Analog Photo: why and how to shoot on film

Why shoot on film?

Every lover of analogue photography will call your reason for which it uses the film. In Layfhakera office work at least three of the fan. That's what they say about his hobby and what frames they are obtained.

I shoot on film, because you start to appreciate each frame and, as a result, think about the quality of the image, rather than snapping dozens of unwanted photos. Strange color reproduction, red eyes, and sometimes unfocused pictures me back to the carefree childhood, when my mother and I went to show another film with dish soap.

All hobby photos and videos I have started with the film. To be precise, from the parent "FED". I rented to film because it disciplines and does not forgive mistakes. Get into the focus and exposure, to choose the right plan and perspective must be the first time, because you have only 24 or 36 frames, rather than an entire flash drive to 32GB.

Once I found my grandfather, "Zenit-E." Immediately I experienced in: I was fascinated by the work of visual mechanisms, all these krutilki and buttons. Since then, it took almost ten years, I gathered an impressive collection of old and new cameras, conducted dozens of experiments. Take pictures like a pro and never learned, but it was a lot of fun.

many say, among other reasons for this:

We can not say with certainty what will happen

Some people like the feeling of mystery, hidden in the exposed film, because in advance 100% result difficult to predict: when something happens in the developing step, the device itself or zasboit fail flair photographer. The very impossibility to see the photo immediately after shooting breaks the perception of a man accustomed to without thinking snapping up everything on your phone's camera. A limitations frames (12, 24 or 36) causes it to be more thoughtful fraction dispose of them.

Interested in the process of exploitation

Many are involved with the work of the mechanics of the camera. Platoon trigger, aperture and shutter speed exposure, setting the focus, fast - it works visually and logically. All meet the individual knobs, buttons and levers, all the settings correspond to the markings on the hull - no magic hidden in the electronic boards, no soulless characters on the LCD.

You can make a great picture

Film cameras - an indispensable tool in the arsenal of many professional photographers. Why - he explained in his article "Who needs this film"Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, and a member of the Union of Photographers of Russia Anton Vershovskiy.

First, the film allows you to take pictures with a sufficiently high detail and good color reproduction. Secondly, according to Anton Vershovskiy, the aim of the photographer is not the removal of accurate tracing paper to reality, and art photography is not necessarily ideal. And then we come to the next argument in favor of the film.

"Nonideal" may look nice

Rasfokus visible scratches on the pictures, the grain - all this is associated with film photography. To begin with, these irregularities can be avoided by using a camera operating correctly and a suitable film. A finish that sometimes "non-ideal" just look cool. And what else to explain the popularity of Lo-Fi-filters "on tape" in the mobile graphics editors?

Try to shoot on film cheaply

One can argue about the price of one frame, comparing film and digital. But here's the obvious fact that if we are a one-time experiment, then for the whole process from the acquisition of film cameras to the finished frames can be paid not more than a thousand rubles.

More cheaper to come, if the camera you already have.

Found in the pantry old camera. Can I shoot it?

Most likely, it is possible, but something worth checking out:

• Door. It must be tightly closed, otherwise there is a risk of light the film.
• Mechanics. Sometimes on 1/60 and the longer the shutter is released properly by opening up to the next platoon. This is guaranteed to lead to Peresvet picture. Check how your camera at different shutter speeds. Pay attention to the movement of the pinion, the receiving coil.
• Storck. If the finding is equipped with a focal-plane shutter, check the integrity of the curtain.
• Light meter. If selenium light meter, it is installed in an old camera, most likely villages. But if the finding is equipped with a TTL-exposure meter, that is a high chance for it to work properly. These were set in a small number of cameras, typically having a TTL abbreviation in the title.
• Rewind tape. When the film ends, it is necessary to wind the coil. As a rule, it needs to find a special button with the letter R, and then twist the film by means of rewinding tape measure. Check whether running this mode correctly: spinning in the opposite direction if reception coil and pinion. If not, you can take pictures on the camera, but to remove the film will be problematic.

When checked all the items from the list, pay attention to the cleanliness of the camera. Dust inside can be removed using a blower and a soft brush.

If your discovery was the usual soap dish Foil from 90, check nothing. She works. Only here to shoot at it not so interesting: everything is entrusted to automation, and the photos are mediocre.

If the search is not successful, and photographing still want to, then come to the aid shops and flea markets.

How to choose film cameras?

The choice is really wide: from homemade pinhole camera Leica to hundreds of thousands of rubles. First is to determine the type of the camera.

