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With today’s top DSLRs and mirrorless cameras delivering an awesome mix of matchless convenience, breathtaking image quality, and incredible speed, why would anyone want to acquire an “old fashioned” SLR that shoots “only” 36 exposures per cartridge of 35mm film that you have to develop and print before you even see the results? Because shooting film is fun, and it requires more dedication, discipline, and tech savvy than firing off bursts of multi-megapixel images. It slows you down, gives you time to think creatively before pressing the shutter release, and provides that indescribable feeling that you’re creating something real—something for the ages. Film images also have a distinctive look that can be emulated, but not quite equaled, with in-camera or post-production “film look” modes or software. To cut to the chase, if you’re up for the challenges, shooting 35mm film in a “real” SLR is a great way to stimulate your creativity and it will inevitably complement and refresh your digital photography as well.
Another cool thing about acquiring a high quality 35mm SLR, especially for photographers who acquired their chops in the film era, is that it lets you indulge your unfulfilled wish fantasies. If you ever wanted to own a timeless mechanical masterpiece but couldn’t quite swing it back in the day, you can now do so at (relatively speaking) bargain prices. Some superb examples: Nikon F and F2; Canon F-1 andA-1; Pentax K2, K1000, and ES2; Minolta XE-7, XD-11 and XK; and Olympus OM-1 and OM-2. If your tastes run to the more exotic you can go for a Leica Flex SL or SL2, a Topcon Super D, or even a Zeiss Contarex, but bodies and lenses are more costly and they’re generally harder to get repaired. Virtually all of these cameras are extremely well made, durable, and repairable if need be, and you may be able to adapt their classic lenses so they’ll work on your mirrorless camera or DSLR (especially Nikon F mount lenses).
5 quick tips: Choosing and buying used SLRs, and getting into film
1. Check it out beforehand. Anyone planning on buying a used SLR should check out the model of their dreams by Googling it on the Internet. That’s where you’ll find, specs, price ranges, contemporary test reports, expert and user opinions, camera manual reprints (some free!), which batteries work best, and discussions on the strengths, weaknesses, and desirability of various models.
2. Get a guarantee. By and large you’re better off buying a used SLR from a leading photo specialty retailer like Adorama, or a used camera specialist like KEH, rather than on an auction site such as eBay. Reputable stores carefully check out the cameras they sell, make necessary repairs, and provide a warranty. While many eBay sellers are honest, and many stores that sell on eBay do offer warranties, private sellers are not in a position to guarantee what they sell and many are not camera experts that can check out the camera and make sure it’s working properly. If you do decide to bid on a camera, make sure the seller offers a full refund return policy if it does not meet your expectations even if it is technically “as described”—that way you’ll only be responsible for the cost of shipping it back.
3. Know what you want and need. If you’re a user and not a collector, you can save a substantial amount by opting for a used SLR that has a few cosmetic dings or blemishes but still functions perfectly. While it’s true that you can judge a book by its cover and cameras in pristine shape have inevitably been used more gently, the price differential can be substantial. Example: I recently bought a nice used Nikon F body with FTN meter prism in excellent operating condition and working meter for $125 because it had somebody’s social security number scratched into the baseplate and it had a few minor dents in the prism housing. One in mint or ‘Excellent ++’ condition would have cost at least twice as much. However, since lenses are inherently more delicate than cameras, I tend to favor those in really nice cosmetic condition.
4. Check on battery availability. While the shutters in most vintage SLRs will operate manually at all speeds without needing battery power, their metering systems will not, and many were designed for button-type mercury cells that are no longer available. You can still get silver-oxide batteries for SLRs that take them (like the Olympus OM-4), but those designed for mercury cells will require a substitute, typically alkaline or zinc-air cells. We can’t delve into all the specifics here, but suffice it to say that many cameras designed for 1.35-volt mercury cells can be adapted, by adding a germanium diode, to use 1.5-volt alkaline cells, and 1.35-volt zinc-air cells do work and require no adaptation, but they don’t last very long. For more –maybe too much— info on this check the mercury battery chat sites on the Internet.
5. Set up your analog imaging workflow. If you haven’t shot film or haven’t done so lately, there are several ways to do it in the digital age. At a bare minimum you will, of course need film, a way to get it developed, and a method of getting your pictures printed.
6. Consider how you will process your film.Most film shooters today have their film processed, their negatives scanned and then printed out from the digital files on an inkjet printer which is a lot less expensive than having them printed photographically in a wet darkroom. You can also do any or all parts of the process yourself. A wide variety of films, chemicals, developing tanks, thermometers and temperature control systems, changing bags, scanners, and printers are available at Adorama and some other well-stocked photo retailers. Personally, I have my film developed, scan the negatives myself on an Epson V850 Pro scanner, and print myfilm and digital images on an Epson Stylus Pro 3880 printer.
