Agreed. I love this channel and you usually show him lots of beautiful examples for cameras and lenses you’re talking about so this will be a spot to definitely include that.
It is interesting to listen to this generations discovery of film. I suggest that you all read Feninger’s “The Complete Photographer.” Please ignore his stared use of “he.” And there were great female photographers that were his contemporaries. In the digital era the common theme has become, push the shutter as frequently as possible and hope for the best. Yes, I know that you know the fundamentals of composition, exposure, depth of field, light, and color theory. Film photography forces you to discipline yourself to concentrate on that one exposure. I suggest that access the literature and photography from era when film was the media of communication, when photojournalism was taken seriously. When film was art. When fine grain black and white film was available. When medium and large format was the serious tools of professional photographers. When darkroom skills meant burning and dodging. When many of us used the zone system. When slide film was the king of commercial photography. With film the camera is the key to images. With digital photography it is mostly about getting the file into the computer and manipulating the image. My guess is that even with film it will be hard to not use the computer to fix what should of happened in the camera.
Well said. I was a student of the late Dean Collins. He was a master of light control and creating the image inside the camera on a single piece of film whether he used a Hasselblad or an 8x10 Linhof. Film is for those who can; Photoshop is for the rest.
I agree 100% on what you said about Canons. I was about to purchase an AE-1 when a friend advise me that the A-1 was a better option. I also have an Elan 7ne with the 50mm STM and the image quality I get from that lens is second to none.
I feel that the Pentax K1000 is the best camera to learn on. Its the camera I learned on 50 years ago. It has only manual settings and the simplest light meter. The meter arm moves up and down. Up to the positive and down to negative. It is as basic as it comes.
Holy cow..... You just described vinyl🤯..... There are many ways of describing what Mp3 did to the experience and work flow of making and playing music, but the way you see film is just perfect. At the end of the day discovering a new piece of music as a vinyl single makes it a process... It's hard to explain. But yeah, downloading an Mp3 will never feel the same as going out and bringing home a new artwork in a sleeve....
Funny cuz I see mp3 the way you see vinyl. Spotify is cool and all but I had to get myself an iPod classic to just disconnect from the internet. I go to school for CS and so I need an escape sometimes especially with online school
To be fair... It does look much cooler. In all seriousness though. The idea of having a modern film camera that can take EF glass is very appealing, but for me using an older film camera that provides a much more different experience to when I shoot my digital cameras is the whole reason I'd shoot film in the first place. A modern EOS camera would feel a bit too close to shooting my digital camera that I'd end up asking myself why I'm not just shooting digital? While when I take out me ae-1, with it being a leaver action and all that is the whole reason I like shooting it. Auto modes and focus don't bother me personally, as when I shoot digital I shoot manual mode anyway and manually focusing I'm used to doing as my background is in video and film so those aspects are not a concern for me personally. Meaning I get to be a hipster and like it... Sweet 😂
There is something different about using a film camera over digital, I tend to concentrate more on the scene before I hit the shutter button when using my Canon EOS 50e 35mm film camera. When I use my digital slr, I spend more time messing with the settings and the buttons. I fully agree, the Canon 50e (Elan 2) is a great semi pro film camera. I don't buy a camera to look 'cool", or shoot video, if I wanted to shoot video I'd buy a dedicated video camera. I couldn't care less about looking cool, I'm a photographer, I enjoy photography, choice of camera is always gonna be subjective and personal. Thanks man, good video.
Grabbed a Elan II for like $25 off Amazon after seeing you recommend it on your insta stories like a month ago then paired it with the 50mm 1.8 I had sitting around in my bag and it works like a dream! Also love that if I wanna be all fancy I can use my L series lenses with it too 🙌🏻 great video and thanks for the recommendation!
Amazing video and great recommendations. My first film camera was a Nikon FG-20 that I found at a thrift shop for $10!!! Mint condition. 😱😱 I really enjoy shooting with it and need to use it more.
I have a old Cannon FTB manual it’s over 40 years old and takes great pictures. Tried digital and it’s ok but I still like film more. Something about having the pictures in hand.
My first interchangeable lens film camera was the Canon A1. I still have it. I liked that it had more control than the AE-1 did. The A-1 had five modes of shooting, the predecessor to today's digital cameras
As an old professional film photographer I don’t see how the number of modes equates to “more control.” “Modes” turn control over to the camera’s algorithms. The ultimate control is a Nikon F or similar camera that is 100% manual.
Hi Benji, I'd take up the cudgels for Nikon...Nikon was the market leader in analog 35mm film cameras for a reason, except for when the Canon EOS AF system came out in 1987. I really like the feel & operation, reliability of Nikon. My 35mm (AF) SLRs have never let me down. Nowadays, you can get them for peanuts, decades ago I paid a lot of money for them, like with everything else. For beginners recommended (but not only) Nikon F60, F65, F75, F80. Especially a F60/F65 (N60/N65 in the US) costs hardly anything, if it should be particularly cheap, just use the 28-80 G kit lens, and stop down to F5.6-F11 with fine image quality, measured against the price a joke. Otherwise, for example, an AF-D 50/1.8, or (which I prefer, since "my" focal length) 35mm F2 AF-D. The lens provides 3D pop & microcontrast. The F65/F75 here especially has a tad lower build quality, and a dim lit, smaller pentamirror prism OVF, compared to the F60/F80 bodies, but those have 5 AF points, the F60 does have one, the F80 also five. Another good bargain which i shoot from time to time is the Nikon F90x. (F90s into the US) , its the updated, faster, better successor to the original F90 design, weather-sealed, does have 1 AF point, but that shouldn't let you stop here, the F60 does have the same AF system, albeit not that fast exactly. Pop on the 28-70/3.5-4.5 "Kitlens", which also works on all mentioned AF bodies, there you go...it's a fine zoom, don't let the speed and size fool you. I had the FM, which was very nice, but unfortunately sold. Nowadays, as since the release, I only use 35mm AF SLRs from Nikon, for manual lenses I have other brands which I sometimes enjoy more...but this is another story. 🙂
My advice to anyone who has been brought up on digital and wants to try out film , is to buy the older , fully manual cameras that sometimes do not even have a light meter in them. That way , you will learn all nature of things that you probably never picked up while doing digital and it will make you a better photographer .
