The Film SLR Thread

**Tantantiniiin** · 01-21-2010, 01:49 PM

I know its hard to find some Film SLRs these days, pero there's just too many folks posing as "pro/semi pro" photographer and its just because they learned the craft using DSLR (instant preview).

So if you really know photography and passed the basic / advanced courses, that means you can apply the same principles backward to Film SLRs, right?

I tried it a couple of months back using an old Nikon FM2. As a force of habit, after shooting, i looked at the back of the camera, only to see the ripped up film box-top in the slot to remind me what film im using - no photo previews

I believe i got some good shots and my calculations were correct. I just fell victim to a big boo-boo for film users -- not loading the film right.

So, how are you now in using Film SLRs? especially the full manual ones?

Photog classes should make Film still a part of basic photog. Just like driving schools will make you learn manual tranny before moving up to automatic cars.

**Sponsor** · 01-21-2010 01:49 PM

**marty_e** · 01-21-2010, 02:12 PM

They share the same principles on composition, exposure and focus but yes, you're right - there is a different appreciation of photography when one starts off in film. Same nga if you learned to drive on manual first before A/T. Key differences apart from the instant gratification of digital is you're pegged to the same ISO/ASA until the film runs out. Metering techniques also differ since full maual film cameras do not offer AF/AE lock.

While I still shoot film nearly half the time, I can no longer use film cameras that do not have built in meters. That's even more challenging but I'm not up for that anymore.

**lawrencebosox45** · 01-21-2010, 02:18 PM

its just so much more expensive to shoot with film.

kind of reminds me of doing presentations with acetate compared to powerpoint and a computer. sure the content is the same but one is clearly more economical to use.

**macjerk** · 01-21-2010, 02:22 PM

I miss the darkroom and the smell of chemicals. Tsaka yung Enlarger nga ba tawag dun? Yung parang malaking microscope? Ah, tsaka yung nakakainis na lalagyan ng film kung saan kailangan mong ipasok/roll ng maigi yung sa loob habang madilim. Tsk!

**dep28** · 01-21-2010, 02:24 PM

i actually started out with film and yes, it's more fulfilling if you get a shot right.

also, it teaches you to be more picky when looking for a shot, something that i end up still doing even with digital.

**briareos** · 01-21-2010, 02:52 PM

I DO shoot film exclusively. Granted I do use AF/AE Nikon cameras, but they're always on M and MF modes. So they're not too different from a film SLR with a motor-drive. I also do bring a film rangefinder as my everyday carry-everywhere camera.

I take pride in not doing any post-processing, not even cropping. My photos are as they are on film. Some of my photos are out of focus a bit, I have not color-calibrated scanner-film combo which results in not too great colors, and my scanner does not do dust and scratch removing. But, I don't care about those technical things, color can be corrected anytime. More important for me is capturing feel, emotion, and maybe a story in each photo.

Right now, I'm all B&W film. And that's one medium digital can not match.

---

EDIT: Oh yeah, film isn't as expensive as most would like to say it is. A decent SLR can be had for in the range of P5000-8000. And if you are a Nikon DSLR owner with non-DX lenses, you can use those. Film is about P75 per ISO100 36-shot roll. Developing plus CD-scanning, no prints P75-100 per roll. Think of it as pay-as-you-shoot (in 36-shot intervals.) Or post-paid. DSLR are pre-paid.

Entry level DSLRs are at P30000? That leaves you about P20000 for film, equalling 100 rolls. That's a lot of film.
Then 3-5 years later you go out and replace your DSLR for another P30-50000. That's even more rolls for a film user.

**danielg** · 01-21-2010, 03:58 PM

I am using a FM3a, and before that a FM2n along with a Yashica Electro 35 GX Rangefinder and a Yashica MAT 124G TLR. Shooting film is fun and exciting. It's a learning process that is perpetual.

**Tantantiniiin** · 01-21-2010, 04:44 PM

would you guys believe i used to operate an agfa machine that prints harvard graphics slideshows from PC to a Film SLR using acetate film? ah those were the scsi days. I have to configure pa the exposure so the slides would be sharp. If i didnt learn photography during the film days, i probably wouldve ended up spending on ektachromes. Oh, and I have to limit pa my presentation to just 36 slides.

The worst experience was when 2 hours before the presentation, the film boy rang up our office to tell us the slides werent developed. Got tired of the machine so i sent it to our pharma division since they use it more.