Many photographers out there, despite having grown up with digital cameras, want to try film photography, but are reluctant due to the cost of the camera and film development. Here, then, is a guide to low budget film photography.
Steps
Step 1. Buy a cheap camera and lens
Check eBay or other online auction sites to find a used one. There are various things you can do to find the best car at a good price:
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Image A tiny Nikon F55, dominated by a huge Nikon DSLR. Buy an inexpensive plastic SLR with autofocus if you already have compatible lenses (for example if you have a digital SLR). Low-end plastic cameras like the Nikon F55 and Canon EOS 300 have incredibly low prices. You might look funny shooting with those, but the results you get with these small cameras will be "identical" to what you would get with much larger and heavier professional cameras that cost 30 times as much.
Beware, however, of lenses designed specifically for digital SLRs, which usually have smaller sensors than 35mm film. Either they won't be compatible with your camera (like Canon EF-S lenses), or they won't cover the entire 36x24mm frame (Nikon DX lenses).
- The classic autofocus lenses a few years old are also cheap. They don't do well in low light, and they don't do very well in moderate light absorbed by their maximum aperture, but they are on par with others from f / 8 to f / 16 (after which, diffraction limits the resolution of each lens) except in minor cases such as with brick walls. Autofocus lenses can help save you wasted photos if you have trouble with manual focus, and are much better for moving subjects (which autofocus film SLRs can spot and predict, although digital SLRs are much better at capturing. individual decisive moments reliably via series of photos, such as for sports).
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Image Machines and lenses from outdated systems, such as this Canon A-1 and 50mm f / 1.8, have very low prices. Buy an outdated system. The demand for lenses from outdated systems, that is, those totally incompatible with today's digital SLR cameras, is much lower, because no one buys them to use them digitally. Examples are Canon FD mount cameras (such as the Canon A-1 and T90) and Minolta manual focus cameras.
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Image Normal focal length primary lenses are very cheap and more detailed than lenses that cost a lot more. Buy simple primary goals. “Primary” means a fixed focal length lens (no zoom). "Simple" means it is easy to produce. Very wide and / or very fast lenses cost more because they require very complex optics; Fast lenses at normal focal lengths do not require complex optics and, as a result, are much cheaper. Most importantly, they will allow you to shoot in less light and have sharper images than you would with a slower, more expensive and heavier zoom lens. Look for the 28mm f / 2.8, 50mm f / 1.8 (or f / 2 if you're looking for a Pentax), and 135mm f / 2.8.
- Alternatively, don't buy a camera. You probably already know many people who own an old, unused film camera or two of which you could convince them to lend you or give you one.
Step 2. Shoot on color negative film
This film can be developed very economically almost anywhere; slide film requires a very different process called E-6, available only in some photo labs. You won't get the same vibrant colors as the slides (although some color negatives, like the Kodak Ektar 100, come close to it), but you won't need a mortgage to pay for the development of each roll either. On the other hand, the slides only need to be processed and then can be directly viewed on a projector, while with film you may want to print, which can be expensive. (If you intend to transport them digitally, you only need the negatives)
If you like black and white films, there are some that can be developed in the standard C-41 process used for color negatives. Look for the Kodak BW400CN (relatively low contrast, great for taking photos of people) and the Ilford XP2 (high contrast).
The slide has a much smaller exposure latitude and consequently a much higher failure rate than the negatives, except when you are always very accurate, which is not in many cases. The projection of the slides destroys them in a few hours; Periodic presentations gradually consume the longevity of the photos
Step 3. Stay on 35mm
While other formats will offer you more surface area (and consequently more resolution, and less graininess at a given magnification), many mini-labs will not be able to develop and / or scan them, which means you will have to spend more to develop them.
Proper technique with slow film like Fuji Velvia or Kodak Ektar, proper exposure, moderate aperture, and moderate shutter speed or a tripod, can produce very sharp and detailed shots with an old 35mm or even SLR. good aim-and-shoot (who should opt for a low-medium aperture and medium-high shutter speed in their own bright light)
Step 4. Buy lots of rolls
Buy as many as you can afford. As with everything else, stocking up can be "much" cheaper. Plus, the near-expiration film costs less. Wrap it tightly in plastic and throw it in the freezer. It will last for years. Just be sure to thaw it in the plastic - otherwise you will have condensation on the film.
Even when stored in the freezer, film deteriorates at some point, particularly high-speed film - ISO 400 and higher. Long-expired film is not worth using and paying for development, unless you are looking for special effects that are technically poorer than a shoddy digital camera
Step 5. Don't buy a scanner
Your lab has incredibly expensive equipment, and almost all of them have a built-in scanner. Most labs will get great results from automatic scans. Focus on something else.
Step 6. Shoot the photos he does best on film
Film is unsuitable for actions (Sports, moving wildlife, etc.) that require perfect timing and usually need several shots in a second. It can get expensive; get a digital SLR for that sort of thing. On the other hand, the film "is" excellent for poses, such as landscapes, statues and plants.
Step 7. Go out when the light is good
That is, "don't" shoot in the boring midday lighting. The best light is early in the morning and late in the afternoon, around sunrise and sunset at that time. The better the light, the fewer mediocre photos you'll take, which means more acceptable photos per roll, which means you don't waste tons of film blindly hoping to get a good one or two, which saves you money!
Step 8. Think Before You Photograph
Rather than shooting blind, learn to "see". Spend a few minutes refining and simplifying your composition. More photos you can save per roll means you spend less on film.
Step 9. Take one frame at a time
If you have a machine with a built-in engine, set it to “single-frame” mode. If you have an external moped, leave it at home (or keep it plugged in but turn it off, because it's "really cool"). You can easily find yourself with several photos of the same thing from some film-burning motor monster. Your film will run out first, which means you will have wasted money.
Step 10. If you are unsure of the exposure, such as for a backlit subject, tend to over-exposure with color film (unless the shutter is so slow as to blur the photo)
If you want a darker photo you can fix it on your computer, but you can't add details that aren't there. 2 or 3 more stops shouldn't spoil too much of the highlights. (You could put the exposure in parentheses, but this is an article on how to get decent results without spending too much.)
Step 11. Do not print
If you are looking to show your work on the internet, the following procedure usually works cheaper: upload your scans to a CD, and if there is someone you "really" like you can always print them for them at a reasonable price. Some shopping malls and supermarkets will develop and scan your photos at moderate prices without printing them.
Step 12. Opt for longer development times
Unless you are incurably impatient, rather than asking for development in an hour, let it develop the next day, or maybe after a few days if you are particularly patient.
On the other hand, some labs will give you a free roll if you choose development in an hour. Sometimes they give great results, so give it a try.