Been shooting film 35mm format since late 1970's still love it simply cannot replace the feel and process of making photographs with film equipment; although I do have a digital camera that is reserved for something small and light and quick to use for 'capturing the moment'; it will not replace my film cameras for the sheer joy and pleasure of the art of photography.
@@EM-km8em Out of my film SLR camera collection; for low-light photography I'd pick my Nikon FM with a fast lens with a wide maximum lens aperture. The FM due to it's LED exposure indicators in the viewfinder..very easy to see in low light conditions. Match needle exposure indicators can be very difficult to see in low light. And the FM has a very sensitive light meter..operates well in low/difficult lighting conditions. Of course it's a manual focus/manual exposure camera, so that may be an impediment when grabbing quick low-light shots if you have to fiddle with focusing and setting exposure. You may be better served with an auto-focus/auto exposure camera.
So do i - never, ever! 36 frames withhin the 35mm (135) format is plenty, i almost never finish a roll at a specific location, hence photowalk. With digital, i do shoot a bit more, but it's never the same feeling, haptics, and everything...film is real, and it does give me always pleasure & joy, anytime i hit the shutter, it was never the same, with digital.
I was given an EOS 500n for free. It works with all my modern EF mount lenses (please note EF-S lenses wont work) I took it out to do some wildlife photography with my Sigma 100-400MM telephoto fitted to it. Just waiting on the films to be processed.
your sentiments reflect mine exactly Benj. i do most of my personal work with my film cameras. after tryin and selling many , my favorites are my T2, Xpan, MP and 500cm. film is the best :)
@@benjhaisch i found those to be working best for me, usually found them at a great deal. the t2 still surprises me in how good i performs. even the flash is amazing
Great video, some comments: 1.) I would prefer the Olympus mju-2, better lens than on the Stylus. 2.) I own the AE-1 and the A-1, both have shutter priority and only the A-1 has aperture priority as well. 3.) The Yashica FR-1 is also a good option if you need AP, great Yashica and Zeiss lenses. 4.) I also have bought an EOS film camera (1V) to use all my EF lenses, this is a great option. So my recommendations are looking very similar. :-D
Canon Elan cameras are a great value. You can hack that expensive battery to use less expensive CR123A batteries, or rechargeable options. ... Canon Rebel G (or equiv.) camera’s are also a great value. They are super light/small and works great with a 40mm 2.8 STM Lens.
There are a countless great options for the cameras you covered, but every one of these are wonderful for the reasons you stated. It gives a full spread of features based on what a new film photographer might want or is willing to put the work in to. Of the bunch, that Canon A-1 is really a joy to shoot. Less sought-after than the AE-1 and AE-1 Program models, but more than capable in every way. Thanks for the excellent video.
i’m just starting film photography and just got my first two rolls. one from using my dads old canon eos 100 which is equivalent with the canon eos elan. i also had one roll using my canon ae1 program. i was pleasantly surprised with how my pictures came out. i was so anxious that none of them are out of focus but it didn’t. definitely looking into shooting film more.
Great video Benj! You should definitely make a part II! I´m looking to get into film again. I originally started shooting film 15 years ago but moved to digital once the options available were good enough. However, I´m finding myself more and more missing that enjoyment I get out of the process when shooting film and I think I´ll get a film camera soon. Keep up the good work and stay safe!
Great choices!! Love the Olympus. Another good option for fun & easy 35mm camera that is a step up from Olympus is Lomo LC-A+ (my first film cam and loved it!) Kind of what you mentioned about not thinking about too much, I love the Lomo’s motto: “Don’t think Just shoot”. It’s more hands on compared to Olympus, with zone focusing, but you sure get some fun images!! I also recommend a Holga, which is basically a medium format version. It’s more plastic and flimsy that you start to doubt whether it’ll even produce an image, but it’s a perfect party camera with a direct flash, perfect for wedding reception dance floors. Love this channel benj!
I'm happy to see someone who also sees the value in the late Canon 35mm cameras. They also use the EF mount lenses that fit my Canon 5D mark II full frame digital. You can sometimes find these EF lenses attached to the old film cams in thrift stores and they sell for peanuts. So the old Canon 35mm may look funny but they have a shit-ton of functions. They were state of the art, the end of an era. As a street camera they are awesome and having auto focus is a great asset. Having lenses that work on both film and digital is a budget photographers wet dream.
Thank you for the video and for encouraging people to start shooting film! When I talk to people starting film photography many of them name as the major reason that they want to better understand the basics of photography and slow down their way of taking pictures. In that case I would additionally recommend full manual cameras, like Olympus OM-1, Minolta SRT line, etc. If in addition, taking more "arty" photos is an objective, I can recommend medium format twin lens cameras, like Rolleicord, Mamiya C330 or if the budget allows for it, a Hasselblad V-500 system camera.
I have 3 Canon cameras. The XTI and SL2 digital cameras and the Rebel G film camera. All EF lenses, especially the 50mm 1.8 II lens. I use AV and TV modes the most.
