Getting started with shooting film (part one)

By Paul Johnson | 8 May 2024

Once, rumours of film’s imminent death seemed plausible, but hindsight shows the obituaries were premature. Even in an era of digital domination, a small cadre of artists have continued to create powerful and emotion-laden work on film.

Now in 2024, film sales are up, a new film has just been launched, and new film cameras are about to hit the shops. Clearly a lot of people are inspired to look for alternatives to digital and for an aesthetic that can be achieved with vintage film cameras.

So, if you’re someone who can see film’s creative possibilities but are new to analogue photography, where do you start?

A selection of some of my vintage 35mm cameras.

Starting out

In 1888 Kodak advertised, ‘You press the button, we do the rest’ and modern pre-loaded single use cameras continue in that tradition.

For less than the price of a pro-spec roll of film you can buy a camera and all you have to do is point and press to get acceptable images on film. If you’re an occasional user who wants to try fun shots, single use cameras might be just right for you.

The same can be said of many low-tech re-usable cameras that are on the market; they have ‘focus free’ (meaning the focus is set) or ‘zone focus’ (a small choice of focus distances) lenses and simple or no adjustments for lighting.

The benefits are you don’t need technical knowledge to use them and, because you can reload with different film, they may be cheaper and more environmentally friendly in the long run.

This type of simple camera has relatively few moving parts and they don’t allow for much adjustment, so they rarely break down. Take care buying used cameras though; some older versions need film formats that are no longer made.

Internet sites have lots of these to choose from with prices starting at $10 for used and about $20 for new cameras.

Some outdated formats can still be used, but they are not efficient or cost effective when starting out with analogue.

Looking around

If you’ve been bitten by the film bug, you’ll probably want to try a camera that can focus a sharp image, can cope with different lighting conditions and, when the mood takes you, can invite creative and experimental ideas.

Before shelling out cash on a camera ask around friends, family, and neighbours. Thirty years ago lots of people owned film cameras and many were put away in cupboards when digital flooded in. Who knows, an aunt or uncle may be happy to pass on a barely used outfit that they bought in the 90s.

While apps like Lightroom, Snapspeed and VSCO can mimic analogue effects, film sales data says that many photographers want more. Increasingly, younger people are carrying vintage cameras like this Pentax as a practical option and an aesthetic statement because no app can look, sound and feel like the real thing.

If you’re lucky and something turns up it’s worth checking online reviews, tutorials and manuals because some cameras use obsolete or hard-to-get (meaning expensive) film formats or batteries – this type might be best as display pieces.

If your find seems serviceable, before loading a film, carefully blow dust from inside without touching any delicate parts like shutter curtains.

If the camera takes batteries, check the compartment for corrosion then test important operations like focusing, shutter and aperture-setting as well as the film advance. Lastly, fire the shutter a few times then, if everything sounds good, load a film.

Holga is a low-tech brand that has developed a cult following amongst photographic artists who make the most of the camera’s rudimentary controls and plastic lens. Eirik Holmøyvik’s Icelandic impressions #6 shows that simple cameras can, in the right hands, create beautiful mood-filled images. Image: Eirik Holmøyvik

What to buy

Lucking out with friends and family, not having a budget that’ll stretch to the five figures you’ll need for a new Leica M6, or not wanting to wait until Pentax release their new film cameras doesn’t have to end your analogue adventures; there are many other options.

When it comes to spending money on your first film camera, one thing makes real sense – used 35-millimetre cameras offer the best choice and value.

Old-school manual 35mm cameras were usually made with metal parts that are strong, repairable and adjustable and there are many fine examples that are now more than 50 years old.

For example, Pentax’s interchangeable lens ‘S’ series single lens reflexes (SLRs) and Kodak’s Retina rangefinders each retain faithful followings to this day.

Developing your own black and white film gives additional control of tonality, contrast and grain. This image was made with 35mm Fomapan 200 black and white negative film, and processed in Dektol paper developer to expand contrast. It was then printed in a traditional darkroom and subsequently wet-processed to add color.

Automatic exposure cameras that were introduced in 1959 might seem like good value because they don’t need batteries, but their onboard electronics wear with use so check them carefully if you don’t want to end up with a paperweight.

Given their age, even fully manual cameras from this era will probably benefit from cleaning, lubricating, and adjusting (CLA to those in the know) and some may need new light seals so factor in the effort of finding a technician and the cost of their work ($80 to $200 for a start) when negotiating a price.

By the 1970s many compact and SLR cameras had gained a battery to power built-in light meters and, in some instances automate exposure. There are some exceptional cameras in this segment and, if you’re patient, affordable examples can still be found.

However, the most affordable are typically cameras which came with batteries that are no longer produced. Personally, I have no trouble using a light meter app and treating these machines as fully mechanical marvels, but some people don’t like the cost and effort of workarounds so the demand for them is less.

Again, take the time to check reviews for the model you’re considering and factor in costs such as batteries and CLA.

From the mid to late 70s and into the 1980s, most brands had given their cameras electronically controlled shutters. Without a battery, many of these cameras won’t work and parts for them are meant to be replaced not repaired.

If you find one that has been well cared for, and there are many around, it’s unlikely to need adjustment, but it will benefit from a service and new seals.

Models to look for in this group are those with manual, aperture priority and program modes. Later, camera manufacturers, which had already introduced fully automatic compacts, began offering SLRs with automatic winding, exposure setting and focusing.

Zoom lenses also became popular in this period and, if you’re contemplating spending money on something with a vintage zoom, be aware that some photographers feel that these are not up to modern standards and opt for fixed focal length lenses. Once again this can affect selling prices.

Today, late model compacts attract premium prices but many same-age SLRs receive little attention so mint condition examples can sometimes be had for less than $100.

Some film cameras from the 90s and early 2000s were made with polycarbonate and they typically don’t need door seals, otherwise the usual checks remain relevant, so taking a new battery and even an old film to run through your prospective purchase can be worthwhile.

Look out for part two next week.

About the author: A survivor from the pre-digital era, Paul learnt to process and print film at school and, for the past fifty years, he’s kept trying to make better prints. His work has been shown in South Australian galleries and, since 2022, he’s shown some of his work on Instagram @anima_loci_south_australia