Film SLR'S

[LadySaslic83]

Hi Guys

When I brought my Nikon D3100 my dad was kind enough to give me his nikon kit which included a film SLR.

I am really getting in to taking photo's and really want to keep learning, and I think my next on going challenge would be to use the film SLR.

Are there any hints or tips you are able to give me on how to start.

Cheers

Sam

 

[jon ryan]

1) Buy a film...

Seriously, there is an active "Talk Film & Conventional" section on the forum. May be best to ask that lot.

 

[Anorakus]

Just out of interest, what model is it and what lens did it come with?

Coming over to film from digital, you might find being stuck at one film speed a bit restrictive.. put an ISO 400 film in for starters.

Be aware that the same lens will give a wider field of view on the film SLR compared to your DSLR. (Lots of threads on "crop factor" explain why this is so.)

Not being able to preview or erase your pics will certainly make you think more about composition before you press the button.

A word of warning - you might want to upgrade to a full-frame DSLR after seeing the results you get with 35mm film!

Have fun

A.

 

[ChrisJ_SLH]

Hi Sam,
What challenge are you expecting from the film SLR over what your D3100 could provide?

Why not try turning the LCD off (to prevent chimping) and using Manual mode on the D3100. Go and shoot a few dozen off (to simulate a roll of film) and see how you get on.

I started with a film SLR (a totally manual Pentax K1000 with 50mm lens), and I must admit the only thing I can honestly say that was better than my first DSLR (Canon 350D) was that you were encouraged, nay forced, to think about your shots a lot more as the quantity was limited and you often couldn't see them for a couple of days.

I still have the Pentax, it is still fully functional, but to be honest I haven't been tempted to put a roll of film through it for more than 10 years.

(ps I've read, re-read and re-worded my first couple of paragraphs a couple of times and I'm sensing they could be construed as being critical. This wasn't the intention but I think work has left me in a narky mood today , sorry )

 

[JSER]

There is a film and conventional section try a post there

 

[Stumpy]

"Why not try turning the LCD off (to prevent chimping) and using Manual mode on the D3100. Go and shoot a few dozen off (to simulate a roll of film) and see how you get on."

Thats a good idea. Would only add, "Wait a week before looking at the shots". (Cheeky smiley)
Still not exactly the same as using metal and glass equipment with slow focusing thread, but close.

 

[towershot]

"Why not try turning the LCD off (to prevent chimping) and using Manual mode on the D3100. Go and shoot a few dozen off (to simulate a roll of film) and see how you get on."

Thats a good idea. Would only add, "Wait a week before looking at the shots". (Cheeky smiley)
Still not exactly the same as using metal and glass equipment with slow focusing thread, but close.

And when the film comes back and you get the prints out to look at all the lovely shots you remember taking ,and they are carp you shout " what the F have they done to my film"

 

[woof woof]

As you don't get exif info with film you could try noting down all your settings. That might help you to understand any duff shots you get.

 

[JSER]

My teenage sons screen on his D3100 is off all the time, as he hates it shining in his face when shooting.

As for film, my nwe camera I bought a few weeks ago is the best I have bought in years, a Nikkormat FTn with short zoom, this was my second camera when I was a teenager, unless you have held a decent film camera, felt the quality and the "real" shutter should, you have missed something.

I am not saying we all go back in time to film but, try one.

 

[AJQS]

felt the quality and the "real" shutter shoud, you have missed something.

I dunno, when I fired the OM4Ti for the first time the other day it practically jumped out of my hand, wasn't expecting quite so much violence, must be the lack of weight in the body!

Best way to get started wit ha film SLR: familiarise yourself with the viewfinder, it's your new best friend. Split circle in the centre is great if you have edges you can focus on, but more often that not the microsprism circle that surrounds it will be useful - when it's focussed it'll go from matte and sparly to a clear representation of the subject, the remainder of the screen is a plain screen like in your DSLR. It's also larger than the DSLR finder. All this of course assumes a manual focus SLR, if it's an F65 or the like none of this applies and that's a nasty DSLR like viewfinder you have yourself!

Film has it's own quirks, chances are you're going to be using some colour film to start with, This is very easy to use, just remember not to underexpose it, film is the opposite of digital, you get oodles of highlight detail but not so much shadow, a trick employed by many is to shoot the film a full stop slower than the indicated speed. Some films will let you shoot over amassive range of speeds too, not unlike digital.

Definitely think about writing stuff down and bracketing your shots so you can learn the qualities of your film.

Warning: after you've seen results from a good film and lens combo, you'll be hooked!

 

[JSER]

I dunno, when I fired the OM4Ti for the first time the other day it practically jumped out of my hand, wasn't expecting quite so much violence, must be the lack of weight in the body!

Exageration me thinks,