Nikon F2 Photomic plus 50mm 1:1.4 S-Auto Non-Ai Nikkor. My first proper camera I started photography with in 1998. Still love it and use it. My next “best” film cameras are the Rolleicord Model I Art Deco, the Leica M5 and the Leica M4. All super simple and straight forward cameras that just feel great to me at any time. I also like the Nikon F5 and Hasselblad H2 but most of the time they are a little “over” for just travel stuff. I don’t get it why all these “auto” cameras are that recommended especially for beginners.
I have a Canon A1 and I like it. But I really Miss Kodachrome slide film. There is nothing like it and it was as sharp as a b/w film. The amazing thing is that the color now is like it was when it was first processed. My Ectachrome slides have all faded with age but not the Kodachrome. So I have a hard time about going back to film.
Kodachrome was actually four layers of B&W emulsion separated by filters. The color was added during processing. In 1972 a Kodachrome processing machine was a $1 million piece of hardware. Very few labs had one outside of Kodak. Someone gave me a tour of Fox Photo in Houston and they had one back then.
I've been shooting film for years but have lost a bit of the inspiration lately, have a few unprocessed rolls I need to get processed... Heading away for a couple days this week, and think I'm gonna take my Nikon F80 (the nikon equivalent of the EOS you recommend) to shoot portra 400 ( question, should I push portra?), and then my leica m6 to shoot tri x (at 1600) But I still feel the need to take a digital too... Ha
There are a few EOS film cameras that I'd recommend that are cheap but feature packed, and those are the EOS 600 (my fav 600 series body) 650, 600 RT, 1000F (I'd mention that I did start off with fully manual FD bodies like the AT-1) and they are what I used before heading onto the EOS1 and my long journey with Canon and the EOS system.
Hi Benj, I'd encourage you to do more of these surely. I'm also a vintage Canon shooter. I had to halt the hobby last year but plan on taking care of development and scanning (digital camera, actually) if proceeding. Paying for development and professional scanning sours me greatly. With a cost that's greater than a roll of pro film the economics don't work for me _at all_. It was a big reason why I bought a digital camera in 2003. I'd much rather spend my money on film and work the process myself ... things I had not clue about in 2003.
The A1 does everything all of the other A series cameras can do in one camera. It has shutter priority, aperture priority, program mode and metered manual. It’s the only Canon camera that can do that. Now make sure it doesn’t have the dreaded shutter “squeak”!
I have an A-1 and an Elan ii. If I go out street shooting, I grab the A-1. Even though the Elan is newer and has auto focus, among other things, the A -1 just feels right. Or the AE-1 or AE-1 Program or the AV-1 or the AL-1... lol
I was just getting back into photography about 2 years ago as I already had an OM-10 an AE1 programs. folks gave me a K1000 pentax, a spotmatic and a couple of Chinons that work fine, and bought my favorite an OM-1, I used my om-10 allot in Germany back in the early 80's. Now realize i will need a DLR like a yashica 124 or I would prefer a Rolleiflex, you see, this summer i was told i have PMA which I call the Diet-coke of ALS. the outcome is the same , it just takes longer. so i will have time to take more memories for my wife and kids. Sooner or later i won't be able to lift my arms to bring a camera to my eye but, one i could hang around my neck would be very useful as I will have trouble keeping my head up. (I watched my father in law die of this), So if you see one that works for a fair price let me know as I live in Lacey just down the road for a couple more months anyway, until we move , just down the road.
Benj Haisch It May be my humid climate? I also have 4 Canon EF’s that are inoperative which everyone loves. My A-1 soldiers on even though it needs a tune-up.
You should also learn to develop your own film--at least black and white--and do your own enlargements (including dodging and burning). It's a different experience entirely!
I have in the past! Super fun and rewarding, but a little more time consuming than I have time for right now with multiple businesses and a young family :)
The only thing I would add is to try developing your film yourself. It’s as difficult as you might think and the equipment and chemicals are available easily online. It’s vey satisfying when your negatives come out of the developer and magically appear!
The A1 sold for nearly twice as much as the AE1. It was considered a professional camera and many pros used them as a back-up to their Canon F-1. There were not nearly as many A1's sold so they are harder to find. While I have seen a few AE1's at thrift stores, I have never seen an A1 or an F-1 at a thrift store. That said, the premium you'll pay isn't much more than what you'll pay for an AE1 and the durability and added features are well worth the price. In the early days of digital, pros were almost giving away their film gear to buy the latest digital. The talk at the time was that film would no longer be made. Fortunately, they were wrong.
in denmark the stylus goes for 100 - 150 $ A1 goes for 120 - 150 $ EOS lsr goes for 20 $ By far the best choice is to look for a cheap SLR or point and shoot camera. Throw a film in it. and try it out... if you dont know if its your thing. spending spending 200$ on camera. film and some gear is not a good option.
Nice. I live not far away and have Canon FTB's and a couple RB67s and loads of film and a great negative scanner. One thing. Can you train yourself to midel the items you are so frantically swinging around? I barely managed to get a glimpse of the sitting still. I suggest setting your wrist or the heel of your and on the table. This is a problem with every single YTuber of your generation. Maybe it comes from the exaggerated arm motions of rap? (Looking for a Speedgraphic)
This goes back a ways...but I bought an old Zeiss Ikoflex TLR years ago. More film area = more.."mega-pixels" (silver particles) It was best with B&W. Not great for action, but GREAT for stills.
