I'm going analogue

1855

1855

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Hi all, I used to be a digital user. In fact I'm sure I used to be a user on here but don't know if neglected accounts got culled after a while? I got a Nikon D40x back in 2007 I think. Upgraded after a while to a D300s and loved it. Then life got in the way, I hardly ever used any of my gear and ended up selling it all in 2017. Camera, lenses, tripod, bags, the lot. Always said at some point I wanted to downsize and get myself something fun and interesting.

Recently turned 40 and have suddenly realised I need/want to keep myself interested and curious about things rather than letting myself stagnate so am on the cusp of buying myself an old Pentax ME Super. Figured having a foray into film photography would be an interesting experience.

Any tips for shooting film gratefully received. Never done it properly before- just point and shoot film cameras back in the day.
 
Hi, And welcome aboard TP. "Enjoy"
 
1855 said:
Hi all, I used to be a digital user. In fact I'm sure I used to be a user on here but don't know if neglected accounts got culled after a while? I got a Nikon D40x back in 2007 I think. Upgraded after a while to a D300s and loved it. Then life got in the way, I hardly ever used any of my gear and ended up selling it all in 2017. Camera, lenses, tripod, bags, the lot. Always said at some point I wanted to downsize and get myself something fun and interesting.

Recently turned 40 and have suddenly realised I need/want to keep myself interested and curious about things rather than letting myself stagnate so am on the cusp of buying myself an old Pentax ME Super. Figured having a foray into film photography would be an interesting experience.

Any tips for shooting film gratefully received. Never done it properly before- just point and shoot film cameras back in the day.
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HI there.

Welcome to the forum :D

I can sort of see the appeal but personally I would do it :D

I held onto film when everyone else was going digital but the quality of prints I was getting back just fell off a cliff and I just gave up. I thought at the time that maybe they'd cut costs to compete but who knows? Anyway. Since going digital I've never really looked back but I did briefly get the film gear out again but it didn't last as I really do like taking pictures and being able to look at them when I get home plus as I have a printer I can have a print in my hand PDQ and I'm in control of quality throughout the whole process.

All that is just me and I do see the appeal of film and nice metal kit fondling :D and I do like film era manual primes and I use them quite a lot on my digital cameras and I'd rather do that than go full on back to film. Oh, and I also have some modern manual primes and they're lovely to use and fondle too. Like this combination of a digital camera and a lovely manual lens...

CnD4wDX.jpg


Using manual lenses is quite a nice experience and maybe gives a feel of the slower manual processes of the past whilst also allowing you to see, process and if you like print your pictures today. If kit fondling isn't really that near the top of the list for you how about something like this... Small and light and can be carried all day in one hand :D

KCey5Ec.jpg


If I haven't tempted you I wish you luck with the film gear :D I don't know how I can help but maybe making notes of what you've done and at what settings could help?

Also, make sure you come back and tell us how you get on.

Good luck, I hope you enjoy the film experience, unlike misery me :D
 
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woof woof said:
HI there.

Welcome to the forum :D

I can sort of see the appeal but personally I would do it :D

I held onto film when everyone else was going digital but the quality of prints I was getting back just fell off a cliff and I just gave up. I thought at the time that maybe they'd cut costs to compete but who knows? Anyway. Since going digital I've never really looked back but I did briefly get the film gear out again but it didn't last as I really do like taking pictures and being able to look at them when I get home plus as I have a printer I can have a print in my hand PDQ and I'm in control of quality throughout the whole process.

All that is just me and I do see the appeal of film and nice metal kit fondling :D and I do like film era manual primes and I use them quite a lot on my digital cameras and I'd rather do that than go full on back to film. Oh, and I also have some modern manual primes and they're lovely to use and fondle too. Like this combination of a digital camera and a lovely manual lens...

CnD4wDX.jpg


Using manual lenses is quite a nice experience and maybe gives a feel of the slower manual processes of the past whilst also allowing you to see, process and if you like print your pictures today. If kit fondling isn't really that near the top of the list for you how about something like this... Small and light and can be carried all day in one hand :D

KCey5Ec.jpg


If I haven't tempted you I wish you luck with the film gear :D I don't know how I can help but maybe making notes of what you've done and at what settings could help?

Also, make sure you come back and tell us how you get on.

Good luck, I hope you enjoy the film experience, unlike misery me :D
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Mate I may end up back at digital again, but for under £100 I like the idea of the ME Super and 50mm 1.7. I like the look of the Sony and Lumix you posted.
 
