Tag: photography

Which Film Camera Should You Buy?

Posted on Posted in digital photography, film photography, photographyTagged , , , , Leave a comment

One question I get a lot is what my film camera set up is, and what cameras would I recommend if you’re just starting out.

I don’t have a go-to camera, although my new Nikon FM2 is rarely put down long enough to gather any dust. I have a collection of film cameras, all of which are second hand and most of which are thrifted. In this blog post I’ll run through the main protagonists in my film camera collection and the pros and cons of each, to help you decide which film camera you should buy.

My Cameras

My first film camera was a Pentax ME Super that I inherited from my grandmother. She used to show me old family photos taken on it, and I was astonished at the quality. One day, the shutter ceased functioning, and I never managed to get it fixed, so I went to my local store to replace it. Nowadays, I would probably have looked on Youtube for a fix, but this was ten years ago and I was a lazy teenager. My second film camera ended up being a Pentax K1000, in my view an even better camera than the ME Super. These two cameras operate and perform really similarly, however the ME Super is electronic and the K1000 fully mechanical. It is the reliability of the K1000 that has made me lean more towards fully mechanical setups later in life. ‘Fully mechanical’ means that the cameras operate just fine with or without a battery. Since buying my K1000 ten years ago, I have never had it fail me. So, the short answer to the title question is this: I shoot with my Pentax K1000 and Nikon FM2 the most, with 28mm (2), 35 (2.8) and 50mm (1.4) prime lenses. They are built like tanks and I am very confident in their ability to withstand a little bashing about in the bottom of my bag. I’ll be the first to say that I don’t take the best care of my cameras, and sometimes they look a little worse for wear.

Pentax K1000

I honestly believe that the Pentax K1000 is one of the best film cameras you can start out with. It is so intuitive and so robust, it does exactly what it needs to do and nothing more. There are no confusing extra knobs and dials, it boasts no extra functions you don’t need, this thing is a solid workhorse. The K1000 has only three shooting controls: aperture, shutter speed and focusing. You don’t need to remember turn it on or off, it’s always ready to shoot. For that reason, it will forever be a part of my film camera arsenal. If I am going out to shoot something that is really important to me, I will likely grab my K1000 over all of my other cameras due to the fact it has never let me down (edit: in 2023 it is now probably my Nikon FM2 I’ll reach for). I actually just got a K1000 for one of my best friends to replace a camera of hers that broke, and I’m so excited to see the results (spoiler, they’re awesome).

All shot on my Pentax K1000.

Nikon FM2

The Nikon FM2 is becoming a fast favourite of mine for similar reasons. It is built as solidly (in my opinion) as the K1000, with some nifty extra features. These include depth of field preview, self timer, multiple exposure lever, and being able to see both shutter speed and aperture in the spacious viewfinder. It also has a wider array of compatible lenses, that are more readily available than the Pentax K-Mount. When asking the question ‘which film camera should I buy?’, you should consider how familiar you are or are not with the basic concepts of photography, as many of these extra settings can become confusing and even frustrating. My only pet peeve with the Nikon is the shutter lock; you are unable to shoot a photo when the wind lever is not cocked out, which can lead to missing a time-sensitive shot if you forget. If I was to nitpick, I also prefer the Pentax K1000’s needle light meter as opposed to the LED meter in the Nikon. It is just personal preference, but I like to see where the needle is in reference to the over/under exposure guides, instead of simply overexposed or underexposed. I would say that the FM2 is a logical purchase once you’ve mastered the basics of film photography on a camera like the Pentax K1000 (when you are ready to start experimenting with more settings, without it being confusing).

A women jumps from a boat in Rhodes, Greece
Photos shot on my Nikon FM2

Canon EOS 1N

Coming from digital photography, I have always used Canon (edit: in 2023 I now use Sony). If you are interested in shooting 35mm and are coming from Canon digital SLRs, then a Canon EOS film camera would be a great starter choice. Every EF lens made from 1987 until today will work on the 1N, which was the main reason for my purchase. The shutter speed goes all the way up to 1/8000, pretty much as good as it gets with film and digital SLRs. Features that I love are the film rewind button, the multiple exposure settings, and, of course, the autofocus. However, the autofocus has let me down more often than not as of late, and I tend to only operate this camera on manual focus after messing up one shot too many. There are so many more things that make this camera great, as you have essentially full creative latitude over the picture, almost to the extend of a digital body. The difference being, of course, you cannot preview or check your shot in a LCD display. I would argue this camera is not for beginners, but for confident digital photographers. I would also say that this camera is nowhere near as reliable as the aforementioned mechanical cameras I shoot with.

