12 Cool Medium Format Film Cameras to Buy

Nowadays, when people start their journey into analogue photography, most of them will begin on a 35mm film camera. If you're already someone who got in analogue but never try on medium format film photography, here's a list of 12 cool medium format film cameras for you to give it a try. There are many options of medium format film photography and below the cameras were listed by alphabet which included from cheap to expensive, some for professional, another ones for amateur photographers that you can find easily on the internet.

Bronica SQ-A

Photo by by Casey Murphy

Bronica was a Japanese brand of medium format roll-film cameras first appeared in 1958, when the company's founder, Zenzaburo Yoshino, introduced a camera of his own design, the Bronica Z rollfilm camera, at the Philadelphia Camera Show.

The Bronica SQ series is a line of 6x6 medium format SLR camera system introduced in 1980. In 1982 the SQ-A, a refinement of the SQ, was released with mirror lockup and a new view finder system now supporting auto exposure. The newer AE finders are not fully compatible with the older SQ cameras, they are unable to mount properly because there are now more electronic connector pins. The film back dark slides are now locked when not attached to the camera. The new dark slides are now grey in color.

In addition to shooting 6x6 negatives, the SQ-A can also be fitted with 645 and 35mm backs. The Bronica SQ series cameras are currently around only option for people who want a machine for the 6x6 format but they are not satisfied with the machines of eastern origin (Pentacon Six, Kiev 88), but can't purchase of top equipment by Hasselblad.

Contax 645

Photo by ym32

The Contax 645 AF is a 6×4.5cm medium-format, autofocus film camera, introduced by Kyocera under the Contax brand in 1999 with a range of interchangeable lenses. The camera system was discontinued in 2005.

The camera uses interchangeable film backs with dark slides, with inserts available for both 120 and 220 film. The back has a film-reminder memo holder. The film loading is automatic with bar coded film and will automatically advance to the first frame. Non coded film requires aligning the backing paper start indicator. Bar coded film ISO can be read automatically with a range of 25 to 5000 ISO. It can also be manually set from 6 to 6400 ISO. The film transport system is motorized, with automatic advance of up to 1.6 fps. It is powered by a 2CR5 battery.

Fujica GW690

Photo by Easy Skywalker

The Fujica GW690 Professional was the first to be released by Fuji in November 1978. It is based on the GL690 — a leaf-shutter rangefinder camera for 6×9 exposures on 120 or 220 film — from which it differs most importantly in having a fixed lens.

Features (such as interchangeable film backs) normal among medium-format cameras of the time, and others (such as exposure meters) almost universal among cameras in general are missing in the GW690 and its successors, which look rather as if a black Leica M3 with a particularly large lens (perhaps 85mm f/1.8) had been made to a much larger scale, they are therefore often called the "Texas Leica".

Hasselblad 500C

Photo by Emcee Grady

The Hasselblad 500C is perhaps the most iconic model of Hasselblad camera, introduced in 1957 by the Victor Hasselblad AB. It represented a move away from the (sometimes troublesome) focal-plane shutter used in the Hasselblad 1600 F and 1000 F, and launched a lens system with optics by Carl Zeiss which included a sophisticated leaf shutter in the barrel of each. The original model stayed in production until 1970. It was replaced by the 500C/M (M for modified according to the factory), featuring an interchangeable focusing screen and an improved automatic back, the A-series film magazines.

The new Hasselblad camera gained a reputation over the years for its robustness, mechanical accuracy and for having a wide range of high-quality lenses, making it the medium-format camera of choice for generations of professional photographers. Victor Hasselblad AB reinforced this reputation by making the most of the fact that their camera had been chosen by NASA for use in space, although not without modifications.

Kiev 60

Photo by Victor Serri

Kiev 60 is a medium format SLR film system camera manufactured by Arsenal Factory, in Kiev, Ukraine, former USSR, and produced between 1984-99. It is similar to an enlarged 35 mm SLR, based loosely on the Pentacon Six and using the same breech-lock lens mount. This camera was originally called the Kiev 6C with a shutter release button activated by the left hand, and accepting both 220 and 120 film. The current Kiev 60 has a more conventional right-handed shutter release, but does not take 220 film. The Kiev 60 has a simpler frame-advancement mechanism than the Pentacon Six but it is often poorly adjusted at the factory resulting in incorrect frame spacing. This problem can be fixed,

The low price of the Kiev medium format cameras has attracted many amateur photographers wishing to enter the medium format camera market on a budget.

Mamiya RZ67

Photo by Casey Broadwater

The Mamiya RZ67 is a medium format single-lens reflex system camera manufactured by Mamiya. There are three successive models: the RZ67 Professional (first model released in 1982), RZ67 Professional II (released in 1995) and RZ67 Professional IID (released in 2004). RZ67 is a modular camera system, meaning lenses, viewfinders, ground glasses, film winders and film backs are all interchangeable. It is primarily designed for studio use, but can also be used in the field. The RZ67 Sekor lenses have built-in electronic leaf shutters which are cocked and triggered from the body. Focusing is performed with a bellows on the body instead of the lenses.