Nothing is more fun for a beginner than a camera that could arive broken or break every second while handling. Why do people still recommend plastic point and shoots for a first camera (might be ok as a thrift store find but not a 100$ Ebay purchase, without knowing if the camera will work). Just go for a basic SLR and call it a day -> Nikkormats, Topcons, Canon FTs, Pentax K1000s (even though theyre overpriced) etc... those wont break after two rolls, cost way less than everyones favorite p&s or AE1s/A1s and do their job great. Or go for some not so popular brands like Yashica, Ricoh, whatever.... only point of this video i think is actually good advice are the 90s SLRs which can be quite cool and cheap but often more complicated for someone not knowing anything about cameras than the basic SLRs.
The F is an excellent and incredibly durable camera. I have one. The F-2 is far easier to reload because of the hinged back where the F back is removed from the camera to change film.
So I was given a Pentax spotmatic by my mom she got it for like 15 dollars and a flea market can I get some advice on how to use and stuff? I’m very interested in film photography and honestly I always wanted to try I also wanna know where to get the film and where to get batteries for it
I bought an elan II when it was brand new it had issues after a few years. a known issue is you take a shot it turns off you have to slide off and back on again. I also had the Elan 7.
I bought my Spotmatic IIa new in 1973. It’s still going. At the time Nikon was the leader in photojournalism and Pentax was a distant second because of fewer system options and the screw thread mount. The Takumar glass is superb, though.
I want to get a film body to rediscover the experience of shooting analog. I own couple of Canon fd lens but I am hesitating between classic slr with interchangeable lens and a Canon point and shoot. Have you already tried the Canon point and shoot ? What would you do? PS : we are talking canon TX, AV, AE-, A1 vs Canonet 28 or QL17
Was really interested in your video but then you started with the mju and I just rolled my eyes. This thing is not a secret tip, hell, it costs 200 bucks here...
My AE1 takes a 6V tube battery. And that camera is electronic shutter so the whole thing won’t work if you don’t have a battery. The A1 should be the same, but not totally sure.
my experience with thrift store cameras can be a real crap shoot. They're at a thrift store for a reason. My advise is look for camera swap meets in your area. You can usually find a table full of cheap cameras and the sellers will be knowledgeable on their condition. invest in a few camera batteries for testing.
@@benjhaisch ohhhh there was a misunderstanding on my end my bad, i thought you were saying the lens on that camera was wider than 35mm IE 28mm..... my apologies
The problem I have with inclusion of the Olympus Stylus is that as a camera, it is flimsy piece of cheap plastic junk; the lens is adequate, which is polite for mediocre. If you want no better and to exercise no control over your photography, it would be fine at $30, but it commonly sells north of $200, which is a ridiculous waste of money. The Canon A-1 is great. It will work automatically if you know nothing, but it can let you learn photography without having to take a loss to dump your first purchase to replace with purchase of a more sophisticated system. Not a fan of the later cheaper EOS models, which were pretty flimsy, thus potentially troublesome. (Not worth getting repaired in any event.) Look at the EOS as a Stylus on steroids.
It was geart untill you said "...my very expensive Contax T2" the overhyped, overpriced, and easily beackable P&S ok you should also talk about this, no ?
You should put some pictures that you took with the camera for examples.
YES
Agreed. I love this channel and you usually show him lots of beautiful examples for cameras and lenses you’re talking about so this will be a spot to definitely include that.
Exactly! Hard to make a choice without seeing this!
I love that you’re recommending cameras that don’t break the bank. So refreshing compared to other channels.
It is interesting to listen to this generations discovery of film. I suggest that you all read Feninger’s “The Complete Photographer.” Please ignore his stared use of “he.” And there were great female photographers that were his contemporaries. In the digital era the common theme has become, push the shutter as frequently as possible and hope for the best. Yes, I know that you know the fundamentals of composition, exposure, depth of field, light, and color theory. Film photography forces you to discipline yourself to concentrate on that one exposure. I suggest that access the literature and photography from era when film was the media of communication, when photojournalism was taken seriously. When film was art. When fine grain black and white film was available. When medium and large format was the serious tools of professional photographers. When darkroom skills meant burning and dodging. When many of us used the zone system. When slide film was the king of commercial photography. With film the camera is the key to images. With digital photography it is mostly about getting the file into the computer and manipulating the image. My guess is that even with film it will be hard to not use the computer to fix what should of happened in the camera.
Well said. I was a student of the late Dean Collins. He was a master of light control and creating the image inside the camera on a single piece of film whether he used a Hasselblad or an 8x10 Linhof. Film is for those who can; Photoshop is for the rest.
@@David-hm9ic Thanks for the comment.
I agree 100% on what you said about Canons. I was about to purchase an AE-1 when a friend advise me that the A-1 was a better option. I also have an Elan 7ne with the 50mm STM and the image quality I get from that lens is second to none.
I feel that the Pentax K1000 is the best camera to learn on. Its the camera I learned on 50 years ago. It has only manual settings and the simplest light meter. The meter arm moves up and down. Up to the positive and down to negative. It is as basic as it comes.
my k1000 always gave me the wrong exposure, I will probably use it if I buy a light meter. Instead I got a canon a1 love it, favorite camera.
Holy cow..... You just described vinyl🤯..... There are many ways of describing what Mp3 did to the experience and work flow of making and playing music, but the way you see film is just perfect. At the end of the day discovering a new piece of music as a vinyl single makes it a process... It's hard to explain. But yeah, downloading an Mp3 will never feel the same as going out and bringing home a new artwork in a sleeve....
Funny cuz I see mp3 the way you see vinyl. Spotify is cool and all but I had to get myself an iPod classic to just disconnect from the internet. I go to school for CS and so I need an escape sometimes especially with online school
"All you hipsters out there that want to walk around with a really cool camera around your neck" HAHa that made me laugh
Lmaoo I felt attacked 😂
To be fair... It does look much cooler.
