New to film, just bought a Cosina C1 and need help lol

[madmumof2]

Hi everyone. I'm pretty new to photography (well, new to making a proper go of it, I've always loved taking pictures and have had a camera attached to me since I was a teen! lol) and totally new to film cameras.

I've heard contradicting reviews about the Cosina, I hope it'll be ok.

I've got a couple of questions about it. It seems very dark when I look through the view finder. I don't know if this is normal or if my pictures will come out dark. I've not got any extra lights or anything, but what I see through the camera is darker than the room actually is. Is this normal? I might just be used to seeing a bright screen when I take photos on a digi lol.

Also, how do you change the ISO? Or can you not on this one? It looks like you can but I can't see how.

I was told before I bought it it was completely manual so doesn't take batteries, but I've just read that it does, and I was wondering how the lcd lights worked without a battery. If it does, where on earth bis it?? lol

It's just taken me an hour to figure out how to open the back to put film in!

Thanks in advance. I can't wait to get started, and getting the film developed even more so. My friends are coming round on saturday for an informal photo shoot so I hope to have got the hang of it by then.

Oh, it's got a Chinon zoom lens on it with f=28-50mm. I have NO idea what that means. Is there anything this is especially good at, and anything I should avoid doing?