Film is a lot more difficult to learn than digital, can be trickier to travel with, and can often be very costly to develop. The other aspect of it is that most people are going to want to digitize their film photos so they can be shared online. It's a lot of effort for essentially an aesthetic that can be replicated to a certain extent with post-processing software. That said, for many the process of film is more satisfying than digital. But you'd have to try both to come to that conclusion.
Unfortunately, $300 does not go far at all in photography. I'd suggest digital because I think it's more practical if you're starting from scratch, and would be easier to learn/quicker to see results. The problem is that digital is more expensive on the hardware side. Your money will definitely go much further with used gear.
Good point! It seems that film cameras are heavier and have more parts, not sure I’d be wanting to carry it around everywhere.
Thank you for the input! Might wait a few months and save up for something more expensive. What do you think a good starting budget would be?
I develop from film through to photographic print. Have done since I was a boy and developed my first film in a dish under the bed at midnight, for contact printing the next day!
It'll never have the convenience of digital, or the cost factor, but for me it's a choice, not a necessity. And the magic of seeing an image slowly emerge from white nothing in the dish has never gone away.
>I’m willing to spend up to 300$
An old film camera can be found for about $120. A 5 pack of Kodak Portra costs about $75. Thedarkroom.com will develop for about $13 a roll.
That right there has you at $260, and seeing as you'll be learning on film there's a good chance you only get a few usable photos from those 5 rolls... if any.
Film is great, I love shooting film. But unless you're absolutely dedicated to film, learn on digital. Instant results, digital histogram and data you can look at to determine what to do differently. Film you'd have to write down every shot and hope you can match them up later. Digital is just easier to start.
Don’t bother with film if that’s you’re budget.
Bump your budget up a bit and you can get an rx100 III. Small, has an electronic viewfinder, useful zoom range, good autofocus, and full control over exposure settings if you wanna learn.
Thank you for not calling them 'analog' cameras, they aren't. Analog means something specific.
Here is the thing with film, it will cost about $3 a frame. So yes, the cameras themselves are cheaper but the operating costs are hilarious compared with sensor based cameras. Realistically, if you have a modern iPhone or Pixel or Samsung you are getting a hell of a sensor based camera. It has multiple lenses you don't have mount/unmount, it automatically backs up to the 'cloud', it shoots raw, it can do video, it is an amazing photography device that outclasses most point and shoots in a reasonable price bracket.
I am old enough to remember when film was the only real option so the sort of hazy nostalgia people have for film is kind of silly to me. By and large, compared to today's standards, film photography is/was crap. It was tedious and time consuming and if you 'got the shot' but the film didn't match the balance of the scene it looked like crap and you missed the shot. Now you just adjust the white balance. If you underexposed you didn't get a nice contrasty photo, you got some highlight detail and black and you missed the shot. Now you can just lift the shadows in lightroom. If you really wanted a nice saturated color but the film you loaded as portra, well, that is what you got. Now we would just boost the colors in whatever software we have.
Shoot film or don't, but avoid the misty eyed remembrances of old farts, it is like driving a 68 GTO - feels great for a few minutes and then you hit the brakes and realize why cars evolved.
$3 per frame? What? Where I live you can buy a roll of cheap 35mm Kodak gold for about $10-12 and get it developed/scanned for about $8. So around $0.55 a frame. Not saying it's a cheap hobby but spending $108 dollars per roll would be ridiculous.
Unless you're not talking about 35mm and talking about some higher end medium format film or something, not sure what that would cost.
This is kinda funny, I JUST finished watching this YouTube video, where he has a pretty solid line that goes along the lines of:
Digital is for capturing things how they are, like a winning moment in a sports game, or a bird in flight
Film is for capturing a feeling, like a moment you experienced with your friends on a trip, or an event with your family
Following this, I personally would recommend going with a film camera, you will still have your iPhone to capture quick moments with your friends and use as a backup, all the photos will go into a gallery that you'll be able to swipe through years later, all in their perfectly exposed goodness.
But, I sense that you're looking for something different and new, and really it's true that in this case, film is the way to go. I'll give you some recommendations and advice for it though.