In all seriousness though. The idea of having a modern film camera that can take EF glass is very appealing, but for me using an older film camera that provides a much more different experience to when I shoot my digital cameras is the whole reason I'd shoot film in the first place. A modern EOS camera would feel a bit too close to shooting my digital camera that I'd end up asking myself why I'm not just shooting digital? While when I take out me ae-1, with it being a leaver action and all that is the whole reason I like shooting it.
Auto modes and focus don't bother me personally, as when I shoot digital I shoot manual mode anyway and manually focusing I'm used to doing as my background is in video and film so those aspects are not a concern for me personally.
Meaning I get to be a hipster and like it... Sweet 😂
You're boring with a dad body. Go and take your life serious for a moment.
There is something different about using a film camera over digital, I tend to concentrate more on the scene before I hit the shutter button when using my Canon EOS 50e 35mm film camera.
When I use my digital slr, I spend more time messing with the settings and the buttons.
I fully agree, the Canon 50e (Elan 2) is a great semi pro film camera.
I don't buy a camera to look 'cool", or shoot video, if I wanted to shoot video I'd buy a dedicated video camera. I couldn't care less about looking cool, I'm a photographer, I enjoy photography, choice of camera is always gonna be subjective and personal. Thanks man, good video.
Grabbed a Elan II for like $25 off Amazon after seeing you recommend it on your insta stories like a month ago then paired it with the 50mm 1.8 I had sitting around in my bag and it works like a dream! Also love that if I wanna be all fancy I can use my L series lenses with it too 🙌🏻 great video and thanks for the recommendation!
So good! Tag me when you get results if you post them!
In case it helps, you can hack the Elan 2CR5 battery pack to use cheaper CR123A batteries. I like using my Elan with a 40mm 2.8 STM.
Had a Stylus Zoom back in the 90's and loved it. Reminds me I need to get another...
Amazing video and great recommendations. My first film camera was a Nikon FG-20 that I found at a thrift shop for $10!!! Mint condition. 😱😱 I really enjoy shooting with it and need to use it more.
I have a old Cannon FTB manual it’s over 40 years old and takes great pictures. Tried digital and it’s ok but I still like film more. Something about having the pictures in hand.
The most important part of a camera for me is the sound the feel and the colours
My first interchangeable lens film camera was the Canon A1. I still have it. I liked that it had more control than the AE-1 did. The A-1 had five modes of shooting, the predecessor to today's digital cameras
As an old professional film photographer I don’t see how the number of modes equates to “more control.” “Modes” turn control over to the camera’s algorithms. The ultimate control is a Nikon F or similar camera that is 100% manual.
Hi Benji, I'd take up the cudgels for Nikon...Nikon was the market leader in analog 35mm film cameras for a reason, except for when the Canon EOS AF system came out in 1987. I really like the feel & operation, reliability of Nikon. My 35mm (AF) SLRs have never let me down. Nowadays, you can get them for peanuts, decades ago I paid a lot of money for them, like with everything else.
For beginners recommended (but not only) Nikon F60, F65, F75, F80. Especially a F60/F65 (N60/N65 in the US) costs hardly anything, if it should be particularly cheap, just use the 28-80 G kit lens, and stop down to F5.6-F11 with fine image quality, measured against the price a joke. Otherwise, for example, an AF-D 50/1.8, or (which I prefer, since "my" focal length) 35mm F2 AF-D. The lens provides 3D pop & microcontrast. The F65/F75 here especially has a tad lower build quality, and a dim lit, smaller pentamirror prism OVF, compared to the F60/F80 bodies, but those have 5 AF points, the F60 does have one, the F80 also five. Another good bargain which i shoot from time to time is the Nikon F90x. (F90s into the US) , its the updated, faster, better successor to the original F90 design, weather-sealed, does have 1 AF point, but that shouldn't let you stop here, the F60 does have the same AF system, albeit not that fast exactly. Pop on the 28-70/3.5-4.5 "Kitlens", which also works on all mentioned AF bodies, there you go...it's a fine zoom, don't let the speed and size fool you.
I had the FM, which was very nice, but unfortunately sold. Nowadays, as since the release, I only use 35mm AF SLRs from Nikon, for manual lenses I have other brands which I sometimes enjoy more...but this is another story. 🙂
My advice to anyone who has been brought up on digital and wants to try out film , is to buy the older , fully manual cameras that sometimes do not even have a light meter in them. That way , you will learn all nature of things that you probably never picked up while doing digital and it will make you a better photographer .
Been shooting film 35mm format since late 1970's still love it simply cannot replace the feel and process of making photographs with film equipment; although I do have a digital camera that is reserved for something small and light and quick to use for 'capturing the moment'; it will not replace my film cameras for the sheer joy and pleasure of the art of photography.
Whats your favorite film camera? I wanna buy one with stunning quality im going for mostly low light portraits and night time city photo shoots
@@EM-km8em Out of my film SLR camera collection; for low-light photography I'd pick my Nikon FM with a fast lens with a wide maximum lens aperture. The FM due to it's LED exposure indicators in the viewfinder..very easy to see in low light conditions. Match needle exposure indicators can be very difficult to see in low light. And the FM has a very sensitive light meter..operates well in low/difficult lighting conditions. Of course it's a manual focus/manual exposure camera, so that may be an impediment when grabbing quick low-light shots if you have to fiddle with focusing and setting exposure. You may be better served with an auto-focus/auto exposure camera.
So do i - never, ever! 36 frames withhin the 35mm (135) format is plenty, i almost never finish a roll at a specific location, hence photowalk. With digital, i do shoot a bit more, but it's never the same feeling, haptics, and everything...film is real, and it does give me always pleasure & joy, anytime i hit the shutter, it was never the same, with digital.
