Film Photography
Going from digital to film photography can be a bit tricky, but in this video series, I’ll take you along on a journey to becoming a better film photographer.
Make sure to see my favorite photography courses by famous photographers, too.
This video covers all the basics of film photography. We talk about how to pick your 35mm film camera and how to use the ISO, shutter speed, and aperture and get sharp photos by mastering the focus. Disclosure; Some of the links in this article contain promotions to companies.
Picking your starter film camera
I’m very fortunate to photograph with a Rolleiflex 2.8F, which is a medium-format film camera.
Four great 35mm film cameras
1. Canon AE-1. (My first) Get Canon AE-1 on Amazon.
2. Pentax K1000 – Get K1000 on Amazon.
3. Nikon FE2 – Get Nikon FE2 on KEH.com
4. Leica M6 (if money isn’t an issue for you) – Get Leica M6 on KEH.
Street photography on film
Street photography is about this decisive moment - and mixing that with manual focus and manual exposure, then you’ll end up taking completely different street photography compared to when you shoot digital.
Which film rolls should you get?
Kodak Portra 400 is the king of color negative film.
For black and white photography, I’d recommend Ilford HP5 Plus 400 or Kodak Tri-X 400: These are my two favorite black and white film stocks for street photography and portraits.
Note: If you want a deep dive into film photography, check out this free Skillshare course on Film Photography 101 or watch some of these photography courses.
FAQ
What’s the best film camera for beginners?
I’d start with a 35mm camera because it has more than as many exposures as a medium format camera. Which makes 35mm a lot cheaper than medium format photography.
My two recommendations for beginner 35mm cameras
More film photography equipment
Film scanner
If you plan to scan and make your film photos into JPGs, then you will need a scanner like the popular Epson V600. Get it on Amazon.
How do I meter and expose my photograph?
In digital photography, you would normally expose for the highlights. The brightest part of the images is to achieve that natural look.
In film photography, it’s vice versa. When shooting with an analog camera, you should meter or expose for the shadows, because when shooting film, it’s a lot more common to get an under-exposed photograph, than an under-exposed one.
What ISO should I use?
Every film roll comes with a rating. An ISO that the company suggests you use and you should use the recommended ISO. Once you see the results after you have developed your rolls, then you can experience pushing and pulling your film.
What does it mean to“Push and “Pull”
Pulling is when you use a lower ISO than what the film you are shooting with, is rated as. So if a film roll is rated 400 and you use an ISO of 100 because you are taking pictures on a bright sunny day, then you are pulling. If you take pictures at night or in low-light situations and you use an ISO of 1600 instead of 400, then you have pushed your roll.
Most high-speed rolls, like Kodak’s Portra 400, Ilford’s HP5 and Kodak TriX can be pushed and pulled 1-2 stops with great results.
How to get better at manual focusing
Most old film cameras use manual focusing and it’s one of the complicated things about film photography; especially if you do street photography.
The only way for you to improve your manual focusing is to practice. You can practice at home by pointing your camera toward different objects in your house, without taking any pictures.