Mamiya RZ67 is a true multiformat camera. The camera accepts 6x7, 6x6 and 6x4.5, 120 and 220 film magazines and Polaroid as well as Quadra 72 4x5 sheet film backs. The film speed is set on each RZ back via a dial. There are two versions of the 6x7 and 6x4.5 backs, the model II versions have a second film counter to always show the film count on the top. The RZ67 operates on one 6 V silver oxide 4SR44 battery, or 6 V 4LR44 alkaline battery. It can be used in emergency mode fully mechanically with a fixed 1/400 sec shutter speed. Multiple exposures are possible in the M-mode. Mirror flip up is supported. The body has one standard flash hot shoe on its left side, one plug for a standard remote shutter cable release, and a socket for an electronic shutter trigger.

Minolta Autocord

Photo by Tim Clark

The Minolta Autocord series was an effort by Chiyoda Kogaku Seiko, K.K. to compete in the premium-quality segment of the twin lens reflex (TLR) market. The Autocord series went through a large number of minor variations during its lifespan between 1955 and 1966.

All shared a number of desirable features: crank film advance with automatic shutter cocking and frame counting; a highly regarded Tessar-type 4-element Rokkor f/3.5 lens; self-timer; slow shutter speeds, down to 1 second; and an override button, allowing the advance crank to rotate backwards and cock the shutter without advancing the film, permitting double exposures. Early Optiper shutters only had speeds to 1/400 sec., but this was increased to 1/500 in later versions.

These features compared well with a Tessar-equipped Rolleiflex of the day, yet Autocords sold at a subtantially lower price. Both meterless models and ones including a light meter (originally selenium; later, CdS) were offered in parallel throughout the series.

Pentacon Six

Photo by Betsu-na ka na...

The Pentacon Six is a single-lens reflex (SLR) medium format camera system made by Pentacon from 1956 to 1992. It has been called an "SLR on steroids". The Six accepts lenses with the Pentacon Six mount, a breech-lock bayonet mount.

A basic kit consists of a Carl Zeiss Biometar 1:2.8 80 mm lens, a simple matte screen and a waist-level finder. This is a system camera and lenses from a 30 mm fisheye to a 1000 mm mirror objective are available. Excellent Carl Zeiss Jena and Schneider lenses can be found at reasonable prices from the usual used-camera sources. A variety of viewing screens, from simple matte to grids or fresnel screens, are available. The waist-level finder can be replaced by non-metered or metered prism finders. The metered prisms were introduced in 1968; from this point onwards, the camera was called Pentacon six TL. Nothing had changed in the camera itself; the only thing new was the availability of a metered prism allowing TTL metering.

Pentax 6×7

Photo by Guy Sande

The Pentax 6×7 is a Japanese medium format SLR roll film camera launched by Asahi Pentax in 1969. It produces 6×7 images on 120 or 220 roll film.

The Pentax 6×7 is quite similar to a regular 35mm SLR camera. It uses either 120 or 220 roll film, which produces ten or twenty (twenty-one for the 1969 version) 6×7 format exposures respectively, with each exposure of 56×70mm area. A small knob on the right-hand side of the camera selects the film type, and also the film pressure plate inside has positions for either type, the thickness of the films being different. The standard equipment includes the Super-Multi-Coated TAKUMAR/6×7 1:2.4 f=105 lens and the removable pentaprism finder that shows exactly the exposed image. A very useful addition is the separately available left-hand grip with accessory shoe.

The camera is completely battery dependent. It does not work without film, unless the film counter dial is rotated away from the empty position and closing the back while still holding the dial.

Rolleiflex 2.8F

Photo by Kevin-Xu

Germany 1949, four years after the end of WWII and the country is still in ruins. A 1944 bombing raid had destroyed the Braunschweig factory. Francke&Heidecke, who introduced their successful Rolleiflex in 1928, start a series of improvements on the well appreciated camera. The Rolleiflex 2.8A sees the light of day. In 2002 F&R introduced the last version Rolleiflex 2,8 FX, now produced by DHW Fototechnik.

The Rolleiflex 2.8F model K7F of 1960 was available for 20 years with four minor revisions up to the K7F4 of at the end of 1981. The F versions removes the EVS system. The first revision K7F uses Planar lens and uses 120 film and has the 12 frame counter. K7F2 was released in 1965, like most 120 film camera revisions released that year it was because of 220 film and provided a new 12/24 frame counter. K7F3 is nearly the same but simplifies the back and no longer takes the flat glass adapter. The K7F4 typically has the Xenotar lens. Later limited production camera runs became available such as the Aurum and K7FP Platinum edition (1984) and the K4FPA till about 1989. In about 1988 the 2,8GX series was released.

The 2.8F has a Compur shutter with at least B, X-sync and speeds from 1-1/500s. It also has a winding lever that stops at the first exposure.

Rolleicord III

Photo by by Dejan Slavkovic

Rolleicords were introduced by Franke & Heidecke (Rollei) as a lower cost solution for those wanting a Rollei TLR, but unable to afford the ever-increasing price of a Rolleiflex. Costs were cut for the Rolleicord by using a knob instead of a handle to wind the film on, using cheaper internals, and most importantly, using cheaper optics. The Rolleicord III was introduced in Germany between Nov 1950 and July 1953. It came with the Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar lens f/3.5 75mm. The shutter is a Compur-Rapid with speeds from 1 sec to 1/500 sec, plus B and auto-stop film wind.

