Would You Buy A Camera Used?

Over the past few years, since I started this website, I have been inadvertently making myself a target for questions such as "which film camera should I buy?" and "what'south the best film camera?" My Instagram is the greatest source of these questions, which is non surprising really since I've filled my feed with pictures of film cameras – I guess people think that I'm some sort of expert and therefore that I must know the answer to these sorts of questions. Unfortunately, I don't know the answers – but, If you're someone with these questions in heed, I can hopefully help y'all detect the answers for yourself.

This post is largely aimed at beginners into the globe of picture photography. Below you will find out why I don't know the answers to these questions, why I don't make specific recommendations for particular film cameras, some thoughts around ownership your first film camera, what sort of camera might exist right for you bearing some of the core principles of photography and how much you want to larn, some details on unlike types of cameras, and finally some advice around not falling foul of something called GAS.

If any of that sounds like it might be useful to you, then read on – simply be aware, whilst the questions might sound simple, my version of the answer is definitely not the simple 1…

No time for the adept respond?

Contents

1 No time for the skilful respond?
2 Why I don't make specific recommendations
3 So why am I writing this mail?
4 Time for the "expert" answer
- iv.ane Buy sensible – at to the lowest degree the first fourth dimension round
- iv.2 Purchase the right blazon of photographic camera for yous
  - iv.2.i A crash form in the basic principles of photography
    - 4.2.1.ane Exposure and Focus
    - 4.2.1.two Exposure
    - 4.2.ane.3 Focusing
    - 4.2.1.iv Where focusing meets exposure
    - 4.ii.i.5 Information technology's easier than it might seem now
    - 4.two.one.6 Automated vs. Manual
  - four.2.two So what does all this mean to you?
5 Film photographic camera types
- 5.i 35mm cameras FTW
- 5.2 Point & Shoot motion-picture show cameras
- 5.3 Advanced compact cameras
- 5.4 Scale and Zone focus moving-picture show cameras
- 5.5 Fixed lens rangefinder film cameras
- v.6 Interchangeable lens rangefinder moving-picture show cameras
- 5.7 SLR film cameras
6 Forget about the photographic camera
7 More reading

As I've said, I must look like an expert by the merit of all the film cameras I've posted on my web log and social media – the irony is, I retrieve only a few people who ask me these questions want the practiced answer. I think nearly people request the question want me to tell them the name of a specific pic camera that will exist perfect for them. Let me just say at present, if I've directed you to this post, or you've found it looking for a specific film camera recommendation, you won't find ane here!

Why I don't make specific recommendations

There are a couple of reasons I don't make specific film photographic camera recommendations. The first is simple. Film cameras are going up in value all the time. If I wrote a post saying this or that picture show camera is the best for beginners, there's a run a risk its value would increment making information technology less good for beginners. I've seen this happen before with one particular film camera that a lot of people recommend as the "best for students". The value of them is now much higher than some other film cameras that accept similar features – and for no other reason than that they've been recommended so many times. I don't desire that to happen again, peculiarly not based on my personal preferences and opinions…

Secondly, I tin't predict any individuals personal preferences and goals. Every bit I've alluded I take preferences when information technology comes to picture show cameras, and goals with what I want to do with them. Nosotros all do, and you will besides. Because of this, over the years cameras have been designed in lots of different ways to suit these different preferences and goals. Combine that with technological advancements that have happened over the last hundred or so years, and the possibility for what might make the right motion-picture show photographic camera for y'all is almost endless. As such – and as I volition come to in much more detail – there is no correct respond to the question. Quite merely, there is no best flick camera!

Film cameras on instagram

A screen grab of my instagram – information technology's possibly no wonder that I get asked these questions

So why am I writing this mail?

Information technology might seem odd that I'm writing a post designed to help people find their first film photographic camera when I'thou unwilling, and frankly entirely unable to make a specific recommendation…? Well, if I'm honest, to a sure degree it comes from a place of beingness a footling exhausted past existence asked these questions. Not least considering providing my best attempt at an reply is ofttimes so profoundly unrewarding – though I must admit, some of this probably my ain fault.

