a physical light meter
@@crtvfrdm This is very interesting ! I had not thought about it... It definitely can make a difference.
good advice! I started with photography back in the mid 80s when photography meant film. No other game in town. No Internet, no youtube. Lots of trial and error. I took my camera everywhere and shot anything and everything. Eventually I became a pretty good photographer. Got into digital around 2009 and put film on hold until recently. Dug up my film camera and want to give it another go. The film prices are eye opening to say the least. Many of the films I used are long gone. Have to reacquaint myself with the film world. Should be fun. Thanks for the video
interesting to see you coming back to film after switching to digital! what film stocks were your go-to back in the day?
@@crtvfrdm for portraits it was Kodak VPS 160 which I rated at 80. Fuji Reala was a nice film. For B&W I loved Ilford XP-1 because I could take it to a 1 hour lab. For slides I loved Kodachrome (of course) and Fuji Velvia. I did try many films though.
trying film has been a very fun process for me, I'm still quite new at this whole film thing so every time I get a new roll back, the surprise of what I will get has been really interesting.
besides Kodachrome I haven't seen any of those! not surprising ofcourse as they are no longer around haha
An interesting overview from the perspective of someone brought up on digital. I am old enough to have started photography when manual film cameras were the only cameras, so this brings back a lot of memories, especially popping open a camera to find the film hadn't rewound into the cassette! On many old cameras you can see the spool head on top of the camera rotating when the film moves. Use this to check that your film is winding on between shots and also that it is winding back into the cassette when the roll is finished.
One word of warning about exposure...while you can overexpose negative films to some extent, doing the same with slide (positive) film is guaranteed to wreck your photo. With slide film you have to expose for the highlights.
Good luck with your film adventure.
Thank you for the info on color positive film! I have not shot any yet, but this is good to know!!
Well done for such a whirlwind tour of film photography. I particularly like #5 -- rite of passage. Also, your comment that it's a god way to train yourself to get over the need to instant gratification -- insightful. What you say about slowing down follows, and is a refrain pervading interviews, discussions, blogs, documentaries on the resurgence of film photography over the past 8+ yrs or so, both among new film photographers and former ones returning to it. I'll look forward to your coming videos.
thank you for the kind words!
I heard you said you don't have a battery for your spotmatic. You can just pop in one LR44 battery. The internals can handle de voltage difference.
Another battery you can try is the PR675 battery, it's 1.3 volt and I use them to create the 5.6 volt battery for my Minox camera.
Thanks! I'll have to see if I can get my hands on these
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
I've been a photographer for half a century.
Anyone taking up film photography really needs to develop and scan, and if possible darkroom print their own films. Paying a lab to develop black and white films will only give you half the experience.
Developing your own film costs pennies per film. So yes get a cheaper camera and a developing tank and some chemistry. You can develop your own film in your own way, giving you your own look. It takes time so be patient.
I finally have the room to set up a dark room now! I'm excited to add developing to my arsenal of skills
Good luck , Follow the book to begin with and then experiment with films, developers and developing times. Take your time, it's a fantastic journey. When experimenting only change one thing at a time. (time agitation, film stock etc) then you know the exact effect of each change. Use fotoflo/wetting agent to prevent streaking/drying marks.@@crtvfrdm
Thanks for the tips!
does anyone know what app he uses as the light meter? because i can't find it
The app I use is called "light meter - lite" by WBPhoto on the android app store. I don't know if it will be available on the apple store as well.
But any lightmeter app that will allow you to change the iso and aperture should work!
Hope you can find it
Nice one this
Glad you enjoyed it!
Sehr gutes Video, Grüße aus Hamburg
Film photography is more complicated than I’d anticipated. Thank you for this
It seems complicated but it's totally worth it! Just take it one step at a time
Boy, that light meter app recommendation went by fast.
Really any lightmeter app will do the job fine I think! I have tried a couple of different ones and they all seem to work
These opinions are popular among film photographers, but many are very detrimental to people who are new to film photographers.