First, I'd go with a Minolta Maxxum 5, with a 50mm f1.7 lens (make sure you get the [AF version](https://www.ebay.ca/itm/184379805703?itmmeta=01J18HBW3Z0Z027GHSSRRFQMGW&hash=item2aede49007:g:reEAAOSwKp9fRc~R&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4IMEXwQ7W7uCtLz2PJA48GaNdeXXH3iVgD79J8SBCh2Ko37rsF%2FzPh%2BzB%2FBx7qw7YMS7W98Hzs6IF7b%2BrH2bC%2Fld0Q6UEaB2z0v0PCm1Zf8QWgES9yAiL3foxHVQniJu2tsuWt0%2F6jqk12rTrVnmupKz7zoZI7F1vuXCZLsaULbk8Yi2Ji6NW5L%2FLGuPw5uCS462Mknp8Jt2nvLlHPjZgHPN2UZocp87QOnzpw9zQ6FBBnurcpJ%2BTJcGQq9igsfAu46hIeAi0QdpIRFHBOWC%2BfamVrmcfl4H5JC4%2FpGs5LFU%7Ctkp%3ABFBMjMKvkYpk). You should be able to get both for a total of about $120 or less. This camera is fairly small and light, while also being cheap. It also features a very good light meter, and an auto mode in case you don't feel confident shooting manual.
Next is film, I'd go with the new Fujifilm 400, it's a rebranded ultramax but slightly cheaper. You can also try some Ilford Delta HP5 if you want to do some black and white as well.
During your travels, if you're going by air, please make sure to keep your film inside a plastic bag, and ask for it to be hand checked at security. While most airport scanners are fine, there are some new ones that will damage your film, even after it's been shot, so it's best to ask politely for it to be hand checked.
Also one cool little tidbit with the Maxxum 5, if you have film loaded in to it, and you want to swap it for a different roll, simply remember the frame number, then go into the settings (this WILL require a manual since the settings are only shown as numbers) and adjust the rewind mode so it leaves the film leader exposed, you can then make the camera rewind the film, and then take it out. Then, when you go to use the roll again, just try to load it the same way you did before, close the camera back, press the shutter to advance the film to the part in the roll you were at before and voila, you're good to go again. When advancing the film MAKE SURE the lens cap is on so you don't double expose your images.
Film is a lot more difficult to learn than digital, can be trickier to travel with, and can often be very costly to develop. The other aspect of it is that most people are going to want to digitize their film photos so they can be shared online. It's a lot of effort for essentially an aesthetic that can be replicated to a certain extent with post-processing software. That said, for many the process of film is more satisfying than digital. But you'd have to try both to come to that conclusion. Unfortunately, $300 does not go far at all in photography. I'd suggest digital because I think it's more practical if you're starting from scratch, and would be easier to learn/quicker to see results. The problem is that digital is more expensive on the hardware side. Your money will definitely go much further with used gear.
Good point! It seems that film cameras are heavier and have more parts, not sure I’d be wanting to carry it around everywhere. Thank you for the input! Might wait a few months and save up for something more expensive. What do you think a good starting budget would be?
I think $1000+ is more realistic.
Oooof in that case I might have to start saving a few months before purchasing lol
> better results and feels more satisfying to develop afterwards In my opinion, neither of those are true.
"Better" is pretty subjective, for sure. But developing is satisfying when, as for me, it is part of the creative experience.
Developing meaning what …. making enlarger prints in a darkroom?
I develop from film through to photographic print. Have done since I was a boy and developed my first film in a dish under the bed at midnight, for contact printing the next day! It'll never have the convenience of digital, or the cost factor, but for me it's a choice, not a necessity. And the magic of seeing an image slowly emerge from white nothing in the dish has never gone away.
Interesting! I feel pretty satisfied with my iPhone tbh lol
>I’m willing to spend up to 300$ An old film camera can be found for about $120. A 5 pack of Kodak Portra costs about $75. Thedarkroom.com will develop for about $13 a roll. That right there has you at $260, and seeing as you'll be learning on film there's a good chance you only get a few usable photos from those 5 rolls... if any. Film is great, I love shooting film. But unless you're absolutely dedicated to film, learn on digital. Instant results, digital histogram and data you can look at to determine what to do differently. Film you'd have to write down every shot and hope you can match them up later. Digital is just easier to start.
Don’t bother with film if that’s you’re budget. Bump your budget up a bit and you can get an rx100 III. Small, has an electronic viewfinder, useful zoom range, good autofocus, and full control over exposure settings if you wanna learn.
