I began my journey on my father's film cameras during the late 80's & graduated to a Nikon F4 film body as a professional during the late 90's. After moving to digital with my Nikon D1 I did not look back until my teenage daughter decided to LOVE everything from the past which included film photography. Today, I shoot film with a different F4 (sold my old body long ago) and a beautiful F5 which I had dreamt about owning during the 90's - I still shoot digital as a professional but I add film as a customer option. My daughter has a Nikon N2020 she acquired herself and a Nikon F3 I bought for her (this Christmas she will receive an FM2N as a gift which she has been asking for). Adding film back into my life has made me appreciate what and how I shoot even more.
I never stopped using film. I have a Nikon F2A, an FE, an Fm3a, a Pentax ME, and a Mamiya 645 (along with a dozen Nikkor primes and zooms). I shoot transparencies, b&w, and Portra. My digital is a decade old Nikon D700 which to my eye produces color like my Kodachrome 25 used to produce.
I had a silver Nikon FM3a in Mint condition, and sold it to fund the purchase of a brand new Leica MP in Black Paint. A year later, I noticed the person I had sold it to was looking to sell it, and so I bought it back at the same price (only a few rolls went through the camera). Now, I have the dream team of film cameras: the FM3a and the MP. I don't imagine there is a better combo, as both are so fun to use and if one needs a repair, the other is still a blast.
Thanks so much for the inspiring video! I was very into film photography back in the 90s. Won a couple of college contests along the way with my trusty FM2. Then digital happened at the same time I graduated in 2000 and got deep into career... and marriage... and kids... and of course older and wiser... Then one day I dug around and found my FM2 again! Heck, why not shoot with it. I've got migraine issues and I've got a resolution in 2022 to use (film) photography as a means of therapy. It's mid February and I've shot more than 20 rolls already since the start of the year (the FM2 works perfectly after a long hibernation!). I've even tried a couple of rolls on a Voigtlander (it was tucked safely with the FM2). Now with a renewed passion and greater spending power, I'm itching to find a Nikon companion for my FM2. And the FM3A seems like a good fit. I love that film photography on a manual camera brings out the creativity in me. I see things differently. I take the time in this mobile-selfie-quicksnap world to compose and THINK! And of course the joy of anticipation when we send the roll in for developing. Everyone's talking about mindfulness these days. Have they thought about manual film photography? :)
Just like my Pentax ME Super! An 80-200mm f/4, I have that too. For a camera system costing almost nothing, it's still among the most pleasant to use with a gorgeous viewfinder to look through.
So cute to hear you explaining how an all mechanical film SLR works. Then I have to remind myself that I'm 56 years old and although I learned photography on cameras like this, there are lots of younger people who have no idea how these cameras operate. The takeaway is that I am OLD...lol!
I have an FM2, and I got it when I was 23. I remember film being shot when I was a kid, but I’d just missed it as a teenager-adult, and felt like I only became a photographer (person interested in photography) when I actually wind up a roll of film. It feels real and tangible. Also, I find myself taking better photos on film than I do on digital, at least I think more.
Enjoyed watching this and glad that you express the joys of shooting with cameras that are essentially manual. I started shooting with film - Nikon F4 and Canon A-1 cameras for my work, doing industrial, wildlife, travel and scenic photography from the early 1980's. I moved onto digital when that became available because I lost a huge amount of my work: years' worth, when my car was stolen and my collection of transparencies in the car were burnt by the thieves. Digital offered the ability to make multiple backups and that was huge to me. I still have one of each of those original cameras, they still operate and right now they have batteries and film in them, but I don't shoot as much as I should do with them. Still, one thing has also lasted - the habits I learned when I shot. Then, with a limited amount of film, a fixed ISO (ASA then) and essentially manual functions, one had to go slow and consider each shot - there was no chimping. That was especially true when I was out in the wild, with limited film stock, so every shot was precious. What it did, was turn photography into an occasion - a process I know savour. I still shoot with the same considered approach, and make a lot less images than my digital native contemporaries. For me, that still captures the joy of the process and frankly, I get a very high number of keepers, so I don't have to wade through 600 images at the end of the day.
I worked in a camera shop when this was on sale, and it was my favorite to play with. It felt incredibly solid and satisfying to snap off photos. Our display model had the matching 45mm pancake lens that together with the camera looked so cool. I don’t think we ever sold one, but I always wanted it and was glad it was made.
Fantastic that you have re discovered photography! yes genuine film. It is far different to imaging and actually developing your own film and then printing the negatives is the full circle. Nothing more rewarding. The camera is only a tool but the simpler the tool the better you'll gain the understanding of the process. You make the decisions not the camera, you select the shutter speed, the F stop, under expose for low key photos or over expose for high key images. the meter only reads 18 percent grey, you decide what's black or whats white, same in colour whats rich in colour or faint in colour. Enjoy your journey. The FM3a is a gem and a one of a kind. Nikon ended the compact F series with a camera that is all mechanical, yet electronic in the same body, Like having a FM2 and FE2 in one body! You have auto aperture priority. No batteries, no problem, the shutter is fully mechanical just like the FM2. Fire away from bulb to 1/4000 of a second. This camera will never disappoint you. when I was a full time news photographer (Photojournalist), many of us in the profession had a mechanical FM or FM2 in our camera bags loaded with Tri X just in case the battery dependent gear failed. That's how reliable Nikon mechanical cameras are. :)
I use film câmeras since 1980 and still use today with the same Joy. I have many digital câmeras to but nothing like the old facion way. I still reveal my negatives to and the Magic cames on. Congratulations for your Chanel . From Portugal.
Even as an enthusiast, I wish my low-tech, first film gear was that simple, back then (40+ years). Let's see now, F2A + Motor Drive + Battery Pack + Lens + Metz CT flash + bounce diffuser + optional telephoto attachment + external lead acid battery pack. That was the fun part, followed by the 'chemical smell and sweat' darkroom hours to process & print B&W and color. 🙂
I agree completely with your 'having to think about the shot' and the impact that this has on the keeper rate. I have several professional Nikon camera bodies (FM3a, F3, F5, D3, D850 & Z9) and still love the FM3a for it design simplicity, functionality and build quality. I still shoot some film and will never part with my FM3a. You have yourself a new subscriber.
I sought out 2 Canon EOS 3 Cameras. I use them to a)get a real hands on experience creating black and white images, B) shooting film expands my skill as a Photographer. I can also hand develop and print my images. I feel more confident in my skills using film and by shooting film, I develop skills in using light and shadow more effectively.
I always enjoy watching your videos. I have gone almost entirely digital with many modern Leica cameras and lenses. I have many 35mm film cameras dating back to the 1970’s mostly Canon. But every time I look at my beautiful medium and large format film cameras on the shelf I have the urge to dig out my darkroom equipment and get back to basics. My most treasured cameras are a Fuji GF670, a Rollei Hy6 Mod2 and a lovely Ebony SV45 TE. I always developed my own film for total control. You have helped move me closer to the edge. After watching this video I immediately went and picked up each film camera and thought…. how could I ever have abandoned each of you. Keep up the good work.
My first camera which really worked for me was my grandfather's Braun Paxette. It had a rangefinder which really helped in getting sharp images. Exposure had to be estimated, but that didn't matter. Then after a Minolta X300 and X700 I went to digital but did not like it. When I was looking for a Nikon F100 I found the prices low for film cameras. I found a F5 for 240 euros. And boy did that camera give me back the joy of photography! The feel in the hand, the autofocus, the exposure. And still you have to concentrate. Nowadays I'm going Digital, with a D3 and D4s. The D2xs didn't meet my expectations.
I just bought a Nikon FM3a the other day. I cannot wait to receive it. I used to shoot digital and had a Nikon D800. I now decided to switch to film for various personal reasons. Some of my top reasons are that the FM3a does not require batteries, I believe that it will last longer than most digital cameras, and that film is supposed to have a high dynamic range that is difficult for digital cameras to replicate.
I was fortunate to be able to buy a used Nikon F100 from my mentor 2 years ago and I've been loving the film journey. Best part for me is that I can use my lens collection on both the F100 and my D750.
I use a borrowed Minolta on rare occasions. My first camera was a Canon Tlb, then the Ftb. I still have it, minus the crank which explains why I use someone else’s camera. It’s nice knowing you only get one or two chances at an image.
I too, for whatever reason love to go out and shoot with my many Minolta film cameras. Those Nikon's look fabulous. Please do post some more of the pics.
Just yesterday shot my first roll of film again in 10 years. Nikon FE2 with 50mm f/2 lens. The involvement factor is so much higher than with autofocus digital everything. Loved it. Missed it.
I used a variety of 35mm film cameras when that's all there was. Started out with a Pentax ME Super (great little camera). When digital came along I jumped on the bandwagon like most other photographers. Oddly, I'm now finding that the more digital shots I take, the less I keep! It's too easy to keep blatting away without really thinking about the image. As a result, I've gone back to film in quite a big way now - it's my primary photographic medium. Like you, I use an FM3A, but my all-singing and dancing film camera is a Nikon F5. It weighs a ton, but at least if it ever breaks I can use it to hammer in nails 😉.
