I will start this off by saying that I am NOT an expert photographer, and I do not want to pretend to be. I am an amateur at best, but over the past few years of “nice camera” ownership, I have really come to love taking pictures on film.
Before anyone runs out to buy a film camera, I strongly suggest that you start with the basics first. Read a book on photography and buy a cheap digital camera to play with so you can learn to visualize the effects you will get with different levels of aperture and shutter speed. Once you feel confident with these basics, find the camera you want and spend an evening researching how to best use it. Film cameras are much more manual than today’s digital cameras, so loading and winding film, replacing batteries, and checking your light meter may not be straightforward. Taking the extra hour here to understand your gear can save you tons of time and money sorting through ruined rolls of film.
Just like any other camera, your film camera is a tool; it will not do all of the work for you, and if you don’t know how to use it, it will not perform. With this in mind, try to select a camera that will be easy to use but is well suited for the type of photos you would like to take. I started with a Konica Autoreflex TC but am currently using a Canon EOS system because the lenses are interchangeable with my DSLR. Being an amateur, I personally wouldn’t opt for anything without some sort of light meter, but there are several great options to choose from. The good thing about film cameras is because much of the world sees them as old and outdated, you can pick them up pretty cheap. Just do your research to make sure you will be happy with whatever you choose.
With that, these are my top 5 reasons you should give film a chance.
It has that nostalgic look
This is probably the number one reason people shoot with film. It is definitely a huge driver for why I have been using my film setup more and more. Film photography has its own look. You can see the grains and color in the photo, different hues come through with different levels of light, and overall the photos just look nostalgic. Better yet, different types of film will give you different effects. The mood of my photos shot with Kodak Gold 200 vs Kodak Ultramax 400 vs Fujifilm X-Tra 400 etc, is entirely different. This means that buying and experimenting with new films is part of the fun, and can bring a level of excitement to photography that you don’t get digitally.
Developing film is actually really easy
In today’s day and age, getting your film developed is easier than it has ever been. All you have to do is take your finished roll into your local photography store, bring a USB drive, and in a day or two they will develop and scan your photos so you can have them digitally. At my favorite camera store, scanning 36 photos in high definition costs about $10.
You don’t obsess over taking pictures.
This is an important concept and not something a lot of people think of as a benefit to film photography. When you take photos on film, you have no chance to immediately review the photos like you would on a digital camera. This eliminates the process of taking and checking photo after photo until you get the “perfect shot”. Because of this, you can simply take a picture, accept that it will either come out cleanly or poorly, and simply move on with your day. There have even been days and trips where I have only brought a film camera because I wanted to make sure I didn’t get too wrapped up in taking pictures all day.
You have to review your pictures after they are developed
This is probably what I love most about film photography. Going to the photo lab and picking up your negatives is a process that you can’t get digitally. Opening up the scanned files and seeing your pictures for the first time is a wave of excitement, and unlike digital photography where photos remain trapped in our cameras for far too long, you have to review each one individually. This ensures that each photo gets the attention it deserves.
Film is a new challenge
The last thing I will say about film photography is that film offers a new challenge that is extremely rewarding to master. Anybody can pick up a nice digital camera, put it into auto or maybe aperture priority if they know what they are doing, and get a semi-decent photo. However, doing this on film is much more difficult. The camera itself is old, most lenses are manual focus, and because you can’t review the picture, you have to put a lot more thought into how you are going to take the perfect photo the first time. The more rolls of film you go through, the more this will translate into your digital photography. As a result, every picture you take will be well thought out and before long, you will be able to get the scene and timing right the first time.
So there it is, 5 reasons you should go out and buy a film camera whether you are a professional photographer, or an amateur like me.