I was given an EOS 500n for free. It works with all my modern EF mount lenses (please note EF-S lenses wont work) I took it out to do some wildlife photography with my Sigma 100-400MM telephoto fitted to it. Just waiting on the films to be processed.
I bought a Canon AE1 in 1977 and still use it. Still takes great photographs.
your sentiments reflect mine exactly Benj. i do most of my personal work with my film cameras. after tryin and selling many , my favorites are my T2, Xpan, MP and 500cm. film is the best :)
Amazing setup! I have about 1/2 of those cameras but all are on my list :)
@@benjhaisch i found those to be working best for me, usually found them at a great deal. the t2 still surprises me in how good i performs. even the flash is amazing
Marc H I’ve probably shot more rolls on that T2 than any other camera
Cool line up of cameras. Unfortunately the prices for XPan cameras have gon through the roof.
@@klausmoritzpeitzsch690 yes indeed, i was fortunate enough to buy it before the price craze happened
Great video, some comments:
1.) I would prefer the Olympus mju-2, better lens than on the Stylus.
2.) I own the AE-1 and the A-1, both have shutter priority and only the A-1 has aperture priority as well.
3.) The Yashica FR-1 is also a good option if you need AP, great Yashica and Zeiss lenses.
4.) I also have bought an EOS film camera (1V) to use all my EF lenses, this is a great option.
So my recommendations are looking very similar. :-D
Canon Elan cameras are a great value. You can hack that expensive battery to use less expensive CR123A batteries, or rechargeable options. ... Canon Rebel G (or equiv.) camera’s are also a great value. They are super light/small and works great with a 40mm 2.8 STM Lens.
There are a countless great options for the cameras you covered, but every one of these are wonderful for the reasons you stated. It gives a full spread of features based on what a new film photographer might want or is willing to put the work in to. Of the bunch, that Canon A-1 is really a joy to shoot. Less sought-after than the AE-1 and AE-1 Program models, but more than capable in every way. Thanks for the excellent video.
i’m just starting film photography and just got my first two rolls. one from using my dads old canon eos 100 which is equivalent with the canon eos elan. i also had one roll using my canon ae1 program. i was pleasantly surprised with how my pictures came out. i was so anxious that none of them are out of focus but it didn’t. definitely looking into shooting film more.
Great video Benj! You should definitely make a part II! I´m looking to get into film again. I originally started shooting film 15 years ago but moved to digital once the options available were good enough. However, I´m finding myself more and more missing that enjoyment I get out of the process when shooting film and I think I´ll get a film camera soon. Keep up the good work and stay safe!
YOURE FROM TACOMA WASHINGTON?! Automatically subbing!!! Love from Kent!!!
The camera body is just a conduit is the perfect way of describing it when it comes to film cameras.
Great choices!! Love the Olympus. Another good option for fun & easy 35mm camera that is a step up from Olympus is Lomo LC-A+ (my first film cam and loved it!) Kind of what you mentioned about not thinking about too much, I love the Lomo’s motto: “Don’t think Just shoot”. It’s more hands on compared to Olympus, with zone focusing, but you sure get some fun images!!
I also recommend a Holga, which is basically a medium format version. It’s more plastic and flimsy that you start to doubt whether it’ll even produce an image, but it’s a perfect party camera with a direct flash, perfect for wedding reception dance floors.
Love this channel benj!
I'm happy to see someone who also sees the value in the late Canon 35mm cameras. They also use the EF mount lenses that fit my Canon 5D mark II full frame digital. You can sometimes find these EF lenses attached to the old film cams in thrift stores and they sell for peanuts. So the old Canon 35mm may look funny but they have a shit-ton of functions. They were state of the art, the end of an era. As a street camera they are awesome and having auto focus is a great asset. Having lenses that work on both film and digital is a budget photographers wet dream.
100%!
Thank you for the video and for encouraging people to start shooting film! When I talk to people starting film photography many of them name as the major reason that they want to better understand the basics of photography and slow down their way of taking pictures. In that case I would additionally recommend full manual cameras, like Olympus OM-1, Minolta SRT line, etc. If in addition, taking more "arty" photos is an objective, I can recommend medium format twin lens cameras, like Rolleicord, Mamiya C330 or if the budget allows for it, a Hasselblad V-500 system camera.
I have 3 Canon cameras. The XTI and SL2 digital cameras and the Rebel G film camera. All EF lenses, especially the 50mm 1.8 II lens. I use AV and TV modes the most.
Nikon F2 Photomic plus 50mm 1:1.4 S-Auto Non-Ai Nikkor. My first proper camera I started photography with in 1998. Still love it and use it.
My next “best” film cameras are the Rolleicord Model I Art Deco, the Leica M5 and the Leica M4. All super simple and straight forward cameras that just feel great to me at any time.
I also like the Nikon F5 and Hasselblad H2 but most of the time they are a little “over” for just travel stuff.
I don’t get it why all these “auto” cameras are that recommended especially for beginners.
I have a Canon A1 and I like it. But I really Miss Kodachrome slide film. There is nothing like it and it was as sharp as a b/w film. The amazing thing is that the color now is like it was when it was first processed. My Ectachrome slides have all faded with age but not the Kodachrome. So I have a hard time about going back to film.
Kodachrome was actually four layers of B&W emulsion separated by filters. The color was added during processing. In 1972 a Kodachrome processing machine was a $1 million piece of hardware. Very few labs had one outside of Kodak. Someone gave me a tour of Fox Photo in Houston and they had one back then.
I've been shooting film for years but have lost a bit of the inspiration lately, have a few unprocessed rolls I need to get processed...