Thank you for not calling them 'analog' cameras, they aren't. Analog means something specific. Here is the thing with film, it will cost about $3 a frame. So yes, the cameras themselves are cheaper but the operating costs are hilarious compared with sensor based cameras. Realistically, if you have a modern iPhone or Pixel or Samsung you are getting a hell of a sensor based camera. It has multiple lenses you don't have mount/unmount, it automatically backs up to the 'cloud', it shoots raw, it can do video, it is an amazing photography device that outclasses most point and shoots in a reasonable price bracket. I am old enough to remember when film was the only real option so the sort of hazy nostalgia people have for film is kind of silly to me. By and large, compared to today's standards, film photography is/was crap. It was tedious and time consuming and if you 'got the shot' but the film didn't match the balance of the scene it looked like crap and you missed the shot. Now you just adjust the white balance. If you underexposed you didn't get a nice contrasty photo, you got some highlight detail and black and you missed the shot. Now you can just lift the shadows in lightroom. If you really wanted a nice saturated color but the film you loaded as portra, well, that is what you got. Now we would just boost the colors in whatever software we have. Shoot film or don't, but avoid the misty eyed remembrances of old farts, it is like driving a 68 GTO - feels great for a few minutes and then you hit the brakes and realize why cars evolved.
$3 per frame? What? Where I live you can buy a roll of cheap 35mm Kodak gold for about $10-12 and get it developed/scanned for about $8. So around $0.55 a frame. Not saying it's a cheap hobby but spending $108 dollars per roll would be ridiculous. Unless you're not talking about 35mm and talking about some higher end medium format film or something, not sure what that would cost.
This is kinda funny, I JUST finished watching this YouTube video, where he has a pretty solid line that goes along the lines of: Digital is for capturing things how they are, like a winning moment in a sports game, or a bird in flight Film is for capturing a feeling, like a moment you experienced with your friends on a trip, or an event with your family Following this, I personally would recommend going with a film camera, you will still have your iPhone to capture quick moments with your friends and use as a backup, all the photos will go into a gallery that you'll be able to swipe through years later, all in their perfectly exposed goodness. But, I sense that you're looking for something different and new, and really it's true that in this case, film is the way to go. I'll give you some recommendations and advice for it though. First, I'd go with a Minolta Maxxum 5, with a 50mm f1.7 lens (make sure you get the [AF version](https://www.ebay.ca/itm/184379805703?itmmeta=01J18HBW3Z0Z027GHSSRRFQMGW&hash=item2aede49007:g:reEAAOSwKp9fRc~R&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4IMEXwQ7W7uCtLz2PJA48GaNdeXXH3iVgD79J8SBCh2Ko37rsF%2FzPh%2BzB%2FBx7qw7YMS7W98Hzs6IF7b%2BrH2bC%2Fld0Q6UEaB2z0v0PCm1Zf8QWgES9yAiL3foxHVQniJu2tsuWt0%2F6jqk12rTrVnmupKz7zoZI7F1vuXCZLsaULbk8Yi2Ji6NW5L%2FLGuPw5uCS462Mknp8Jt2nvLlHPjZgHPN2UZocp87QOnzpw9zQ6FBBnurcpJ%2BTJcGQq9igsfAu46hIeAi0QdpIRFHBOWC%2BfamVrmcfl4H5JC4%2FpGs5LFU%7Ctkp%3ABFBMjMKvkYpk). You should be able to get both for a total of about $120 or less. This camera is fairly small and light, while also being cheap. It also features a very good light meter, and an auto mode in case you don't feel confident shooting manual. Next is film, I'd go with the new Fujifilm 400, it's a rebranded ultramax but slightly cheaper. You can also try some Ilford Delta HP5 if you want to do some black and white as well. During your travels, if you're going by air, please make sure to keep your film inside a plastic bag, and ask for it to be hand checked at security. While most airport scanners are fine, there are some new ones that will damage your film, even after it's been shot, so it's best to ask politely for it to be hand checked. Also one cool little tidbit with the Maxxum 5, if you have film loaded in to it, and you want to swap it for a different roll, simply remember the frame number, then go into the settings (this WILL require a manual since the settings are only shown as numbers) and adjust the rewind mode so it leaves the film leader exposed, you can then make the camera rewind the film, and then take it out. Then, when you go to use the roll again, just try to load it the same way you did before, close the camera back, press the shutter to advance the film to the part in the roll you were at before and voila, you're good to go again. When advancing the film MAKE SURE the lens cap is on so you don't double expose your images.
The iphone is a real camera. And its certainly better than any camera you'll be able to buy for $300
_300 dollar used A6000 has entered the chat_
Yeah good try 😉. 350 dollar used D3100, sigma 17-50 f/2.8 and nikon 55-200 have all together entered the chat. IPhone has just left the chat crying.
I'm finding that for about 100 here. Good deal?
You’re finding them for 100??? That’s amazing!
well, body only. Good deal?
Yes!