Yashica Mat G-124

Photo by Gonzalo Villar

The Yashica Mat-124 G was made from 1970 till 1986 and was the last TLR produced by Yashica. Even if this type of camera seemed to be obsolete at the time of its appearence, the 124 G was a success in that time.

The 124G has a four-element, 80mm F3.5 taking lens, of the better "Yashinon" variety. Focusing is via a ground glass screen, with a 3x diopter loupe for critical focusing, as well as a sports finder. The focusing screen is used with the camera at waist-level. The sportsfinder, incorporated in the focusing hood, is operational by pushing the front cover backwards. According to the Instruction Booklet, it comes in handy for snapshots or when shooting fast-moving objects at eye-level. No screen to check focus in this set-up though. The Copal shutter features speeds 1 to 1/500 sec., plus B.

The 124G can handle both 120 and 220 film. It also features a coupled match-needle exposure meter, although it uses now-discontinued 1.3v mercury cells. Suitable air-zinc replacements and adapters for modern alkaline or silver oxide batteries may be obtained at camera stores and on the internet.
Infomation from Wikipedia and Camera-wiki.

100 Tips from a Professional Photographer

•  
• SammyNichs 

Here’s a list of tips, advice, rules and just things to know about photography from Sammy Nichs. The gist of it is to keep taking pictures always.

Here’s the full list:

100 Tips from a Professional Photographer

1. Just because someone has an expensive camera doesn’t mean that they’re a good photographer.
2. Always shoot in RAW. Always.
3. Prime lenses help you learn to be a better photographer.
4. Photo editing is an art in itself
5. The rule of thirds works 99% of the time.
6. Macro photography isn’t for everybody.
7. UV filters work just as well as lens caps.
8. Go outside & shoot photos rather than spending hours a day on photography forums.
9. Capture the beauty in the mundane and you have a winning photograph.
10. Film isn’t better than digital.
11. Digital isn’t better than film.
12. There is no “magic” camera or lens.
13. Better lenses don’t give you better photos.
14. Spend less time looking at other people’s work and more time shooting your own.
15. Don’t take your DSLR to parties.
16. Girls dig photographers.
17. Making your photos b/w doesn’t automatically make them “artsy”
18. People will always discredit your work if you tell them you “photoshop” your images. Rather, tell them that you process them in the “digital darkroom”.
19. You don’t need to take a photo of everything.
20. Have at least 2 backups of all your images. Like they say in war, two is one, one is none.
21. Ditch the neck strap and get a handstrap.
22. Get closer when taking your photos, they often turn out better.
23. Be a part of a scene while taking a photo; not a voyeur.
24. Taking a photo crouched often make your photos look more interesting.
25. Worry less about technical aspects and focus more on compositional aspects of photography.
26. Tape up any logos on your camera with black gaffers tape- it brings a lot less attention to you.
27. Always underexpose by 2/3rds of a stop when shooting in broad daylight.
28. The more photos you take, the better you get.
29. Don’t be afraid to take several photos of the same scene at different exposures, angles, or apertures.
30. Only show your best photos.
31. A point-and-shoot is still a camera.
32. Join an online photography forum.
33. Critique the works of others.
34. Think before you shoot.
35. A good photo shouldn’t require explanation (although background information often adds to an image). *
36. Alcohol and photography do not mix well.
37. Draw inspiration from other photographers but never worship them.
38. Grain is beautiful.
39. Ditch the photo backpack and get a messenger bag. It makes getting your lenses and camera a whole lot easier.
40. Simplicity is key.
41. The definition of photography is: “painting with light.” Use light in your favor.
42. Find your style of photography and stick with it.
43. Having a second monitor is the best thing ever for photo processing.
44. Silver EFEX pro is the best b/w converter.
45. Carry your camera with you everywhere. Everywhere.
46. Never let photography get in the way of enjoying life.
47. Don’t pamper your camera. Use and abuse it.
48. Take straight photos.
49. Shoot with confidence.
50. Photography and juxtaposition are best friends.
51. Print out your photos big. They will make you happy.
52. Give your photos to friends.
53. Give them to strangers.
54. Don’t forget to frame them.
55. Costco prints are cheap and look great.
56. Go out and take photos with (a) friend(s).
57. Join a photo club or start one for yourself.
58. Photos make great presents.
59. Taking photos of strangers is thrilling.
60. Candid>Posed.
61. Natural light is the best light.
62. 35mm (on full frame) is the best “walk-around” focal length.
63. Don’t be afraid to bump up your ISO when necessary.
64. You don’t need to always bring a tripod with you everywhere you go (hell, I don’t even own one).
65. It is always better to underexpose than overexpose.
66. Shooting photos of homeless people in an attempt to be “artsy” is exploitation.
67. You will find the best photo opportunities in the least likely situations.
68. Photos are always more interesting with the human element included.
69. You can’t “photoshop” bad images into good ones.
70. Nowadays everybody is a photographer.
71. You don’t need to fly to Paris to get good photos; the best photo opportunities are in your backyard.
72. People with DSLRS who shoot portraits with their grip pointed downwards look like morons.
73. Cameras as tools, not toys.
74. In terms of composition, photography and painting aren’t much different.
75. Photography isn’t a hobby- it’s a lifestyle.
76. Make photos, not excuses.
77. Be original in your photography. Don’t try to copy the style of others.
78. The best photographs tell stories that begs the viewer for more.
79. Any cameras but black ones draw too much attention.
80. The more gear you carry around with you the less you will enjoy photography.
81. Good self-portraits are harder to take than they seem.
82. Laughter always draws out peoples’ true character in a photograph.
83. Don’t look suspicious when taking photos- blend in with the environment.
84. Landscape photography can become dull after a while.
85. Have fun while taking photos.
86. Never delete any of your photos.
87. Be respectful when taking photos of people or places.
88. When taking candid photos of people in the street, it is easier to use a wide-angle than a telephoto lens.
89. Travel and photography are the perfect pair.
90. Learn how to read a histogram.
91. A noisy photo is better than a blurry one.
92. Don’t be afraid to take photos in the rain.
93. Learn how to enjoy the moment, rather than relentlessly trying to capture the perfect picture of it.
94. Never take photos on an empty stomach.
95. You will discover a lot about yourself through your photography.
96. Never hoard your photographic insight- share it with the world.
97. Never stop taking photos
98. Photography is more than simply taking photos, it is a philosophy of life
99. Capture the decisive moment
100. Write your own list.