I may be ‘a day late, a dollar short’ on this post, but like with film photography, it’s never too late to begin your passion! I started film photography in ‘78 with an Canon A-1, while still in college, taking advantage of the availability of a dark room to develop my skills. I never really left film photography when digital hit the market. I embraced both types of photography equally, using skills learned from each style to build upon developing skills in the other. The mound of cameras and accessories started to grow with film gear out distancing digital by a significant margin. As cameras I’d fantasized about dropped in price, I snarfed them up like an addict who found free drugs! AE-1P, F3/T’s, F5, F6, F-1 New, Z-7, etc., all seemed to be falling into my waiting, shaking hands! And then out of nowhere a wonderful transition camera hit the market that seemed to permit the joy of pseudo ‘film’ photography gear without the need for film in a digital camera: enter the Nikon Df! What a delightful camera to shoot! I ended my digital purchases here but not the joy of shooting in digital with film as my primary style of photography. There’s plenty to enjoy in photography if you’re just willing to look for it! I did!
While I never stopped shooting film, I did (and do ) use my digital a lot. I have eleven film cameras that I rotate through one roll at a time. they are fun to use and its fun to see what I can come up with. Very few people ever see my pictures. They are just shot, processed and stored away. I'm just poking away for fun. My friend Kathy gave me a "fifty two photo challenge" book to keep me busy this year. I'm a little behind on it. enjoyed your video.... like a nice chat with a friend. Thank you.
My dad used to shoot film and developed it himself. So I grew up with film photography and shot mostly a Canon AE1 which he didn't use anymore since his switch to Nikon. He later quit as the first digital Nikons came out, got a D70 and all the good stuff which came out afterwards and that's consequently the path that I walked. But last year I I had a severe discussion about photography, composition, technique, light and so on with him. Annoyed he told me to put my money where my mouth is and handed me his old Mamiya 645 medium format film camera. I don't know if he expected me to fail but I didn't anyway and my photos where correctly metered and focused and he was somewhat in between astonished and proud. Since then I mix my photography up and switch between the different systems. I also grabbed his old F80 for 35mm and got even into Polaroid lately. I enjoy everything: film or digital. Gear is only such a small part of our artistic vision but it can add to it if chosen wisely.
I used to shoot with a F3 back in college and sold that. Found my father's FE2 in the garage and started shooting film again. It has become sentimental so I'll shelf it and buy another SLR.
I’ve got one of these en route to me now, and thus I’m scouring UA-cam videos about it. Cannot wait to get out in the world with it. Thanks for the video!
Subscribed. When I was but a wee lad, my Dad carried his Nikorrmat with him everywhere, and I was never allowed to touch it. Something about that silver machine burned a sense of mystery in my brain, but by the time I started buying cameras we were at the D2X already. Back in school in middle age, I took a photo class with my new Z camera, but to my surprise, they started us on film. What does burn and dodge mean? You understand all this stuff more innately when you learn hands-on in the medium it originated in. I got a Nikonos V, figuring it did what my Z doesn't, enabling photos in rainy/muddy/rough mountain biking days. Dad thought it was frivolous and a bit silly to be learning film in 2020, but eventually quit fighting and pointed out the Nikonos is basically a point & shoot, and said if I had one film camera, it should be an FA, which he got me for Christmas. An amazingly advanced camera (yay Matrix Metering!, etc), it is definitely the dark horse of the Nikon line, and weirdly inexpensive even in mint condition. However, all the rave reviews of the FM3a weighed heavily on me conscience, and I now have this NOS one that just arrived from Japan. The build quality of this thing is practically jewelry. But I can't understand why they made the FA with all manner of modern conveniences and then chopped several of the more useful ones out to make the FM3a. Maybe they thought they'd put the more sophisticated features in the F6 and keep this more true to the FM2? Dunno, but I sure am glad to have both, and yet saddened to hear that there can never be a successor, since Nikon the camera maker is no more, having in a single awful decision disbanded their aging workforce of precision mechanics, losing a century of accumulated manufacturing skill and expertise. From an engineering standpoint these incredible machines are the result of thousands of mature systems and millions of internal revisions. To build another, they'd need to rebuild all that, which would be impossible. I guess that makes these cameras even more special. So I still shoot digital for work, but when I shoot film, it's for me.
Since the 1970s, I have shot thousands of pictures, both for my job working on the base newspapers in the military and everything else. For some, it is the sense nostalgia, like driving a 1970 MGB sports car after driving the lates Mazda MX-5 Miata. Going back to film is a great way to see how it was done hundreds of years ago. And it is really fun if you can get developing equipment and an enlarger to make your prints. Then you can appreciate when people back then taking photos for newspapers, magazines, advertisements, that they took their time to be precise. There was no unlimited film rolls for 35mm cameras. More difficult were those big 8x10 cameras that took one photo at a time. We are fortunate today to have such wonderful cameras, whether built into our cellphones or these hybrid cameras that do stills and videos. Incredible.
I still use my Yashica FX-2 my parents gave me as a teenager in 1976. I take it out to remember how to take pictures with purpose. It's completely manual with only an exposure needle. It brings me joy. It's the camera I learned photography with, and it reminds me what I should do to get more keepers.
I started getting serious about photography 3 years ago when I retired and was only interested in digital. About a year ago I started playing around with black and white digital pictures and it wasn’t long before I started researching film. I now own a Nikon FM2N which I really enjoy using. I totally agree with needing to slow down with film. Looking forward to my dual photo journey of digital and film!
Your spot on when you say shooting film is unfinished business. So stoked to have a Nikon FM and F80. Would have loved to have the knowledge, time and money to have taken images with these cameras in my early twenties. All the missed images in my minds eye.
My girlfriend and I have an ever growing collection of analog cameras in 35mm, medium format and even several Polaroids. Although my girlfriend uses mainly a dslr for her work, when we feel like taking a walk, we always reach for an analog camera. And with a choice of various Nikons, Minoltas, Leicas, Bronicas and so on, it never gets boring. We develop black and white negatives ourselves while we have color negatives developed in a lab. Shooting analog is so much fun and it really does slow down your process not only by forcing you into manual mode but it really makes you think about your shots. Sometimes it takes us several months to complete a single roll of 35mm film. Anyway, even though it can be tedious and is getting more and more expensive, analog photography is so much fun and the feeling you get when you finally see your negatives either scanned or enlarged on an enlarger is unbelievable. Cheers!
Beautiful machine! I have about thirty film cameras - mostly Olympus, including some very fine rangefinders and one rare medium format folder. I don't know what it is about film, but it's so compelling. In maybe unrelated news, I also collect fountain pens. Perhaps there's an analogue yearning somewhere inside me. I do mainly shoot digital, but use film when I can - particularly for street shooting. Hope you have plenty of fun with the new girl!
I collect old cameras. My favorite is a mechanical Nikkormat from the late 1960s, considering it's the only one of my antique cameras that film can still be purchased for.
9:35 you missed one of the coolest mechanical tricks up this camera's sleeve. That little black tab under the winder disengages the film advancement when wind the lever allowing for multiple exposures. I would spend a pretty penny to get the matched needle exposure in a modern digital camera. Some have come close but nothing I've enjoyed using.
I still have my Nikon F801s bought from new in 1992. And my favorit Minolta XD7 I found on ebay for a bargain prise of £50. So when my son asked me about using film I had my old darkroom up running within an hour. Great fun.
Film .... Over the past couple of months, I have been getting back into film. It's a different experience than digital. (My main digital camera is a Nikon Z5. I really like it. It replaced a D700, which I still have, as my main digital camera.) I have started using my 35mm film Rollei 35s I've owned since new in 1979. It is an absolute jewel of a camera. it uses 35mm film and has a 40mm/2.8 Zeiss lens made under license by Rollei. Fully manual shutter speed and aperture and focus. Viewfinder, not a rangefinder, a viewfinder, with parallax marks for close focusing, say within 5 feet. The light meter works with an adapter that steps down the voltage of a modern 1.5v battery to the 1.35v of the original mercury battery. It is a very small camera and I'm really enjoying using it again. I will confess I've forgotten to focus on more than one occasion. Eventually I'll relearn that skill. The 35s forces you to pay attention to all the details and think what you are doing. A couple of years ago I picked up a pristine FM3a in black. It's a fabulous camera. The design is brilliant ... the hybrid electronic and mechanical shutter is a wonderful piece of engineering and manufacturing precision. Build quality is first rate. And it's really fun to shoot. It also forces you to think about the details and what you're doing. I also have a Nikon F5 I bought new in 2003. It's a tour de force for its era. It's an interesting comparison to the FM3a as they were contemporaries. It also weighs a ton. With a sturdy lens attached you could use it as a hammer if needed and it would still work as a camera. FM3a versus F5. I don't think you can really compare them. It's like apples and oranges. They're both good but they're different from one another. I would say they are both Nikon's high-water marks for film cameras. Regardless of which I might be using, I am enjoying going back to the future with film. As an aside, I still have my Mamiya/Secor 500TL my parents bought me for a 21st birthday present in 1967 when I was in university. I haven't tried to run a roll of film through it. Sounds like a project for another day to see what if anything it can do 56 years later. At the end of the day, we all have our favorite cameras and camera loves/hates. It's not about what any of us think of someone else's camera choices or opinions. It's about our unique joy in using the camera we have in hand and seeing what we can capture on film or a sensor.