Within a month of owning my 1N, I have had many focusing issues and had it completely cease to function in the middle of a trip abroad with the dreaded *bc error* code. After doing some research, I spent some time picking the camera apart with a screwdriver, anxiously glued to Youtube. I have had to repair this camera three times now for the same issue (magnets sticking), and I will now likely have trust issues with this camera forever, as it’s not a quick fix you can do in the field. When asking the question ‘which film camera should I buy?’, you should consider how willing you are to get stuck in to fixing electrical problems by yourself. Despite these minor annoyances, I do still love using the 1N and the feel of a proper bulky SLR to shoot film with, but I will always bring a backup camera when taking it out. I’ve made several impulsive and recklessly uninformed photography purchases in the last few years, but I can safely say the EOS-1N isn’t one of them. I love the results I get with this camera.

Tropical plants on 35mm film
A Canon EOS 1N collection

Lenses I Love

My go-to lenses are 50mm or 35mm prime lenses. For portraits, I use a 50mm Nikkor f/1.4 on my Nikon FM2, and a 50mm 1.8 on my Canon 1V. I really like the classic field of view that 50mm lenses afford the viewer. Sure, it has limitations it has in terms of its focal length, but this challenges me to be more creative. If you put your hands stretched vertically at the outer edges of your eyes (like horse blinkers), the edge of your hands is the limit to the frame on a 50mm lens; the magnification is pretty much exactly the same as your own human scope of view. I use a 50mm for portraits and documentary style photos, and the 35mm for landscapes and adventure. It’s worth noting that prime lenses have a fixed focal length, which means there is no zoom function. Many of these are also manual focus only, at least in the film world. Instead of zooming with your hand, you will zoom with your feet. You will move a lot more and be very creative with your positioning. Without the temptation to zoom, you will undoubtedly become more adventurous with your framing.

Point And Shoots

Point and shoots are a fantastic starting point if you’re new to photography in general. They are built with simplicity and ease in mind (hence the term: just point and shoot) and usually sport a fixed lens. This means that you’ll learn one of the crucial skills of photographer early on: composition. A point-and-shoot camera is a great choice if you don’t want to carry anything heavy or worry over complicated settings. They’re super compact and easy to slip into your pocket, so you can take them adventuring with you without a backpack. They’re also very versatile, many of them armed with a built-in flash to capture those late-night party shots. These point and shoots come in a variety of price points, but you don’t need to spend a lot. The more fashionable ones such as the Contax T2 toted by Kendall Jenner & Zendaya will set you back over $1500, but this is more of a trend than any kind of superiority. If you’re wanting so splash the cash on some fancy glass, research the Contax series or the Nikon 35TI. If you’re just starting out, then I would recommend something like a Nikon L35AF or an Olympus Mju I.

Photos shot on point and shoot cameras.

Lenses I Love

My go-to lenses are 50mm or 35mm prime lenses. For portraits, I use a 50mm Nikkor f/1.4 on my Nikon FM2, and a 50mm 1.8 on my Canon 1V. I really like the classic field of view that 50mm lenses afford the viewer. Sure, it has limitations it has in terms of its focal length, but this challenges me to be more creative. If you put your hands stretched vertically at the outer edges of your eyes (like horse blinkers), the edge of your hands is the limit to the frame on a 50mm lens; the magnification is pretty much exactly the same as your own human scope of view. I use a 50mm for portraits and documentary style photos, and the 35mm for landscapes and adventure. It’s worth noting that prime lenses have a fixed focal length, which means there is no zoom function. Many of these are also manual focus only, at least in the film world. Instead of zooming with your hand, you will zoom with your feet. You will move a lot more and be very creative with your positioning. Without the temptation to zoom, you will undoubtedly become more adventurous with your framing.

