getting back into film - which camera

[seanoflynn]

I am really enjoying my D200 and I would like to use my new-found enthusiasm to

learn more about using film. I bought a Nikon F60 (known as the N60 in the

States I think) years ago and it is now gathering dust in a drawer somewhere. I

failed miserably at getting at doing anything other than using this camera on

auto before. I found even the basics of shutter speed and aperture totally

confusing. The instant feedback of the D200 has enabled me to feel much more

confident about this and I would like to experiment with using film again.

 

My question is this: is the F60 the best camera? I have looked on ebay and I

know that the prices on more advanced film SLRs are pretty low. In terms of

using the film SLR to learn, which SLR do you guys think would be the best

option?

[m_.]

i'd suggest you figure out the shutter speed and aperture before start thinking about which camera is the best.

[ShunCheung]

This type of question will likely lead to a laundry list of all Nikon and perhaps non-Nikon film SLRs, as everybody has a different preference.

 

Given that used prices are quite affordable nowadays, I would say an F100 would be a great choice and its features such as AF, VR, lens compatibility, etc. are largely similar to those on your D200. Of course DX lenses will vignet on the F100 just like on any film SLR and the F100 is not iTTL compatible.

[erik_loza]

The F100 is the only body I would look at if I were to buy another film one. It is basically your D200, but analog. Good luck.

[bwcombs]

I agree with m in regard to figuring out shutter speed and apertures. Get a good Nikon FG,

FE, FM, etc., and do just that. Learn the basics. Shoot in manual mode and discover why the

light does what it does inside that box.

 

Take a course in photography. Shoot black and white, process your film and print your own

prints in a darkroom. Read tutorials and books. And shoot, shoot, shoot.

[sam_thompson2]

An advanced SLR will only makes things more confusing as they have multiple AF points and modes and generally with print film it is not necessary to be as accurate with exposure as it is with digital.

[seanoflynn]

Thanks for these responses everyone. I have the 50mm f/1.4 lens as well as a couple of DX ones but I would intend to use the 50mm with the film body.

 

m, I may have overstated my ignorance of how the shutter speed and aperture work! What I meant was that I failed at learning this with the F60 and have only really understood it with my DSLR. My understanding was that the principles are the same and that therefore I might now have more success in using a film SLR on manual. I guess my thinking is that using a film camera might sharpen up my skills in working out the correct exposure as I won't have the option (as with the DSLR) of checking my best guess and then adjusting until I get it right. But I am still a newbie and I am sure there are lots of differences in how digital and film work that I am unaware of.

 

BW, Thanks for suggesting looking at the Nikon FG/FE/FM. I hadn't thought to look that far back. Everyone seems to agree that the F60 is not the best camera to learn on...?

 

I would love to do a course in photography, partly because (at least in the UK) there are very few courses aimed at DSLRs - the good ones still seem to be focused on black and white photography.

 

Thanks again for your help everyone

[johnw63]

If you just want a learing tool, but don't want to drop much cash, I think the FG would be a good choice. Very small, but it has most of the features. The one thing it does NOT have, that I wish it had was a spot meter function. It is center weighted, but it's not a small center. But, at their current price...that's easy to forgive.

 

If you want a body that will work with more modern lenses and you might want to continue to use it for years, then the F100 or an F4/F5 type body would be better.

[Michael R Freeman]

"Everyone seems to agree that the F60 is not the best camera to learn on...?"

 

Assuming you have and intend to use autofocus lenses only, then there is nothing that you can learn on another Nikon (exposure wise) that you can't also learn on the F60. The principles are the same. Since you already have it, I would suggest you pull it out of the drawer and shoot a few rolls on manual exposure. If you then find that the F60 has limitations (such as the lack of DOF preview) for your style of photography, then you can decide to move up. In that case I too would suggest a F100.

[hayward]

What could you learn from a 35mm film camera that you can't from digital? Seriously.