I found my way back to Filmphotography a while back, before the Pandemic started. Like you i always felt i had "unfinished " business with film. My last film camera was the Nikon F100 back in 2006 or so. And before that i had shot film all my life but not with the same kind of passion or knowledge, i was very late letting go of my F100 and film gear and was quite sad when i finally felt like i had to jump into Digital at the time. I was not totally convinced until i had the D700 in my hand. For me that was the first digital camera i felt at that time would make me believe film was not the only way. Fast forward many years, i had Fuji cameras, Leica, all kinds of Nikons. Stayed true to Nikon all along the way though and to date i still have a Nikon DF and a D4( the last digital cameras i felt i liked and loved the sensor of. After that i stopped wanting any newer cameras. I did find partly what i was searching for in Leica and especially the leica Q that i owned 2 of and still to this day really loved. Digital Leica cameras almost feel like you are shooting analog and at least give you a different look than all those newer cameras from other brands. But when i finally got into film again, buying a Nikon Fe2 and expanding after that i felt like coming home again :) I too at a point during that journey lusted after a mint FM3a, and in the end found one. Thats one camera i wont let go of. Just like my Nikon Df. I think both will always have a cult following and be valued as great cameras in years to come. About if i have started shooting other film cameras, yeh too many to count by now lol. That is a part of photography i guess we cannot escape, that GAS ;) The ones that are worth mentioning and some of whom i still keep to this day would be, a Rolleiflex 75 T, a Konica Pearl 4 folder ( my two medium formats, i like them to be portable ) Leica M4, Rollei35, Konica Auto S3, Olympus RD, Voigtlander Bessa R2a, Kodak Retinette 1a( was my fathers camera, just started using it), and my two beloved Pentax Spotmatics, a SP and an F with some great Takumar lenses to match :) Point and shoots i still have are: Konica A4, the Nikon L35AF2. I think those are the ones worth mentioning.....OW....i got that Nikon F100 again as well, was not going to not get that last of my film cameras again :) Keep up the film shooting! /Martin the Swede.
Ahhh.... The days of waiting anxiously to see your film developed and realizing that you either captured your vision or missed the mark! I last shot film back in 2004 and bounced between Canon and Kodak up to that point in time. I got my first DSLR in 2011. That said, I still look at used film cameras and I am contemplating a purchase because of the nostalgia as opposed to anything else, but still undetermined because it's more like a blast from the past rather than something I need like a Z9 for example :)
I used to have both the F6 and an FM3A. Both were wonderful machines. There are times I long to use cameras like that again. There are time when I long to go even further and buy a Hassy 501CM like I used to own. I have gone so far as to put one in my cart, then my practical side kicks in and I never click buy. When I had my FM3A my favorite lens was the AI-S 105mm f/2.5 . Incredible portrait lens and worth investing in. You enjoy those film Nikons. I will have to stick with my Z6II and Z50 bodies. I will live vicariously through your videos on your film cameras though.
I think my Dad used to own the Nikon FM3a, or possibly even whatever came before it! Now, bearing in mind that I'm now nearly 50, we are going back while! But I still remember playing with all my Dad's cameras (when they didn't have a film in!) Winding the shutter lever and pressing all the dials and buttons! Great fun as a kid!
Loved film photography although it could get expensive. You had to be more deliberate than with digital or mirrorless because of film restrictions. I still have all my grandfathers, fathers cameras. They are in addition to mine from Brownie starflex to the Nikon Z50.
I am fortunate to own several 35mm cameras as well as medium format. I also own 2 Nikon digital cameras along with several lenses. I use all of them and each has a place in my photo world and I just love to get out in the fresh air and relax and shoot. Film is definitely my favorite as of late but all formats work well for me. Just my 2c
I recently got back into film again. I have 2 medium format cameras that are super fun. You have limited shots so you really have to slow down and think. I also have three 35mm one's that I also love. It's hard to keep up because it's very expensive but so rewarding when you get the scans back. I may have to look into this camera as I don't have a film in Nikon. Great info here. Thanks!
My first camera back in 1981 at 17 years old was the Nikon FM. When I went into the US ARMY and became a combat photographer we trained on everything... but shot on the Canon F1. I for myself bought a Nikon FE2 and it became my personal primary camera. Went to medium format from there. Now I am shooting on the Lumix S5.
Thanks for the presentation. It reminds me I got my Nikkormat FTN in 1976, the FE in 1979. I shot Nikon film cameras until I eventually got my first Nikon DSLR which was a D40 in 2014, and I still use it every once in a while. I no longer shoot film camera, but I started to collect a few Nikon’s. I now have the FE, F, F2A, two FMs (chrome & black), FM2, FM2n, FM2T, unused chrome FM3A, plus a good collection of Ai and Ai-S portrait lens all in mint condition.
Leigh, being 68 years old; my first camera was aPentax super ME film camera. Being a hobbyist photographer I was not very knowledgeable at the time with photography. So lots of bad photos and experimenting. But I have to say most of my memories of my 2 daughters growing up are all on film. So I have a soft heart for film photography. As retired Electrical Engineer, I am really enjoying the latest technology with camera gear. So with that said, I own the Nikon D7200 and Z50 and never going back to film. With now having grand kids, I have more keeper of my family. But I have to say there is something to be said about a properly expose in focus film photo that bring back some awesome memories. Always enjoy your videos.
I surely don’t want to return to film, but look at the size of that mainstream camera from a decade ago. Only now are we getting back to sensibly sized cameras from Nikon. I now use a Z50 and it’s like a time machine back to cameras of yore. So easy to carry and use.
Just bought my first digital camera (which I've not been able to quite figure out yet!), and have found it leaves me, well, a little flat. I think I'll stick to my nearly 40 year old Minolta X700. It just works... and works, without a hitch, for all these years. There's a certain character and dimension to shooting film that is oh so satisfying. And working in a darkroom is absolutely wonderful! I've been doing it for 50 (!) years, and never grow tired of it. Give it a try! There is a true artistry to it.
I never shot film, except for a few pictures with my dads Nikon F401 on full auto mode in the 90's when I was like 10 years old. When I started to get interested in photography film was absolutely dead (around 2010). I bought a Nikon FM (first series) half a year ago when I came across one on the local Ebay equivalent. I loved the way the camera looked and it was dirt cheap. I intended to buy it to put on display as a piece of decoration, but decided to try and actually shoot with it before doing that. Being a Nikon digital shooter and owning a number of AF-D lenses I already had compatible lenses for it. I put some batteries in it, loaded a roll of Kodak Portra in it and started shooting with it. That's when I fell in love with the Nikon FM. It made me fall in love with photography again. Because every shot takes so much longer, because you put more thinking into an image and because every frame actually costs you money you get much more of a connection with your shots. I also love how unintrusive the FM is in this whole process. Because the camera has nothing more than the absolute bare minimum of controls and settings you spend much more time thinking about the shot instead of thinking about setting the camera, like on a digital camera with a million menu options. This minimum of controls also makes that the FM doesn't feel outdated. Don't get me wrong, digital is much more efficient, gives better results and is the preferred option when you have to deliver results. there is something relaxing about shooting film on a much simpeler camera like an FM though.
Found an old Canon TLb camera at a relative's house we were cleaning out. I've been enjoying the manual aspects of the camera. Makes me think a lot before I press the shutter release. Pretty much all of the images on the camera are of my dog. Looking forward to developing the roll soon!
I started getting semi-serious in photography in the early 1970's and I still have all of my original Canon gear. I ended up with three Canon bodies, including, apparently, one model that has all sorts of electronic goodies and functions, that came out just before the company went all digital. I was thinking of selling my film gear but instead I bought some batteries to see if the old cameras would still fire up. My first, and best loved Canon was all manual except for a simple align-the-bars exposure meter. I have no idea what I will do with my fully functional film cameras but they do bring back fond memories and I see no reason to part with them. Other than that, I am now fully digital and loving every minute of it. Thanks for the great story.
Hi i started my hobby of photography with the Nikon FM which i purchased new back in the 70s with the 50mm f1. 8 for £200. I still have this and started using it again last year. I have now also aquired a F3 & F100 as well as a leica M5 and Hasselblad 500C. I just love the images you get with film especially black and white which i now develop don't know if its my age and taking me back to my youth. I still shoot some digital but enjoy shooting with film more having to wait to see just how the shot turned out seems to add to the fun and excitement or disappointment when you failed to get what you wanted. Not getting an instant result like with digital focuses you more on getting it how you eant and ensuring you are technically correct instead of shooting and letting the camera make all the exposure also seems more satisfying to me but ad i said this may be just my age.
