Recommend me a film camera.

stabo

Hi all, Been taking pics just over three yrs now with digital. Would love to pick up a film cam. Looking for something cheap enough 70/80 euro. Bit lost on the whole thing really, love the retro look on some of the pics i see here. Any advice cheers.

magicbastarder

this is a fantastic piece of kit - first camera i ever owned was one of these, which i traded in for an OM2SP, which was a mistake. i had to buy another one.
https://secure.ffordes.com/Shop/Store/Itemdet.asp?Type=secd&sub=1&Code=OY&SubCode=MB&id=121328&promo=0

it won't give you 'retro' photos per se, will just take a good pic. and the build quality is excellent.

jpb1974

Aye... an Olympus OM will do a decent job. 35mm film, manual focus, built in light meter and aperture priority mode. Good range of lenses and accessories available for this camera too most of which are easily found on eBay.

A Nikon F100 is another good 35mm option. Basically all of the already mentioned features with the benefit of autofocus in a more modern construction. If you already use Nikon it may be compatible with some of the lenses you already have.

If you want to give medium format a try I'd recommend something like a Mamiya C330 (Square Format 6X6 negs) or something from the Mamiya 645 range like a 1000S (6x4.5 negs) as a place to start. Affordable, quality cameras.

When buying always check the condition. Look for a camera that is in very good to mint condition and make sure there's nothing funky going on with the lens like fungus or scratches.

*Edit* There's no light meter on the medium format cameras I mentioned.

Tallon

stabo wrote: »

Hi all, Been taking pics just over three yrs now with digital. Would love to pick up a film cam. Looking for something cheap enough 70/80 euro. Bit lost on the whole thing really, love the retro look on some of the pics i see here. Any advice cheers.

What do you shoot now? It's probably a good idea to buy the same brand so you can utilise your equipment. Thats the reason I bought my Minolta, because all my sony stuff fits it

stabo

Tallon wrote: »

What do you shoot now? It's probably a good idea to buy the same brand so you can utilise your equipment. Thats the reason I bought my Minolta, because all my sony stuff fits it

Canon 450D. Yeah didn't think about that. But would'nt be a major concern either. Just looking for a cam that gives a film/retro feel to it.

stabo

magicbastarder wrote: »

this is a fantastic piece of kit - first camera i ever owned was one of these, which i traded in for an OM2SP, which was a mistake. i had to buy another one.
https://secure.ffordes.com/Shop/Store/Itemdet.asp?Type=secd&sub=1&Code=OY&SubCode=MB&id=121328&promo=0

it won't give you 'retro' photos per se, will just take a good pic. and the build quality is excellent.

Thats a nice piece of kit,any links to pics you've taken with it?

Tallon

stabo wrote: »

Canon 450D. Yeah didn't think about that. But would'nt be a major concern either. Just looking for a cam that gives a film/retro feel to it.

€65 (Probably get it for cheaper)
http://adverts.ie/222131



€70 (Probably get it for cheaper)
http://adverts.ie/233847


€60 (Probably get it for cheaper)
http://adverts.ie/197598

Morrisseeee

It might (just might) be worth asking/checking out relatives/friends/neighbours, and see if they have any old film stuff lying around, alot of people bought film stuff years ago and now do not use them, I came accross 2 old film camera & loads of accessories recently !

DaireQuinlan

stabo wrote: »

Thats a nice piece of kit,any links to pics you've taken with it?

In fairness, the camera itself isn't really going to have any bearing on what the pictures look like. The film and lens are what dictate that.

stabo

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

In fairness, the camera itself isn't really going to have any bearing on what the pictures look like. The film and lens are what dictate that.

Ok,so what yer saying is like different types of film out of date etc.?

DaireQuinlan

Morrisseeee wrote: »

It might (just might) be worth asking/checking out relatives/friends/neighbours, and see if they have any old film stuff lying around, alot of people bought film stuff years ago and now do not use them, I came accross 2 old film camera & loads of accessories recently !

I tend to end up with stuff from the turn of the (previous century) when I do that
For the OP, I don't know what the situation is with canon and backwards compatibility lens wise, but I guess chances are that all your lenses are designed for crop sensors anyway, so won't really function the best on a film body. Nikon wise, if you come across an F100 or F90 /F90x then you should consider them, they're full featured AF bodies. The F100 (which I use ) is probably regarded to be one of Nikons best film bodies. For smaller older manual offerings, FE/FE2 or the FM/FM2 or FM3A are all fine cameras. I've got an FE2 myself, CW metering with AE mode, TTL flash with compatible nikon strobes, the works.

stabo

Morrisseeee wrote: »

It might (just might) be worth asking/checking out relatives/friends/neighbours, and see if they have any old film stuff lying around, alot of people bought film stuff years ago and now do not use them, I came accross 2 old film camera & loads of accessories recently !

