Trying out film photography does not have to be expensive or time consuming. If you want to see what the hype is all about on a budget, here is a quick guide to getting started.
Finding a Camera
Film cameras range in price and film format. For the beginner, we are going to focus on some cheap and readily available 35mm film cameras.
Disposable Cameras - These are the most readily available and cheap cameras you can start with. Disposable cameras are one time use, plastic cameras that have film preloaded. All you need to do is wind the film winder to 0 and start shooting. They usually will have no manual settings and do all the "thinking" for you. You just need to point and shoot. Once all the frames have been shot, you send it out to a lab for development.
One thing to note about disposable film cameras is the film stock that is included. Kodak cameras will have Kodak film. Fujifilm will have Fujifilm, well, film. The film stocks included in these cameras will usually be between 200 and 400 ASA/ISO. These film stocks work well in bright conditions, such as outdoors or a well lit interior. Most disposable cameras will include a flash for darker shooting conditions if needed. You can find other types of interesting, creative preloaded film on sites like B&H Photo. But, for most people starting out in film photography, 200-400 ASA/ISO film will be fine.
Pros: Cheap, easy to use
Cons: One time use only, do not have the best image quality, lack manual controls for custom shooting.
Thrift Store Cameras - If you have gone into a Goodwill or other thrift style shop in the last decade, there is a good chance you might have stumbled across a film camera on the shelf. Digital cameras and smart phones have rapidly replaced film cameras starting in the early 2000s. Even though we are living in the digital world, film cameras are still popping up in thrift stores on a somewhat frequent basis. Film cameras can usually be found at a low cost and will sometimes include a kit lens or come as a full kit.
Pros: Cheap, usually include a lens, potential to find a quality camera for low cost.
Cons: Reliability is never guaranteed, availability is not guaranteed.
Finding a Film Stock
If you bought a disposable camera, then you can skip over the section. If you have a film camera that requires a film canister, then here are some quick things to note.
Where to Find Film - Thanks to the internet, the world of film is at your finger tips. You can find film stocks at almost any large online retailer, but I would stick with sites like B&H Photo, Adorama or Amazon. These sites tend to have the most competitive pricing and availability.
Since we live in a digital world where digital cameras and smart phones dominate the photo industry, finding film stocks in stores can be a challenge. Thankfully most brick and mortar camera stores carry film stocks and should always be your first choice when buying camera equipment (always support your local camera store!). However, if you don't have one in your area, then drug stores like CVS or Walgreens should have at least one type of film stock or disposable camera in stock.
What Type of Film to Buy - The most common types of film stocks are 200 or 400 ASA/ISO, daylight balanced. These perform well in most shooting conditions and are relatively cheap. Some examples are:
Kodak Gold
Kodak UltraMAX
Kodal ColorPlus
FujiFilm 400
Loading and Shooting Film
I won't dive too deep into how to load and shoot film. But here are some recommendations:
Read the manual/consult the internet - Loading a film canister for the first time can be intimidating. A lot can go wrong here if not done correctly. Always check your camera's manual on how to load and operate your camera correctly. Don't have the manual? Check sites like Butkus.org for PDF versions of your camera manual. Or check on YouTube for video guides on how to load and use your camera.
Understand your films limitations - Not all film stocks are created equal. Lower ASA/ISO rated films (200-400) perform better outdoors or in well lit areas. Higher ASA/ISO rated films (800-3200) perform well in low light. New users will most likely start out with 200-400 ASA/ISO film stock (see above). Try shooting outdoors or in a well light interior. Be mindful if your shutter speed starts to drop below 1/60th of a second as to not introduce motion blur in your photos.
Finding a Lab
Now that your have shot your roll of film, you will need to develop and scan your film.
Local Labs - Believe it or not, but some local labs still exist! Most major metropolitan areas will have a lab or camera store that can process film. Check with your local camera store to see if they have some method of developing and scanning film.
Mail In Labs - Mail In labs are labs that have a large online presence and handle film developing on a large scale. These labs offer many different types of processing, scanning and printing services. These labs include:
Editing your Photos
A controversial topic for some, but it is possible to edit your film photos in editing software, like Adobe Lightroom. How much editing is a personal preference. Most new film photographers will receive their photos back in a digital format, like JPG. There are limitations as to how much editing your can do before degrading your image. But, if you want to make minor exposure adjustments or crop in a tad, there should not be any issues.
That's It!
Congrats! You are now officially a film photographer! If you want to have another go at it, consider trying a new film stock, investing in some new camera gear or learn to develop and scan yourself.
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