I started with an OM1 in 1974 and never stopped shooting film. I have cameras in 35mm, 6X6, 6X7, 6X9, and 4X5. I really enjoy shooting film but have to admit that my favorite camera is my Z7.
I have a mint Nikon FE2 and still love the old school photography! I mostly use it for B&W film. With that camera you compose better that with any digital camera today. It has it's own charme!
I still use my Ole Nikon F100 each year for autumn photos, the problem is the cost of developing it these days I should of kept my old F4s since it was a tank & you could do anything you wanted with it I would go back to a pentax K1000 if I could find one for the price I sadly sold mine for years ago
I dabble in film photography every now and then. I have had an Olympus OM1 which was great and produced incredible images. I mostly shoot B&W on film. I just found a near mint Nikon F Photomic which I am about to shoot some Ilford Delta 400 in. I use a metering app on my phone which I have always found reliable but will compare it with the Photomic mechanism. The thing with film is every time you press that button it costs you, so I have to slow down and plan each exposure and image. I also collect vintage cameras.
I totally get it. I bought an FM3A new in 2001 and sadly don't have it anymore. Another really nice camera that I really enjoyed was the Nikon FA with the very first matrix metering which really worked well for being the first generation. I'm just to shoot film again so I can start to enjoy photography again. This time I'm blowing the dust off of my old Hassy 500elx. So good on u guys and have fun...cheers
I still shoot film from time to time. I have a Nikon N4004s and a Nikon N5005 along with my first "new" SLR the Minolta X370. In the 1970's, I shot using my dad's Voigtlander Vito II. Film was my first introduction to photography and therefore my first love. My daughter and I still tank develop our B&W before scanning into digital format. Film is not dead with us even though digital is our "go to" most of the time. Unfortunately, the enlargers are gathering dust and not likely to make a return appearance. Thanks for the validation.
Love the FM3a. I recently rediscovered my dad's old Pentax Spotmatic and collection of Super Takumar lenses. Shooting Kodak Porta 400 and Ilford XP2 and loving it. Have also paired the Takumar lenses with my Nikon Z7ii with an Urth adapter with wonderful results.
Nice talk about film photos. I did encounter a bottle neck of shooting photo by using digital format. I did check out my gears, found still owns a tiny Minolta CLE range finder camera and few bloody old German lens lying around. Ha ha, put some fresh Kodak Ektar 100 film into the body, did finished some rolls. After developed from my old buddy shop, what a feeling, all the tricks I learned back in day one when I hold my dad's bellow Zeiss 120 come back. Go to shoot digital, but for good time and fun, film still my first choice. Good video to call out film usage.
I have a Nikon F100. I don't shoot it much, but you have inspired me. My first camera a Nikon FM was a high graduation gift from my parents. I liked it a lot other than the film rewind lever in my eye. Great video! Raymond is a brave soul ordering without your blessing. 🤠
After purchasing a near mint F100 from Japan almost 3 years ago to go with my D850 I've managed to collect all the Nikon's from the FM and FE through to the F100 including both a F3 and F4s its been a lockdown thing lol. But that wasn't the end of my return to film journey I also have purchased several Zeiss Agfa's and Voigtlander medium format cameras from the early 1950's and a few Minolta's from the 90's which include 2 mint Dynax/Maxxum 7's. And I cannot forget a very nice Olympus OM10. All the cameras with the exception of the Minolta's which I couldn't afford back when I was younger.
I purchased my Fm3a new in 2003 believing the digital cameras on offer at that time, would hit the garbage bin after 2 years of use; and I was right. I also have a FE (90-95% of the Fm3a) and an Olympus Om2 (somwhat smoother due to its cloth shutter). I find digital cameras with their autofocus distracting me from the feeling of light capturing, whitch photography is all about.
I have a few film cameras, nikon f3 hp nikon f5 , i rarely use them , i used to put fuji velvia 50 through them . Devolop it in my kitchen in a daylight loader (old agfa thing ) bakelite plastic .it was 30 years old in the 80s 😁😁 wow . Happy days
I still have my Nikon FE2 that I purchased in 1984, works great and 15 years ago I picked up the Nikon f5 almost new for less than a unbelievable price. Still shooting. I have a freezer with expired film. I think it helps my digital photography in that I have to consider what I am photographing. Love the content.
Oh my! This brings back memories. My fist camera is a Pentax FP that I've had for almost 50 years and still works. My current favorite for film is a 1940's Leica range finder with both the 5cm and 9cm lens. :-) I'm taking that out today.
The fm3a and f6 are two of the best film SLR’s Nikon has ever made. The fm3a is probably my favorite SLR overall. I love using Voigtlanders current line of lenses with mine.
I hope you enjoy this camera. At that time I didn’t had the money to buy this type of amera as I was a student. Also I round a that time the best was to go digital as you said manual mechanic film takes time to master, cost a lot of money and you need to be patient when tacking the photo.
Before AF, I was a Pentax shooter (K1000, ME Super, SuperA), after AF, I was a Canon shooter (650, 620, 5, 1n). I’ve never really left film and in the last 10 years I’ve been steadily acquiring film cameras that I could never afford in my youth, or just plain interest me in 35mm (F3, FE2, FM2, F4, F5, R8, Contax N1, G2, T3, XPan II) and Medium Format (Mamiya 6,7, RZ67, 645; Pentax 67II, 645n2; Fuji GW690III). Film was never truly dead, but has made a huge comeback judging by what I see happening in my habitual camera store. It’s a real shame though that Fuji film stock is steadily reducing as I was principally a Fuji film shooter (Reala and Velvia). Good to see Ilford still going strong.
I learned to photograph on a Mamiya 1000DTL. My dad's. 40 decades ago. A few years ago I came across a 500TL in good condition with the Mamiya Sekor 55mm f/2.8. It's still my favorite camera when I'm just shooting for pleasure, not for work. With Velvia 50 film. Or Portra 400. :)
I own a number of old Nikon film cameras (EM, FG (both silver and black), FA, FM2 (my favorite), F3, F4 & F5). They are all in working order and I use the FM2 once in a while for B/W photography.
Since i got my canon f1n 3 years ago, my sony ff is getting really dusty! Honestly, film is now 98% of what i shoot. Love it!!... going medium format is my next step ! Oh, ektar100 is the goat :) Cheers!
Another video with great points. I still have my last film camera I bought new, a Nikon N90s as well as a Nikon F5 I picked up used many years ago now. I primarily shoot digital now but when I want to slow down and enjoy the moment more I still grab the F5 and head out. I wish I still had the Mamiya 645 that took the photo that still hangs on my wall today. I’m still tempted when I see good deal on a Pentax 6x7. That’s a camera I always wanted to try but never had one.
Hi. I find film has more soul than digital mainly because you need to consider each frame with greater care both aesthetically and from the developing time and cost angle. To take 35mm film I bought a Leica R7 and a Rollei 35S (one of the great camera designs) the pure mechanical feel of pressing the shutter is a satisfaction in its own right a real addition to the pleasure of taking photos.
I’ve returned to film but still use my Canon DSLR. I’m actually thinking of selling my canon digital gear to get a Nikon body so I can use my Nikkor lenses from my films cameras and make use of the Nikon F mount on the digital bodies. Genuinely love shooting film again and find my output is so much better in terms of quality!
I began my journey on my father's film cameras during the late 80's & graduated to a Nikon F4 film body as a professional during the late 90's. After moving to digital with my Nikon D1 I did not look back until my teenage daughter decided to LOVE everything from the past which included film photography. Today, I shoot film with a different F4 (sold my old body long ago) and a beautiful F5 which I had dreamt about owning during the 90's - I still shoot digital as a professional but I add film as a customer option. My daughter has a Nikon N2020 she acquired herself and a Nikon F3 I bought for her (this Christmas she will receive an FM2N as a gift which she has been asking for). Adding film back into my life has made me appreciate what and how I shoot even more.
I never stopped using film. I have a Nikon F2A, an FE, an Fm3a, a Pentax ME, and a Mamiya 645 (along with a dozen Nikkor primes and zooms). I shoot transparencies, b&w, and Portra. My digital is a decade old Nikon D700 which to my eye produces color like my Kodachrome 25 used to produce.
I hope many will discover the joy of film, developing at home and using these mechanical marvels.
I had a silver Nikon FM3a in Mint condition, and sold it to fund the purchase of a brand new Leica MP in Black Paint. A year later, I noticed the person I had sold it to was looking to sell it, and so I bought it back at the same price (only a few rolls went through the camera). Now, I have the dream team of film cameras: the FM3a and the MP. I don't imagine there is a better combo, as both are so fun to use and if one needs a repair, the other is still a blast.
If my 50+ year old Pentax is still working like a charm, surely a 15 year old Nikon will! Beautiful camera!