How To Photograph Children Outdoors

By Rachael Towne

Children are one of people’s favourite subjects to photograph, but like any subject they present their own photographic challenges. Let’s take a look at a few ways to get the best possible results with photographing children in outdoor conditions.

Why Natural Light is Best

Children, like anybody, look their best when photographed outdoors in natural light.  Soft, natural light gives the face a more natural and pleasing shape, makes the skin appear softer and removes ugly harsh shadows.

Firing a flash will often make babies and younger children blink or even cry.  Also, flash will generally flatten the skin and eliminate the subtle shadows that give a face depth and realism.

Baby Waving with Parents in Background by Tampa Band Photos, on Flickr

When looking for suitable outdoor light to take photos of children, keep in mind that the midday sun is very harsh and will cast unflattering shadows.  The best times of day for outdoor portrait photography are the early morning hours and the last hour before sunset (golden hour).  The sun will be low in the sky which will be very flattering to your subject, since the light will create a soft, golden glow.  Find soft light coming from one side and you can hardly go wrong.

If you absolutely have to do your photo-session during the middle of the day, there are a few ways to make it work.  First, do your best to stay out of areas with bright, direct sunlight.  Instead, look for places with open shade to shoot in.  Position the child to have open sky in front of them to properly illuminate their face.  You can also use a fill flash or a portable reflector to fill in shadows that are a bit too dark.

How to Make it Fun and Spontaneous

Children have a short attention span and most of them will simply be unable to sit still for very long or follow complicated posing instructions.  The environment of an indoor portrait studio can be intimidating for the child and ultimately a frustrating place for the photographer during a child photo-shoot.  So a fun outdoor setting such as a park, beach, their own back-yard or a beautiful garden can instantly help put a child at ease.

sofia-029 by Vivian Chen [陳培雯], on Flickr

Some parents will have given their child some very strict coaching prior to the photo session to be on their best behavior.  While well-intentioned, this might actually backfire and cause the child to need extra time to relax and just be themselves.  Stiff poses and cheesy smiles are not what you are going for, so it is imperative that the child feel relaxed and view the shoot as a fun event.  Bringing treats, with the parent’s permission, can be a great way to motivate a child that is bored or frustrated with the photo-session.

An outdoor portrait session can allow you to get some great action shots such as the child joyfully running in the grass, digging in the sand at the beach, playing with a colorful toy and even with other children.    In some ways, a great and spontaneous photo of a child is more of a documentary than a portrait.

Kids, like adults, are individuals and one of your goals should be to capture their uniqueness in your photographs.  One way to help facilitate this is to take some time to get to know them prior to the photo-session.  You will quickly learn if they are shy, outgoing, serious, studious, especially active or funny.  You can then brain-storm fun ways to portray these traits in your photos.

Babies in particular can’t fake a pose or a smile, which is not what you want anyway, so simple games of peek-a-boo from behind the camera, or talking in a silly voice, will usually bring out a beaming natural smile.  Keep in mind that babies are almost always at their best in the early part of the day.  Fatigue at the end of a day will usually make a baby fussy.  Also, if the mother feels comfortable with it, capturing a photo of a baby nursing in a beautiful outdoor setting can be especially touching.

What Are the Best Camera Settings for Photographing Children Outdoors?

In order to really draw focus to the child as your subject, it is a good idea to set your camera to aperture priority mode.  A good aperture to start with is f5.6, since the background will be out-of-focus but will allow the child’s entire face to be in focus.

The Great Outdoors by Meanest Indian, on Flickr

Generally, the lowest ISO you can get away with is going to produce the best results.  In lower light situations you can go up to ISO 800 if you find that your shutter speeds are just too long.  However, going over ISO 800 can start to cause a lot of digital noise in your portraits.

A fast shutter speed is essential if the child is in movement at all.  If you are shooting in aperture priority mode and your shutter speeds are too long, you will have to make adjustments.  A shutter speed of 1/500th or even more may be necessary to capture a sharp image.  If you are having a hard time finding a good shutter speed, you can always set your camera to ‘sports mode, since this setting is designed to freeze motion.