What are cameras

• SLR Cameras - almost all models of the "Zenith", "Lover», Pentax K1000, Canon AE-1, Olympus OM-1, relatively sophisticated Nikon models. Support the installation of lenses with any focal length, in which the easiest way to enjoy a variety of filters, to estimate visually adjust the focus and depth of field. This is because in the viewfinder is clear about that and get in the photo: an image is transferred from the lens to the eye using a mirror. Lack zerkalok - output from motion of mirror that can lubricate frame on long exposures.
• rangefinder camera - almost all the models' Sharp 'and' FED », Canon Canonet QL17 G-III, Yashica Electro 35, Minolta Hi-Matic. Less noisy than the SLR. Sharpening is performed using the parallax effect - in combination with two image viewfinder lens rangefinder. Among the few drawbacks: limited set of interchangeable lenses and the inability to adjust the depth of field on the eye.

• scale focus - "Change", "Seagull", "Vilia" modern Lomo cameras Holga, Diana, La Sardina. The most simple and budget group of cameras. Focusing is performed on the eye, the lens is often non-removable. Despite this, the scale focus on superior image quality fully automatic dish soap. And yet they are very light and compact.

Is it better to import or Soviet PhotoPro

If your goal is to get acquainted with the film, the Soviet and Russian cameras fit perfectly. Most of those that were produced from the 1950s to the mid-1990s, are operational now (assuming careful handling owners). Typically, these cameras - rather qualitative models of tracing paper with Leica, Minolta, Contax and other foreign companies. The most important advantage of these cameras - the price. Even serious SLR camera with a good glass leave the flea markets for a song.

But not all limited to film photography Soviet fotopromom. Those who are strongly interested in analogue photography, becoming more serious devices imported. If you try, you can find very low cost options: Chinon CS, Pentax K1000, Canon AE-1, Olympus OM-1, relatively modern Membrane Nikon models. These devices are more reliable operation mechanisms, a wide range of shutter speeds and many other nuances, but are more expensive to "change" and "Zenith".

On what else to pay attention

There are other nuances: shutter speed range, the kind of gate, the presence of any automation, ease of use, in the end. But the camera is actually a conductor between two much more important elements: the lens and the film.

If you want to purchase one unit long haul, take the one in which you can change the lens.

Another point: think twice before purchasing a camera with automatic exposure metering and selenium exposure meter. Most likely, the light-sensitive elements in them have already got, and in manual mode, the shutter speed can not be changed. For example, in "Vilia-Auto" and "FED-50" with the light meter shrunken you always have to shoot with shutter speeds 1/30 second - a shooting on a sunny day on the film medium and high sensitivity can be forget.

Where can I buy

Now that you have decided in which camera you need, start your search on message boards. Try to avoid shipments by mail, because you need to test the functionality of the device. Soviet proposals cameras enough in any, even a very large city. But the search for a decent camera import may have on foreign flea markets.

What is lomography?

You do not like to make the metering, display aperture and even nezavalenny horizon is not an easy task for you? Try yourself lomography. It is a philosophy and a way of shooting for those who like to take pictures, but do not burden themselves prevailing tenets of photography. All that you need to be Lomography - minimal taste and the desire to experiment. If the professional photography Chef, God and the king - the photographer, in the Lomography - case. Here on these cameras take pictures representatives lomo movement:

And these pictures they are obtained:

These photos can not boast of elaboration of details or the exact exposure, but also carry a special mood, which is so like the fans of lomography.

Cons Most lomo cameras - Chinese production and, as a result, unreliable. Some of them rather quickly bored of the limited application: many are missing any of the settings in principle, but some are only suitable for shooting in sunny weather.

If you are interested in, look at the Diana, Holga, La Sardina and of course, the first chamber, which ushered in the Lomographic movement - "Lomo LC-A." Many of lomo cameras produced today, but their price is much higher than in the more serious the Soviet cameras b / y.

Find lomo camera simple. One query in a search engine and you will see about the same offers from dozens of online stores.

But how to choose a film?

In films there are four main characteristics: color, type of process, format, and sensitivity (ISO).

Color and process

With color everything is clear: the film has a color and black and white. And the color of the dependent some of the nuances of shooting and developing. Black and white require the use of filters in certain conditions and are manifested by D-76 process. There are also monochrome black-and-white film, they exhibit Process C-41 (as well as non-ferrous). On quality they are inferior to the classic, but to cope with them in any photo studio for.

Colored films are divided into negative and traded. Negative where practical, to a patient in Exposure slips inconsequential, sold and appear on C-41 process in either a photo studio. Sometimes treated films exhibit as well as negative. This is called cross-process. Pictures displayed on the cross-process, have distorted color and higher saturation, especially like Lomography and other experimenters.