What a gorgeous camera! I have the FM2 as my main film body. Shooting film is quite an experience
Thanks so much for the inspiring video! I was very into film photography back in the 90s. Won a couple of college contests along the way with my trusty FM2. Then digital happened at the same time I graduated in 2000 and got deep into career... and marriage... and kids... and of course older and wiser... Then one day I dug around and found my FM2 again! Heck, why not shoot with it. I've got migraine issues and I've got a resolution in 2022 to use (film) photography as a means of therapy. It's mid February and I've shot more than 20 rolls already since the start of the year (the FM2 works perfectly after a long hibernation!). I've even tried a couple of rolls on a Voigtlander (it was tucked safely with the FM2). Now with a renewed passion and greater spending power, I'm itching to find a Nikon companion for my FM2.
And the FM3A seems like a good fit.
I love that film photography on a manual camera brings out the creativity in me. I see things differently. I take the time in this mobile-selfie-quicksnap world to compose and THINK! And of course the joy of anticipation when we send the roll in for developing. Everyone's talking about mindfulness these days. Have they thought about manual film photography? :)
Just like my Pentax ME Super! An 80-200mm f/4, I have that too. For a camera system costing almost nothing, it's still among the most pleasant to use with a gorgeous viewfinder to look through.
So cute to hear you explaining how an all mechanical film SLR works. Then I have to remind myself that I'm 56 years old and although I learned photography on cameras like this, there are lots of younger people who have no idea how these cameras operate. The takeaway is that I am OLD...lol!
I have an FM2, and I got it when I was 23. I remember film being shot when I was a kid, but I’d just missed it as a teenager-adult, and felt like I only became a photographer (person interested in photography) when I actually wind up a roll of film. It feels real and tangible. Also, I find myself taking better photos on film than I do on digital, at least I think more.
Enjoyed watching this and glad that you express the joys of shooting with cameras that are essentially manual. I started shooting with film - Nikon F4 and Canon A-1 cameras for my work, doing industrial, wildlife, travel and scenic photography from the early 1980's. I moved onto digital when that became available because I lost a huge amount of my work: years' worth, when my car was stolen and my collection of transparencies in the car were burnt by the thieves. Digital offered the ability to make multiple backups and that was huge to me.
I still have one of each of those original cameras, they still operate and right now they have batteries and film in them, but I don't shoot as much as I should do with them. Still, one thing has also lasted - the habits I learned when I shot.
Then, with a limited amount of film, a fixed ISO (ASA then) and essentially manual functions, one had to go slow and consider each shot - there was no chimping. That was especially true when I was out in the wild, with limited film stock, so every shot was precious. What it did, was turn photography into an occasion - a process I know savour. I still shoot with the same considered approach, and make a lot less images than my digital native contemporaries. For me, that still captures the joy of the process and frankly, I get a very high number of keepers, so I don't have to wade through 600 images at the end of the day.
I worked in a camera shop when this was on sale, and it was my favorite to play with. It felt incredibly solid and satisfying to snap off photos. Our display model had the matching 45mm pancake lens that together with the camera looked so cool. I don’t think we ever sold one, but I always wanted it and was glad it was made.
I still have my FTB I bought in 1970, still look almost new. Still works.
Fantastic that you have re discovered photography! yes genuine film. It is far different to imaging and actually developing your own film and then printing the negatives is the full circle. Nothing more rewarding. The camera is only a tool but the simpler the tool the better you'll gain the understanding of the process. You make the decisions not the camera, you select the shutter speed, the F stop, under expose for low key photos or over expose for high key images. the meter only reads 18 percent grey, you decide what's black or whats white, same in colour whats rich in colour or faint in colour. Enjoy your journey. The FM3a
is a gem and a one of a kind. Nikon ended the compact F series with a camera that is all mechanical, yet electronic in the same body, Like having a FM2 and FE2 in one body! You have auto aperture priority. No batteries, no problem, the shutter is fully mechanical just like the FM2. Fire away from bulb to 1/4000 of a second. This camera will never disappoint you. when I was a full time news photographer (Photojournalist), many of us in the profession had a mechanical FM or FM2 in our camera bags loaded with Tri X just in case the battery dependent gear failed. That's how reliable Nikon mechanical cameras are. :)
I use film câmeras since 1980 and still use today with the same Joy. I have many digital câmeras to but nothing like the old facion way. I still reveal my negatives to and the Magic cames on. Congratulations for your Chanel . From Portugal.
Even as an enthusiast, I wish my low-tech, first film gear was that simple, back then (40+ years). Let's see now, F2A + Motor Drive + Battery Pack + Lens + Metz CT flash + bounce diffuser + optional telephoto attachment + external lead acid battery pack. That was the fun part, followed by the 'chemical smell and sweat' darkroom hours to process & print B&W and color. 🙂
I agree completely with your 'having to think about the shot' and the impact that this has on the keeper rate. I have several professional Nikon camera bodies (FM3a, F3, F5, D3, D850 & Z9) and still love the FM3a for it design simplicity, functionality and build quality. I still shoot some film and will never part with my FM3a. You have yourself a new subscriber.
I sought out 2 Canon EOS 3 Cameras. I use them to a)get a real hands on experience creating black and white images, B) shooting film expands my skill as a Photographer. I can also hand develop and print my images. I feel more confident in my skills using film and by shooting film, I develop skills in using light and shadow more effectively.
I always enjoy watching your videos. I have gone almost entirely digital with many modern Leica cameras and lenses. I have many 35mm film cameras dating back to the 1970’s mostly Canon. But every time I look at my beautiful medium and large format film cameras on the shelf I have the urge to dig out my darkroom equipment and get back to basics. My most treasured cameras are a Fuji GF670, a Rollei Hy6 Mod2 and a lovely Ebony SV45 TE. I always developed my own film for total control. You have helped move me closer to the edge. After watching this video I immediately went and picked up each film camera and thought…. how could I ever have abandoned each of you. Keep up the good work.
My first camera which really worked for me was my grandfather's Braun Paxette. It had a rangefinder which really helped in getting sharp images. Exposure had to be estimated, but that didn't matter. Then after a Minolta X300 and X700 I went to digital but did not like it. When I was looking for a Nikon F100 I found the prices low for film cameras. I found a F5 for 240 euros. And boy did that camera give me back the joy of photography! The feel in the hand, the autofocus, the exposure. And still you have to concentrate.
Nowadays I'm going Digital, with a D3 and D4s. The D2xs didn't meet my expectations.
The smile when you said "Enter the FM3a"... Yeah, you like it. :)
I just bought a Nikon FM3a the other day. I cannot wait to receive it. I used to shoot digital and had a Nikon D800. I now decided to switch to film for various personal reasons. Some of my top reasons are that the FM3a does not require batteries, I believe that it will last longer than most digital cameras, and that film is supposed to have a high dynamic range that is difficult for digital cameras to replicate.
I was fortunate to be able to buy a used Nikon F100 from my mentor 2 years ago and I've been loving the film journey. Best part for me is that I can use my lens collection on both the F100 and my D750.
No need for an adapter?
@@Jcpineda26 no. They are both F mount lenses. You just can't use the f mount g lenses on old nikons except the f6 and f100.
I use a borrowed Minolta on rare occasions. My first camera was a Canon Tlb, then the Ftb. I still have it, minus the crank which explains why I use someone else’s camera. It’s nice knowing you only get one or two chances at an image.
I too, for whatever reason love to go out and shoot with my many Minolta film cameras. Those Nikon's look fabulous. Please do post some more of the pics.
long live film photography
Just yesterday shot my first roll of film again in 10 years. Nikon FE2 with 50mm f/2 lens. The involvement factor is so much higher than with autofocus digital everything. Loved it. Missed it.
I used a variety of 35mm film cameras when that's all there was. Started out with a Pentax ME Super (great little camera). When digital came along I jumped on the bandwagon like most other photographers. Oddly, I'm now finding that the more digital shots I take, the less I keep! It's too easy to keep blatting away without really thinking about the image. As a result, I've gone back to film in quite a big way now - it's my primary photographic medium. Like you, I use an FM3A, but my all-singing and dancing film camera is a Nikon F5. It weighs a ton, but at least if it ever breaks I can use it to hammer in nails 😉.
too funny Rob ... i just echoed some of your thoughts on the F5 in a post I just made.
I may be ‘a day late, a dollar short’ on this post, but like with film photography, it’s never too late to begin your passion! I started film photography in ‘78 with an Canon A-1, while still in college, taking advantage of the availability of a dark room to develop my skills. I never really left film photography when digital hit the market. I embraced both types of photography equally, using skills learned from each style to build upon developing skills in the other. The mound of cameras and accessories started to grow with film gear out distancing digital by a significant margin. As cameras I’d fantasized about dropped in price, I snarfed them up like an addict who found free drugs! AE-1P, F3/T’s, F5, F6, F-1 New, Z-7, etc., all seemed to be falling into my waiting, shaking hands! And then out of nowhere a wonderful transition camera hit the market that seemed to permit the joy of pseudo ‘film’ photography gear without the need for film in a digital camera: enter the Nikon Df! What a delightful camera to shoot! I ended my digital purchases here but not the joy of shooting in digital with film as my primary style of photography. There’s plenty to enjoy in photography if you’re just willing to look for it! I did!
