35mm newbie (Zenit TTL)

So my dad gave me a Zenit TTL a long time ago. I wanted to give it a try recently but I am a complete newbie. I bought some 35mm film and loaded it up and took some pictures (I thought I did?). I then put it through a jumbl all-in-one 35mm to digital scanner and I see nothing on the film! What am I doing wrong? Does the Zenit TTL need a battery? I read that it's not needed but I'm not sure...

 

I should probably just get a digital lol...

How did you develop the film? The Zenit TTL only uses a battery to power the meter - the camera is completely mechanical.

I didn't.. so that's probably the problem? It needs to be developed? I guess I need some reading up to do...

 

I thought I could take some pictures with it, then run it through this jumbl all in one. https://www.amazon.com/Jumbl-Scanner-Speed-Load-Adapters-Negative/dp/B00LU0XO3O

 

Sorry, I'm completely new to the process.

I found this online guide to film photography...

 

Intro to 35mm

It needs to be developed? I guess I need some reading up to do...

 

:) for sure.

 

The Zenits tend to be fairly unsophisticated, but they are a good basic camera to learn on.

All the exposure, composition, etc., stuff are the same regardless, but "analog" (=film) add their own layer to what you need to learn.

 

Older (film era) general intro books can be found very cheaply used on line and most of them are decent.

Yes the All-in-1 doesn't do it all.

 

Most people getting interested in film cameras were around in the film days, though maybe not so interested at the time.

 

For some cameras, the loading process is slightly complicated, such that you could make mistakes.

 

For 35mm cameras, you have to rewind the film at the end of the roll, usually after pressing a button on the bottom.

 

For color negative film, there are still enough places around to develop it.

 

You can ask for develop only, and scan the negatives yourself.

 

As you get more interested, you could use black and white film, and develop the

negatives yourself. It is nice to have someone around who has done it before, but

it isn't all that hard to learn to do.

I have a Zenit TTL also, and it's one of my favorite "user" cameras--basic, but quite capable and good to learn on. If you don't have the manual, here's a link:

 

ZENITcamera: User manual -- ZENIT-TTL

 

If you're new to photography, you might consider Dwayne's Photo, which does mail-order film processing (color or black & white). You can order prints, or just the developed negatives.

 

A trusted name in photo processing for over 50 years - Dwayne's Photo

 

 

Zenit TTL

Do not be shy, we all start somewhere and everyone is glad to help even with the most basic things. The only bad question is the one that is not asked.

Do not be shy, we all start somewhere and everyone is glad to help even with the most basic things. The only bad question is the one that is not asked.

 

When I first developed mono film, I had trouble with air bells on the negs. The solution was to rinse the film in between the stop bath and the fixer. Just in case...

For the OP, probably the easiest to get started if buying simple colour film (something like Kodak ColorPlus 200 - costs little, and works well enough), which in many places you can still get developed relatively easy and for reasonable money. The negatives you get back from the store, you can run through the scanner. This way, you can get the hang of things without spending a great deal of money.

 

If you want to work in Black & White, services to develop it for you are more rare (esp. outside the US) and costly (as is the film), or learn how to develop for yourself (fun, but another investment), or you need Ilford XP2 which also isn't cheap.

 

Frankly, when starting from scratch, the advantage of digital is immediate feedback, and no cost per picture (so you can do experiments at will). The downside is that it makes people make 1000s of pictures without getting critical - film tends to give a better discipline, I think, but digital may push you more to try things and learn that way. The hobby will cost money either way, it's more a matter of deciding how you prefer to learn.

Edited October 20, 2017 by Wouter Willemse

If you check out this current thread, it may help :

 

What do you actually need to process B&W Negs?

 

Have fun anyway

(snip)

Frankly, when starting from scratch, the advantage of digital is immediate feedback, and no cost per picture (so you can do experiments at will). The downside is that it makes people make 1000s of pictures without getting critical - film tends to give a better discipline, I think, but digital may push you more to try things and learn that way. The hobby will cost money either way, it's more a matter of deciding how you prefer to learn.

 

When I shoot digital, I try not to shoot so many. Probably more than film, but not so much more.

 

For one, while the cost of the memory card is low (especially if you reuse it), there is still the cost in time to look through the pictures.

 

In my early film years, I would buy 100 foot rolls from Freestyle for $6.00, so I didn't worry so much about cost.

 

I have many negatives from 7th and 8th grade, when I did school yearbook photography.

 

I suspect that color negatives or XP2 would be a good choice for the OP, to start with.

 

OP also needs to learn how to load, rewind, and unload the camera. Easier with someone to show you.

When I shoot digital, I try not to shoot so many. Probably more than film, but not so much more.

 

For one, while the cost of the memory card is low (especially if you reuse it), there is still the cost in time to look through the pictures.

 

In my early film years, I would buy 100 foot rolls from Freestyle for $6.00, so I didn't worry so much about cost.

 

I have many negatives from 7th and 8th grade, when I did school yearbook photography.

 

I suspect that color negatives or XP2 would be a good choice for the OP, to start with.

 

OP also needs to learn how to load, rewind, and unload the camera. Easier with someone to show you.

 

I used to shoot far too much digital too. I get around it now by using the smallest card possible in my DSLR. My 350D is only 8.0MP so I use 128MB cards - they give me around 30 shots.

 

Sometimes if I just want 6x4's I'll cut out the PC altogether and just plug it into the machine at the local Boots.

 

As for the Zenit, Kodak Colourplus or Fujifilm 200 used to work well in mine. I loved it, No other camera taught me more about the relationship between film speed, Aperture, Shutter speed and available light.

 

If the meter doesn't work, google 'the ultimate exposure computer' and use it.

 

Have fun!

To me,it is nogt a matter of shooting too much digital, it is spendinding too much time agonizing over when to delleteb the useless shots.I think i feel ythis need tyo keep every shot. Just get obver it and delete the unneeded photos. There are plenty of better photos to be taken.

For what it's worth, it's not about digital-versus-film, nor is it impossible to show restraint with digital (of course you can), or go overboard with film (at a cost). The point is that we all learn in different ways, and what works for one, does not need to work for the other. So it's worth considering the available options and pick the "method" that appeals the most.