Film Photography

There are more and more people by the day looking to get into film. And why not, right? Depending on what you’re looking for, it may be too late.

Don’t you just love a good old-fashioned photographic shootout? Giving yourself a new challenge is not only fun, but it’s a fantastic way to unleash your creativity: you either sink or swim. 

Film photography has seen a real resurgence in the last few years, but after a few decades firmly in the digital age, many photographers have never even picked up a film camera and might not be sure how to get started. If you are interested in shooting film and ready to begin your journey, this excellent video tutorial will help you get up and running in no time. 

The popularity of film is still on an upward trajectory with no signs of slowing down. With the film world changing constantly, it’s time to update the list of underrated and overrated film cameras.

Photography, like anything, has its trends that rise and fall, seemingly at random. Except it never is at random, and the latest trend of film point-and-shoot cameras has seen a surge in the last few years.

If you enjoy adapting vintage lenses to modern cameras, this review of a lens from the 1950s and 1960s, might be for you.

The Nikon FA is the arguably the best valued, vintage, manual focusing 35mm film camera you can buy today. It’s light weight, wonderfully modern for a vintage camera, and the built-in aperture priority mode makes use of the most modern metering of its day which is still unrivaled. 

What’s the longest exposure you’ve ever taken? Thirty seconds? A few minutes? Check out this camera that shoots a ten million-second exposure of the Sun — depending on how long you leave it tied to your roof.

The different experiences felt when shooting analog compared to digital is well known to photographers, but what is it about film photography that makes it so appealing to the point that ever more of us are picking up second-hand cameras from more than 25 years ago?

Few cameras have been able to reach the same level of cult following that the Olympus XA has built up in recent years. Does the camera deserve the hype?

Occasionally, I'll come across a camera that really excites me as a photographer. This offering by Fujifilm may be the weirdest camera I've ever seen, and I love it!

Film photography has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, and it is a fun way to explore your creativity and experience a different way of making images. If you are new to film photography, this excellent video tutorial will provide you with a variety of helpful tips to get you up and running in no time. 

Wet plate photography is an old technique that still has a number of fans today. But is the process dangerous to the photographer?

Film photography has seen a bit of a resurgence in the last few years, and if you are just getting into it, the vast array of cameras out there can be a bit overwhelming at first. This great video review takes a look at a classic camera and a great choice for trying out film, the Canon A-1. 

Thrift stores aside, this is probably the cheapest way to dip a toe into the world of film photography: a build-your-own camera for $35. What could possibly go wrong?

Fujifilm's INSTAX line of cameras have been wildly popular for the company, providing photographers and casual users alike an easy and fun way to take photos that harken back to the days of instant film in the 1970s and 1980s. The Mini 40 is the latest model in the lineup, and this great video review takes a look at how it holds up in practice. 

Bit rot, or the slow deterioration in the performance and integrity of data stored on various forms of digital storage media, is a real concern for photographers. Over time, digital photos degrade and some even become totally defective. The best insurance against this problem may actually be analog film. 

Many argue for their own approach to making photographs. Some people are analog shooters, some are digital, all have their opinion as to which approach is best or superior. I say try them all.

For many people who are into film, medium format is seen as being a natural next step moving on from 35mm. The issue is, of course, that medium format cameras have become very expensive in the last couple years. 

For the overwhelming majority of people, shooting on color film means dropping it off at a lab and waiting for it to be developed. But what if the film came with a weird box and some awful smelling chemicals so that you could develop it at home?

Shooting film might be a dying industry, but don’t let that hold you back from the joy of this lost art. I would also argue that occasionally shooting a film will make you a better photographer! The same things we love about our digital cameras are the things that make us lazy.

As a film photographer myself, one of the biggest struggles when going out to shoot is deciding on the right film. Considerations of film speed and color rendering are two of the most important and these are two that differ considerably between Portra and Ektar. 

For many film photographers, processing color-negative film (C-41) is a bit of an intimidating task. This guide walks you through the steps to make it feel more approachable. 

Few film cameras have the reputation and the history of the Mamiya RB67. The Pro-SD version has been somewhat elusive as it's the most recent of the three versions of the RB. 

Fujifilm has launched its latest instant camera the Instax Mini 40 along with a the new Contact Sheet instant film. The new film has been described to mimic the look of classic contact sheet film. 