While I never stopped shooting film, I did (and do ) use my digital a lot. I have eleven film cameras that I rotate through one roll at a time. they are fun to use and its fun to see what I can come up with. Very few people ever see my pictures. They are just shot, processed and stored away. I'm just poking away for fun. My friend Kathy gave me a "fifty two photo challenge" book to keep me busy this year. I'm a little behind on it. enjoyed your video.... like a nice chat with a friend. Thank you.
My dad used to shoot film and developed it himself. So I grew up with film photography and shot mostly a Canon AE1 which he didn't use anymore since his switch to Nikon. He later quit as the first digital Nikons came out, got a D70 and all the good stuff which came out afterwards and that's consequently the path that I walked.
But last year I I had a severe discussion about photography, composition, technique, light and so on with him. Annoyed he told me to put my money where my mouth is and handed me his old Mamiya 645 medium format film camera. I don't know if he expected me to fail but I didn't anyway and my photos where correctly metered and focused and he was somewhat in between astonished and proud. Since then I mix my photography up and switch between the different systems. I also grabbed his old F80 for 35mm and got even into Polaroid lately. I enjoy everything: film or digital. Gear is only such a small part of our artistic vision but it can add to it if chosen wisely.
I used to shoot with a F3 back in college and sold that. Found my father's FE2 in the garage and started shooting film again. It has become sentimental so I'll shelf it and buy another SLR.
Cut my teeth on photography in the late 80's on an FM2. Still my favorite shutter sound. So satisfying.
Johnny Hwang: Me too (in the early 80s).....it was my first Nikon after using Canon cameras for a few years previously.
I’ve got one of these en route to me now, and thus I’m scouring UA-cam videos about it. Cannot wait to get out in the world with it. Thanks for the video!
Subscribed. When I was but a wee lad, my Dad carried his Nikorrmat with him everywhere, and I was never allowed to touch it. Something about that silver machine burned a sense of mystery in my brain, but by the time I started buying cameras we were at the D2X already. Back in school in middle age, I took a photo class with my new Z camera, but to my surprise, they started us on film. What does burn and dodge mean? You understand all this stuff more innately when you learn hands-on in the medium it originated in. I got a Nikonos V, figuring it did what my Z doesn't, enabling photos in rainy/muddy/rough mountain biking days. Dad thought it was frivolous and a bit silly to be learning film in 2020, but eventually quit fighting and pointed out the Nikonos is basically a point & shoot, and said if I had one film camera, it should be an FA, which he got me for Christmas. An amazingly advanced camera (yay Matrix Metering!, etc), it is definitely the dark horse of the Nikon line, and weirdly inexpensive even in mint condition. However, all the rave reviews of the FM3a weighed heavily on me conscience, and I now have this NOS one that just arrived from Japan. The build quality of this thing is practically jewelry. But I can't understand why they made the FA with all manner of modern conveniences and then chopped several of the more useful ones out to make the FM3a. Maybe they thought they'd put the more sophisticated features in the F6 and keep this more true to the FM2? Dunno, but I sure am glad to have both, and yet saddened to hear that there can never be a successor, since Nikon the camera maker is no more, having in a single awful decision disbanded their aging workforce of precision mechanics, losing a century of accumulated manufacturing skill and expertise. From an engineering standpoint these incredible machines are the result of thousands of mature systems and millions of internal revisions. To build another, they'd need to rebuild all that, which would be impossible. I guess that makes these cameras even more special. So I still shoot digital for work, but when I shoot film, it's for me.
Since the 1970s, I have shot thousands of pictures, both for my job working on the base newspapers in the military and everything else. For some, it is the sense nostalgia, like driving a 1970 MGB sports car after driving the lates Mazda MX-5 Miata. Going back to film is a great way to see how it was done hundreds of years ago. And it is really fun if you can get developing equipment and an enlarger to make your prints. Then you can appreciate when people back then taking photos for newspapers, magazines, advertisements, that they took their time to be precise. There was no unlimited film rolls for 35mm cameras. More difficult were those big 8x10 cameras that took one photo at a time. We are fortunate today to have such wonderful cameras, whether built into our cellphones or these hybrid cameras that do stills and videos. Incredible.
I still use my Yashica FX-2 my parents gave me as a teenager in 1976. I take it out to remember how to take pictures with purpose. It's completely manual with only an exposure needle. It brings me joy. It's the camera I learned photography with, and it reminds me what I should do to get more keepers.
I started getting serious about photography 3 years ago when I retired and was only interested in digital. About a year ago I started playing around with black and white digital pictures and it wasn’t long before I started researching film. I now own a Nikon FM2N which I really enjoy using. I totally agree with needing to slow down with film. Looking forward to my dual photo journey of digital and film!
Your spot on when you say shooting film is unfinished business. So stoked to have a Nikon FM and F80. Would have loved to have the knowledge, time and money to have taken images with these cameras in my early twenties. All the missed images in my minds eye.
My girlfriend and I have an ever growing collection of analog cameras in 35mm, medium format and even several Polaroids. Although my girlfriend uses mainly a dslr for her work, when we feel like taking a walk, we always reach for an analog camera. And with a choice of various Nikons, Minoltas, Leicas, Bronicas and so on, it never gets boring. We develop black and white negatives ourselves while we have color negatives developed in a lab. Shooting analog is so much fun and it really does slow down your process not only by forcing you into manual mode but it really makes you think about your shots. Sometimes it takes us several months to complete a single roll of 35mm film. Anyway, even though it can be tedious and is getting more and more expensive, analog photography is so much fun and the feeling you get when you finally see your negatives either scanned or enlarged on an enlarger is unbelievable.
Cheers!
Beautiful machine! I have about thirty film cameras - mostly Olympus, including some very fine rangefinders and one rare medium format folder. I don't know what it is about film, but it's so compelling. In maybe unrelated news, I also collect fountain pens. Perhaps there's an analogue yearning somewhere inside me. I do mainly shoot digital, but use film when I can - particularly for street shooting. Hope you have plenty of fun with the new girl!
I collect old cameras. My favorite is a mechanical Nikkormat from the late 1960s, considering it's the only one of my antique cameras that film can still be purchased for.
I have a 50 mm Minolta from the 70's, which was hiding in storage for two decades. I resurrected it and have new, slow pursuit.
9:35 you missed one of the coolest mechanical tricks up this camera's sleeve. That little black tab under the winder disengages the film advancement when wind the lever allowing for multiple exposures. I would spend a pretty penny to get the matched needle exposure in a modern digital camera. Some have come close but nothing I've enjoyed using.
I still have my Nikon F801s bought from new in 1992. And my favorit Minolta XD7 I found on ebay for a bargain prise of £50. So when my son asked me about using film I had my old darkroom up running within an hour. Great fun.
That's one of the best manual cameras ever - a fusion of my old FM2 and FE2.
Got it as a steal ob Ebay for 300 Euros.
Film .... Over the past couple of months, I have been getting back into film. It's a different experience than digital. (My main digital camera is a Nikon Z5. I really like it. It replaced a D700, which I still have, as my main digital camera.)
I have started using my 35mm film Rollei 35s I've owned since new in 1979. It is an absolute jewel of a camera. it uses 35mm film and has a 40mm/2.8 Zeiss lens made under license by Rollei. Fully manual shutter speed and aperture and focus. Viewfinder, not a rangefinder, a viewfinder, with parallax marks for close focusing, say within 5 feet. The light meter works with an adapter that steps down the voltage of a modern 1.5v battery to the 1.35v of the original mercury battery. It is a very small camera and I'm really enjoying using it again. I will confess I've forgotten to focus on more than one occasion. Eventually I'll relearn that skill. The 35s forces you to pay attention to all the details and think what you are doing.
A couple of years ago I picked up a pristine FM3a in black. It's a fabulous camera. The design is brilliant ... the hybrid electronic and mechanical shutter is a wonderful piece of engineering and manufacturing precision. Build quality is first rate. And it's really fun to shoot. It also forces you to think about the details and what you're doing. I also have a Nikon F5 I bought new in 2003. It's a tour de force for its era. It's an interesting comparison to the FM3a as they were contemporaries. It also weighs a ton. With a sturdy lens attached you could use it as a hammer if needed and it would still work as a camera. FM3a versus F5. I don't think you can really compare them. It's like apples and oranges. They're both good but they're different from one another. I would say they are both Nikon's high-water marks for film cameras.
Regardless of which I might be using, I am enjoying going back to the future with film. As an aside, I still have my Mamiya/Secor 500TL my parents bought me for a 21st birthday present in 1967 when I was in university. I haven't tried to run a roll of film through it. Sounds like a project for another day to see what if anything it can do 56 years later.