Because of my sensation of all the variables, helping someone find out what kind of moving-picture show camera might be right for them takes me request a few question to dig a fleck deeper into how much they already know, what they remember their goals are, and if they do already have any sort of preferred type of film camera. Unfortunately, I would say the majority of the times I've tried this arroyo, people end up getting bored and not getting back to me!

In fact, I find that only a small per centum of people understand this need for me to ask them questions to give them a good respond. The worst of information technology is that people losing interest in me trying to help them has happened so many times that I've at present go quite cynical and don't give many people equally much time as I used to. Unfortunately, this means that the few people who are genuinely interested in what I have to say are getting a much less involved or interested response. I happen to know I'm non the only film photographic camera blogger who's had this experience also.

As such, equally I've already hinted, this post is aimed at those few people who do want to understand a bit more than, and not those looking for quick answers. If yous're looking for a quick answer, go yourself over to YouTube where you'll find a good few people who call up they know more about what's right for yous than you do.

Fourth dimension for the "good" answer

I've spent a lot of time writing about pic cameras over the concluding few years, and then to some degree I suppose that does make me some sort of practiced – I'thousand certainly aware of the existence of a huge range of different film cameras and many of their respective pros and cons. Just, every bit I've already said, if there's one thing I've never thought, it's that i particular moving-picture show photographic camera is the "all-time"; non for me, and certainly not for anyone else – there are but too many variables for whatsoever one camera to be "best" for annihilation.

Even beyond an individual's goals and preferences, at that place are vast amounts of variables. The variables within photography are then vast in fact that even the near in-depth tomes on the subject field don't cover it all, or even come close. I know a tiny fraction of what in that location is to know about photography – merely I know enough to take a actually good agreement of the fact that the subject is practically speaking, infinite. As such – and as any lensman worth their salt will tell you lot – the photographic camera is only a small piece of the photography puzzle.

Funnily enough, this is fifty-fifty more the case when you're just starting out, when actually, for a large part, having a pic camera that but works is arguably more important than choosing a specific make or model!

Canon AE-1 - a popular film camera

Purchase sensible – at least the commencement time round

This, quite neatly, leads me on to my first tip – and I do think that this is quite important! Buying your first film camera, you need to ensure that the camera you purchase is operation exactly as it was designed to. If you're new to photography, having a photographic camera that doesn't piece of work as expected can cause you all sorts of issues.

Even now, with all my experience with moving-picture show cameras, when faced with a camera that'due south not working properly when I assume it is, it can confuse me. Just the other day I was faced with a film camera that I assumed to be working merely that had a small fault. This small fault really baffled me, as at first information technology made me question if I was using the camera incorrectly. The chap whose film camera it was had been using it without fifty-fifty knowing it wasn't working correct – in fact, he'd brought it to me to check it over.

I somewhen diagnosed an issue with information technology that probably means the shots he had taken with it upwardly until that signal won't come up out as they would've if it was working properly. Without my input he would perchance assume it was something he did wrong, and non a fault of the film camera in question. And even if he did call back information technology was an issue with the camera, without having much experience of other cameras it would likely accept him some fourth dimension to diagnose the issue.

Unfortunately, this is ane of the key downfalls of getting into film photography. There are very few moving-picture show cameras all the same made today, meaning the 2nd hand market is really the simply option for buying one. This means the likelihood of buying a film camera that doesn't work equally information technology should is a real consequence.

In that location are loads of ways you can test cameras of course, but every bit a beginner, many of them can exist quite disruptive. Equally such, for the sake of your first film camera, it's better to take someone in the know practice the testing for you. If you know someone who knows a lot nigh film cameras, great, take them with you when you buy one, or at to the lowest degree go them to test information technology before you go out shooting with it.

If yous don't know anyone who knows about film cameras, your all-time option might exist to buy from a reputable dealer and being firm with them about your need for them to double and triple check that what yous're looking to buy does indeed work every bit information technology should.

The Samsung AF Slim

Buy the right blazon of camera for you

With all this said, there's definitely withal an argument to be made for ownership the right sort of picture photographic camera for you. Different brands competed with each other with similar models with similar functions and features, as such the differences between one model and the next can exist very subtle. These subtle differences will be mostly meaningless to you equally a beginner, only it'due south withal important to take a camera that suits your needs. For example, at that place is little signal in buying yourself a camera that you either tin can't employ, or don't have the want to learn how to use.

