[Rob K]

We are finding it hard to find information about film cameras in this era of digital cameras. Does any of you have suggestions about good cameras? The reason we do not want to get a digital camera is that we don't need all the technology that comes with it (downloading pictures, etc). We tend to not take too many pictures either (other than the usual family celebrations and during our tramping in the mountains).

Thanks for your help,

Sandrine

[Singel]

sorry can't help with the camera but, something to ponder........... :roll
some of the film-processing kiosks are closing down due to lack of business.

[GeorgeM]

sorry can't help with the camera but, something to ponder........... :roll
some of the film-processing kiosks are closing down due to lack of business.
... and Dixons in the UK have just announced that they are going to stop stocking film cameras apart from at a few of their airport locations.

They say that they will continue to stock 'proper' cameras in airports as there is a good trade in these locations from professional photographers who want to buy good quality equipment at duty free prices.

Dixons originally started off by selling cameras so this is a significant move from them.

[Smiler]

Rob

Yep Dixon's are stopping selling film cameras :( , we both have digital cameras but for our serious stuff ( both keen amateurs) we have different variations of the Canon EOS. We've used other film cameras before and so far these are the best ( we think)

I'm not a tekkie and this is easy to operate, and although larger than a brownie 127, is easy to carry. We use ours all the time and have all the spare lenses and stuff. We took some great pics in NZ this year. A lot of the ones I looked at you couldn't turn the flash off, this one does and is one of the features I wanted.

I got a good deal on mine in Jessops camera stores.
Hope this helps

Deborah

[kiwidebs]

I love my Pentax SLR camera - but must admit to not having looked at it in the last 18 months or so. The digicam is just too convenient.

Just a thought, if Dixons are no longer going to stock film cameras will they have a big sale to sell off their stock?

Debs

[RobDickinson]

What sort of film camera do you want?

35mm SLR (serious stuff including interchangable lenses)?
35mm prosumer
35mm point and shoot
APS
Instant?

Do you want point and shoot only , or control over apature and shutter speeds etc, what sort of focal lengths, wide angle for landscapes, medium for portrait or zoom for wildlife etc (if so how much?)

Film is cheaper to buy and less hasle if you dont own a computer but IMO digital is so much more convinient if you do.

[Dazza]

You don't need to own a PC to print pictures from a digi camera. There are a couple of other options, one is to purchase a printer which you can just pop in your memory card or plug in usb cable from you camera like this http://hpshopping.speedera.net/www.shopping.hp.com/shopping/images/products/q3470a_400.jpg

Or purchase a docking station like this....
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/digital/promos/soln/soln_promo.jhtml?pg-path=6933&pq-locale=en_GB But these are normally camera specific.

[Smiler]

or you can go to the chemist/photo shop and there is a machine to pop the memory card in.

You can then choose the photo's you want printed.

Deborah

[Rob K]

We're looking for a manual 35mm camera, the kind you can adjust things with yourself. We're looking for the best potential picture quality, which is why we're considering film cameras vs digital.

Rob

[Moorf]

You can buy digital cameras that you can manually adjust too - we recently bought a Canon Powershot A95 which you can make as complicated or as easy as you like to use and it didn't break the bank.

[RobDickinson]

Rob K the latest Digital SLR's are every bit as good as the film versions and a lot of people, including most profesionals have made the switch, the top end are even competing with medium format film.

Sounds like your after something to do photography with rather than take snaps, so either some form of SLR or a 'prosumer' camera would do.

Film SLR's are way cheaper than digital initialy, then you have the lenses which are the smae for both and vary enormously in price, use and quality. Film and lense 2nd hand stuff is usualy a big bargain so long as you get something in good condition. Lenses (if you go SLR) can stay with you a lot longer than the body but are usualy for one make of camera only, so pick which you liek the feel off, usualy canon, minolta, nikon etc have their own feel and way of doing things one of which may suite better than another.

Film is cheaper initialy but with digital you get instant results with no processing costs. Depends on how much your going to use it.

[nessie]

We're looking for a manual 35mm camera, the kind you can adjust things with yourself. We're looking for the best potential picture quality, which is why we're considering film cameras vs digital.

Rob

I use both film and digital. For film, i swear by my Nikon F65 - great quality pics, easy to use and you won't need a mortgage to buy one :)

[jonSE]

If you are really looking for a "manual" 35m camera Nikon F4 is probably the best bet. But it is all manual. However it may well keep it's value.

A lot really depends upon what you want to photograph. If you intend to take shots of landscapes or maybe wedding photos and blow them up to large sizes then a large format camera would be better - Hasselbald or similar.

To be honest a reasonable quality compact digital is good enough for up to A4 size emlargements.

My personal experience using a Canon sureshot A20 digital now 5 years old and getting battered, is that it is great for anything static (ish) but should you need to fire off multiple shots quickly (like photgraphing dolphins jumping out of a wave or a rally car crashing) there is nothing to beat a decent SLR with motor wind at 5 frames per second. Having said that I realise that I am using 5 year old digital technology and comparing it with 9 year old film technology (Nikon F601). I wouldn't be surprised to find that 2005 digital technology means I could do 10fps.

If you asked this question 20 years ago the answer would have been Nikon F4. It still is, for the question you asked.

What do you want to photograph and why? then we can answer your question.

Jon

[RobDickinson]

Current DSLR's can shoot 3-5fps or so in raw mode I think.

[Rob K]

Hi Jon,

We intend to use the camera for the whole gamut of purposes, but I guess mainly for outdoor photography, such as tramping in the mountains. Landscape kind of stuff...with the odd birthday-cake-candle-blowing-out shots as well.

Rob

[StevieD]

Rob - a good 35mm SLR camera with the ability to interchange lenses etc. will give you a tool that will last a lifetime, especially one of the big brands. But they don't come cheap. Looking at the cost of films in NZ t'other night might make you think twice, as well as processing costs!
However, a digital camera is a far more powerful tool for the amateur. You have the same flexibility as an SLR with some cameras at the top end of the scale having the same interchangable lenses etc. Digital will allow you the option to "get the picture right", instead of using the SLR method of bracketing shots, taking 5 pics to get the one you want. And you have the facility with the pc to do so much with your pictures. You can re-size, crop, brighten, in fact do everything that a processing lab would have to do, on your desktop. By getting a photo printer/ colour printer and using photo paper, there is no reason to shy away from the digital route. It is really easy, and not a reason to be fearful of "technology". It makes it easier to share your pictures with friends and family via mail etc.
If you have any questions, feel free to pm me for any help.

Regards

Steve