New To Film..Need Some Help

[Ibiza19]

Hello Everyone

Well im new here and I have been shooting digital SLR for more than a year now. I finally decided to start shooting some film at the same time and learn how film cameras work.

I have no information about film cameras and I don’t even know how to work with one. So that’s why im here to get some tips and information from you guys.

Well I have been searching around Flickr and have found many film cameras that seem interesting both SLR and non SLR. Here is a list I made of the cameras I can afford and seem to be the best ones. I might be wrong and you guys might have something better in mind for me.


Canon AE-1
Canon EOS 500
Canon A-1
Nikon FM2

Olympus OM-1
Holga 120cfn
Canonet G-III, QL-17
FED 2 Leica
Pentax Spotmatic

I was also searching around the web I found a beauty. The Mamiya C330. I’m not sure if that’s a good option for me or not but I just love those shots that are taken by this camera. So right now im thinking of Mamiya as my first option. If not I would go with the small films from the list above. But I have no idea how the Mamiya C330 works, well not that I do know anything about other film cameras.

I’m gonna start with couple of questions

1-[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]From the list which camera do you think is the best? Do you think the Mamiya C330 is a good option for me or is it just to professional and hard to work with as a beginner.
2-[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]I’m NOT planning on printing my rolls. I just want to upload them on CD so I can give it a nice touch using photoshoop and upload it on my photography photostream. I’m not planning to print any rolls mainly because it costs a lot. Is it possible to have your rolls only uploaded on a CD? Is the quality going to be any good like same quality as the Digital SLR shots?
3-[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]I have heard there are scanners that can scan your film if I’m not wrong. How does a scanner work? Like lets say the Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner. Do you just put the roll inside and it scans it for you?

Sorry I just don’t know anything about film so my bad if the questions sounds stupid

Also this will be my first time using a film camera. Is there any articles i can start reading until i receive the camera? I dont know anything about rewinding the film and i have heard that you can ruin the film if you expose it to light and some other things and im not sure how you work with one properly to avoid any problems. I also have no idea how the focusing on a film works and as for the aperture and everything i have always been using digital and well with SLR the camera does it all but with film is different. I need to know what im doing so i guess i need some reading to do.

 

[Josh66]

What dSLR do you have now? (And what lenses do you have for it?)

You may want to get a 35mm SLR that uses the same lenses...


Will you be processing the film yourself, or will you send it to a lab/1 hour photo shop?

Is the quality going to be any good like same quality as the Digital SLR shots?

That will depend on the scanner (and the film used), but generally, the quality will be much better than digital.

Also this will be my first time using a film camera. Is there any articles i can start reading until i receive the camera? I dont know anything about rewinding the film and i have heard that you can ruin the film if you expose it to light and some other things and im not sure how you work with one properly to avoid any problems. I also have no idea how the focusing on a film works and as for the aperture and everything i have always been using digital and well with SLR the camera does it all but with film is different. I need to know what im doing so i guess i need some reading to do.

For the most part, everything will be just like you're used to (depending on what camera you get).

ISO, aperture, exposure, focusing - all that stuff is exactly the same. The only difference is that with film, you can't just change the ISO whenever you want to.

Don't open the back until after you rewind the film! If you do, you will ruin some, or all, of that roll.

 

[djacobox372]

1st: when your comparing photos the camera has next to NOTHING to do with the quality of the photo... it has more to do with they type and size of the film, and the quality of the lens.

2nd: any film type larger then 35mm will be expensive to get developed, so unless you plan on developing/scanning the film yourself or have endless funds you may want to stick to 35mm

3rd: If you do go with a format larger then 35mm (medium or large format) you will be rewarded with photos that even the most expensive digitals couldn't dream to match.

My advice: go to a 2nd hand store and find a minolta 35mm slr with a 50mm lens. Should only cost you $30 or so. If you take a liking to film, upgrade to a medium format camera like a yashica TLR or mamiya 645.

 

[Josh66]

...I wonder if the OP has been back since his first post...?

 

[dxqcanada]

The Mamiya C330 is a medium format (6x6) camera with interchangable lenses. There is no internal light meter. This camera uses 120/220 roll film.
Most labs can develop the film.
Most labs do not have the ability to scan them to CD.
Most consumer scanners support only 35mm film.

This might not be the best to jump into (it is a great camera ... I had one for a couple of years).

The Olympus OM-1 was a great camera.

If you want a digital file as the end result ... stick with a DSLR. Why get a Film camera when you end up with a digital image? Most Film shoots get Prints directly from them.