If you have arrived here, it is not by chance. You want to start film photography and you want to find the camera that suits you best? There are thousands of different film cameras and one of them is for you. The goal now is to find out which one.
Step 1 : Determine the use you will make of it.
Not everyone does the same thing with their cameras. (Well... theoretically they do, but it's mostly the shooting conditions that will change). To help you, I will draw up 3 profiles of photographers that we find quite regularly. It's up to you to see which one you fall into.
The adventurer : You travel constantly in search of new landscapes, taking with you the minimum because every gram counts. You like to take memories of the beautiful places you discover but also of the people you meet on a daily basis. You are not looking for the best camera but rather the most practical. A camera that is robust, easy to use and light. Since your adventures are exceptional, you are still looking for a minimum of quality in your photos.
The one life : You have a fulfilling social life, you go out regularly at night with your friends and you are the "photographer" of the group. You love that vintage vibe and you're looking to get that unique look. Your camera is going to be passed from hand to hand, that's why it has to be minimalist and super easy to use. You don't need any fancy options, just a self-timer and a flash for group shots. You'll have it with you 24 hours a day, so it has to be light, small and sturdy.
The perfectionist : Your qualities as a photographer are not to be questioned anymore, you are at ease with iso, shutter speeds and lens opening. You have very precise ideas of your next artistic projects. You control the light, you control the situation, you are an artist. You need a film camera that can be adjusted as you wish. You will need to change lenses, put filters and adjust your isos manually to push your film.
Step 2: Deduce a typical camera that suits you.
The adventurer: The camera that will fit best is a small and sturdy point and shoot, with options like flash, self-timer, focus lock, macro mode and zoom. The camera should use easy to find batteries like LR06. A strap will also be useful!
The one life: The camera that will fit best is a medium sized, rugged point and shoot, with flash and self-timer as options. A camera that charges the flash quickly and automatically fires will be especially useful during parties!
The perfectionist: The best camera for this is a film SLR with shutter priority. With this camera, you can choose either a versatile zoom or a fixed focal length lens. A camera with a built-in cell will be really useful to expose your pictures easily.
Step 3: Set your budget.
Setting a budget will help you filter your research and waste as little time as possible on the internet.
If you are using disposable cameras today, you can easily calculate the time it will take to make a 50€, 100€ or 200€ reusable camera profitable for example. A 100€ camera will pay for itself after 7 disposables (in addition to the ecological benefit).
As for everything, the budget will also determine the quality of finish of your device as well as the brand. Some brands stand out for their superior quality and others for their uncertain quality.
To start, a device between 50 and 100€ will do the trick. Depending on your profile, you can find a camera that will suit you. This said, for a film SLR, it is more complicated because you have to add to that the cost of the lenses.
Step 4: Search and find your little nugget.
Now that you know what kind of camera to get and you have an idea of your budget, you will have to get one.
There are 3 ways to get a film camera today.
- The easiest, but least reliable, way is to look in the drawers of your house or ask your grandparents. You will certainly find a device but you will not be sure of its functioning. Moreover, this device will certainly not correspond to you.
- Buy one at a flea market: You can find one more easily at a flea market, but you will not be sure of its working condition and the appearance of the device is uncertain.
- The easiest and most reliable solution: Buy one in a dedicated store (or e-shop). Many enthusiasts have developed online film stores where they sell revised film cameras in 100% working condition. You will easily find the camera you are looking for and on top of that, one that works (like here, at BromureFilm.)
Here, I hope this will have helped you, you can find a great selection of cameras on BromureFilm.
To help you, I have prepared 3 categories (Adventurer, one life and perfectionist) with inside the adapted cameras, it's up to you to see which one you prefer aesthetically now!