Film

I shoot almost exclusively on Kodak Portra 400. To my understanding, this film stock is super popular because it is so dang reliable. It is also really forgiving, meaning if you over or under expose by a few stops, your shot will more than likely still turn out really well. I order it in 5 packs from Moment, and the shipping is so fast! Now I’m not a film nerd by any means, I haven’t done a ton of film research, and I don’t tend to shoot indoors much (if ever). The consistently good results I get from Portra 400 make me reluctant to switch. I always aim to shoot in warm, golden light and I feel that Portra always performs beautifully in soft sunlight. A cheaper alternative to this if you’re looking to achieve photos with warm tones would be Kodak Gold 200 or Portra 160.

Conclusion

So, in summary, the film cameras I shoot with the most are fully mechanical. The Nikon FM2, Pentax K1000 and Canon EOS 1N are my go-to cameras. My go-to film is Portra 400 as I have yet to find a scenario in which is has failed me. My most used lens is a 50mm prime, but I do often use zoom lenses for landscape photography. Follow my film adventures on Instagram for more.

Nikonos V Review: The Ultimate Film Camera for Outdoor Adventure

Posted on Posted in film photography, photography, travelTagged , , Leave a comment

Written for Field Mag.

A huge blotch of rain lands on my shutter dial, lightly splattering my right cheek. Then another hits my eyelid—exposed to the elements as I’m facing skyward, trying to catch a photo of the howler monkey a few feet above my head. A distant, low rumble of thunder. The monkey slips out of view, taking shelter as the pitter patter of rain hitting foliage grows in intensity to a seemingly impossible volume. The heavens have opened, a deluge like I’ve never seen, leaving me instantly drenched. For a nanosecond, my heart stops. I love my daily shooter—my Nikon FM2. But I’m also quietly terrified every time I bring it outside in any sort of weather; it’s expensive, beautiful, and precious.

Thankfully, that camera was tucked away safely at home. In my hand was my trusty, strikingly orange Nikonos V, one of the most legendary 35mm film cameras ever made. This is a camera built for a specific purpose: to be used where other cameras will drown and die.

History of the Nikonos V

The brainchild of legendary ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, the Nikonos made its public debut as the world’s first fully-fledged underwater camera at the 1963 Photokina Fair in Germany, where it was displayed submerged in an aquarium. Two decades later, Nikon released their final and most advanced version of the manual-focus camera, the Nikonos V. The fifth-generation Nikonos V had through-the-lens metering and aperture-priority auto exposure capabilities, along with an impressive quiver of superb lenses and strobe choices. For almost two decades it would stand as the most successful underwater and all-weather camera that Nikon (or anyone else) had ever made. It was the go-to choice of underwater photographers, amateur and professional alike. If you see an underwater photo from the 1960s, ’70s, or ’80s, it was likely shot with a Nikonos.

Nowadays, the Nikonos V has a deserved reputation of being the toughest and most durable film camera around. For adventurous photographers who shoot on mountains, atop skis, or in surf, and in rain, snow, sleet, hail, mud, or smoke, the Nikonos is simply the film camera to own if you don’t care to be at the mercy of the elements when your shot is on the line. Designed for scuba diving, the Nikonos can go as deep as 50 meters underwater, more than deep enough for recreational divers. But even if you never intend to use it underwater, because of its simple mechanics and rugged build, the Nikonos is an excellent all-weather travel companion.

Nikonos V Review

Unlike my FM2, the Nikonos V isn’t precious, and is ambivalent about being chucked into the depths of a backpack. You don’t have to worry about hurriedly stashing it away when the skies open, either. It is, essentially, a watertight brick of metal that you can take anywhere. Armed with the Nikonos V and its signature 35mm f/2.5 lens, I set out care-free for a month of adventuring in Costa Rica, ready to take on all the mud, rain, and humidity that the rainforest would throw at me. Still, the question remains: how well does this camera shoot?

