[Gerald Monteiro]

Do you still use a film cameras or thinking about to start to use again?

I stopped to use film cameras almost 20 years ago, but I am thinking about to come back and use together with my digital cameras. Film cameras are more nostalgic way and bring old memories from a old school times. I started photography when I had just 11 years old with my old Pentacon camera with 50mm 1.8f. I remember that I don't have too much money to buy some cartridge films and develop, so I shot a little. After that at 13 years old I jumped to a Pentax Spomatic 50mm 1.4f. Then years later I started to work in a News Paper as a photo realism crew and I started to use a Nikon F3, almost the time 35mm lens, When I left that job, I jumped to Yashica 6x7 than again to Pentax with this time a 50mm 1.2f that was my last film camera. Was very nice times, I loved to feel the metal camera with leather and about lens, all metal with beautiful glass and heavy. They need to come back again and bring these old memories again. Thanks

[BigMackCam]

Welcome, Gerald

There's quite a few of us here shooting film - either in addition to digital, or exclusively. For my part, I didn't start learning photography until the digital era but I've recently started shooting film too. My film gear was mostly bought through eBay, where there's a huge choice of vintage gear available (you just have to be careful and picky in choosing which items to bid on and buy)... but there's always good Pentax film gear for sale in our Marketplace

I like both digital and film for different reasons. We're lucky to have access to both...

Looking forward to your involvement here

[ismaelg]

Welcome to the forum!

Here are some forum areas you may be interested in:
Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras - PentaxForums.com

Vintage Cameras and Equipment - PentaxForums.com

Sit back, relax and enjoy this ride.....

Thanks,
Ismael

[robgski]

I own 3 film bodies I purchased as a lot. I need to run some old film I've had for years threw them and see if they work and don't have light leaks. Then I'll give them a try with all the vintage glass I own.

[Bob 256]

I've got quite a few rolls of film on ice that at some point I'm going run through with my Pentax PZ-1p. I have two of these, one of which has had a couple of things fail (flash pop-up and LCD illuminator - otherwise working fine), and one new one which I have yet to use. I've purchased several new lenses for my K-1 and want to use these for film to explore their use in that medium.

Film isn't dead for me and still exists as an alternative to digital. I think there is a resurgence in film photography lately which will last until the last roll of film leaves the store shelves.

[Kerrowdown]

Welcome to the forum from the Highlands of Scotland.

I've still got a couple of LX (IMHO one of Pentax finest moments) about the place... that admittedly only get occasional usage these days.

[Church Key]

I've gone nostalgic and started back into film again. Still have my Nikon 6006 which I gave to my sister in the late 1990's after switching to digital. She gave it back when she switched. Recently have acquired a Pentax S3, ME Super, and an MX. I sent the first two to Eric H. for a CLA. Bought the S3 and MX on the Marketplace from their original owners. Anyhow started taking B&W and have accumulated some unprocessed rolls. Am sitting on the fence deciding if I want to get the chemicals and process/scan the negs or just have them processed locally. Still in the deciding mode.

That said my 1st real camera was a Voigtlander 120 folder that I got in 1954, then a Leica 3f in 1960, then moved to a Yashica-Mat, then Nikon's. Have always been a camera GAS person. The old film Pentax's are a wonder of engineering, especially their small and well-balanced build plus their quality engineering.

[MarkJerling]

Welcome from New Zealand Gerald.
Yes, I still use my film cameras occasionally.

[Sandy Hancock]

Welcome Gerald, from Australia.

I also started off with film as a kid. My first SLR was a Ricoh KR-10, so I have been with K mount all the way! I now have nice copies of the two film cameras I most desired but could not afford at the time: an MX and an LX. I have also built up a decent collection of fully manual film era lenses: mainly the original SMC Pentax "K" series. I must confess they don't get as much use as they deserve.

I'm also keen to get my hands on a good copy of the 645n, so I can see how my 645 lenses perform on their native format.

[wadge22]

Welcome to the forums!
No, I don't use my film cameras any more. But I'm holding on to them for now, and reserve the option to get back into it if I so choose

[biz-engineer]

I'm looking into the "how to" of shooting sheet film and developing myself. So far, getting a camera + lenses should be the easy part. Getting film sheet at a good price is more challenging, it may be necessary to build some stock. The biggest question for me is how to check for proper film development time (in developer bath) in complete darkness. Paper negative is insensitive to red light, so it is possible to check if the development time is correct. But B&W film sheets? How do people do that? I've seen some tables giving film development times, e.g 9 minutes. However, as film developer action gets lower and lower as more film is being developed in the same bath, development times should become longer. How to achieve consistency at the development stage?

[Cerebum]

Hi Gerald. Welcome. I am another who was bitten by the film bug last year. I had a couple of film cameras that I bought for the lenses. Because I was into old glass I was lent a 1932 Leica iii to test. I had never shot film seriously, having been a point and shoot guy in my past. The leica led to me servicing a spotmatic and going nuts for film. My main cameras now are a Pentax MX and a Yashica-Mat TLR, both serviced and pristine. I also have a voigtlander rangefinder and a lovely 1946 Zeiss ikoflex TLR. Initially everything went to the lab but now I shoot mainly B&W and develop at home, which is so easy BTW. Scanning is done by my KP and a macro lens. As for developing, a dark bag removes the need for a dark room and Paterson tanks make developing easy. So far I have only developed in coffee (caffeinol) and ilford ID-11 but I have some Bellini hydrofen lined up. The thing about it is the variables. Different films gave different characteristics, pushing or pulling them gives different results, as does the developer you choose. Some developers are fine grain, others enhance grain but make for a very sharp image. Whilst it has taken over somewhat, I fully expect film and digital to run side by side, eventually

One cool thing about old film cameras is that people are interested and don't seem to see you as hostile, making it much easier to ask if you can take their picture

Pentax MX, Orwo UN54, ID-11


Yashica-Mat, Ilford Delta 400, ID-11 (50% crop)


1946 Zeiss Ikoflex (tlr), Rollei Retro 80s, ID-11


MX, Ilford HP5+, pushed 2 stops and developed in coffee

I stopped using film when affordable (for me) digital cameras appeared on the scene (I got a Fujfilm DX-10 in 1999) because I just had a habit of never getting my film developed (crazy, I know) and lost years of photographic memories when I moved country and they all got thrown away.
Consequently I am now very happy with my digital Pentax cameras and do not feel any need or nostalgia for film...because of what I just wrote...and love the immediacy of digital and the control it gives me.

[PePe]

Yes,I still have my film cameras. Use them every now and then. There is something nostalgic about them! I have also kept my darkroom.

[Jonathan Mac]

Welcome to the forum.

There are plenty of us here shooting film despite it's ever-increasing cost, and one of the reasons for that is the fantastic feel of a good manual film camera and lens.

Yashica made a 6x7 camera?