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Looking to get a film SLR

Hi everybody!

Recently I have become rather interested in getting a beginner film camera, just as a bit of a fun hobby within a hobby. I was looking around an the only one that my local camera store will order is this one:

http://www.henrys.com/1562-NIKON-FM10-W-35-70-CASE-STRAP-MS-76.aspx

I was wondering if anyone has film cameras or has this specific one. I also had a few questions:

-What kind of film would this use? How much does it cost?
-I assume that since it is full manual it would be a fair bit more difficult to use than a DSLR?
-Would the lens it comes with be a good one?

I would not be using this for closeups, just some wider angle shots.

Thanks in advance!
 
I already have a DSLR, I just want to try film for fun. Won't be shooting very much on it.

I get that the film and development is a bit pricey, but for the number of photos I will be taking it won't be that much.
 
Some people on Etsy occasionally list some really nice ones.
 
I have no idea where you would buy film and get it processed in Canada. I don't think Wal-Mart is processing film any longer. The people at Henry's can probably tell you. For 35mm color print film a 36 exposure roll is probably $3-7 US dollars. Processing without prints to a CD probably about the same. With prints $8-12 USD. Slide film is the opposite - 36 exposure roll $6-14 - processing $4-6.

Film is a great way to learn the basics of photography. Due to the expense and lack of instant gratification you spend a lot more time thinking about what you are doing. It eventually becomes second nature. Many of the photography classes around here have the students start out with film cameras before moving to digital. The cameras I started out with were a lot less sophisticated than the disposable film cameras you can still find sometimes.

At least with a Nikon you can use many of the old manual focus lenses. Some are quite optically superb. I'm not sure if you'd get metering on your D5100 but manual focus lenses can be used on some of the Nikon DSLRs. It may not be all that much more difficult to use than a DSLR. The manual film camera may do less things for you but also has much less controls and dealy-bobs to confuse you.
 
I have a Nikon N70 that I don't use anymore and a few lenses. It uses standard 35mm film and would be willing to let it go for pretty cheap. The lenses can be used with modern DSLRs. They are:

Nikon 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6 AF-D
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/80-200mm-f45-56-d.htm

Sigma AF 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5 Aspherical
http://www.dyxum.com/reviews/lenses/reviews.asp?IDLens=359

Nikkor 18-35mm f/35-80
http://www.photographyreview.com/cat/lenses/35mm-zoom/nikon/af-35-80mm-f-4-5-6d/prd_83539_3128crx.aspx

Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 Fixed
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/5018af.htm

The camera:
http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/htmls/models/specroom98/f70/f70spec.htm

Let me know if interested. :)
 
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Thanks for the offer brokken! But I fear that the fragile photographic equipment would be destroyed, especially since they need to be shipped internationally. But thanks again!

@NaN: Interesting insights, I do like the limitation of only being able to take a few photos. Very interesting.

Looks like I will be heading over to henry's in the next few weeks to annoy them about film cameras!

Thanks for all the advice!
 
Recently I have become rather interested in getting a beginner film camera, just as a bit of a fun hobby within a hobby. I was looking around an the only one that my local camera store will order is this one:

http://www.henrys.com/1562-NIKON-FM10-W-35-70-CASE-STRAP-MS-76.aspx

I was wondering if anyone has film cameras or has this specific one.

I have used several SLRs during the 70s, 80s and 90s of the last century.
My choice brand was "Konica", but they stopped producing SLRs by the end of the 70s.

Are you aware, that the "price per picture" is very high with film, so that today nearly nobody uses photofilm cameras any more? Are you aware that the KODAK company has announced to stop producing several types of 35mm films, so that films and prints will become pricier and pricier each year and that it can become very difficult to purchase films in the near future?

I also had a few questions:

-What kind of film would this use? How much does it cost?

Nikon SLRs use 35mm photo films. The cost depends on the price.
The kind of film depends on what you'd like to do:
- black and white films: you can do your own film development and you can do your own black-and-white prints with relatively simple equipment.
- color negative films: mostly used to order color prints you can show around
- slide film: diapositives can be used with a slide-projector and a screen to do a slide-show
Availability of the different film types today: I don't know.

