My First Camera

[smee]

Hi, I am getting my first camera and I have no idea what to look for. I want a decent camera that is under $150. I want a film camera for now, not digital. As I said, I have no idea what to look for. For example: what is a decent zoom, flash, etc.? Thank you for your help.
Smee

[castledude]

Give everybody a hint, what kind of photgraphy do you want to do...

Go up to Amazon.com and type in "film camera" into the search engine. Click on photo equipment and see what type of camera you want. Post a few of those here and see what the opinions are.

[ukexpat]

Hi, I am getting my first camera and I have no idea what to look for. I want a decent camera that is under $150. I want a film camera for now, not digital. As I said, I have no idea what to look for. For example: what is a decent zoom, flash, etc.? Thank you for your help.
Smee

Why film? Digital is the future!

[paulsilkphotography]

"Why film? Digital is the future!" trust a digimaniac to come on a film camera forum!

Well lets see..pehaps for a $150 he/she wants to learn photography properly on a slr where you have full creative control instead of getting a 2mp point and shoot with one auto setting and no control over creative settings..just a thought

I suggest getting one of the Canon or Nikon starter Slr's then if you add more lenses and accesories later on and then decide to get a digital Slr you will be still able to use the equipment you have aqquired.

crafty
http://www.pbase.com/craftysnapper

[bobtrips]

You haven't said why you want film instead of digital. If you want a 'camera' in order to learn how to take good photos then get a digital. The ability to shoot cheaply and see the results quickly will be extremely valuable for the learning process.

You can get a good digital with manual controls for only a bit over your $150 budget. Take a look at the Canon A75. It should cost you $150 plus about five rolls of film and processing.

If you have some specific need for film (other than taking a photography course that requires film or wanting to learn to do B&W wet printing, I can't imagine a reason) then visit a couple of camera stores and see what they have in their used camera department. People are getting rid of their film camera by the drove and one can pick up a very good film SLR for peanuts. (I just gave mine away.)

[pinemikey]

You can learn much faster when it costs you money to develop pics. That is, you think before you shoot. I've noticed a lot of these digital pictures on pbase which seems like the photographer just put the camera on automatic shutter and took picture after picture after picture. Some of these accounts have reams of wasted shots. Is it really necessary to put EVERY picture online?

Anyway, back to the topic....go to a second hand camera store, or a pawn shop find a used one in good shape (bring some film and try it out)and buy it. If you want new, then most places are selling camera packages for dirt cheap while everybody jumps on the digital bandwagon. If you're more adventurous like me, you can get a good outfit on EBay. I picked up my Nikon FG with a 80-200mm lens with a motor drive..all for $125. It works great too.

The only other piece of advice I would give is to get two lenses. A good zoom with macro capability and a 24mm or less wide angle. You'll really appreciate the super-wide angle. Also don't forget a good tripod and a cable release(for long exposure shots). I'm not into flash photography but a good flash will come in handy, too.

However, it is true the digital is way more convenient and great for quick results, but if all you do is just shoot pic after pic of nothing or extreme closeups of somebody's nose you'll never learn anything. You need patience and quick reflexes at the same time.

Hope this helps.

[apokalipsa]

I agree with pinemikey. If you want to learn about photography you need film camera. Go to eBay and look for canon ae 1 program. Very good camera very easy to use and is not expensive. I got one 4 months ago.

[ukexpat]

Hi, I am getting my first camera and I have no idea what to look for. I want a decent camera that is under $150. I want a film camera for now, not digital. As I said, I have no idea what to look for. For example: what is a decent zoom, flash, etc.? Thank you for your help.
Smee

Why film? Digital is the future!

Jeez can't a guy make a joke?

