Getting back into photography without spending a fortune: Retro edition

[Buddy Bradley]

In an attempt to pull myself out of the rut I've been in recently, I want to try to get back into photography, which I did a fair bit many years ago. However, I don't really want to spend thousands on a decent modern digital camera+lenses and stuff, so I was thinking that instead I would pick up cheap retro film cameras on eBay or similar and maybe give home developing a try. I have a small utility room I think I could black-out pretty effectively.

Any recommendations on where to start, what to avoid, and useful guides or tutorials or anything else would be gratefully received.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Canon AE-1 I reckon. Still loads of lenses and other bits for them knocking around.

 

[weltweit]

Are you sure you want to go the film route?
There are lots of decent used digital DSLRs going for good prices at places like MPB.

 

[Pickman's model]

In an attempt to pull myself out of the rut I've been in recently, I want to try to get back into photography, which I did a fair bit many years ago. However, I don't really want to spend thousands on a decent modern digital camera+lenses and stuff, so I was thinking that instead I would pick up cheap retro film cameras on eBay or similar and maybe give home developing a try. I have a small utility room I think I could black-out pretty effectively.

Any recommendations on where to start, what to avoid, and useful guides or tutorials or anything else would be gratefully received.

before you spend any money on equipment, perhaps see how you go with either your phone camera - many of which produce surprisingly good images - or with a point-and-shoot camera - perhaps a little lumix - because a great part of photography is being able to see. once you find more what you're interested in photographing, be it landscapes, portraits, birds etc, you'll have a better idea what sort of equipment you might need. but whether you follow my suggestion or jump in and get some gear along the lines of what's been suggested, i wish you joy of the hobby

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Are you sure you want to go the film route?
There are lots of decent used digital DSLRs going for good prices at places like MPB.

I have a Canon D20 (and my phone) already, but I kind of fancy the idea of doing my own developing and learning about film stock.

 

[RoyReed]

Canon AE-1 I reckon. Still loads of lenses and other bits for them knocking around.

Or a Canon T90

 

[editor]

My vote will always be for an Olympus OM1 or OM2n. Beautifully crafted cameras that are super easy to use.

 

[Nikkormat]

Before you make the leap, have a look at the price of film; Kodak have raised their prices recently, and Ilford are about to. Fomapan is still cheap, but I don't know if you can get it in the UK.

Cameras: Many of the film cameras that used to be considered great have become fashionable again, so are not cheap, particularly for a good one. Bear in mind these things are often 40+ years old. Some - notably the Nikon FM2 - have returned almost to pre-digital prices. If I was starting out again (most of my photography is still on film) I'd look at the Olympus OM1 (but read up on dealing with the obsolete battery), Pentax MX, or Nikon FM, but I'd also budget for a service. I recently bought an almost mint Nikkormat FT2 for about 90 euros - I love Nikkormats and would recommend one, but they are an acquired taste.

Have a look on 35mmc, Casual Photophile and Emulsive for some good review articles.

 

[editor]

Before you make the leap, have a look at the price of film; Kodak have raised their prices recently, and Ilford are about to. Fomapan is still cheap, but I don't know if you can get it in the UK.

Cameras: Many of the film cameras that used to be considered great have become fashionable again, so are not cheap, particularly for a good one. Bear in mind these things are often 40+ years old. Some - notably the Nikon FM2 - have returned almost to pre-digital prices. If I was starting out again (most of my photography is still on film) I'd look at the Olympus OM1 (but read up on dealing with the obsolete battery), Pentax MX, or Nikon FM, but I'd also budget for a service. I recently bought an almost mint Nikkormat FT2 for about 90 euros - I love Nikkormats and would recommend one, but they are an acquired taste.

Have a look on 35mmc, Casual Photophile and Emulsive for some good review articles.