1855 said:
Mate I may end up back at digital again, but for under £100 I like the idea of the ME Super and 50mm 1.7. I like the look of the Sony and Lumix you posted.
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For under £100 you could get an early digital camera such as a Panasonic G1 and a film era lens which can then be mounted with a cheap (they start at about £10) adapter. I had a G1 for years and loved it :D It's a smaller frame x2 "crop" camera though and a 50mm would look like 100mm but instead you could always get a cheap manual 28mm giving you a 56mm equivalent field of view.

Sorry to continue to tempt you... Good luck with your ME :D
 
Welcome to the forum, enjoy yourself here :welcome:

'Tips', I don't shoot film any longer but I would say choose your subject carefully, there's not a great deal of film out there so take care ;)
 
Hi and welcome , I advise you check out the cost of film / all types and the cost of developing and printing before getting into this venture.
You may find a cheap body but what work will that need ? will the light seals need replacing
( any light entering will affect the film , not good ) Is the inbuilt light meter accurate , Battery chamber , is it clean or has it suffered acid damage due to being left for 20 years with old batterys installed ? , Mirror foam good or rotted ? , It goes on and on.
 
@woof woof There's a lot of fondling (of lenses) going on there Alan!
I do both (when time permits) but I admit to being somewhat of a kit aggregator, but the beauty of having a film camera is that the kit is cheap, even if film isn't. There is, contrary to Jak's comment, loads of film available, including plenty of more esoteric films if you look at Analogue Wonderland. It's the cost of film and processing that gets you, which is why an early foray into doing your own developing if not printing is worth considering. Scanning of negs is a realistic option now.
There is a thriving film & conventional section here which will support you.
 
My apologies, "There is, contrary to Jak's comment, loads of film available"

I didn't realise there was a good supply of film, thank you for correcting me :)
 
I shoot digital (EM1 MkII) and 35mm film (Yashica Minister 700 and Olympus Mu) and medium format film (Agfa Isolette II & Mamiya C3) and large format film (Unknown British bellows camera circa 1900 on Half plate).

I find different uses for each of them and a real attachment to the Mamiya C3.

I develop my own B&W which helps on the costs a bit and is fun. I enlarge too.

So dabble and see what you think is my advice. Keep it simple to start with.
 
lindsay said:
@woof woof There's a lot of fondling (of lenses) going on there Alan!
I do both (when time permits) but I admit to being somewhat of a kit aggregator, but the beauty of having a film camera is that the kit is cheap, even if film isn't. There is, contrary to Jak's comment, loads of film available, including plenty of more esoteric films if you look at Analogue Wonderland. It's the cost of film and processing that gets you, which is why an early foray into doing your own developing if not printing is worth considering. Scanning of negs is a realistic option now.
There is a thriving film & conventional section here which will support you.
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Using the word "fondling" is just my tongue in cheek way of explaining that some people including me like the look, feel and handling of the kit of years ago and I think this is a real thing and I think "fondling" sums it up rather nicely. Asked which looks nicer and which is overall a more lovely object, an all metal and glass Nippon Kogaku 50mm f1.4 prime or a fly by wire modern Sony 50mm f1.2 I'd choose the old lens every time as an object but there's no denying that the latter will be better in every technical way.

It's just the same as people preferring an old MG that needs it's nipples greasing every 5 minutes over a Tesla or an analogue watch that has to be set and wound over a smartphone for telling the time.

I do see the appeal of film but for me the downsides were a lack of immediacy because I had to wait to see the results and frankly towards the end a lack of quality because may prints came back festooned with dust and hairs and scratches and I'd just had enough. With digital I have the immediacy as I have a final image on my screen or even in print as I have a printer PDQ and I can produce as many digital copies or prints to distribute as I want and I'm more in control of quality. The pros just add up.

I'm not even convinced that film kit is significantly cheaper as you can get a DSLR's set up and even an early mirrorless camera for not a lot. For example I loved my Panasonic G1 which today can be yours for under £50. Add a cheap adapter at £10 or so and a film era 28 or 50mm and if you can live with the field of view and manual focusing you'll have kit which is useable and which for me exceeded the quality of any film set up I ever had. Or, invest in the cheapest digital age AF lens you can find. You should be able to find something around the £100 mark, I bought a Panasonic 14mm f2.5 for £105 and I'd describe it as outstanding. You do of course need to factor in a computer, software and a printer.