[jim_panzee]

With 150 dollars there is lots of choice in the second hand film camera market, two I would suggest for very different reasons, would be either an Olympus OM 1 or 2 (4s are very good but also expensive), both are purely mechanical and will give you a good grounding for producing good photos, they are also bomb proof, lenses are also easy to get.
The other would be a Rollie 35, a miniature marvel and if you get the one with a Zeiss lens will produce excellent photographs, this is also a range finder camera so there will be no problems with mirror slap to blur your hand held shots, its the next best thing to a Leica M. You will also not lose any money if you should wish to sell it later. Try to get the German made one if you can although they are difficult to come by.
Notice, I did not mention digital once.

[bobtrips]

Well, I'll agree with Jim on the Olys. I owned three OM1s and an OM4. They were well designed and made cameras. I really did enjoy shooting them.

I'll continue to disagree with him about which works better, film or digital, in the learning environment.

But if you choose film let me offer some suggestions. Buy 24 exposure rolls, not 36. Set aside some 'learning' time, best to go out early in the day. Go to some place not too far from a '1 hour processing' shop. Take a pen and pad and take notes on each shot you take. Record the shutter setting and aperture, whether you used flash, lens length, and any other data that you might want later.

Shoot your entire roll fairly quickly and take it immediately to get developed and printed so that you can review your shots while you still remember what you were attempting to do. Then you can go out and burn another roll....

(Of course you could just digital, step away from the computer, shoot a few shots, view them on the monitor, check the EXIF data for settings. But then it wouldn't be a 'film experience', would it? )

[ray645]

Bob I thought maybe youd like to know there is a digital camera forum here

http://forum.pbase.com/viewforum.php?f=13

[bobtrips]

Gosh! Someone else who wants to supress ideas and information.

[ray645]

Gosh! Someone else who wants to supress ideas and information.

Not supress but put them in the correct forum ,

I dont want to come of like some anti digital freak, but all I have to do is look up at my wall and see film is still much better at some things

Now as far as learning I agree you have some good points, I would like to stress whatever type of camera be it digital or film ispurchased for the intent of learning it should have a manual mode as an option.

Auto is great but would make it hard to understand things like aperture (DOF) shutter speed (subject motion) and how they effect exposure also spot or center weighted meters are better to learn with once you understand these "old" or "simple" meters (its hard to take control of exposure if you have no idea how its being calculated

[bobtrips]

Ray -

Would you please list your 'film' works better items?

I'm not trying to be argumentative or start a fight. I had a long list a couple of years back but my list has been shrinking. I'd like to know if I've overlooked something.

[ray645]

Ray -

Would you please list your 'film' works better items?

I'm not trying to be argumentative or start a fight. I had a long list a couple of years back but my list has been shrinking. I'd like to know if I've overlooked something.

Bob, first let me apologize for my post here, I should have included some more text but I think maybe you just like a good argument, if you really want to help people here I think thats great but it would be more helpful to have an open mind and give the pro's and cons of each

I would also like to make my position clear, I am NOT pro film or digital I use the best tool for the job, this is where I think we are different you would seem to be VERY pro digital (just my opinion from reading your posts here in the FILM forum and on Dpreivew)

This thread starts with for $150 they would like to buy a camera to learn photography and that rules out 99.9% (CF cards will eat up half) of all digi's let alone a decent one with a larger sensor, that $150 could get a nice used Rollei TLR medium format camera and a few rolls of film and processing

I have seen these never ending threads film vs. digital and have no desire to get into one with you so all I will say is go out and see for yourself look at large print from a roll of 120 and some smaller 11x14's from a DSLR its will be painfully clear film is still much better at fine detail and dynamic range

Bob I wish I could speak face to face with you, I am 100% sure if I could show you a couple large prints from my Bronica (worth about $500 used) you would see what Im talking about, I would even bring a few digital prints from a D1x and D2h to compare ($2500-3000 used)

I would like nothing more than to only have 1 type of camera but for many things film is still a better choice and on budget film gear is a great choice (I am speaking of QUALITY not QUANTITY of images)

Pointless debate, and everone should go out and compare print quality themselves

regards
Ray