Yeah i done that at home in Tipp and got given this. Kodak Brownie no2.

humberklog

Stabo that looks like the same Brownie I use. It's for 116mm which doesn't exist anymore but you can run 35mm and 120mm through it if you chock the film into place.

For 35mm film cameras that have a nice retro feel to the body I'd go with a Canon A1 (slr) or a simple Olympus Trip. Both of these might push your budget a little and as they're accurate cameras you won't get a retro look to pics. I don't know what camera will achieve this, as whatever the camera is the film will still go through a modern process in the lab.

Saying that, I've a little Ilford Sportsman rangefinder and I'm getting what I consider a retro look from them. Although it was pointed out to me it was an over-exposed look and I wasn't metering right. (I use the ol' squintometer method).

Slidinginfinity

for an expensive but high quality trip -> http://www.tripman.co.uk/

dazftw

Canon AE1 Program

You can get one for about 80/90 on ebay.

DaireQuinlan

stabo wrote: »

Bit lost on the whole thing really, love the retro look on some of the pics i see here. Any advice cheers.

Any specific examples of the look you're trying to achieve ?

stabo

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

Any specific examples of the look you're trying to achieve ?

Had a quick look through flickr and came across this guy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13975945@N02/
Also like the style Dakar and Humberklog get in their pics.

DaireQuinlan

stabo wrote: »

Had a quick look through flickr and came across this guy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13975945@N02/
Also like the style Dakar and Humberklog get in their pics.

Gotcha. That's why I was asking, while Humberklog shoots film, and that guy certainly seems to (indeed I've been hankering after some 500t myself), Dakar actually shoots his using his IPhone and then they get digitally processed to look the way they do. So if it's a specific thing you're after, and you're not concerned about the process, you might be just as well looking into how to do it digitally.

dakar

Yup, I fess up, I'm a fraud!

Glad you like the end result though

stabo

Id still like to try film,that whole process of getting ur film developed to see the end results and to try learn more about photography basis. I like the look of that canon AE1 datfzw posted up. cheers for all the helpful advice so far.

humberklog

The AE1 is a lovely camera, however women do swoon at the utter manlyness that one exudes when holding an A1. I have neither at the moment...so no swooners.

Why not drop into me when in Dublin city next and I can throw you a few cameras. I've a Minolta xg1 and 9 (they're slrs) with some lovely fast primes and a few rangefinders and stuff like that. Sure take'm for a few weeks and then swap them around for a few others after that.

May aswell try it on the free before settling on one brand.

Simplicius

The Sleeping Beauty of SLR's in my opinion is Fujica's Bodies like tanks, simple, mechanically excellent and wonderful glass. M42 so you can get alternative lens cheaply. the Fujica EBC coating loves colour film. wonderful tones. They often go for a song on EBAY. Search Flickr I am sure there is a group posting shots got with these.

I'd reccomend the ST705 ..... I have a range of them and all are wonderful satisfying cameras. And you'll get them way cheaper than any Nikon F100. ( As Daire says though the F100 is a beauty)

Canon SLRS , Humberklog rightly pointed to the AE1 Program ... classic and timeless ..after this canon went into the EOS plactic SLRs, I've had my hands on a few of these and all have been frankly unreliable and electrically dubious. Plus they were so cheap and rarely repsected by their owners.

The Minolta's - Great cameras again slightly more expensive second hand than Fujicas but very similar.

humberklog

I'm being gifted a Leica MP in a few weeks too Stabo and I'd be very interested to see other peoples results from it so you'd be welcome to have a go of that too.

stabo

humberklog wrote: »

The AE1 is a lovely camera, however women do swoon at the utter manlyness that one exudes when holding an A1. I have neither at the moment...so no swooners.

Why not drop into me when in Dublin city next and I can throw you a few cameras. I've a Minolta xg1 and 9 (they're slrs) with some lovely fast primes and a few rangefinders and stuff like that. Sure take'm for a few weeks and then swap them around for a few others after that.

May aswell try it on the free before settling on one brand.

Wow that would be super,did'nt want to buy something on a impulse buy like i normally do. Could drop into during the week whenever suits you.? cheers for that.

stabo

I'll keep that A1 in mind for some swooners

humberklog

stabo wrote: »

Wow that would be super,did'nt want to buy something on a impulse buy like i normally do. Could drop into during the week whenever suits you.? cheers for that.

No prob at all. Good to have the stuff being used.

I'm not sure what days I'll work but I'll put some in a bag and leave them in George's St. so you can pick them.
Might be better for you if I'm there though as I can give you a quick run through putting film in etc.
Probably there thurs but defo off Tuesday but I'll be around town anyway even if not working. I'll be on the northside doing a camera obscura set up all day on Tuesday if that suits you to pick them up there? Out around coolock, handy off the m50. Or next week if that suits.
Sure see what your plans are and PM me and we can sort it out from there.