It is so overwhelming I don't even know where to start.
I am very new myself still! I have only done it a few months so far, and trust me it seems intimidating at the start but if you just go and do it, you will figure it all out step by step
@@crtvfrdm for example, fully mechanical camera scares people away. At least recommend something with built in metering. Gears also matter a lot. Cameras with unreliable rewinding mechanism ruins film, which can severely discourage people from shooting film. The cost of film is very high nowadays, so cameras which don't play well with bulk loaded Vision 3 film should also be avoided. The list goes on...
The beauty of a quality mechanical camera though, is that it will not fail. Electronics have a way higher chance to stop working in my opinion. So far I have only had issues with film not advancing on electronic cameras, while my mechanical one works, every time. So I do stand by my recommendation of mechanical cameras, even if they are intimidating
Film cost can be greatly minimized by buying bulk film. After the initial cost of a bulk film loader (Watson)- about 40 dollars- and a few reloadable film cassettes you are good to go. You can load your film very easily. Kentmere film (same folks who make Ilford) is reasonably priced in 100 foot rolls. Probably knock your film cost down to 3-4 dollars a roll. Then if you develop your film yourself you can save tons on developing costs! PROBLEM with developing your own is that the chemicals have a shelf life and unless you are shooting on a fairly regular basis the chemistry can become exhausted. But if you are a photoholic it is definitely the way to go. That is assuming you have a film scanner of course. If not then you can just invite friends over to look at your negatives.
This is definitely the route I want to go! But I'll probably get there step by step, starting with scanning first
@@crtvfrdm Advice from a 68 year old photographer: 90% of your film shots will be mediocre at best. Tons of waste. Even the greatest 35mm shooters have Truckloads of crap shots. But the 1 in a hundred made it worth the pursuit. The thrill was in the hunt. Back then there were no options. Today there is. The cost/reward ratio doesn’t make sense unless you go the distance and print your work in a real BW darkroom
@@genernator a nice added benefit of making youtube videos about film photography is that I can write off the cost of film as a business expense for now. I have been shooting digital for years and I find the success rate on film is a little higher than on digital. but that shouldn't surprise anyone, with digital shots being practically free
What is the name of the app please ?
"Light meter - lite" by WBPhoto on the android app store.
I'm not sure if it is available on apple as well but pretty much any app will work I think.
Good luck!
can you share the app you mentioned please? 7:38
I use the "light meter - free" by WBPhoto on android, hope that helps!
thank you so much for quick reply. I use ios device. so I may have to find an alternative@@crtvfrdm
I almost exposed my first roll to light early, and I would’ve lost my first film picture ever if it hadn’t been for my parents quick intervention.
Luckily it was saved!!
T-max 3200 is not 3200 iso either
Toon late, I already started
I hope you got something out of the video anyway!
I have a wife help prevent me from draining our bank account, but I have a lot of cameras but you don't have to spend a lot.
I mean, you dont HAVE to...
Have seperate accounts...
A drug habit is less expensive.
but the cameras are cheap
Thankfully they are cheap indeed!
Wrong you want to give people a leg up in photography don’t you? I would recommend a more modern SLR with accurate shutter speeds and extremely good light meters and then later they can progress. The last thing you want is a new photographer to be discouraged and disappointed! You don’t throw new swimmers into the deep end of the swimming pool right off the bat.
+1 When I started out, was discouraged learning how to do it manually with no meter, quit rather quickly.
Picked up a modern film SLR and shot mainly on program mode. It built my confidence and after many shots, transitioned into full manual.
I agree w/ a lot the advice of this youtube, but also agree that having a leg up can make all the difference
My enjoyment in film photography does not stem from the comfort of having the most optimal equipment. If I wanted to have the most seamless photo experience I would shoot on my phone. For me the enjoyment comes from persuing mastery in something that is more difficult. People who want comfort and ease of use have plenty of options, but if people really want to enjoy shooting film, I stand by my recommendation, get a manual SLR and learn something
" I wish I had known", please.
No thank you
Move the plant
No