As such, my second tip – which I'm going to aggrandize upon a fair bit – is to purchase a film camera that is going to suit how much y'all desire to learn about film photography, how quickly, and in what order.

Every bit I've alluded to, in that location is a lot to acquire, find out and sympathize when it comes to motion picture photography. What's relevant most this when it comes to picture photographic camera choice is that unlike cameras volition mean you demand to learn unlike things in a different order, and therefore volition arrange different people for different reasons. This of course comes back to those preferences I previously mentioned. The issue is, if you lot don't know annihilation about photography, it's going to be difficult to define or understand what your ain preferences might exist.

A crash course in the basic principles of photography

You're going to take to comport with me at present, as the post-obit is going to be a bit of a crash form in the bones principles of photography. To some this will might be teaching granny to such eggs, just to others this might all seem to be a piffling scrap complicated. Simply, this is important background stuff that will hopefully help you brand a better decision about what sort of flick camera might be correct for you.

Exposure and Focus

Fundamentally in that location are only two things yous need in a motion picture camera; whatever camera for that matter. Y'all demand it to be able to focus, i.e. have a sharp/non blurred photo; and you demand at that place to be some control over exposure. As I will come to, both of these can be controlled past you, or automatically the photographic camera, depending on the camera you choose.

Exposure

Tackling exposure starting time. In very elementary terms, exposure is what governs the corporeality of light that hits the film within the picture camera, and how the film reacts. More light equals brighter photos and less lite equals darker photos. Additionally, unlike types of film are more than sensitive to low-cal than others – this is defined by something called the "ISO", moving-picture show "speed", or the "sensitivity" of the motion picture (however thing, just different words).

A camera and film

Kodak ProImage 100 – 100 ISO film

Every bit such, in very simple terms when information technology's actually bright you might want to limit the amount of lite coming into the camera and/or employ a less sensitive film, and when it'southward very dark you might want to get as much lite into the camera as possible and/or use a more sensitive film.

The decisions that either you or the camera volition need to make to take a well exposed (not also bright or too night) photo are based around something called the "Exposure Triangle". The exposure triangle is made upwards of the aforementioned sensitivity of the film, the gear up "aperture" which defines size of opening/pigsty in the lens and therefore how much light gets through, and the "shutter speed" which defines the amount of fourth dimension the camera lets low-cal hitting the film.

In the early days of photography, photographers were forced to manually set shutter speed and aperture based on taking a split up light reading and translating that into appropriate settings for the sensitivity of the film inside the film photographic camera. Over the years since, camera manufactures developed flick cameras that helped with the choice of shutter speed and aperture. Initially they had built in calorie-free meters that read the lite and told you lot to what setting the camera needed to be ready, then later automation kicked in and movie cameras began to get clever enough to make the decisions nigh what settings should be used to get a well exposed photo.

Focusing

The exact aforementioned can be said for focusing systems. Early on moving-picture show cameras relied entirely on the user setting the focus, some later cameras accept automatic focus that means the photographer can point the camera at the subject and let it do the work.

There is more to focusing than this though. There is a office of a camera's lens called "depth of field" – or to make things more easy to understand, "depth of focus" (or "DOF" for short). Depth of field governs how much of the photo in front end of the lens will be in focus. Narrow depth of field means what is backside the subject will be more blurred, and a broad depth of field ways that there will exist less mistiness, or peradventure even no blur behind the subject at all.

Train day

Narrow depth of field

Train day

Wide depth of field – taken with the same lens as the shot above

Where focusing meets exposure

What's really of import here is that depth of field is controlled by the aperture of the lens, which as I've said is one corner of the exposure triangle. A smaller aperture in the lens lets less calorie-free in, but means that there is more depth of field. As such, if you want more depth of field, yous either need to apply a more sensitive motion picture or a slower shutter speed. If you desire less depth of field you might demand to apply a less sensitive pic or a faster shutter speed. Of course, slower or faster shutter speeds have other impacts on the outcome as well. Use to boring a speed with a moving subject area and you lot might observe yous terminate up with a motion blurred subject field. Equally, as a general rule, the more than sensitive the movie, the more grainy the photo. The exposure triangle is about remainder – camera settings are reciprocal, alter one and you demand to alter another to retain the aforementioned exposure. "Correct" exposure is therefore a creative determination that expands beyond simply how bright or nighttime your photo is.