At the end of the day, we all have our favorite cameras and camera loves/hates. It's not about what any of us think of someone else's camera choices or opinions. It's about our unique joy in using the camera we have in hand and seeing what we can capture on film or a sensor.
I found my way back to Filmphotography a while back, before the Pandemic started. Like you i always felt i had "unfinished " business with film. My last film camera was the Nikon F100 back in 2006 or so. And before that i had shot film all my life but not with the same kind of passion or knowledge, i was very late letting go of my F100 and film gear and was quite sad when i finally felt like i had to jump into Digital at the time. I was not totally convinced until i had the D700 in my hand.
For me that was the first digital camera i felt at that time would make me believe film was not the only way. Fast forward many years, i had Fuji cameras, Leica, all kinds of Nikons. Stayed true to Nikon all along the way though and to date i still have a Nikon DF and a D4( the last digital cameras i felt i liked and loved the sensor of. After that i stopped wanting any newer cameras.
I did find partly what i was searching for in Leica and especially the leica Q that i owned 2 of and still to this day really loved. Digital Leica cameras almost feel like you are shooting analog and at least give you a different look than all those newer cameras from other brands.
But when i finally got into film again, buying a Nikon Fe2 and expanding after that i felt like coming home again :) I too at a point during that journey lusted after a mint FM3a, and in the end found one. Thats one camera i wont let go of. Just like my Nikon Df. I think both will always have a cult following and be valued as great cameras in years to come.
About if i have started shooting other film cameras, yeh too many to count by now lol. That is a part of photography i guess we cannot escape, that GAS ;)
The ones that are worth mentioning and some of whom i still keep to this day would be, a Rolleiflex 75 T, a Konica Pearl 4 folder ( my two medium formats, i like them to be portable )
Leica M4, Rollei35, Konica Auto S3, Olympus RD, Voigtlander Bessa R2a, Kodak Retinette 1a( was my fathers camera, just started using it), and my two beloved Pentax Spotmatics, a SP and an F with some great Takumar lenses to match :)
Point and shoots i still have are: Konica A4, the Nikon L35AF2.
I think those are the ones worth mentioning.....OW....i got that Nikon F100 again as well, was not going to not get that last of my film cameras again :)
Keep up the film shooting!
/Martin the Swede.
Ahhh.... The days of waiting anxiously to see your film developed and realizing that you either captured your vision or missed the mark! I last shot film back in 2004 and bounced between Canon and Kodak up to that point in time. I got my first DSLR in 2011. That said, I still look at used film cameras and I am contemplating a purchase because of the nostalgia as opposed to anything else, but still undetermined because it's more like a blast from the past rather than something I need like a Z9 for example :)
I used to have both the F6 and an FM3A. Both were wonderful machines. There are times I long to use cameras like that again. There are time when I long to go even further and buy a Hassy 501CM like I used to own. I have gone so far as to put one in my cart, then my practical side kicks in and I never click buy.
When I had my FM3A my favorite lens was the AI-S 105mm f/2.5 . Incredible portrait lens and worth investing in. You enjoy those film Nikons. I will have to stick with my Z6II and Z50 bodies. I will live vicariously through your videos on your film cameras though.
Your so open and honest "I like photography" view .. enough for me to subscribe. Keep on shooting. :-)
I’ve always loved film. It’s the lens and the film that make the photo. Buying the most expensive body is very youtuber. As long as the shutter works.
I think my Dad used to own the Nikon FM3a, or possibly even whatever came before it! Now, bearing in mind that I'm now nearly 50, we are going back while! But I still remember playing with all my Dad's cameras (when they didn't have a film in!) Winding the shutter lever and pressing all the dials and buttons! Great fun as a kid!
Loved film photography although it could get expensive. You had to be more deliberate than with digital or mirrorless because of film restrictions. I still have all my grandfathers, fathers cameras. They are in addition to mine from Brownie starflex to the Nikon Z50.
Nothing wrong with being more deliberate, if it makes you a better photographer
The Z fc is a really nice mix between the Z50 and an old school camera if you haven’t checked it out.
I am fortunate to own several 35mm cameras as well as medium format. I also own 2 Nikon digital cameras along with several lenses. I use all of them and each has a place in my photo world and I just love to get out in the fresh air and relax and shoot. Film is definitely my favorite as of late but all formats work well for me. Just my 2c
Lucky you to have an FM3a!
I have saved my FM2n and FE2 cameras and are using them sometimes between shooting digital.
I recently got back into film again. I have 2 medium format cameras that are super fun. You have limited shots so you really have to slow down and think. I also have three 35mm one's that I also love. It's hard to keep up because it's very expensive but so rewarding when you get the scans back. I may have to look into this camera as I don't have a film in Nikon. Great info here. Thanks!
My first camera back in 1981 at 17 years old was the Nikon FM. When I went into the US ARMY and became a combat photographer we trained on everything... but shot on the Canon F1. I for myself bought a Nikon FE2 and it became my personal primary camera. Went to medium format from there. Now I am shooting on the Lumix S5.
Thanks for the presentation. It reminds me I got my Nikkormat FTN in 1976, the FE in 1979. I shot Nikon film cameras until I eventually got my first Nikon DSLR which was a D40 in 2014, and I still use it every once in a while. I no longer shoot film camera, but I started to collect a few Nikon’s. I now have the FE, F, F2A, two FMs (chrome & black), FM2, FM2n, FM2T, unused chrome FM3A, plus a good collection of Ai and Ai-S portrait lens all in mint condition.
Leigh, being 68 years old; my first camera was aPentax super ME film camera. Being a hobbyist photographer I was not very knowledgeable at the time with photography. So lots of bad photos and experimenting. But I have to say most of my memories of my 2 daughters growing up are all on film. So I have a soft heart for film photography. As retired Electrical Engineer, I am really enjoying the latest technology with camera gear. So with that said, I own the Nikon D7200 and Z50 and never going back to film. With now having grand kids, I have more keeper of my family. But I have to say there is something to be said about a properly expose in focus film photo that bring back some awesome memories. Always enjoy your videos.
Love my FE2, FA and FM3a along with my D200, D700, Z6 and Z8….what a nice sickness.
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Super Camera. You know me, love to see more content on analog photography!!! Keep up the super work!! Sincerely, Greg from Boston :)
Greg! How's it going? I do love this camera. More film content is coming next week!
@@LeighAndRaymond awesome! Fingers crossed you dip your toe into medium format! And see how the other half lives :).
I surely don’t want to return to film, but look at the size of that mainstream camera from a decade ago. Only now are we getting back to sensibly
sized cameras from Nikon. I now use a Z50 and it’s like a time machine back to cameras of yore. So easy to carry and use.
Just bought my first digital camera (which I've not been able to quite figure out yet!), and have found it leaves me, well, a little flat. I think I'll stick to my nearly 40 year old Minolta X700. It just works... and works, without a hitch, for all these years. There's a certain character and dimension to shooting film that is oh so satisfying. And working in a darkroom is absolutely wonderful! I've been doing it for 50 (!) years, and never grow tired of it. Give it a try! There is a true artistry to it.
I never shot film, except for a few pictures with my dads Nikon F401 on full auto mode in the 90's when I was like 10 years old. When I started to get interested in photography film was absolutely dead (around 2010). I bought a Nikon FM (first series) half a year ago when I came across one on the local Ebay equivalent. I loved the way the camera looked and it was dirt cheap. I intended to buy it to put on display as a piece of decoration, but decided to try and actually shoot with it before doing that. Being a Nikon digital shooter and owning a number of AF-D lenses I already had compatible lenses for it. I put some batteries in it, loaded a roll of Kodak Portra in it and started shooting with it. That's when I fell in love with the Nikon FM. It made me fall in love with photography again. Because every shot takes so much longer, because you put more thinking into an image and because every frame actually costs you money you get much more of a connection with your shots. I also love how unintrusive the FM is in this whole process. Because the camera has nothing more than the absolute bare minimum of controls and settings you spend much more time thinking about the shot instead of thinking about setting the camera, like on a digital camera with a million menu options. This minimum of controls also makes that the FM doesn't feel outdated. Don't get me wrong, digital is much more efficient, gives better results and is the preferred option when you have to deliver results. there is something relaxing about shooting film on a much simpeler camera like an FM though.
Found an old Canon TLb camera at a relative's house we were cleaning out. I've been enjoying the manual aspects of the camera. Makes me think a lot before I press the shutter release. Pretty much all of the images on the camera are of my dog. Looking forward to developing the roll soon!
I started getting semi-serious in photography in the early 1970's and I still have all of my original Canon gear. I ended up with three Canon bodies, including, apparently, one model that has all sorts of electronic goodies and functions, that came out just before the company went all digital. I was thinking of selling my film gear but instead I bought some batteries to see if the old cameras would still fire up. My first, and best loved Canon was all manual except for a simple align-the-bars exposure meter. I have no idea what I will do with my fully functional film cameras but they do bring back fond memories and I see no reason to part with them. Other than that, I am now fully digital and loving every minute of it. Thanks for the great story.