A zoom lens in the 70-200mm range is a good all-purpose lens for shooting portraits of children.  This will allow you to have some distance from the child but still fill the frame.  If you’re shooting in a poorly lit area, the fastest lens you have will likely work the best.

Additional Tips and Tricks

• Always pay attention to distracting elements in the background of your shots, as well as any other unwanted details.  For example, a branch that appears to be growing out of the child’s head will ruin the shot and might not be noticed until later. Also, paying attention to details will pay off later.  For example, make sure that the top of the child’s head isn’t being cut-off and that their hands and feet are visible in whole-body portraits.
• The child’s clothing is an important consideration.  A loud, patterned or striped shirt might distract the eye and take attention away from the subject.  However, there may be times when the child’s personality can be creatively highlighted with eye-catching clothing.  Whatever your ultimate creative goal, keep in mind that kids feel more relaxed in casual, comfortable clothing rather than formal wear.
• Since you will want your outdoor portraits of children to be relaxed and spontaneous, carrying around minimal gear is a good idea.  Keep in mind the weight and bulk of your lenses and other camera equipment so that you can follow your subject around freely.
• Finally, always take lots and lots of pictures.  If you simply wait camera-in-hand for the best moment you will likely miss it!  Keep on taking lots of shots and vary angles and distance throughout the session.  There will definitely be some out-of-focus or undesirable shots, but you will certainly end up with at least a few gems in the end.

How To Load and Rewind Film in a Zenit E

How To Load and Rewind Film in a Zenit E

The Zenit E is a very common Russian SLR camera from the 1970's. It can be used for most various amateur shooting and a number of special shootings. Some film photographers love this vintage camera because it combines with Helios lenses to bring soft and extraordinary colors for their images. Like other vintage cameras, Zenit E is easy to use with common parameters but it has some different things harder for someone who's just new with this camera to load and, especially rewind film. Here's a guide showing you step by step for how to loading and rewinding film in a Zenit E camera.

Loading

The camera is loaded at usual lighting. To load the camera:

1. Open the back cover of the camera, pulling the latch of the lock upwards.
2. Fix the end of the film under the take-up spool spring and hook a sprocket hole on the spool protrusion. See that the film be placed correctly between the film channel slides.
3. Place the cassette into its seat, having pulled the film rewind knob upwards.
4. Return the rewind knob to its initial position and fix it in this position by turning it in the arrow direction.
5. Close the back cover and press down the lock latch.
6. Cock the shutter, turning the shutter setting lever to the stop, then press the release button.
As the lever turns, the film moves by one shot.
To transport nonexposed film to the film gate, cock the shutter three times pressing the release button after each cocking.
Note. While cocking the shutter, see if the film rewind knob rotates. If not check whether the camera is correctly loaded with film.
7. Turning the exposure counter dial in any direction set the figure "0" against the index dot on the ring.
Set the exposure counter when the shutter is cocked.

Rewinding

When the exposure counter dial shows figure 36, it means that the exposed film should be rewound into the cassette. The procedure is the following:

1. Press the film rewind knob and rotate it contrary to the direction shown by the indicating pointer.
2. Disengage the shutter mechanism. For this aim press the film rewind release button and, holding it in this position, rotate the film rewind knob in the direction, shown by the indicating pointer, until you feel by the applied force that the end of the film left the spring of the take-up spool. Unloading camera
3. Open the back cover of the camera.
4. Pull the film rewind knob upwards and remove the film cassette out of the camera.
Note. For further photographing cock the shutter and, holding the sprocket, make sure that it rotates.

An Introduction to Shooting Street Photography With Film

by ERIC KIM 

So many choices, so little time. Dotwell Camera in Hong Kong

For the last year and a half or so, I have been shooting my personal street photography on exclusively film. After shooting digital for around 7 years or so, it has been a great experience so far and I have learned a ton.

When I first wanted to start shooting street photography I had a lot of fears. What if the photos don’t turn out? What settings should I use? What film is ideal? Where do I get my film processed? Or should I process it myself? What camera should I use? What chemicals do I need? The list goes on.

I am certainly not an expert when it comes to shooting film, but I wanted to write this article as a primer for those of you who want to get your feet wet (but may not know where to start). I will use my personal experiences and opinions– but of course, feel free to experiment. And if you see any mistakes in this article, please correct me in the comments below and I will revise it.

Why Shoot Film?

My film Leica MP I have been shooting with the last year and a half

I have been shooting film the last year and a half or so, and it has definitely helped me become a better photographer.

Some benefits I have found shooting film:

1. It has helped me be more conscious when shooting
2. It helped me slow down (I shoot a lot less in film compared to digital)
3. It helped me be more discerning when deciding to take a photo (is it really worth it?)
4. It has helped me better understand the technical settings of my camera
5. It is more “zen” (I focus more on the process of shooting than the result and constantly chomping)
6. It makes me worry less about the gear (I shoot not worrying if my camera’s autofocus is fast enough or the High-ISO performance is up to par, as it is a fully-manual film camera)
7. It helps my images look aesthetically consistent (I stick with one film. In digital, I would often post-process my photos differently)
8. It has has helped me edit my photos (I generally don’t process my photos until 1-2 months after I shoot, so I become emotionally detached from a lot of my shots– and edit more objectively)
9. Better dynamic range (I found film has much more detail in highlights when compared to digital. However, shadow detail is almost impossible to recover)
10. Not really a benefit, but I love the excitement when I don’t know what I got (I feel like a kid waiting for my Christmas presents every time I get my film developed).