Heading away for a couple days this week, and think I'm gonna take my Nikon F80 (the nikon equivalent of the EOS you recommend) to shoot portra 400 ( question, should I push portra?), and then my leica m6 to shoot tri x (at 1600)
But I still feel the need to take a digital too... Ha
Connor Mccullough digital is good for the environment.
There are a few EOS film cameras that I'd recommend that are cheap but feature packed, and those are the EOS 600 (my fav 600 series body) 650, 600 RT, 1000F (I'd mention that I did start off with fully manual FD bodies like the AT-1) and they are what I used before heading onto the EOS1 and my long journey with Canon and the EOS system.
Hi Benj, I'd encourage you to do more of these surely. I'm also a vintage Canon shooter. I had to halt the hobby last year but plan on taking care of development and scanning (digital camera, actually) if proceeding. Paying for development and professional scanning sours me greatly. With a cost that's greater than a roll of pro film the economics don't work for me _at all_. It was a big reason why I bought a digital camera in 2003. I'd much rather spend my money on film and work the process myself ... things I had not clue about in 2003.
The A1 does everything all of the other A series cameras can do in one camera. It has shutter priority, aperture priority, program mode and metered manual. It’s the only Canon camera that can do that. Now make sure it doesn’t have the dreaded shutter “squeak”!
I have an A-1 and an Elan ii. If I go out street shooting, I grab the A-1. Even though the Elan is newer and has auto focus, among other things, the A -1 just feels right.
Or the AE-1 or AE-1 Program or the AV-1 or the AL-1... lol
I was just getting back into photography about 2 years ago as I already had an OM-10 an AE1 programs. folks gave me a K1000 pentax, a spotmatic and a couple of Chinons that work fine, and bought my favorite an OM-1, I used my om-10 allot in Germany back in the early 80's. Now realize i will need a DLR like a yashica 124 or I would prefer a Rolleiflex, you see, this summer i was told i have PMA which I call the Diet-coke of ALS. the outcome is the same , it just takes longer. so i will have time to take more memories for my wife and kids. Sooner or later i won't be able to lift my arms to bring a camera to my eye but, one i could hang around my neck would be very useful as I will have trouble keeping my head up. (I watched my father in law die of this), So if you see one that works for a fair price let me know as I live in Lacey just down the road for a couple more months anyway, until we move , just down the road.
Great video. Your suggestions are very good IMO. The reason I don't buy EOS bodies used is that they seldom work from my experience.
Interesting... I’ve probably owned 5 different EOS film cameras recently and I haven’t had a single issue. Sorry to hear about your problems though.
Benj Haisch It May be my humid climate? I also have 4 Canon EF’s that are inoperative which everyone loves. My A-1 soldiers on even though it needs a tune-up.
You should also learn to develop your own film--at least black and white--and do your own enlargements (including dodging and burning). It's a different experience entirely!
I have in the past! Super fun and rewarding, but a little more time consuming than I have time for right now with multiple businesses and a young family :)
Yes, this is absolutely true. I can highly reccommend Patterson equipement and Ilford chemicals.
Good stuff Benj!
The best starter 35mm camera is the Canon P with a Jupitar 8 f2/50mm lens
Love your videos man! Keep killin it. im inspired.
The only thing I would add is to try developing your film yourself. It’s as difficult as you might think and the equipment and chemicals are available easily online. It’s vey satisfying when your negatives come out of the developer and magically appear!
I have! I’ve never done E6, but have developed plenty of B/W and C41 over the years :)
The A1 sold for nearly twice as much as the AE1. It was considered a professional camera and many pros used them as a back-up to their Canon F-1. There were not nearly as many A1's sold so they are harder to find. While I have seen a few AE1's at thrift stores, I have never seen an A1 or an F-1 at a thrift store. That said, the premium you'll pay isn't much more than what you'll pay for an AE1 and the durability and added features are well worth the price. In the early days of digital, pros were almost giving away their film gear to buy the latest digital. The talk at the time was that film would no longer be made. Fortunately, they were wrong.
in denmark the stylus goes for 100 - 150 $
A1 goes for 120 - 150 $
EOS lsr goes for 20 $
By far the best choice is to look for a cheap SLR or point and shoot camera. Throw a film in it. and try it out... if you dont know if its your thing. spending spending 200$ on camera. film and some gear is not a good option.
Nice. I live not far away and have Canon FTB's and a couple RB67s and loads of film and a great negative scanner. One thing. Can you train yourself to midel the items you are so frantically swinging around? I barely managed to get a glimpse of the sitting still. I suggest setting your wrist or the heel of your and on the table. This is a problem with every single YTuber of your generation. Maybe it comes from the exaggerated arm motions of rap? (Looking for a Speedgraphic)
Thx you so much for this video. I bought a Canon Eos 55 because of you 😝 thx you for the recommendation
This is so great, rock and roll.
Haha definitely said that too much 😂
This goes back a ways...but I bought an old Zeiss Ikoflex TLR years ago. More film area = more.."mega-pixels" (silver particles)
It was best with B&W. Not great for action, but GREAT for stills.
Gotta ask: Do you send your film out to WalMart/Walgreen's or do you use a local "pro" lab? Or do you do it yourself?
I send mine to Indie Film Lab in Alabama
Nothing is more fun for a beginner than a camera that could arive broken or break every second while handling. Why do people still recommend plastic point and shoots for a first camera (might be ok as a thrift store find but not a 100$ Ebay purchase, without knowing if the camera will work). Just go for a basic SLR and call it a day -> Nikkormats, Topcons, Canon FTs, Pentax K1000s (even though theyre overpriced) etc... those wont break after two rolls, cost way less than everyones favorite p&s or AE1s/A1s and do their job great. Or go for some not so popular brands like Yashica, Ricoh, whatever.... only point of this video i think is actually good advice are the 90s SLRs which can be quite cool and cheap but often more complicated for someone not knowing anything about cameras than the basic SLRs.