If anybody doesn't know what a slide-show is: A slide-show is the historic version of a Powerpoint presentation.

-I assume that since it is full manual it would be a fair bit more difficult to use than a DSLR?

Nikon was the producer of the best SLRs, used by most of the professional photographers. But I just looked up Wikipedia about the specific model "NIKON FM10". This one is not only a "reduced function" and "low cost" model of a Nikon SLR, it is even NOT manufactured by Nikon. Normally, Nikons photo film cameras were manufactured by Nikon itself, but this model was manufactured by "Cosina". The "M" in FM10 stands for "manual", so this camera has full manual operation. OMG, must be a feeling like photograhing with Russian cameras that were produced shortly after WWII.

-Would the lens it comes with be a good one?

No. The "good ones" of lenses for photo film cameras had a fixed focal length, but the offer is for a lens with variable focal length. The offer even doesn't tell whether the lens is made by Nikon or not, so maybe only the body of the camera FM10 is made be Nikon and the lens is from some third party producer. If the lens you get is important for you, you better ask before buying.

I would not be using this for closeups, just some wider angle shots.

So you'd better look out for a lens with a fixed wide angle focal distance.
Real wide angle for 35mm film starts at 28mm focal length or less.

I'd better not invest too much in a photo film SLR.
They are totally out of fashion.

Nikons SLRs that are sold with lenses are particularly pricey, as the lenses from Nikons SLRs can also be used with Nikons digital DSLRs. A lot of the price includes "you pay for the name" (Nikon), but with the FM10 its really not worth to pay for the name, as it is more a "Cosina" than a "Nikon".
 
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Fragile? :) Hm, okay...
 
  • #10
I took Black & White 1 photography for a semester and used my moms old 35mm camera. It died at the end of the semester thankfully. I took B&W2 and Digital the next semester so I needed another film camera. I ended up getting a Canon Film DSLR for $20ish which I was able to use my regular Digital Canon lenses on. If you have a DLSR and a couple lenses, try finding a digital film camera made by the same company as your DLSR so you can interchange your lenses.
 
  • #11
Thanks for the advice everyone.

I think I will be looking around locally for a used film slr. I guess if I can't find anything locally I will look on the Internet. Broken, I will actually be keeping your offer in mind. I don't know what I was thinking when I typed that.
 
  • #12
Do NOT spend $350 on a film SLR!
icon_smile_shock.gif

Film SLR's are a dime a dozen right now, no one wants them..GREAT time to buy one!..you can get beautiful classic Film SLR's that cost $500 twenty years ago for about $50 right now..sure, they are used, but that doesn't matter if they are in good shape..

(I just got two for FREE that were going to be thrown away! seriously..they were actually going in the dumpster..cleaning out a building where I work, and these were lightly-used 30 year old cameras that were once used for film testing, but had been sitting in a cabinet for 10 years..(hint: Rochester, NY)

When I was teenager in the 80's I drooled over this camera:

5519476961_48347ea1ca_z.jpg


it was the camera I wanted..couldn't afford it..I cost about $500 then!
way out of my league..
I was given one a few weeks ago! If I didnt take it, it would have gone the dumpster..
the poor thing was *that* surplus and unwanted..amazing..
and ironically, now that I have it, im not going to use it!..
(but I collect cameras..im happy to have it! even if im not going to use it right now..)

(My first SLR ended up being a Pentax A3000..still a fine camera:
http://tinyurl.com/73vo4qj

Check it out, here is a sampling of what you can find these days..
some recently completed ebay auctions:

http://tinyurl.com/84ncgro

http://tinyurl.com/6rvwmbh

http://tinyurl.com/86k8bk9

I used one of these for years, a beauty: http://tinyurl.com/6wuuy78

http://tinyurl.com/6n7a7ys

that last one, the Pentax K1000, was the ultimate "starter camera" of the 1970's, 80's and 90's..
a highschoolers and college student favorite..(the cheapest new SLR you could buy)
but these days you can get a higher-end camera for really cheap..but still, the K1000 is a fine camera..