 

I've been thinking about picking up an F5 since they are so (relatively) cheap now and I never had one back in the film era, but the though of film and developing and the like holds me back...

[darrengold]

Now prices have come down considerably get an F5.

 

Set it to manual, any aperture and 1/2000s shutter speed. Fast continuous wind on. Then just leave your finger on the shutter button.

 

Sheer music!

 

If you have a 36 roll in it at the time, all over in 4.5 secs.

 

Poetry in motion.

 

You'll get into film in no time.

 

Regards<div></div>

[rick_helmke]

Get an F2 or F3. Really low prices, superb build quality, only one manual mode on the F3 and none on the F2. If you want to spend a little more money find a good F4s. The list is nearly endless on good Nikon film bodies. If I had to have just one and thank heavens I don't....F2.

 

Rick H.

[sam_thompson2]

N60 is fine camera to learn on. On any other camera there are some limitations or sacrifices.

 

The most important feature is the ability to change aperture and shutter speed. The N60 will let you do that with all lenses that can be safely mounted on the camera even the new digital DX lenses. You just have to manually crop the center. Even not being able to meter with manual focus lenses is not too big of a issue as you can always buy a handheld meter.

 

The more advanced cameras will offer better autofocus, better metering and bracketing, more frames per second, and better flash support which aren't terribly important for learning purposes.

 

However the N60 lacks in a couple of areas, lack of support for a cable release, mirror lockup, DOF preview and manual ISO over ride which may or may not cause problems.

 

The last one will let you "push" process the film but there are ways to overcome that limitation as well.

[seanoflynn]

Thanks everyone, I think I will buy a few rolls of film and try out my F60 this summer and see if I need anything else after that.

[evghenii_ciubara]

F100, F90x, F6

[tom_murray2]

"I think I will buy a few rolls of film and try out my F60 this summer and see if I need anything else after that."

 

...and see if you still want to pay for film and developing...and what will you do with the negatives, buy a scanner and wind up with digital files you could've had straight from your D200, or leave the printing up to the experts at Wal-Mart?

[hjoseph7]

If you want the feel of a real film camera skip the AF because they are too close to digital. Get yourself a Nikon FM2N or an FE2, or even better an Olympus OM4-T.

[jack_l3]

>If you just want a learing tool, but don't want to drop much cash, I think the FG would be a good choice. Very small, but it has most of the features.

 

Actually, it has one feature most Nikons don't - a button for fast, no-nonsense +2 exposure. My hit rate shooting backlit subjects on the move goes way up when I use the FG. My FE/FE2/F4/F100 bodies all would have served me better if they had this, and they always cost me shots under fast-moving, grab-it-now conditions.

 

About the basics, I wonder why you need film to learn about aperture and shutter speed. Shouldn't the instant feeedback of digital reduce the learning curve? If you can't learn these concepts with the results instantly in hand, how will you learn them by waiting for film to be processed? I'm not saying you shouldn't shoot film; I just don't see how that exercise will promote a greater familiarity with aperture and shutter speed.

[joe_thornton]

That F-5 looks like pure Zen. Almost as nice as the one I have sitting right here ;-)

 

I shot 2 rolls yesterday...let me see if I can post an image or two from yesterday.

 

http://www.pbase.com/rafikq/image/82636453.jpg<div></div>

[stephen_asprey2]

I got as far as a D300 and sold it. The money I was wasting was scary...redundant sensors, DX lenses, computers, software...madness.

I now have an FE2 and an FM2 as a backup. I have some gorgeous fast primes and shoot TX and love it. Yes its not as convenient, but I am now the artist, not the computer operator. I have to consider technique and light again and use my judgement. It makes me take some trouble, but is disreet, cheap and very satisfying.

I get my negs developed for zilch, and scan them with a cheap all-in-one printer and also use that to print off the ones I like. All up investment: Less than $1000, and no redundancy.