Getting Into Film

The23rdman

The23rdman

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Since buying a few old manual lenses I've decided I'd quite like to try some film too. I'm looking at the Canon range for a couple of reasons: I already have mounts and I also have a Canon DSLR. Also I don't have lots of cash to play with. Originally I was looking at the old T series, but I'm also interested in the EOS and Elan models too.

One of the reason I'd like to try film is the difficulty focusing accurately through my 350D's woeful viewfinder with the manual lenses, so my question is really about whether or not the later AF models have viewfinders up to the job or would I be better buying a dedicated manual body?
 
I don't have a problem manual focusing on my EOS-3 - the viewfinder is way larger and brighter than my 450D. That said, it also works with all my EF lenses, and the auto-focus is in a different league to the 450D - then again the EOS-3 was more at the 5DII level when it was new, so i'd expect it to be a step up :)
 
That's comforting to know, but I'm thinking a little older. Any experience with models such as the Elan 100 or the 5 or 10?
 
I'm sure the Elans are good, but for £100-£150 the EOS3 is the mutts nutts. I'd owned one and it was impressive (y)
 
I don't doubt it is the pooches gonads, but I don't have that cash to spend right now, which is why I'm looking at older models. :)
 
I can vouch for the EOS-5 (in terms of the viewfinder at least) as well curiously enough - though sadly mine lasted a couple of months before coming down with some form of electrical never-get-overs. While it was working, it was pretty damned good though, not quite the same league as the EOS-3 mind :shrug:
 
If you were looking at the "T" series then the T90 is the one to go for, the EOS series was based on this model, it can still hold it's own today along with the F1.

I bought one on E-Bay 2 years ago, it is a superb piece of machinery, coupled with the 300tl flashgun it is awesome. Does suffer from shutter sticking if not used for long periods (never happened to me). Shutter designed to last for 250,000 rolls of 36 exposure film.

Most of the features of the EOS3 were based on this camera, but I think the T90 has a few more.

If you have some of the excellent FD lenses, then I would consider this as a contender. I have the 350d as well, and an F1n, I use my FD lenses on the 350 just the same as I do with the other cameras.

John :)
 
TheBigYin said:
I can vouch for the EOS-5 (in terms of the viewfinder at least) as well curiously enough - though sadly mine lasted a couple of months before coming down with some form of electrical never-get-overs. While it was working, it was pretty damned good though, not quite the same league as the EOS-3 mind :shrug:
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Thanks.(y)

j37r said:
If you were looking at the "T" series then the T90 is the one to go for, the EOS series was based on this model, it can still hold it's own today along with the F1.

I bought one on E-Bay 2 years ago, it is a superb piece of machinery, coupled with the 300tl flashgun it is awesome. Does suffer from shutter sticking if not used for long periods (never happened to me). Shutter designed to last for 250,000 rolls of 36 exposure film.

Most of the features of the EOS3 were based on this camera, but I think the T90 has a few more.

If you have some of the excellent FD lenses, then I would consider this as a contender. I have the 350d as well, and an F1n, I use my FD lenses on the 350 just the same as I do with the other cameras.

John :)
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Again, I agree based on my research. Trouble is the T90 goes for about 100 quid on ebay and I want to spend a fraction of that until I'm sure I'll like shooting film.
 
The23rdman said:
Trouble is the T90 goes for about 100 quid on ebay and I want to spend a fraction of that until I'm sure I'll like shooting film.
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How about the T70? Not as nice as the T90 but should be available fairly cheaply. The Canon A1 is a decent manual focus camera with program exposure, aperture/shutter priority and manual exposure. The film is manually wound on too and was a very popular camera in its day.
 
to be honest, if you're that worried about dropping £100 on something like a EOS3 (which will sell for what you bought it for if you don't get on with it) then I'd have to question if shooting film is going to be right for you... remember, if you're shooting colour slide, it's going to be £3-4 a roll for the film and another £10 or so for processing/scanning to CD. Colour Neg is cheaper and you may find your local Asda/Tesco do a cheap process and scan deal, BnW is cheap - if you process the stuff yourself - though it's probably another £60 or so in kit to do this, and factor in a scanner at around £150...

Guess what I'm saying is that the cheapest part of shooting on film is the buy-in to the camera, and if you're worrying about that part, you'll never press the shutter release! :shrug:

Sorry if this sounds a little harsh, but it's advice from someone who went back to film 6 months ago, been there, can't afford the t-shirt anymore as I'm saving up for a Digital Camera Body that handles like the EOS-3 :LOL:
 
Carl V said:
How about the T70? Not as nice as the T90 but should be available fairly cheaply. The Canon A1 is a decent manual focus camera with program exposure, aperture/shutter priority and manual exposure. The film is manually wound on too and was a very popular camera in its day.
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That's the model I'm looking at. :)

TheBigYin said:
to be honest, if you're that worried about dropping £100 on something like a EOS3 (which will sell for what you bought it for if you don't get on with it) then I'd have to question if shooting film is going to be right for you... remember, if you're shooting colour slide, it's going to be £3-4 a roll for the film and another £10 or so for processing/scanning to CD. Colour Neg is cheaper and you may find your local Asda/Tesco do a cheap process and scan deal, BnW is cheap - if you process the stuff yourself - though it's probably another £60 or so in kit to do this, and factor in a scanner at around £150...

Guess what I'm saying is that the cheapest part of shooting on film is the buy-in to the camera, and if you're worrying about that part, you'll never press the shutter release! :shrug:

Sorry if this sounds a little harsh, but it's advice from someone who went back to film 6 months ago, been there, can't afford the t-shirt anymore as I'm saving up for a Digital Camera Body that handles like the EOS-3 :LOL:
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It's an experiment.:) I'll almost definitely be shooting in black and white most of the time. I can afford to shoot and process the odd roll, but right now I can't afford to spend over a ton on another camera. Christmas is coming, moving house, etc.

Oh, and I have a decent scanner already. :)
 
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