So, you’ve stumbled upon an old film camera. Coming from the modern world of DSLRs and 4K quality, a dinosaur piece of equipment like this seems almost otherworldly. “I have no idea what you do to start using this” you may be saying. Luckily for you, I’ve got the tips you need to dust that bad boy off and start your film journey!
After reading you should know about what ISO/ASA is, the parts of your camera, and how to load 35mm film like a pro.
No matter the age, this will be a perfect read if you’re a brand new film camera owner and have an interest in how they operate. Recently, film cameras have become much more popular than in previous years with the younger generations finding them in parents’ attics, thrift stores, or yard sales.
One of the first things to do is look at the speed of the film you’ll be using in your camera. The speed is the number labeled on the film roll and while ISO or ASA as it can be labeled on some cameras can be a broad topic, a safe way to shoot film is to set the ISO selector on the camera the same as the speed of the film.
Take note of the labels given to parts of the camera on this image. It shows you exactly what you may be messing with trying to figure out. Although there are several parts, there are really only a few you need to truly understand to begin shooting.
To begin loading your camera, lift up on the rewind lever. Doing this will release the back of the camera exposing where the film can be inserted just below that lever. Position the film so the lever locks the film roll in place. then take your film tab that’s sticking out and pull out enough to slide into the groove in the take-up spool. Notice the little squares cut into the film? Those squares will line up with the take-up spool to keep the film in place once you have it lined up. Once you’re sure it’s in place, advance the film lever three times to make sure it’s set in place. If you’ve done everything correctly it should look like the image below. From here, shut the camera back and you’ve just loaded your first film roll!
Having fun experiencing film photography is just one of the few things that I’ll be talking about on the blog. Between film and music, I find myself caught up in many different things between the two almost daily.
Despite the fact that I keep myself busy, I’ll try to keep posting every day to keep you informed on the things I’ve found interesting or related to the blog.
If you found the post helpful or enjoyable leave me a comment and let me know what you thought and feel free to share with your friends or family!