There are millions of people who enjoy photography. From casual photos of friends and family to more serious and stylistic photos taken just to try to communicate something deep and meaningful and every photo in between, photography is a beloved hobby with several easy and affordable entry points from simple point-and-shoot digitals to Instax to Polaroid. But while digital photography is an easy and convenient hobby to pick-up, is film photography something a hobbyist could into without much cost or a steep learning curve?
Can I Shoot Film as a Hobby?
Absolutely! You do not need to be a professional to be a film photographer. 35mm film is still available in stores like Wal-Mart, Target, CVS, and Walgreens. Rolls of 35mm film come in color negative, black and white negative, and color positive or slide film. Film rolls also come in 24, 27, and 36 exposures (the count of photos you can take on a roll) as well as a variety of ISO’s for taking photos in different lighting. Prices range from $4.19 per roll to $23.95 for high end professional and specialty films. You can check prices on 35mm film at Amazon by going here!
Most individuals avoid film photography because they are inexperienced with the equipment, unfamiliar with how to process their film, and unsure of what film to buy. But a little bit of advice can help you get started and can having you shooting your first roll of film in no time!
What Kind of Film Camera Should I Buy?
This is a difficult question to answer because there are so many factors to consider. Availability, affordability, availability, automation, and ecosystem all need to be considered when it comes to purchasing a film camera. As you consider these factors, weigh them to see which factor is going to be the most limiting for you and you can start from there.
Availability,
There are very few film cameras in production today. Lomography.com still produces a few plastic ‘toy’ cameras. There are several ‘Simple’ use cameras out there as well. All of these are at the lowest end of the quality scale, but because they are new, might come with a higher price tag than some used models.
There are a lot of used cameras on the market out there. 35mm film cameras mostly just were put in the back of the closet and have been sitting. Locally, you can find them for sale on Facebook market place. In my experience, the selection is always limited, but its a great place to start! Ebay is also a great place to look. Ebay usually has a broader selection but you lose out on the ability to inspect the camera yourself before you buy.
Affordability
Let’s be honest, if you have money, you can spend it all on a camera. Setting a budget and sticking to that budget is important, after all, you don’t what spend all of your money on your camera and have nothing left over to buy and process your film! You can expect to spend anywhere from $20 to $200 for a good used 35mm film camera. If you’re just getting into film, get something cheaper. If you’re looking to make this something you do for a while, you may want to shoot for a middle of the road camera. Mainly, inspect the camera for functionality and features and consider what your budget is when buying.
Automation
Unlike modern cameras, a large number of film cameras a completely manual or only offer a few automatic features. You might find a shutter or aperture priority mode, but that may well be it. There are more automated 35mm cameras out there, but usually, their prices are higher because of the extra features. But, it doesn’t hurt to get a manual or almost completely manual camera. its a great way to experiment and learn. Combining the film with a manual camera will force you to think about every shot you take, which is a great discipline to develop while you are starting out. I have found that when I shoot with the more feature rich cameras I tend to think less about things like composition and letting and I get lower quality shots.
Ecosystem
Most cameras fall into an ecosystem of lenses and accessories. If you’re already a Canon shooter, then you should stick a canon SLR. If you’re already using Nikon, definitely stick to Nikon. If you don’t have anything, well then pick one and do a little research as to what other lenses are out there for the camera, does this camera have any cross compatibility with any other accessories or lenses, how durable are these cameras and how repairable are these cameras? Even as a hobbyist, when you buy a camera, you’re buying into an ecosystem.
What Kind of Film Should I Buy?
Kodak UltraMax 400 is a great beginner film!
To be honest with you, I’d go cheap at first. When I was first using film, sometimes I would forget how to do things and would accidentally expose an entire roll of film by opening the camera or forgetting to rewind. Once I forgot to release the film sprockets and I tried rewinding an entire roll with the sprocket lock still engaged. I shredded an entire roll of film. I really love the Kodak UltraMax 400 film for beginners. Its a great film, really inexpensive and produces good color results for a decent price. Its a great daylight film and works well in some shadows too. Inside photos with a flash also produce good results but expect a lot of light fall-off and darkness if objects or people are outside of the flashes power.
We’ve also got a great guide to the 3 Best Kodak Film for Beginners here - it has a lot of great information that could help you make a more informed decision!
Where can I get my Film Processed?
Processing is the hardest part, in my opinion. Locally, you can get your film processed at CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart, but they will not give you your negatives back. You definitely WANT your negatives back! They will give you prints and scans (usually lower resolution ones) but the negatives get trashed. If you’re local to us (East Dallas/East Texas), we can process your film for you! We offer drop-off and mail-in. Just click here to get the process started!
If you have the patience, you can mail your film into a place. There are several labs out there and most of them are amazing. Richard Photo Lab is a great place and has some amazing prices! The Dark Room is another great lab I’ve used and love their results. There are lots of other options out there, just jump on Google and find a lab that works for you!
Of course, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can always develop your own film at home. This requires quite a bit of equipment and some patience, but it is an option if this is a hobby you plan on keeping up with for a while.
Almost all labs will get you scans and/or prints and many offer online galleries which are great because you can view your photos as soon as they are processed, download them and share them all over the place!
Film Photography is a Great Hobby to Start!
Unlike digital photography, there’s more of a deliberate action with each press of the shutter button when you’re taking film. I don’t know if its the limited exposures, the cost, the time, or what but it forces you to think more about what you are shooting and in my opinion, always produces much better results! With the availability of so many great film cameras at really low prices and the convenience of companies like Amazon and B&H Photography, you can get any film you want delivered in just a few days if not sooner! If you’ve been hesitant to get in to film photography, now’s a great time to start AND we would be happy to help you or answer any questions you might have! We love film photography and in the 35mm film format, we’ve had some of the most fun you can have with a camera! Contact Us if you have any questions and lets get you shooting film asap!