Dabbling in film ...

[Druid]

I got interested in photography a few years back due to the advent of decent digital cameras. I'm now pretty keen and have a D200 with a handful of nice AF Nikkors, mostly older 'pro' calibre non-G lenses bought second-hand.

I've been thinking a lot lately about dabbling in film, not having shot any since I was a kid. A couple of reasons for this. I'm too conspicious with the D200 when I'm trying to photograph in public places, it's big, it's lenses are big, it requires infrastructure like chargers and I worry about breaking it, so I tend not to want to take it on most of the trips I make because it's too much hassle, it's very automated and I'd like to try something more austere to force myself to learn more about exposure and picking shots more carefully, people whose views I respect still prefer film for various reasons that sound plausible so I'd like to see what the fuss is all about and lastly and perhaps most important, I just love the look of some kinds of B&W art and documentary photography.

So, with that in mind, I'm leaning towards either a used Nikon F3 in decent condition or some sort of affordable rangefinder, maybe a Voigtlander R3M.

Opinions on anything at all relevant to this project would be very welcome.

 

[minimeeze]

I have an old Nikon FM2 - built to last, weighs a ton, but very sturdy Fully manual with not even one 'auto' anything mode. Really does make you stop and think about what you are shooting.

 

[Druid]

Yeah that's definitely part of the appeal. I found that I prefer to take just a couple of prime lenses with me when I'm out and about because that also forces you to think about how to photograph something within limitations. Film seems like a way to push that phenomenon a bit further.

 

[TheLostPhotographer]

Unless I'm ordered to shoot digital I still use film.

The old retro cameras I've been buying recently have put a great deal of fun back into my work. A Yashica J Star 35mm RF is giving excellent results for a £5 buy. But, my favourite camera to take out and use purely for pleasure is a 1960's Zeiss Ikon 35mm SLR. It weighs a ton. It's beautifully engineered and crafted - it will last a lifetime if not mistreated. The sheer weight of it is even something to appreciate. Manual everything. I keep taking it to bits and putting it back together just to marvel at the thing. Always use it with a tripod and suitably retro light meter.

Plenty of quality, fully manual contemporary cameras I could recommend, but when you can pick-up 40 year old quality in pristine condition for next to nothing I'd recommend having a play with some retro equipment also. Beyond lens improvements not a lot has changed in the fully manual film world.

I would feel a great sense of loss if someone nicked my old Zeiss classics on the street. The Yashica J Star and Canon QL19 are fun to use and very easily replaced. They're also very discreet.

Using film does force you to think a bit more carefully for all sorts of reasons. It also means you're more likely to miss occasional shots where you wouldn't have hesitated with digital.

Quite fancy a Voigtlander myself.

 

[Druid]

I was looking at an F3 the other day that looked like a total wreck, brass showing on all the edges and dings and dents all over it. Still in fine working order from what I could tell, with new foam and so on. Dead smooth mechanical operation. Finder seemed great (way nicer than my D200) despite a massive dent in the prism housing that looked like it'd been made with a machete. Due to the cosmetic appearance the price was very decent and I can't imagine any self-respecting scally wanting to nick something that looked that wrecked. So from the point of view of something to use in dodgy bits of Liverpool without worring about it getting nicked, it seemed like a reasonable sort of option. I was having trouble focussing manually though, despite the really good finder. Maybe that's just something that you have to practice until you get the hang of it?