Get your head around this stuff, and yous are pretty much prepare – the issue with the exposure triangle as a concept is that it's quite tricky to get your head around as a beginner. But – and this is the main reason I wanted to highlight all of this stuff – different film cameras crave different levels of understanding to utilise them. Some film cameras volition enable, or perhaps even force you to larn more, whereas some film cameras do a lot more, or even everything for you.

It'due south easier than it might seem now

I just desire to add together at this stage that if you didn't understand that stuff above, you're going to take trust me when I tell you that the moment the exposure triangle clicks in your head and y'all fully sympathize it all, you lot'll look dorsum and wonder why it once seemed so complicated. That said, as I will come up to, whilst information technology'southward skilful to know this stuff, it'southward not essential if you have a photographic camera that automatically controls some or all of these functions. If you want to find out more than about the exposure triangle, read this.

Automatic vs. Transmission

As you lot might estimate, more automatic pic cameras do more for you and more manual film cameras do less. More manual cameras require the user to take a greater, or in fact sometimes consummate understanding of the exposure triangle to get a good outcome. Whereas more automatic film cameras – at least as a general rule – permit the user to take photos with less of a demand to have every bit much noesis about what's going on in the camera.

This might brand some people more inclined to buy a more automated camera to start with – the trouble is, sometimes these automatic features tin can get a hinderance to learning. A fully automated film camera for example oftentimes might not even tell you the settings it is choosing, thus completely hiding the core functions of the camera to a point that it makes the learning process quite difficult, or at to the lowest degree a touch counter-intuitive. Worst case scenario, automation can in fact become a crutch, fifty-fifty to those with a desire to learn.

Canon Sprint - A fully automatic film camera

A fully automated film camera

On the flip side, fully transmission film cameras require a lot more learning even to take a single photograph and get a good event, but they can provide the perfect platform for learning and understanding the core principles of photography without layers of automation getting in the way.

A fully manual film camera

To make things even more complicated, picture camera choice between automatic and transmission isn't binary. Pic cameras range from fully manual, through having minimal basic automatic modes, all the manner through to mostly automatic and fully automated. Film cameras take also been designed with unlike users in mind. Some were designed for mum or dad to take snaps of the kids, with the opposite and of the spectrum being cameras that were designed for professionals. Even professionals similar automation, but how a film camera is automated and designed for a pro, is very different to how a film photographic camera is designed for and automated for a casual holiday snapper.

Then what does all this mean to you?

It'due south hard for me to say what all this will mean to you. I don't know you, I don't know how you acquire and I don't know how much you have a want to acquire to get to the stage that you tin get a practiced result. Simply you lot can answer those questions about yourself… hopefully it's pretty clear past now why I don't similar making specific recommendations near what moving picture camera any individual should buy.

What I will say though is this: Anyone who tells you lot "manual" is just for professionals or experts or that automation is "cheating" is talking utter nonsense. In that location was a time that at that place were only transmission film cameras, and at that place were plenty of casual snappers learning the cadre principles needed to take good photos. Equally, equally a professional person, particularly on jobs such as events, I completely rely on various automatic modes, and brand no excuse for information technology either! What makes a practiced photographer, at to the lowest degree when it comes to the tools, is one that knows how to use them all-time to get the desired results.

Personally, I'd encourage everyone to learn the core principles, but I know it's not essential. I know successful photographers who struggle with what I call up of as the nuts. Equally, there are plenty of people who know lots about photography but are fairly rubbish at it in practice.

The fundamental is finding what works for you. Hopefully though, some of the above will give y'all some clues. The adjacent trick is going to exist deciding what level of automation or otherwise might work for you, and translating that into the specific type of flick camera that might suit you best.

Rangefinder film cameras

Picture show camera types

As I've fabricated clear, I'm not going to make whatsoever specific recommendations about particular film cameras. What I am going to exercise is become over a few details and differences between film camera types. I'm hoping that combined with some of the above, this should interpret into you at least having a better idea of what sort of camera might piece of work for you.