Benefits shooting film from Julien Legrand

1. Beautiful colors (Eric: I have personally found the colors of Portra 400 to be unlike any other colors I could achieve with digital. VSCO film presets get close, but don’t have the same depth and richness of color imho)
2. Beautiful grain (Eric: I have been able to get some pretty decent film-grain looking results with Silver Efex Pro 2, but still find the grain of b/w film and color film to be much more natural)
3. Beautiful b/w (Eric: Silver Efex Pro 2 is probably the best tool to converting from RAW to b/w, but the depth and dynamic range of black and white film can’t be beat)

Benefits shooting film from Sean Breslin

When you are on the road, you don’t have to worry about:

1. Batteries
2. Chargers
3. Hard drives
4. Cables

Of course there are other benefits I am probably missing, feel free to share what other benefits you have found (if you shoot film) in the comments below.

Downsides of Shooting with Film

The dark truth

Of course, there are downsides of shooting with film.

Some downsides shooting film:

1. It costs money (buying film and getting it processed isn’t cheap. However if you bulk-roll your own film and process it yourself, it can actually be cheaper than digital. It just depends on how much convenience you prefer)
2. Scanning is a pain in the ass (I personally hate scanning film– as I find it to take a long time and to be quite monotonous. However some people I know don’t really mind. Generally to pass the time when scanning, I watch photography documentaries or listen to music– which makes it more bearable)
3. Organizing your film can become a challenge (I am horrible when it comes to organizing my negatives. They are all shoved in boxes to rough dates. If you are really good, you should organize them in plastic sleeves according to date. But this can be a challenge, and time-consuming (but worth it in the end).
4. You will ruin film (there is no way around it– sooner or later you will mess up some film. You might take out your film from your camera prematurely, accidentally screw up the development, or something else. However with experience, you will certainly screw up a lot less).
5. Developing your photos takes time (this can be a benefit or downside. I generally find it to be a positive thing, but I know some people who hate developing their own images).
6. You want to get the exposure right in-camera (you can adjust exposure afterwards, but not with as much detail as a digital RAW file in most cases).

Downsides shooting film by Julien Legrand

1. Scratches (on negatives when handling or scanning them)
2. Finger prints (on negatives when handling or scanning them)
3. Time spent scanning (yes, it is very time consuming)

I actually have a hard time finding any other negatives or downsides off the top of my head. Please share some of your personal downsides shooting with film in the comments below.

Step 1: Get a Film Camera

I personally like rangefinders for film. Photo credit: Japan Camera Hunter

So if you want to step outside your comfort zone and try out film– the first thing you need is a film camera. In my experience, almost everyone has an old film camera lying around somewhere at home. I would recommend for starters, just use that. I recommend first shooting with a cheap film camera to see if you first like the process. Then if you really like it, maybe invest in a Leica after.

I personally recommend starting off with a film camera with a fully-manual one (if possible). This will help you learn more about the technical settings with your camera– and really help you learn aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Of course, this is optional– but I found it be of a huge help.

Sekonic L-358, the light meter I use. Good but expensive

I also personally recommend a camera with a built-in meter. It will just make life easier, trust me. If not, you can always get an external meter (just search “light meter” in the iTunes store or Google Play store). If you want something uber-accurate, you can get a Sekonic. I personally use a Sekonic L-358, which is expensive at $350 USD but very accurate. A smaller and cheaper option is theSekonic L-308s Light Meter which goes for $232 USD (once again, not cheap). I have personally found the meters for smartphones to be pretty accurate (although not as accurate as an external meter).

You also want to make sure you have batteries to power the meter or the camera, whatever camera you may be using.

To also figure out how to use the camera, you might want to google the instruction manual for whatever camera you are using. Generally, there are free PDF’s flying around on the web.

I am also recommend first starting off with a 35mm film camera. Medium-formats are nice for street too, but not as nimble and more bulky. I might talk more about medium-formats in a future post.

Don’t have a film camera?

My favorite bang-for-the-buck film rangefinder: The Leica M6. You can get one on Japan Camera Hunterhere.

If you don’t have a film camera I recommend two options: The Leica M6 or the Contax T2.

The Leica M6 is fully-manual, with a meter and the best bang-for-the-buck rangefinder in my opinion (you can get a good one for ~1600 USD). You can find one on ebay, craigslist, or contactJapan Camera Hunter (I personally get all my film cameras from him). For a lens, I recommend theVoightlander 35mm f/2.5 to start off (you can get one for ~400 USD).

The Contax T2– a great bang-for-the-buck street photography film camera.

For a cheaper option, I recommend the Contax T2, which has a brilliant 38mm f/2.8 Zeiss Lens (sharp as hell) and it is reasonably compact. It isn’t fully manual, but has aperture-priority mode and pre-focusing abilities. You can get a good one for under ~$500 USD. Once again, you can check ebay, craigslist, or Japan Camera Hunter (he actually has some on sale here.