Format

There are two common types of film: small (type 135) and middle (type 120). The choice depends on the characteristics of the camera, most of them support the type 135 film. Coils medium format cameras can be used in the Holga, Diana, Soviet "fans", some "Kiev», Pentax, Rollei and more. With simple manipulations they can attach and 35mm film.

photosensitivity

Of sensitivity, or ISO, depending at what coverage we will be able to take pictures, which will set the shutter speed and aperture. The range starts with photosensitive films 25 and ends ISO 3200 ISO. The smaller the numerical value, the less light captures the film, the longer should be the speed and / or smaller aperture value.

Films up to 100 ISO good for shooting in sunny weather. In cloudy film might come in handy to 400 ISO. More photosensitive film is suitable for evening and night shooting, but has a higher granularity.

The optimal rate sensitivity - 200 ISO.

On older cameras can be used other scale sensitivity: GOST, ASA or DIN. To establish compliance, you can use table.

individual characteristics

Also, the film may be different color reproduction and a depth of elaboration of details. The online store for them, as a rule, shall make the results of the shooting, which can help determine the choice.

How do I shoot on film cameras?

Procedure for shooting different cameras differs insignificantly.

• Setting the film. The first step is to set the film in the dedicated compartment for her. Sometimes it is necessary to lift the film rewind knob roulette. Then drag the tab to the receiving coil and fix it. Cock the shutter, make sure that the teeth of the roller hit the perforated film. Click on the descent. After closing the lid is recommended to take another test shot, the film rewind knob roulette should also be twisted. All this is not worth doing in bright sunlight.
• Prepare the device for shooting. If applicable, set the ISO speed (for manual or automatic metering), and the frame counter.
• Shutter platoon. It is necessary to take the hammer to the end, and then gently turn back. If the system without the hammer, spin the wheel until it stops.
• Setting the aperture and shutter speed. These actions can vary greatly depending on the camera. If your camera is not equipped with automatic running or is not a bar graph with a simple control, use the light meter. If the staff is broken, use the special mobile application.

• Adjusting the focus and creating the image. If you are using an SLR camera, do not forget to open the aperture to focus (and before flying birds - close). If rangefinder - use parallax effect. If the bar graph - guided by special markings. Then you can pull the trigger.
• Discharging film. Unlock the pinion (this control is often marked by the letter R). Use rewind a tape measure to return to film in the coil. If a problem occurs, remove the film yourself in a dark room and told to development with in an opaque case or box.

What then to do with the film?

Attributed to DIY developing. If used 35mm negative film exhibited by C-41 process, it will show in a photo studio any. If used in other photographs, you may have to look for a private laboratory.

What to do next?

The answer to this question will tell you the first successfully finished shooting the film. If you do it seriously, the analogue photography offer a wide scope for development. Lenses, filters, flashes, an independent film development - all this will help to turn from the experimenter in seasoned professional.

Those who find themselves in lomography, expect funny experiments: Multiple overdue film, cross-process, Redscale and other terrible words.

Analog photography - this is expensive?

Let's count. Let's say you got a camera is not inherited. Purchase of second-hand "change-8M" or even of a "Zenith" can cost 200-500 rubles.

Furthermore - the film. If you do not consider the options of delay purchases with it, then online stores prices start from about 250 rubles per reel with 36 frames. Developing The C-41 film obtained by the process generally is very inexpensive: less than $ 100. But the scan number "can cost a few hundred. But the prices in different cities may vary.

Therefore, the analog picture "to try" is worth quite a bit. But if you entice purchase of a decent system and the lenses will be picky about the films and wasteful, then save, of course, will not work.

And that is exactly worth it?

Here's the same story as with the turntable. Occupation analog photo impractical, requires constant investments. Result unknown film to light in general can easily spoil during or film development. Frames is not more than 36. Perhaps, if you do not make a mistake in manual exposure settings, aperture and focus, some of them even turn out good. Only to find out it will be possible not earlier than a few days, when specially trained people will make your photographic emulsion in the pictures. Add to that the glances of passers-by, accused of contempt hipsterstve and bewilderment on the part of radical digital photographers - that's what something is a hobby, if we talk in general terms.

But all these disadvantages can cross one important thing: the revived frame value. We all remember at least a few photos of his childhood, may not even be the most successful. And how many of comparable importance pictures in the gallery of your smartphone?

In my camera was 24 frames, I had to be very careful to choose what to take, when we went on tour. I'm not saying that everything is devalued... But no, I want to. In my opinion, that is devalued. When I see people who have always something to shoot, I want to shout to them: "Do not shoot! Sweat it out! "When it is fixed on the camera, this means that everything is equally important. That is, nothing is important.

The Cure frontman Robert Smith in an interview with "Bill Daily»

Such a hobby is not suitable for everyone. But those who truly carried away analogue photography, waiting for dozens of cool pictures, hours of anticipation "scans" successful and spoiled films. And most importantly - lost in the depths of the digital progress, long-forgotten joy of photography.