Never shot film before... can you give me tips?

[Abby Rose]

Which is technically not true. When I was little I'd blow my allowance on disposables. Anyway.

Here's my situation.

The body is a minolta xe-7.
There are three lenses: a 50mm 1.7, a 75-205mm 3.8 (why is there only one value here?), and a 35mm 2.8. But I'm sure that one's broken. It rattles and the aperture ring spins. I can still adjust the aperture with a little metal thingy that seems to be part of the mount, but there's no way (that I can find) to adjust it once the lens is on the camera. Could I just adjust the aperture before I put it on the camera (though I can't tell what f stop it is, but maybe the camera would tell me. There's numbers in the viewfinder.) and then shoot anyway?

Also, a teleconverter.

I've borrowed this stuff from my uncle, to test it and see if I want to buy it. Neither of us are sure what a fair price would be, and I'm not 100% certain I want a film SLR because of the costs entailed. I am interested in the process of developing film, but the more I read the more confused I get. My college doesnt offer film classes, nor does it have a darkroom, so I'm not sure how much I could learn here.

I want to shoot a roll (or a few rolls) of film while I have the stuff, to help me decide. But I'm not sure what kind of film. Should I look around a regular store (do they even sell film anymore?)and just get any old kind, or should I order some kind online...?

And where should I get it developed? Should I (can I?) get a CD? Negatives? Prints? A combination of these? What is the most economical?

Sorry for all the dumb questions. But this is the film section (so you guys will know), and while I know these are beginner questions I figure that many people in the beginners section would scoff at me for thinking about film. I still wonder if I should bother with it, since I don't have much money (or even a job at the moment, I have too many credits) and I'm saving to pay for classes and hopefully a DSLR. :er: I realize that photography and saving money don't exactly complement each other.

Edit: Also, I have a question about the viewfinder. When I look through it, there is a little circle with waviness in it, and inside that another circle divided in half. When I practice focusing, I can see that everything outside the circle goes in and out of focus as I adjust it one way or another, but the view in the circle of waviness stays more or less the same. I can't even tell whats going on in the smaller, halved circle within the waviness. What does all this mean? Where I am supposed to look in there to make sure what I want is in focus. I can't believe I'm this confused about it.

 

[dxqcanada]

The 75-205mm f/3.8 lens has the same maximum aperture throughout the focal range ... 75mm f/3.8 and 205mm /f3.8.

Hmm, hard to say about the rattling lens.

Minolta XE - Camerapedia

If you are starting to get used to film ... buy some cheap color film and get it processed cheap.
Once you get used to it, you can migrate to B+W.
Processing B+W is not very complicated. You should find a good Photo store that knows about processing film as they can provide you with good info on products, chemicals, process' etc.

 

[dxqcanada]

It appears on eBay that the camera has a approx resale value of about $60.00-100.00 for the camera in good condition.

 

[Josh66]

For testing everything out, I would just get the cheapest film you can find.

Kodak Gold, or whatever. 'Good' film is like $5 a roll, not sure if you want to spend that for test shots.

When you get it developed, of course they'll give the negs back... Pretty much anywhere should also be able to give you a CD.

If you don't have a film scanner, a CD with no prints will be the cheapest route. If you have a film scanner, you don't need the CD. Expect to spend around $2-300 for a film scanner, more if you want.


If you want to stick with film long term, you'll be wanting a scanner eventually. Bulk loading your own film will also cut the cost of buying film in half.
The compromise with bulk loading is that you have a smaller selection of films available in bulk rolls. They are good films though. Very few color choices in bulk, lots of B&W though.

 

[Abby Rose]

No film scanner, just a regular one.

I think, if I decided to stick with film long term, I'd want to learn more about large format. But that's way way waaay down the road, and anyway I'd have to find a way to justify to cost. I doubt I'll ever be rich (I have too many hobbies and none of them pay well ), and I doubt I'll ever be good enough to sell prints to magazines or make a book that anyone would actually buy (because to me if you make money with photos you can use that money to make more photos. ). I don't really have that "eye". Photography is just for me. Anyway.

I'm not sure how interested I am in buying the zoom. It's so incredibly heavy (are "modern" zooms any lighter?), and even with my bridge PS that I have now I rarely zoom as much as it is capable of. I'm mainly interested in the body and the 50mm. I would be interested in the 35mm but I cant seem to get it to focus properly. I don't know if thats me or if its because of the brokenness.

Also, I own an EOS film body with a broken shutter, still at the shop awaiting an estimate for repair. These people take forever. If, in the unlikely event that it will be worth it to fix the EOS, would it be better to spend that money (useful, since it would take EF lenses) or spend money on this minolta and the lenses? Or should I wait to think about this until I know the estimate?

 

[Josh66]

There are plenty of lenses out there for either system. The Canon lenses will just be newer, and still in production.

If you plan on going digital eventually, Canon would be the better system to get into.

 

[PJL]

I have an XG-7 that my father gave me. It's a good camera, but it's not as structurally tight as my AE-1 Program or XG-M. The AE-1 Program is my favorite of the three, though.

As far as focusing with the split circle goes, you pick a vertical line and the split circle should show them offset. You know you're in focus with the vertical line is in perfect alignment between the top and bottom halves of the circle. If you can't see through one half of the circle, it means your eye is not centered in the viewfinder. The more focal length, the more picky the camera is to having your eye centered in the viewfinder.

Heavy lenses are good things. Most of those old manual focus lenses -- even the off-brand "cheap" ones -- are built like tanks and much better construction-wise than modern lenses that have all-plastic construction. I've had an EF 50 f/1.8 break on me. I've had no problems with my Minolta or Canon 50mm primes. The 35 mm prime, though, is probably a no-go, but you can find them for really cheap. I recently got a 28mm prime for my AE-1 for about $40 in great condition.

 

[Abby Rose]

About the viewfinder. I figured that out last night, finally. Its good to have some confirmation though.

 

[djacobox372]

Developing black and white film yourself is pretty easy and cheap, look on youtube for some demonstrations. You don't need a darkroom, only about $50 worth of equipment and then about 50cents per roll for chemicals.

You can then buy an inexpensive scanner to scan the negatives.


Having b@w film developed professionally is a pain, they usually have to send it out and charge more then color.