Nikon F is hands down my favorite to use, then it would be A-1 then maybe the F3.
I have an F2 and an A-1. Love both of them
@@benjhaisch Nice nice, I want to get an F2.
@@losmatix : You can get one here (they ship worldwide):
wycameras.com/
The F is an excellent and incredibly durable camera. I have one. The F-2 is far easier to reload because of the hinged back where the F back is removed from the camera to change film.
So I was given a Pentax spotmatic by my mom she got it for like 15 dollars and a flea market can I get some advice on how to use and stuff? I’m very interested in film photography and honestly I always wanted to try I also wanna know where to get the film and where to get batteries for it
Great video. Lots of good recommendations.
Shout out -- I'm also a Photographer from the 253 👌🏼🗻
Hi, what a magnificent video. Keep up the good work! I look forward to your next video.
Dude! You're making me want to buy more cameras haha!
Thank you so much, these seem more my speed.
I bought an elan II when it was brand new it had issues after a few years. a known issue is you take a shot it turns off you have to slide off and back on again. I also had the Elan 7.
Just picked up a Pentax spotmatic for $60 yesterday. I usually find them for $100-$120. Heard nothing but good things about them too
I bought my Spotmatic IIa new in 1973. It’s still going. At the time Nikon was the leader in photojournalism and Pentax was a distant second because of fewer system options and the screw thread mount. The Takumar glass is superb, though.
I am from Seattle-I’m wondering if you have any recommendations on where to buy these locally?
Ebay. 😂
Anywhere locally I can find some cameras?
Can you just suggest best 35mm film loaded video camera...For taking short films
I want to get a film body to rediscover the experience of shooting analog. I own couple of Canon fd lens but I am hesitating between classic slr with interchangeable lens and a Canon point and shoot. Have you already tried the Canon point and shoot ? What would you do? PS : we are talking canon TX, AV, AE-, A1 vs Canonet 28 or QL17
Great video. Subscribed. 🙌
Do you recommend the Nikon f-801 “Nikon n8008”?
Was really interested in your video but then you started with the mju and I just rolled my eyes. This thing is not a secret tip, hell, it costs 200 bucks here...
Fwiw, this video is 2 years old and the camera was about $30-50 at the time ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thanks for information ❤️❤️❤️
old model canon f-1 with separate light meter...great for big hands and anvil lovers.
can you take double exposure pics on the olympus?
No, sorry!
Yes film is alive and well. you guys dont know what you are missing. Its romantic to shoot film.
so with the canon a1, since it does a light meter, does that mean I need a battery for it , and if so what battery?
My AE1 takes a 6V tube battery. And that camera is electronic shutter so the whole thing won’t work if you don’t have a battery. The A1 should be the same, but not totally sure.
my experience with thrift store cameras can be a real crap shoot. They're at a thrift store for a reason. My advise is look for camera swap meets in your area. You can usually find a table full of cheap cameras and the sellers will be knowledgeable on their condition. invest in a few camera batteries for testing.
AE-1 was released before A-1, but AE-1 Program after A-1 🤓 so both are not predecessors, only the other
Ohhhh good to know!
The flash annoyance is called Thinking and calling on your professional experiences!
It’s a shame that you did not share images taken with these cameras 😢
Good video but just to clear things up at 5:01 , it's a 35mm focal length, not wider.
The 35mm perspective is technically a wide angle :) A “normal” focal length is anything in that 40-60mm range from what I’ve been told.
@@benjhaisch ohhhh there was a misunderstanding on my end my bad, i thought you were saying the lens on that camera was wider than 35mm IE 28mm..... my apologies
sensitivethug2001 no worries! Sorry it wasn’t more clear
The problem is I can't find none where I live.
Ayush Raj: Have you tried here (link below)? If you're not in the UK they ship worldwide.
wycameras.com/
I have all the cameras
What about the Praktica cameras ? They are cheap.
I would like to see some pictures
Nikon F4 = ultimate film machine
It’s called real old fashioned “Photography”
The problem I have with inclusion of the Olympus Stylus is that as a camera, it is flimsy piece of cheap plastic junk; the lens is adequate, which is polite for mediocre. If you want no better and to exercise no control over your photography, it would be fine at $30, but it commonly sells north of $200, which is a ridiculous waste of money. The Canon A-1 is great. It will work automatically if you know nothing, but it can let you learn photography without having to take a loss to dump your first purchase to replace with purchase of a more sophisticated system. Not a fan of the later cheaper EOS models, which were pretty flimsy, thus potentially troublesome. (Not worth getting repaired in any event.) Look at the EOS as a Stylus on steroids.
The regular Olympus Stylus commonly sells north of $200? If so, I now have one for sale.
Minolta Gang
Someone call @KingJvpes
All the camera needs is someone to carry and point ot.
Canon F-1 and never look back. A real professional mechanical camera.
So helpful!
NIKON F301 ~ N2000
It was geart untill you said "...my very expensive Contax T2" the overhyped, overpriced, and easily beackable P&S ok you should also talk about this, no ?
At this point you should ve just put what you were trying to say through google translate
#MinoltaGang
intro audio sounds like an ocean software title loading on a C64
Wait till you start developing your own film.
Show me A1 for 100 bucks pleeeeaaaasee
I disagree with you 100%.
зачем видео в 4к? что бы видеть насколько грязная худи?)