Hi i started my hobby of photography with the Nikon FM which i purchased new back in the 70s with the 50mm f1. 8 for £200. I still have this and started using it again last year. I have now also aquired a F3 & F100 as well as a leica M5 and Hasselblad 500C. I just love the images you get with film especially black and white which i now develop don't know if its my age and taking me back to my youth. I still shoot some digital but enjoy shooting with film more having to wait to see just how the shot turned out seems to add to the fun and excitement or disappointment when you failed to get what you wanted. Not getting an instant result like with digital focuses you more on getting it how you eant and ensuring you are technically correct instead of shooting and letting the camera make all the exposure also seems more satisfying to me but ad i said this may be just my age.
I started with an OM1 in 1974 and never stopped shooting film. I have cameras in 35mm, 6X6, 6X7, 6X9, and 4X5. I really enjoy shooting film but have to admit that my favorite camera is my Z7.
I have a mint Nikon FE2 and still love the old school photography! I mostly use it for B&W film. With that camera you compose better that with any digital camera today. It has it's own charme!
So happy I found your channel!
I still use my Ole Nikon F100 each year for autumn photos, the problem is the cost of developing it these days
I should of kept my old F4s since it was a tank & you could do anything you wanted with it
I would go back to a pentax K1000 if I could find one for the price I sadly sold mine for years ago
No Problem; think of it as an investment. You will definitely get more money out of it, selling it in 2031.
@@thepirateshoots LOL
Still have my old film Minoltas, still use them. Have picked up an antique TLR recently to try too.
I dabble in film photography every now and then. I have had an Olympus OM1 which was great and produced incredible images. I mostly shoot B&W on film. I just found a near mint Nikon F Photomic which I am about to shoot some Ilford Delta 400 in. I use a metering app on my phone which I have always found reliable but will compare it with the Photomic mechanism. The thing with film is every time you press that button it costs you, so I have to slow down and plan each exposure and image. I also collect vintage cameras.
I totally get it. I bought an FM3A new in 2001 and sadly don't have it anymore. Another really nice camera that I really enjoyed was the Nikon FA with the very first matrix metering which really worked well for being the first generation. I'm just to shoot film again so I can start to enjoy photography again. This time I'm blowing the dust off of my old Hassy 500elx. So good on u guys and have fun...cheers
Nikkormat FT2. Still works great and fun to go out and shoot. 35/ 1.4 and Ilford HP5
I still shoot film from time to time. I have a Nikon N4004s and a Nikon N5005 along with my first "new" SLR the Minolta X370. In the 1970's, I shot using my dad's Voigtlander Vito II. Film was my first introduction to photography and therefore my first love. My daughter and I still tank develop our B&W before scanning into digital format. Film is not dead with us even though digital is our "go to" most of the time. Unfortunately, the enlargers are gathering dust and not likely to make a return appearance. Thanks for the validation.
Love my Nikon FE, now it is sharing lenses with my Zfc too!
Love the FM3a. I recently rediscovered my dad's old Pentax Spotmatic and collection of Super Takumar lenses. Shooting Kodak Porta 400 and Ilford XP2 and loving it. Have also paired the Takumar lenses with my Nikon Z7ii with an Urth adapter with wonderful results.
Nice talk about film photos. I did encounter a bottle neck of shooting photo by using digital format. I did check out my gears, found still owns a tiny Minolta CLE range finder camera and few bloody old German lens lying around. Ha ha, put some fresh Kodak Ektar 100 film into the body, did finished some rolls. After developed from my old buddy shop, what a feeling, all the tricks I learned back in day one when I hold my dad's bellow Zeiss 120 come back. Go to shoot digital, but for good time and fun, film still my first choice. Good video to call out film usage.
Absolutely love my FM3a! Feels great in the hand. Paired the Nikkor 24-120mm It’s the perfect travel companion
Now I’m considering a F6 :-)
I have a Nikon F100. I don't shoot it much, but you have inspired me. My first camera a Nikon FM was a high graduation gift from my parents. I liked it a lot other than the film rewind lever in my eye. Great video! Raymond is a brave soul ordering without your blessing. 🤠
After purchasing a near mint F100 from Japan almost 3 years ago to go with my D850 I've managed to collect all the Nikon's from the FM and FE through to the F100 including both a F3 and F4s its been a lockdown thing lol. But that wasn't the end of my return to film journey I also have purchased several Zeiss Agfa's and Voigtlander medium format cameras from the early 1950's and a few Minolta's from the 90's which include 2 mint Dynax/Maxxum 7's. And I cannot forget a very nice Olympus OM10. All the cameras with the exception of the Minolta's which I couldn't afford back when I was younger.
I use film very often mainly large format but I do use it in my medium format and my small Rollie.
I purchased my Fm3a new in 2003 believing the digital cameras on offer at that time, would hit the garbage bin after 2 years of use; and I was right.
I also have a FE (90-95% of the Fm3a) and an Olympus Om2 (somwhat smoother due to its cloth shutter).
I find digital cameras with their autofocus distracting me from the feeling of light capturing, whitch photography is all about.
I have a few film cameras, nikon f3 hp nikon f5 , i rarely use them , i used to put fuji velvia 50 through them . Devolop it in my kitchen in a daylight loader (old agfa thing ) bakelite plastic .it was 30 years old in the 80s 😁😁 wow . Happy days
I still have my Nikon FE2 that I purchased in 1984, works great and 15 years ago I picked up the Nikon f5 almost new for less than a unbelievable price. Still shooting. I have a freezer with expired film. I think it helps my digital photography in that I have to consider what I am photographing. Love the content.
Oh my! This brings back memories. My fist camera is a Pentax FP that I've had for almost 50 years and still works. My current favorite for film is a 1940's Leica range finder with both the 5cm and 9cm lens. :-) I'm taking that out today.
if you enjoy it , you should try a Medium Format Film camera like a Hasselblad or Pentax 67
My fm3a is black. ) he just got an 85mm F2 today. Overnight parts from Jpn
The fm3a and f6 are two of the best film SLR’s Nikon has ever made. The fm3a is probably my favorite SLR overall. I love using Voigtlanders current line of lenses with mine.
I hope you enjoy this camera. At that time I didn’t had the money to buy this type of amera as I was a student. Also I round a that time the best was to go digital as you said manual mechanic film takes time to master, cost a lot of money and you need to be patient when tacking the photo.
Before AF, I was a Pentax shooter (K1000, ME Super, SuperA), after AF, I was a Canon shooter (650, 620, 5, 1n). I’ve never really left film and in the last 10 years I’ve been steadily acquiring film cameras that I could never afford in my youth, or just plain interest me in 35mm (F3, FE2, FM2, F4, F5, R8, Contax N1, G2, T3, XPan II) and Medium Format (Mamiya 6,7, RZ67, 645; Pentax 67II, 645n2; Fuji GW690III). Film was never truly dead, but has made a huge comeback judging by what I see happening in my habitual camera store. It’s a real shame though that Fuji film stock is steadily reducing as I was principally a Fuji film shooter (Reala and Velvia). Good to see Ilford still going strong.
I learned to photograph on a Mamiya 1000DTL. My dad's. 40 decades ago. A few years ago I came across a 500TL in good condition with the Mamiya Sekor 55mm f/2.8.
It's still my favorite camera when I'm just shooting for pleasure, not for work. With Velvia 50 film. Or Portra 400. :)
I own a number of old Nikon film cameras (EM, FG (both silver and black), FA, FM2 (my favorite), F3, F4 & F5). They are all in working order and I use the FM2 once in a while for B/W photography.
Since i got my canon f1n 3 years ago, my sony ff is getting really dusty! Honestly, film is now 98% of what i shoot. Love it!!... going medium format is my next step !
Oh, ektar100 is the goat :)
Cheers!
Lucky you I would love one of these cameras!
Another video with great points. I still have my last film camera I bought new, a Nikon N90s as well as a Nikon F5 I picked up used many years ago now. I primarily shoot digital now but when I want to slow down and enjoy the moment more I still grab the F5 and head out. I wish I still had the Mamiya 645 that took the photo that still hangs on my wall today. I’m still tempted when I see good deal on a Pentax 6x7. That’s a camera I always wanted to try but never had one.
Hi. I find film has more soul than digital mainly because you need to consider each frame with greater care both aesthetically and from the developing time and cost angle. To take 35mm film I bought a Leica R7 and a Rollei 35S (one of the great camera designs) the pure mechanical feel of pressing the shutter is a satisfaction in its own right a real addition to the pleasure of taking photos.
I have a Nikon FE 10 that I love, and should spend more time with it.
I’ve returned to film but still use my Canon DSLR. I’m actually thinking of selling my canon digital gear to get a Nikon body so I can use my Nikkor lenses from my films cameras and make use of the Nikon F mount on the digital bodies. Genuinely love shooting film again and find my output is so much better in terms of quality!