If you want a rangefinder for sub-$100, definitely check out the Yashica Electro 35 GSN 35mm. I know a few street photographers who use it (like Brian Soko from Chicago). It is aperture-priority, has a solid lens, and I heard you can get for as cheap as $50. Definitely another great option.

Once again, these are just some personal recommendations. You can really use any film camera when starting off, don’t worry about the camera too much.

Step 2: Get some Film

Hard film cases from Japan Camera Hunter. You can pick one up here.

I know a lot of film photographers who constantly change the type of film they use. Sure this is fun, but it won’t create a consistency of your personal aesthetic vision. It is the equivalent of post-processing your photos dozens of different ways, and uploading them online.

If you live in the states and you love black and white, the biggest secret is Arista 400 which is pretty much re-branded Kodak Tri-X. You can get it for less than $3 USD a roll.

Also another option if you want to shoot black & white film but you want to get it processed at any old lab (C-41) you can get Ilford XP2 which I have found has great contrast.

Bulk-loading

If you want to really save a ton of money shooting film, you should consider “bulk loading.” The concept is you roll your own film into re-usable canisters. You can watch an excellent tutorial below:

Step 3: Loading the film

An obvious step, but you want to load the film into your camera. Once again, every camera has different ways to load film into the camera. Google instructions on how to do it, or even go on YouTube to find tutorials.

Step 4: Pushing the film

Pretty cool: Daido Moriyama signed Ricoh GR21. He often pushed his film to 1600. Photo credit: Japan Camera Hunter

If you shoot black and white film, I personally recommend pushing film to either ISO 800-1600.

What is pushing exactly?

The idea of pushing is that you use a certain type of film (ISO 400 film for example) and then underexpose it by one or two stops, and then make up the difference when processing to get a correct exposure.

What is the benefit of pushing? It allows you to shoot at a faster shutter-speed when on the streets. Garry Winogrand and Joel Meyerowitz often pushed their Kodak Tri-X film to ISO 1200 to get the maximum shutter speed possible when on the streets. The benefit (or for some downside) for pushing black and white film is added grain and contrast (some love it, and some hate it). I personally like the added grit.

So how do you “push” the film? Well, if you have a meter in the back of your camera you simply adjust it to ISO 800 or 1600 (so it tricks the meter into thinking you are shooting with that type of film). If you don’t have a meter in your camera, simply expose pretending that you are using that certain type of film. So when using your light meter, set the ISO to either 800 or 1600.

• If you shoot somewhere really sunny, I would push it to ISO 800.
• If you shoot somewhere pretty gloomy or dark, I would push it to ISO 1600.

Once again, pushing is not mandatory. If you have lots of light wherever you shoot and it is incredibly sunny, ISO 400 is fine. But if you are shooting a lot in the shade or on cloudy/rainy days– pushing will help raise your shutter speed (and also stop-down your aperture to get more depth-of-field).

Some Portra 400 I shot in Istanbul, shot at 400 ISO

For color film, I generally shoot it at the regular speed (ISO 400) as I don’t process color myself, and send it to a lab. Most labs nowadays don’t push film (but some will do it for an extra charge, if it is available).

Step 5: Calculate your exposures

Natural window lighting, with built-in Leica M6 meter and Kodak Potra 400

So you got your film camera, some new batteries loaded, a basic light meter, and some film inside. Now hit the streets.

I personally recommend shooting street photography during the day at f/8. Why? It gives you a good balance between depth-of-field and light, and is an easy aperture to remember (f/8 and be there). Most war photographers and photo-journalists (and street photographers) have trusted shooting at f/8. However note when shooting at night, you will probably have to shoot wide-open at f/2 or f/2.8 (whatever your lens supports).

Once you set your aperture is set to f/8, you need to make two meter readings: one for the highlights and one for the shadows. 

For the highlights, you first expose for a really bright area (where the sun hits) and calculate what your shutter speed needs to be. If you are shooting at ISO 800 at f/8, generally your shutter speed will probably vary from 1000th of a second and above. If it is super-bright, you will probably have to stop your aperture down to f/11 or f/16. (Edit: Rogério Salgado-Martins has mentioned that the Leica M6 manual says for color slides, expose for the highlights. However for color negative film, expose for the midtones).

For the shadows, you expose the darkest part you expect to shoot. If you are shooting with ISO 800 film at f/8, it will generally range from 125th/second to 250th/second.

Once you memorize those two settings, all you have to do is adjust your focus and shutter speed when on the streets. Be cognizant when you are shooting in the sun or the shade– and switch between those two settings you memorized.

If you are shooting with an aperture-priority camera, no need to really fiddle with the settings. If you are using a fully-auto camera, I just keep it in “P” mode. Set it and forget it.

Step 6: Adjust your focusing

Aperture at f/16 and focused to around .9 meters. You can see everything from .7 meters to 1.5 meters will be in-focus

Assuming you are using a manual-focusing lens, you want to learn how to get really good at pre-focusing your lens when in the streets. If you are shooting at f/8, it gives you a relatively deep depth-of-field, which means your focusing doesn’t need to be 100% accurate.

Therefore, I generally get three distance readings:

1. How long the sidewalk is
2. How long half a sidewalk is (just #1 divided by 2)
3. How long it is to the other sidewalk (across the street)

Once you get these three distances memorized, it makes life a lot easier. Therefore when you anticipate a certain shot (at a certain distance), you can prefocus your lens to that distance and click without even thinking.