Will23

Humberklog,

is there any obvious reason your prefer the A1 to the AE1?

have just bought an AE1, and was wondering what the true difference is?

Cheers.

Will

stabo

humberklog wrote: »

No prob at all. Good to have the stuff being used.

I'm not sure what days I'll work but I'll put some in a bag and leave them in George's St. so you can pick them.
Might be better for you if I'm there though as I can give you a quick run through putting film in etc.
Probably there thurs but defo off Tuesday but I'll be around town anyway even if not working. I'll be on the northside doing a camera obscura set up all day on Tuesday if that suits you to pick them up there? Out around coolock, handy off the m50. Or next week if that suits.
Sure see what your plans are and PM me and we can sort it out from there.

Yeah could meet ye tuesday alright working around Dublin this week. Will pm you tomorrow. cheers.

humberklog

Will23 wrote: »

Humberklog,

is there any obvious reason your prefer the A1 to the AE1?

have just bought an AE1, and was wondering what the true difference is?

Cheers.

Will

I don't think there's anything in them at all. I just like the all black of the A1. Purely aesthetic and shallow reasons:o.

But I really wouldn't know of any difference. Now I don't know a whole lot and I'm sure there are some differences but I'd imagine it's much of a muchness. Both gorgeous and robust creatures.

Will23

thanks, I'm glad i went with the AE-1 then!
Will

JuliePhotoArt

I bought Canon EOS 300 two years ago and am pretty happy with it.

In addition to what Tallon already posted here is one more ad for this camera:

€50
http://adverts.ie/209498

DaireQuinlan

Simplicius wrote: »

The Sleeping Beauty of SLR's in my opinion is Fujica's Bodies like tanks, simple, mechanically excellent and wonderful glass. M42 so you can get alternative lens cheaply. the Fujica EBC coating loves colour film. wonderful tones. They often go for a song on EBAY. Search Flickr I am sure there is a group posting shots got with these.

I'd reccomend the ST705 ..... I have a range of them and all are wonderful satisfying cameras.

Hmmm. Actually I have to get an M42 body, solely to stick my helios 44-2 in front of. I have it on my nikon bodies at the moment but it doesn't focus to infinity, film->flange distance is too great.

ellieswellies

the sort of film you use will make a difference too...I love the colours you get with portra NC and velvia, and for b&w I love neopam.

Chorcai

I'm messing around with my Lubitel



and this Daci.



I have to scan some stuff now.

Effects

I hace a canon 5D and decent lenses so as well as having a few other film cameras I went with thw Eos 1 so I could use my decent lenses. €82 on ebay and I sold it recently for €97. I upgraded to the Eos 1V as I love the original.

sineadw

Still my favourite film camera (of 11 I think) is my cosina c1 (pentax K mount) which I bought for 36 quid with a bag, a crap zoom, 2 films and a surprise lollipop for 36 quid on ebay. I subsequently got 55, 28, and 100macro prime metal lenses for less than 150 all in. It's completely manual, and was therefore absolutely essential in me learning photography. When I went out this morning to the boyne valley, it was it and the 28 that I picked up over my 5d and the canon 28.

sineadw

Sorry - edit - what I meant by that was I wouldn't worry too much about the body. With an slr at least its more down to film and lens.

jpb1974

I've more film cameras than I can count on both hands and both feet... but if I had to pick one it would be my Mamiya C330... and that's over a Hasselblad 500CM and Mamiya 7.

I use the standard 80mm F2.8 lens on my Mamiya C330 at it's an classic lens. If you get some good light and shoot wide open it does special things.

Worth taking a look on the Mamiya TLR Group on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/mamiyatwinlens/

stabo

Thanks for all the advice folks,lots of info to ponder on. Really looking forward to getting my hands on one of Humberklogs cameras to try it out. Will post up some pics if they dont all come out fecked .

stabo

jpb1974 wrote: »

I've more film cameras than I can count on both hands and both feet... but if I had to pick one it would be my Mamiya C330... and that's over a Hasselblad 500CM and Mamiya 7.

I use the standard 80mm F2.8 lens on my Mamiya C330 at it's an classic lens. If you get some good light and shoot wide open it does special things.

Worth taking a look on the Mamiya TLR Group on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/mamiyatwinlens/

Yeah they look great.

Mr. Grieves

Those plastic Eos's people have mentioned go for 10-15 euro on ebay. The handy thing is they have a larger range of shutter speeds than the older cameras so you can load up with some 1600 film and still shoot wide open in lots of conditions. Cheap way of having some fun if you have a 50mm EF lens.

Mamiya TLR's are lovely, but quite heavy and a little outside your budget, unless you're very lucky.