35mm cameras FTW

Everything I am going to talk well-nigh here takes 35mm film, otherwise known as 135 film cartridges. This film is the most mutual and the most economical, so is definitely the best starting point for the beginner.

Point & Shoot film cameras

Point & shoot film cameras tend to be autoexposure and autofocus. As such they are probably best suited to those who want to simply get on with snapping without having much desire to larn the core principles I talked about above.

Many of them don't tell yous what shutter speed or aperture the movie photographic camera is set at, or the distance the lens has focused to. They requite little control to the user and where largely speaking designed for the consumer market place. They aren't foolproof, merely for the most function take ok photos.

Some fixed lens point & shoot film cameras

Some fixed lens betoken & shoot film cameras – photo credit: Anil Mistry

Point & shoot film cameras come up in fixed and zoom lens variants. Fixed lens cameras are slightly improve in lower lite, zooms are more versatile in good daylight, but the lens quality might not be every bit high. One tip: look out for a model that allows you to switch off the flash as you lot're quite likely to find that option useful sooner rather than later on.

A zoom point & shoot film camera

A zoom point & shoot movie camera

Nearly £15-50 is good money to spend. Many accept been over-hyped and go for hundreds, merely aren't that different from the much cheaper cameras. Yous can find loads of reviews of this type of camera hither

Advanced compact cameras

A subset of point & shoot movie cameras is what I phone call avant-garde compact cameras. They offer pretty much the aforementioned user experience, just tend to exist made of metal instead of plastic, have some manual controls and often accept customisable features.

These film cameras sell for c.£1000

These cameras sell for c.£1000

These cameras have also been overhyped now and go for a lot more money than they should. It'due south fair to say that they often have overnice lenses, but thanks to the cameras existence reliant on electronics, they are beginning to be quite decumbent to failure. Equally such, I wouldn't recommend one of these to a beginner – the advantages they bring are too subtle for the beginner to appreciate, and the risk of them failing is too loftier to balance the cost vs. these subtle advantages. You tin find reviews of these sorts of cameras here

Scale and Zone focus film cameras

Scale and Zone focus picture show cameras are broadly the more consumer oriented cameras that came before the point & shoot film cameras above. They are all manual focus, with zone focusing being something you exercise based on an understanding of depth of field and scale (or symbol) focusing existence something achieved past looking at symbols that represent distances.

A fully manual zone focus camera

Symbols for setting focus distance

Symbols for setting focus distance – this camera has autoexposure

These film cameras range from fully transmission cameras that have unproblematic meters built in to tell you what exposure to set, all the way through to fully automatic exposure cameras that just crave yous to set a focus distance. Again, the automatic ones aren't fool proof, but they can exist fairly reliable in skillful light.

There are so many different makes and models of this blazon of photographic camera with different levels of automation that they do brand smashing pick for the beginner looking to ease themselves into learning some of the cadre principles of photography. Y'all can notice loads of reviews of this blazon of camera here.

Fixed lens rangefinder movie cameras

Fixed lens rangefinder moving picture cameras often expect like to zone focus film cameras, the principal divergence existence that they have a focusing assist inside the viewfinder chosen a rangefinder. A rangefinder is essentially a serial of mirrors inside the camera that, via a split up window to the viewfinder, overlays a rangefinder "patch" in the centre of the view through the finder. This rangefinder patch allows yous to triangulate the subject distance to obtain right focus. Sound complicated? It'south not, y'all just line up the little image in the middle of the viewfinder with the rest of the image and you accept right focus.

The view through the finder of a rangefinder film camera

These motion-picture show cameras also range from fully automatic to mostly manual, and often have built in light meters. Again, they make a great choice for the beginner for the same reasons zone and calibration focus cameras do. You can find loads of reviews of this type of camera here.

A Canon P thread mount rangefinder and Canon QL17 GLiii

A thread mount rangefinder and Canon fixed lens rangefinder

Interchangeable lens rangefinder movie cameras

Similar to the fixed lens rangefinder motion picture cameras though fewer of them have automatic features. The main benefit of this type of photographic camera is that you can change the lens, though at that place are limitations to what sort of lenses usefully work on a rangefinder. These sorts of film cameras are too very popular, with the most popular ones being very expensive. Some of the more affordable ones are as such considering they are less reliable. Good lenses tin also add together a wad of cash also. Considering of this, personally, I think there are amend option for the beginner than this blazon of film photographic camera – though I'm sure some would disagree, especially if yous can afford a dainty one!