I wasn't aware of the OM1 battery problem

Batteries for OM-1: Olympus SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums.

www.dpreview.com

 

[Nikkormat]

I wasn't aware of the OM1 battery problem

Batteries for OM-1: Olympus SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums.

www.dpreview.com

It affects many of the cameras of the 1960s-early 1970s. There are conflicting opinions online: some people say they see no negative effect, others experience inaccurate metering. I have never had to deal with it, but the MR-9 battery converter, for 25-30 quid, looks about the best solution.

 

[weltweit]

The OP says they want a budget way back into photography. I would just like to point out that film probably isn't budget compared to a digital dslr where you develop in your computer and only print when you want to.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

SLRs are getting quite pricey, but not as much as compacts are for some reason. You can still pick up a decent one with a lens for well under a hundred. I advise Pentax - for some reason there are loads of ME Supers in the U.K., usually with the Pentax SMC-M 50mm/f1.7 which is a perfectly decent lens, and also a lot of Pentax lenses around generally. I use an MX personally. (Don't bother with the K1000 unless you find one cheap - very basic camera that is overpriced because YouTube.) Also there is still one professional Pentax repair company that has people who trained on them back in the day.

OMs are good and you can often find Prakticas cheap though they are more clunky. I haven't had good experiences with Canon AE-1s myself, they're not very well made IMO.

B&W film is still pretty cheap IMO. You can get Ilford HP5+ for a fiver a roll or so, and there are cheaper options like Fomapan and Kentmere. Developing is cheap once you've got the basic kit, really just developer, fixer, jugs, storage bottles and a development tank - there are kits you can buy for this. B&W processing is also pretty idiot proof, much easier than doing your own colour.

The main issue for a newbie is probably getting the pictures off the negative. You could do a nice optical print if you have a darkable room, but then you need more chemicals, trays, and most significantly an enlarger. Darkroom printing is not that hard to learn... well, it's quick to learn it to a level that you can make prints, the subtleties take much longer to be good at like any art, but the learning curve is not that steep.

Or you could scan things, like most people I know these days. This means you need a scanner. I use a Canon 9000F and Vuescan software myself but there are others.

It can all add up but a lot of the costs are one-offs. I went all-in when I started and it's saved me a lot of money over the years. If you want to try it out though, I'd say get a camera, shoot C41 film (get some Colorplus or Ilford XP2 for b&w) and send it to a lab for dev and scanning. This is pricey per roll but if you don't shoot much it's fine.

 

[stdP]

Oddly enough I've been doing a similar thing to the OP; used to take loads of pictures, but then I lost access to a darkroom and ended up working a job too much to fit a hobby in to. At some point I fell out of the habit of doing more "serious" photography. I've had a fairly decent set of Lumix ultrazooms for the last ten years or so as a more advanced version of point'n'shoot, but recently picked up a few rolls of XP2 from a place near work and took some snaps with my old Olympus and my favourite lens of all time, the 50mm f/1.4. I've really enjoyed the minimalism, forcing myself to think and resisting the urge to take 8 shots of everything but I suspect the rolls will come back with plenty of badly exposed, out-of-focus shots. I think what I really miss most about the whole ritual though is printing in a darkroom and unless I win the lottery and get a house with an east wing I don't think I'm going to have the chance to do it.

I don't think I'd keep using film though it's certainly been fun I expect it'd wind up more expensive than digital past my initial few rolls. It's reminded me how much I loved my OMs though (I only had the OM-40 and lusted after an OM-2 or OM-4 before I eventually switched to a Nikon F90) and just how dinky and elegant they are. I've seriously been considering getting one of the OM-D flavours just so I can chuck a fast wide prime on it solely for street photography.

If you're looking to get back in the groove, I think I'd still rather go for a cheap s/h digital rather than actively pursue film but it's certainly good for getting back to one's roots.

 

[1927]

Having read this thread i checked prices for the camera gear that ive been thinking about binning that has sat unused for 25years!!! a couple of AE-1s and lenses, motor drives etc. Im shocked to see how much old sir bodies are going for!