How To Use A Film Camera

Film cameras are like portable time machines so it may be handy to know how to use a film camera. They may not be the most high tech of devices, but there is a certain personal aspect to them that makes them enjoyable to use even today. They also require a lot more hands on work, as most adjustments have to be set manually instead of with the push of a button. Here are some things you should know about using a film camera.

1. Be careful. No, they can’t hurt you, but a mistake could potentially be expensive. There are many different kinds of cameras that take different films, but all film is ruined if it sees light. Make sure to never open the film compartment of a camera while you are working on that roll of film, or you could lose some pictures.
2. Learn the different settings. As we said before, mistakes can be expensive. Learn how your camera works. Learn about aperture, shutter speed and ISO (also called ASA, this is the film speed that determines the sharpness of your picture). Put shortly, aperture decides what’s in focus in your picture, and shutter speed decides the amount of light that gets let in.
3. Are you going to need a darkroom? Film must be developed somewhere. Certain stores will do one hour color developments, but if you have black and white film, you will have to send it to a special lab. There is always the option of building your own darkroom. This is suggested only for a serious photographer, as it will take up an entire room of your home – no light can be let into this area if there is film at work. 

Using a film camera is not something many people think of. With the abundance of simple point and shoot digital cameras on the market, some people might question the need for a film camera. But a camera is about more than ease of use, film cameras bring a flare to your work or even personal photos that you just can’t get with a digital camera.