Personally I would go for the Canon A1, Nikon F, or Olympus OM1 or OM1N

I would avoid any of the "electronics-heavy" cameras of the 80's and 90's..
such as: http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/imageBank/3/30-t90-sm copy1.jpg

if it has an electronic LCD display on the top, like that one, I would pass..just because there is too much to go wrong, especially with an older camera..
go for a basic manual, metal, SLR - with dials on the top, and manual film advance and manual focus lens..those are classics..simple and robust..

Scot
 
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  • #13
I agree with Scotty's advice. The simpler the camera the better. Plus, the cameras like the A-1 just feel right. Setting the exposure, adjusting the aperture, advancing the film, and focusing manually is just an awesome feeling. Plus, they look good.

I used a 1951 Leica IIf in my 35mm class. It's a range finder and has no battery compartment, so it's much more difficult to use, but it's such a rewarding camera.
 
  • #14
Wire,
I have a Leica too! it belonged to my Great Uncle..(my Grandfather's brother)
he used in the 40's, 50's, and 60's..not only do I have the camera, I have most of the photos he took too!
its a 1935 Leica F (Leica III)

4698745842_7f56c707bd.jpg


(not a photo of my actual camera, but a photo of the same model I just found online)
its a bear to load! but a very cool camera..
and with its family history, its probably the favorite in my collection..
Scot
 
  • #15
Great! I will keep an eye on kijijii locally, might check with my grandparents to see if they have any lying around.

I just looked on the local classified sites, tons of film slr's for under a hundred bucks.

I figure that if they ever stop producing film, I will just have a cool paperweight.

Sorry if any posts made you facepalm or if it seemed like I was disregarding advice, I posted this knowing little and now I know lots.

Thanks!
 
  • #16
Film is dying yes..but its not going to go away completely for awhile..
you should still be able to get C41 (color neg film) processed for maybe 10 more years or so..
slide processing (E6) will probably go away sooner that negative film..
although mail-order labs might still do it for awhile..

im not sure about B&W chemistry, to develop your own B&W film at home..
I havent heard anything about that lately..but doing your own film and B&W paper processing (with a home darkroom and enlarger) will likely remain a niche hobby for quite a long time..
B&W papers are still being made by several smaller companys, who have been making it for a long time..Ilford, Seagull, etc..

Kodak is getting rid of a lot of film types, but they arent dropping out of film completely..just whittling down the selection to a few core color and B&W film types..but Fuji will probably still stay in the game longer, even more so if Kodak drops out, since Fuji will likely be "the last man standing"..

It is really bizzare that Kodak is no longer going to make cameras..that one was a stunner..even more so than the death of Kodachrome..

Scot
 
  • #17
That's almost exactly what mine looks like, but without the front slow shutter dial! Mine belong to my grandfather and was used extensively in the Korean War, and my mom has his album. They're beautiful cameras. Not just for taking photos, but to look at and hold as well. Such exquisite construction! They are incredibly difficult to load. I usually have someone hold the camera with the shutter held open on bulb so I can load the film correctly. Here's mine;

Leica IIf by Wire Man, on Flickr
It's amazing that he could use such a heavy camera on a plane launched and landed via aircraft carrier.

Peat, if you can find one of these cameras, get it. You will not regret it! The cool thing about film cameras is that they're a functioning piece of history.

Ilford makes some nice film. Most places only process C41 film now.

It's weird watching Kodak fade away. They were they frontrunners for a century, and now next to nothing. They could probably make some amazing DSLRs if they wanted to, or revive an old camera style with a digital twist. I'd love to see a twin reflex digital camera. SPeaking of which, I really want to try Fuji's latest rangefinder digital camera. It looks really interesting, mainly the manual shutter cocking.
 
  • #18
Wow, they really are pieces of history. Can't imagine my Nikon dslr working after fifty or sixty years!
 
  • #19
You might try pawn shops too. I often hear of incredible finds at pawn shops in some of the camera groups I belong to.
 
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