[UncleVanya]

This may sound nutty. Look at the predominate color on the box of color film. This will generally tell you what color the film leans towards or renders well. This may not be as silly as it sounds.

For example Fuji (green box) always rendered greens very well. Kodak is a special case, use the second color not the yellow/orange. So blue on ektachrome etc. Some color films from Kodak were packaged with a black secondary inset color and surprise they were fairly neutral. Note that I am not talking about the color balance of the film. These would all be daylight balanced films.

Speaking of which films have a specific color balance that you are stuck with for the entire roll (as well as set ISO). You can't adjust this in camera so filters may be required in certain shooting conditions.

---------- Post added 05-27-16 at 08:46 AM ----------

Reciprocity failure is real depending n the film. This is where the exposure needed in very low light stops following the math of simply doubling time for an additional stop.

Here are some charts. I have not vetted the info here but it seems rational. https://mkaz.com/film-reciprocity-tables/

[jeverettfine]

Ditto WPRESTO

First, get a good quality camera. Pentax KX is a great choice, better than the ubiquitous K1000. You might think about a medium format 6x6 that uses 120 size film. A Mamiya C330 can be purchased with an 80mm lens for under $500 and will work forever...built like a tank etc. A C220 with lens less than $200.
Second: Get some black and white film...Tri-X or T-Max...400 ISO
Third: learn to develop the film. It isn't difficult and will save you a lot of money. Don't need a darkroom, just a room or closet you can make black.
Fourth: Get a descent flatbed scanner. You don't need a darkroom, enlarger, paper, etc.
All of this will give you lots to do and learn and will also teach you quite a lot about cameras and photography.

[dsmithhfx]

if you had a friend starting out with film, what advice would you give

Drugstore single-use camera.

[IgorZ]

I think it is a good idea to know why you want to try film. Just for fun sounds a bit strange - ordering film online, waiting for it to arrive, using an old camera, working with a limited number of exposures, not being able to see the result of your decisions until weeks later, finding a good lab to develop, scanning, waiting... Did you say fun? By the way, I went down the same road a couple of weeks ago - bought film and started shooting for the first time in a decade. Some of my reasons included using film era lenses in the way they were intended to be used, trying different format and thinking. I was reading books on composition before diving in the film, and I think it is a good idea to do so. I found that reading books on composition and then shooting film improved my photography a lot. In the past I would snap away and then spend hours going through the shots thinking which ones I should keep and how I can salvage them, now I spent a weekend at my parents' place, and instead of a usual pile of shots, I was surprised to find only a dozen on my digital camera, and another dozen on my film camera. The thing is, the percentage of "keepers" increased significantly. With digital you spend time after taking the shot, with film you learn to spend time before the shot so that you do not waste it after.

[Johnny Rod]

Some good advice there. Not much to add...

Overexposure (negative film), don't fret too much about getting it bang on
Take one stop off the DoF scale before you use it - as described above using the camera as a measurement tool
Experiment and take notes - shoot the same thing a few times
Choose a camera with optional automation
Get out and shoot - experience, learn, adapt, enjoy - because reading is good but it'll only get you so far

[malinku]

I think 2 important points are:

1. Forget the high ISO values that you use in digital and go for the lowest ISO film that you can find, unless of course you want gritty, grainy atmospheric shots.
Of course this can mean a whole new learning curve managing lighting and camera shake.

I couldn't disagree more with these two points.
Always going for the low ISO film limits what can be shot. I have 8x10 prints of delta 3200 that turned out great. Film grain can be a great thing unlike digital grain. So shoot what ever speed is needed for the job.
I'd recommend delta 3200 to anyone for indoor shooting. It is what I use for all the events I shoot and have never been let down by its grain.

[ChrisPlatt]

Get a copy of Henry Horenstein's excellent film photography primer
Black and White Photography, and read it with an open mind.

Chris

[Cuthbert]

I couldn't disagree more with these two points.
Always going for the low ISO film limits what can be shot. I have 8x10 prints of delta 3200 that turned out great. Film grain can be a great thing unlike digital grain. So shoot what ever speed is needed for the job.
I'd recommend delta 3200 to anyone for indoor shooting. It is what I use for all the events I shoot and have never been let down by its grain.

This is the "grain" you might get from today's modern 400 ISO.

[Eyewanders]

So, if you had a friend starting out with film, what advice would you give?

How about "just take the Red Pill, and THEN we'll show you how deep the Rabbit Hole goes"...

[malinku]

Here is one of my Delta 3200 shots and It was developed as iso 1600. for grain comparison.

[Swift1]

My first piece of advice would be... Don't believe everything/anything you read on the internet regarding film...

[LesDMess]

I think 2 important points are:

1. Forget the high ISO values that you use in digital and go for the lowest ISO film that you can find, unless of course you want gritty, grainy atmospheric shots.
Of course this can mean a whole new learning curve managing lighting and camera shake.

No doubt everyone has a personal opinion of film grain based on many factors affected by conditions, exposure and certainly personal taste so it is best to experience it yourself. The good thing is you can choose to process it accordingly.

Here are some full res examples of faster films that I have used - with and without grain management.


Larger version Fuji Natura 1600


Larger version Fuji Press 1600


Larger version Kodak P3200TMZ

---------- Post added 05-28-16 at 01:26 PM ----------

Of course on the other end of the grain spectrum are the fine films. Here are some full res examples.


Larger version Fuji RVP50


Larger version Kodak Ektar 100


Larger version Kodak TMAX 100


Larger version Lomography 100
Note that this is Lomography film so I am not sure how repeatable the results will be!

[Xmas]

It is a real experience watching a contact print appear in the glow of an orange safe light.

Ignore web photos they are all digitalised...

[dsmithhfx]

Ignore web photos they are all digitalised...

New reality. Deal with it.

[Xmas]

New reality. Deal with it.

I can agree with that after I insert 'virtual'.