The EOS 3 was one of the last film cameras from Canon, and it brought with it a range of advanced and unique features that make it a great choice even today. This excellent video review takes a look at the camera and how it holds up in 2021. 

We have long been in the digital age, but film has remained as an indulgence, a creative tool, or even the medium of choice for a few photographers. If you have been considering dabbling in it, this excellent video will show you some of the reasons it can make you a better overall photographer. 

For a huge Japanese corporation that’s thought to be incredibly conservative, it’s easy to forget that Canon hasn’t been afraid to try out some radical designs over the years. This one is up there with the best of them: a point-and-shoot that looks like a video camera and featuring a flash where you'd never expect it.

A popular photo trend we’ve all seen on Instagram is to bring back the vintage look. People’s love of a good nostalgia trip means they go looking for interesting ways to add old and dated character to their images. 

If you've been paying attention to the prices of film cameras at all, you will have noticed they have been sky rocketing in price. The idea of putting the words "affordable", "good", and "medium format" is nearly laughable with few exceptions. 

Every film photographer out there in this day and age eventually wants to have good scans of their negatives. While it's not difficult to get a great scan from medium format, 35mm present their own challenges. 

There are many ways in which a photographer can tackle a particular project in order to create a set of images that complement each other. — from color to composition, the list is a long one. This photographer points out some interesting themes which have influenced how he approaches his projects.

The Leica M6 is a classic film camera that’s going to set you back well over two grand before you even attach a lens to it. What is it about this camera that makes it so desirable?

Many of us have a penchant for vintage lenses and cameras, but few of us have ever shot with a lens quite like this.

Coming in at nearly five times larger than a full frame sensor, the RZ has resolution for days and can produce tack-sharp images, making it great for landscape work.

The Nikon FE is the perfect blend of a lightweight construction that still feels sturdy and has perfect functionality with my favorite camera feature: aperture priority mode. I never thought I’d find a 35mm camera that I’d use more than my F100 or F2, but here we are. 

Kodak Aerochrome III Infrared Film 1443 was discontinued more than a decade ago, and it now changes hands on eBay for more than $100 for a single roll. If you were to head out with one of these few remaining canisters loaded into your camera, what would you shoot?

One of the worst experiences any photographer can go through is breaking a piece of gear beyond repair. The question is, however, at what point is "broken" too broken to use?

With film photography becoming more and more popular, it’s no wonder people are branching out into surf and film photography. 

If digital images feel a bit too clean and clinical, consider giving your photography some soul by shooting on film. Before buying your first analog camera, here are three things that you should keep in mind.

Not quite a rangefinder but certainly very close, the Konica Hexar gives you a lot of camera for not very much money. However, that beautifully quiet leaf shutter does come with one huge drawback. Is it a dealbreaker?

From the perspective of the film community at large, things have really seemed to be on the up and up lately, almost to a point that it’s annoying. Then, Fuji brought us all back to reality.

Are you a film photographer who wants to explore the final (original?) modern frontier of film? Are you a digital photographer who wants a dramatically different experience? Say hello to the Intrepid.

There are areas of photography that are revered by many photographers, two of them are medium format and Polaroid. However, combining the two has become tremendously expensive in recent years. Perhaps now there's a solution.

For many film photographers, particularly those only recently getting into film, the question of going to medium format reaches everyone at some point. The smallest format, 645, is debatably not worth the additional costs over 35mm.

With film photography growing more and more popular by the day, it's becoming more common to see film on the shelves at camera shops. This video visits Kodak to show us all how Kodak's film is made. 

Most of the time, when you see aerial photography, it is taken with top-end modern equipment; after all, it is not cheap to rent a plane or helicopter, and usually, the photographer wants to get the most they can out of the experience. But that does not mean you can't shoot film from the air, and this fun video shows just what a joy it can be. 

With film's popularity on the rise, photographers shooting both film and digital is becoming more and more common. 

For the past several years, I have done this one thing at the end of the year, and it has been responsible for my improvement more than anything else. 

The year 2020 has been, for a majority of people, an absolutely bizarre year that few (no one?) would want to relive. For this film photographer, here are the best things from 2020: the best expensive gear, cheap gear, inspirations, etc.