If you are shooting with a manual-focusing lens (like a Leica, Zeiss, or Voightlander lens) that has a tab, this makes life a lot easier.

On a Leica lens (I will use my 35mm f/2 Summicron as an example) having your tab dead-center is 1.2 meters (roughly the distance of two-arm lengths away). 45 degrees rotated to the left it is .8 meters. 45 degrees rotated to the right it is 2-3 meters. Therefore with practice, you will know where your focus distance is simply by feel (and without having to look through your viewfinder or lens).

To sum up, I recommend using “Zone Focusing” in which you shoot with your lens stopped-down (f/8-f/16) and roughly getting the zone in focus.

Step 7: Click

A photo I took of a man sitting across from me in Amsterdam, with a Ricoh GR1s. All shot with autofocus and “P” mode — auto exposure did a pretty good job

When you are starting off shooting street photography in film, don’t be intimidated. I recommend shooting a lot, and taking down notes. Sure every time you click the shutter it costs money, but you will have to shoot a lot of film to really learn. Don’t worry about the money, just don’t drink Starbucks for a week or two and you should be fine. A simple rule of thumb I learned from Charlie Kirk: “When in doubt, click.”

I also highly recommend taking notes on the settings you use on your film. And when you are done shooting a roll, make sure to use a sharpie to write notes on your film canister as well. For example, always write down if you pushed your film to ISO 800 or 1600. Also write down the shutter speeds, apertures, you use in certain conditions. And once you get your film developed (or develop it yourself) you can see how you have to adjust your exposure the next time you shoot.

You can also first start off by shooting things that don’t move. Perhaps practice on a mannequin by taking your time. Take an exposure reading, adjust your aperture, focus, and shutter speed– and take a few photos. Take them at different exposures, and remember to take notes– so when you get them developed you can see what works best. Also practice shooting in different lighting situations (when it is sunny, cloudy, or rainy) and once again– take notes!

Step 8: Develop your film

Some stuff you will need to develop your own film

There are two ways to develop your film: getting someone else to do it and doing it yourself.

I think developing film is a ton of fun, especially if you have never done it yourself. I have personally used this tutorial below with good results for black and white film.

For a detailed tutorial on how to develop your own black and white film, check out this link: How to Develop Your Own Film.

For color, I recommend just sending it to a lab. Most drugstores do it for quite cheap and will even give you a scanned CD for cheap. I personally use Costco in the states (they charge only $5 USD for one roll of C-41 color film, and a high-resolution scan– around 3000px wide).

Dropping off some Portra 400 at Costco to get developed

I find that developing black and white at a professional lab is damn expensive. So I recommend doing it yourself. Unless you live somewhere where they do it cheap!

Step 9: Scan your film

My scanner, the Epson v750. Pretty much the same thing as the v700. Got a good deal from my friend

If you are hardcore, I recommend trying to print your own photos. However for the majority of us, scanning will do fine to share online.

You need to first invest in a scanner. I recommend two options: The Epson v700 – $600 USD or thePlustek 8100 – $315. The v700 does 35mm and medium-format/large-format scans, while the Plustek only does 35mm. I have found that the v700 is faster in scanning your films (you can batch it), while the Plustek gives you higher-quality scans (but takes longer, as it is one-at-a-time).

I recommend using the Silverfast software that the scanner comes with. It works well, and will give you consistent results. I also recommend scanning at a somewhat high resolution, as re-scanning photos later is a pain in the ass. I don’t do the highest quality scans, but generally around 80% of the maximum setting.

After you are done scanning, you can adjust your photo a bit in Lightroom or Photoshop (basic curves, contrast, brightness, exposure) if you need. And no, this is not “cheating.”

Step 10: Organize your film

Use these to organize your film

This is the most important step–to keep your precious negatives organized. Invest in several Archival Storage Sheets and try to organize your negatives in a binder according to date, location, and even what film you used. Trust me, this will make life a lot easier in the future– if you ever plan to do a book or exhibition– and need to re-locate your negatives for some reason.

For a great guide on storing your negatives, check out Paul Coate’s article: “Storing Film Negatives and Slides.”

Also remember to take notes on your film canisters. Charlie Kirk’s 100th roll in Istanbul last summer

Conclusion

My stash of Portra 400 — almost out now

There are probably a lot of steps I am missing out, and please don’t take this as a comprehensive guide. This is merely an introduction for those who are utterly clueless about shooting street photography with film.

I am also certainly not an expert when it comes to shooting with film– but using the above guide has worked out pretty well for me.

The street photographer’s diet: Cheese and film. Shot in Charlie Kirk’s fridge in Istanbul last summer. Don’t try this at home.

If you have any further questions, suggestions, or corrections– please leave a comment below. I plan on continuing to edit this article as I learn more.

Good luck, and have fun!

More Free Computer Screen Wallpaper

Above is my most recent video posted on Youtube.  Thanks for watching, and please be sure to check out my other videos at Youtube.com
 https://www.youtube.com/user/DarrylMrT/videos

                                                           Women In Photography

2014

Founded in 1981, Women In Photography International is a 501.c.3 outreach organization,
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