Leica film cameras

If you want to know more about rangefinder cameras specifically, I've written a fairly in-depth post well-nigh them here. There are also plenty of reviews of different models to exist constitute here.

SLR film cameras

In simple terms an SLR, or Single Lens Reflex film photographic camera is ane that allows the lensman to get a pretty good representation of what the photo will look like just by looking through the viewfinder. Light travels through the lens, is reflected via a mirror and prism, through the viewfinder, and into the eye of the user. As such, framing the photo is pretty much a "what you see is what you get" experience. This is dissimilar to all the other types of flick photographic camera above that accept an offset viewfinder that's split up to lens.

A modern SLR

A mod SLR

It's my conventionalities that SLR flick cameras brand some of the improve cameras to larn with, or at least they are possibly the safest recommendation. This is partly because of the the manner the viewfinder works, but also because there are then many of them to choose from. SLRs began to gain popularity throughout the 1950's and have been produced e'er since. In 2018 Nikon and Canon'due south flagship pro-spec cameras are yet SLRs. The effect of this is that there are stacks of SLR cameras out there to choose from ranging from fully manual exposure and focus to fully automatic, and every possibly combination in between. The trick, of class, is finding one that suits you.

Left, the top dial has automatic modes designed for the "Enthusiast" market. Right, the green "auto" mode and scene modes; designed for the amateur

Left, the superlative dial has automatic modes designed for the "Enthusiast" market. Right, the green "auto" mode and scene modes; designed for the amateur

Though not always the rule, it'southward fair to say that the later the motion-picture show camera was made the more features and/or automations the camera will take. Early on SLRs were very basic, with very tardily film SLR film cameras having very similar features to early on digital ones. It's likewise worth noting that later consumer level cameras had more automatic features that made them more like point & shoot cameras, with enthusiast and professional models having loads of features that can get quite overwhelming to the beginner. Every bit such your motivations for shooting picture show and indeed the way you learn will define what what makes the right SLR choice for you lot.

A manual SLR film camera

A manual SLR film camera with a manually controlled shutter

A 50mm prime

A 50mm prime lens with manual aperture control

One terminal tip if you're thinking of buying an SLR: yous'll need a lens. My recommendation would be to either get a 50mm "prime number" lens or a "kit zoom". You shouldn't need to spend more than £100 for either of these options. The 50mm lens will be better in lower low-cal, the zoom will be more versatile in day light.

A zoom lens

Forget near the camera

My final tip is probably the well-nigh important tip of all. In one case you've chosen a movie camera, get shooting with information technology and try and forget about it as a matter. Yeah y'all will need to learn how to employ information technology, but think of that as learning photography and non and then much learning nigh cameras.

Information technology's almost inevitable that yous'll come to a point that yous think a different film photographic camera would suit you better. Just when y'all do, the chances are, you're still a long mode from really needing to "upgrade". In all hobbies that involve gear at that place's a thing chosen GAS or Gear Acquisition Syndrome. I've written a fairly natural language/in-cheek post virtually some of the different forms this takes in photography here.

The reality is, information technology's an illness a lot of photographers take. It frequently comes near through a dissatisfaction with the camera y'all own, and a feeling that if only it did this other thing, or had that other feature you would be a better photographer. In reality, this is probably rubbish! The chances are almost infinitely greater that you lot're using your camera equally a scapegoat for some sort of lack in your abilities equally a photographer.

Two phrases come to my mind – both are worth keeping in your listen. The first is this: "A expert craftsman never blames his tools". The 2d, which is essentially the same, but is more specific to photography is this: "A good photographer tin can take a good photograph with whatever camera". You'll read that second phrase to the indicate of tedium if you get into photography and outset exploring forums etc, only as hackneyed as it is, merely make sure yous accept information technology in mind before you sink more cash on your second picture camera. If you think there is something lacking when it comes to your choice of flick photographic camera, you're much amend off trying to larn a way effectually the problem than buying your mode around it!