Operating the Nikonos V

This camera takes some getting used to. Since you’re not looking through the lens to compose your photo like you would with an SLR, the viewfinder window is merely an estimate of what the camera sees, so you have to compose accordingly. (Leica users will feel more at home here.) There are definitely some additional nuances to the Nikonos, too. Aperture and focus are controlled by robust, twistable knobs extending out from either side of the lens. Reading the corresponding f/stop number requires flipping the camera upside down to look at it—a habit that can be a little frustrating to form. Focusing is one part experience, one part luck, while composing shots can be, at first, a maddening exercise of second-guessing and fiddling. But once you’ve broken it in and figured out these quirks, the Nikonos is a remarkably intuitive and simple camera.

Nikonos V Construction

The bright orange exterior, alongside being aesthetically stunning, makes it very easy to spot if you happen to drop it in the ocean (users beware: it doesn’t float!). Despite its heft (the Nikonos V weighs in at 873g), it isn’t a cumbersome accessory like some cameras (I’m looking at you, Pentax 6×7). Well-designed rubber pads and a large anatomic grip give the user a great hold, which is especially useful underwater. The large advance lever can even be operated with wetsuit gloves on since there’s no fiddly housing to navigate.

But this camera doesn’t just shine in the water. As a scale focus camera, there is no rangefinder—nor a mirror—so the image composed through the viewfinder is at best an estimation of what the lens will capture. The lack of mirror also means that the shutter makes almost no noise and is thus perfect for unobtrusive street and travel photography. Although it requires batteries for aperture priority mode metering, the Nikonos has a mechanical release at 1/90 of a second as a stopgap if you experience unexpected battery failure.

Shooting With the Nikonos V

The Nikonos V also has the brightest, clearest viewfinder I have ever used—since it was designed with scuba masks in mind, it is very wide and can be viewed clearly from quite some distance. The simplicity of using the Nikonos V may be surprising to some, given that it’s such a specialized and purpose-built device. But the reality is that it’s less like a professional underwater camera and more like a high-grade point-and-shoot, if you want to shoot it as such. Think: user-friendly, submarine Leica.

The Nikonos also has an impressive quiver of lenses that don’t leak when installed properly. These specialized underwater-only “UW” lenses are still regarded as the best underwater optics ever made. Bear in mind that the UW lenses are for use underwater only—they will not focus correctly unless submerged, as the front elements are designed to work in conjunction with the magnification index of water (brain exploding emoji). I used the W Nikkor 35mm f/2.5 (the standard lens). In this case, the “W” marking denotes that the lens is a waterproof amphibious lens, meaning that it will work equally well when used either above or below the water’s surface.

After shooting a few rolls of film on my Nikonos, I came to understand the value of this truly exceptional travel companion. Street style, portraiture, macro, landscapes, underwater—this is the one camera to do it all. You need to feel the weight and ergonomics of it in your hand to appreciate how tough it is; this thing is built to survive the apocalypse. As Ken Rockwell put it: “Impervious to everything…If you’re expecting trouble, this is the camera to bring… Anything that comes your way is more likely to kill you than kill this camera.”

I was also very pleasantly surprised with this camera’s ability to take portraits. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t very nervous—determining exactly how many centimeters Ben’s eyes were from the camera wasn’t easy and I wasn’t hyper-confident in the shot. The results came out better than expected. The shutter speed of 1/90 produced some really pleasing results, allowing me to shoot fast-moving water without a tripod. And the amphibious lenses still perform very well underwater, despite tricky conditions. I can’t wait to see how the underwater-specific lenses perform in clearer water and good light though.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the trip, I was really impressed with the versatility of this camera. I love the 35mm focal length, and it excelled the most where I had the least expectations: in macro and portrait shots. Landscape shots are pleasantly uncomplicated, thanks to the infinity focus option, whilst the f/2.5 aperture still allows for excellent foreground blur. The enormous viewfinder meant I was able to compose quickly and efficiently, which is a rarity in the rest of my film camera collection.

The Nikonos V is the toughest Nikon ever built, and its renowned image quality combined with a durable build (not to mention a gorgeous steampunk aesthetic) massively outweigh the minor inconveniences of its bulk and operational nuance. Being a little haphazard by nature, I wasn’t worried about dropping it, spilling beer on it, fogging the viewfinder or even scratching the lens. Rugged, sexy, and outstandingly reliable, this beauty will likely accompany me on every trip until the end of my days, water or no water.

Film: Portra 400 & Ektachrome 100