Each to their own and perhaps I shouldn't have been as playful in this thread but at least I provided an alternative view :D
 
I've never stopped using film and contrary to popular belief it is not that much more expensive than it ever was for the amateur photographer. In fact I'd argue that it is a LOT cheaper than digital can be.

Outstanding quality film cameras can be picked up very cheaply (they are increasing in price though). Unlike a digital camera, they can be easily repaired and maintained too. I have film cameras going back to the 1930s and '40s and they work as well today as they ever did. Only with a few exceptions, is a twenty year old digital camera worth using - that is if you can find one that is working.

Digital cameras decrease in value VERY quickly whereas analogue cameras are increasing in value at the moment. More film is becoming available every year - even Kodak have just brought back an old favourite due to high demand.

Developing your own film (colour and B/W) is easy to do from home and is a lot more rewarding than you could imagine.

Don't let the ne'er sayers put you off. Whatever you spend on kit can easily be sold on (probably at a profit) if you don't get on with it. Try selling on used digital kit and you'll lose a fortune over the purchase price.

Good luck.
 
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Thanks all. Had an offer accepted on an ME Super and 50mm 1.7 on ebay which looks in great nick and has had new seals. Seller knows his stuff too, rather than someone just selling on stuff they've been given or bought at a car boot.
 
Sky said:
Don't let the ne'er sayers put you off. Whatever you spend on kit can easily be sold on (probably at a profit) if you don't get on with it. Try selling on used digital kit and you'll lose a fortune over the purchase price.

Good luck.
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I just feel the need to point out that I'm not a nay sayer as such but more providing an alternative view.

I'm happy that the OP has made his choice and wish every happiness :D
 
@woof woof Totally agree with all you've said Alan.
@1855 Good luck and enjoy your new toy!
 
Shooting film tips. No 1 would have to be slow down and consider your photo. If nothing else the cost should stop you taking a hundred photos of the a particular subject. No 2 if shooting colour I would suggest using a "pro" film like Portra, for B+W Ilford XP2 is easier to get developed if you are not doing it yourself. Lastly check and double check you have loaded the film correctly and be careful to marshal new and used films to keep them separate and avoid loading the same film twice!
Now for some shameless self promotion, I made a video about the ME Super which can be found here if you would beinterested:-

View: https://youtu.be/i2qXejbBJdw


Spoiler alert I quite like it.
 
ilikebowens said:
Shooting film tips. No 1 would have to be slow down and consider your photo. If nothing else the cost should stop you taking a hundred photos of the a particular subject. No 2 if shooting colour I would suggest using a "pro" film like Portra, for B+W Ilford XP2 is easier to get developed if you are not doing it yourself. Lastly check and double check you have loaded the film correctly and be careful to marshal new and used films to keep them separate and avoid loading the same film twice!
Now for some shameless self promotion, I made a video about the ME Super which can be found here if you would beinterested:-

View: https://youtu.be/i2qXejbBJdw


Spoiler alert I quite like it.
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Fantastic, thank you
 
ilikebowens said:
Shooting film tips. No 1 would have to be slow down and consider your photo. If nothing else the cost should stop you taking a hundred photos of the a particular subject. No 2 if shooting colour I would suggest using a "pro" film like Portra, for B+W Ilford XP2 is easier to get developed if you are not doing it yourself. Lastly check and double check you have loaded the film correctly and be careful to marshal new and used films to keep them separate and avoid loading the same film twice!
Now for some shameless self promotion, I made a video about the ME Super which can be found here if you would beinterested:-

View: https://youtu.be/i2qXejbBJdw


Spoiler alert I quite like it.
Click to expand...
My first proper camera, bought in 1981 in St Maarten. Sold when I needed to eat some years later. I picked up a couple more last year and had them made into one very good condition camera. Only after a year did I realise I wasn't in love with it like I had been. Sold it on eBay for the same price I paid to have it serviced. Oh well.

I will say, it's a lovely camera to start with and the range of lenses is huge.

Have fun.
 
moggi1964 said:
My first proper camera, bought in 1981 in St Maarten. Sold when I needed to eat some years later. I picked up a couple more last year and had them made into one very good condition camera. Only after a year did I realise I wasn't in love with it like I had been. Sold it on eBay for the same price I paid to have it serviced. Oh well.

I will say, it's a lovely camera to start with and the range of lenses is huge.

Have fun.
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Thank you. At the moment it'll just be the standard 50mm 1.7 but thinking/hoping to add a 28mm and maybe a 135mm as well
 
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