film camera

My New Favorite Black and White Film AGFA APX 25

AGFA APX 25

AGFA APX 25 is my new favorite film! Will I use it often? Probably not. Since it's been discontinued for some time now, I am going to cherish what I have left. Although the results when developed in Diafine were unremarkable, this film truly shines in Rodinal. Personally, this is the finest grained film with the best tonal range of anything I have shot so far. I will probably save what I have left for select personal projects and for my work as an event photographer in Los Angeles.

Let me know your thoughts! I have been a professional event photographer in Los Angeles for 10 years while teaching photography at the same time.

Follow the links below to see my work.

Instagram | @retrograding https://www.instagram.com/retrograding/

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Instagram | @retrograding https://www.instagram.com/retrograding/

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mikmilman/ www.mikmilman.com

Anscomark M Film Camera. First Impressions.

Anscomark M Film Camera

The Anscomark M is the sturdiest camera I have ever held. "Built like a tank," is one of the most overused expressions when it comes to cameras, but it really does apply here; We are talking WWI era tank to be clear ;) This camera is feature-full from built in selenium light meter, threaded cable release hidden below the shutter button, to it's interchangeable lenses. Unfortunately it can be very hard to find lenses for this camera if you can even find the camera at all. I am looking forward to shooting with this camera and I'm very excited to share my results with you all!

My First Impressions

I picked this camera up just because of how strange it appeared. I knew very little about it and to be honest when I find a new camera I’ve never heard about, I prefer to experience it before doing my research. That’s not to say I do not research it at all: I just do enough research to know what I’m getting into.

The first thing that stood out is the Anscomark m’s styling: It is unlike any camera I have ever seen. This camera resembled a 1960’s classic American car more than any other camera.

When it comes to it’s build quality, there’s something very unique here too… rather than having the feel of a well engineered watch like a Leica M 3, the Anscomark M feels more like an industrial toaster or classic car. It feels substantial and heavy. It has hard lines and edges, not something you’d typically see in something you would be handling often.

That’s it for now, but I’m really excited to start using the camera and sharing my thoughts.

I have been a professional event photographer for 10 years while teaching photography at the same time. Follow the links below to see my work. Instagram | @retrograding https://www.instagram.com/retrograding/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mikmilman/ www.mikmilman.com Instagram | @retrograding https://www.instagram.com/retrograding/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mikmilman/ www.mikmilman.com

My Film Camera Collection

Here are just a few of my film cameras in my "collection." Consider them my favorites of each type of film camera I have.

Pentax 67

My go to, well my only, medium format camera with interchangeable lenses. Perfect when I am in "work mode." I love this camera, but due to its size its not something I like to carry around with me. But its definitely a work horse.

Rolleiflex 3.5

Possibly my all time favorite film camera to shoot with. There is nothing like shooting with a TLR. It's just an entirely different approach to shooting compared to modern SLR style cameras or even rangefinders. The Rolleiflex is a gorgeous, well built camera.

Canon 1V

A MUST HAVE FOR ANY CANON DSLR SHOOTER. You will feel right at home here. Although its autofocus and burst rates aren't quite up to snuff compared to its modern equivalent, the 1dxii. Theres nothing like shooting film and having pro lens options!

Leica M3

What can be said about the Leica m3 that hasn't already been said by too many to count. It is legendary for a reason. NONE of my other cameras rival its build quality, though some come close in their own ways.

Voigtlander Vito ii

This camera made me fall in love with folding cameras- I want more! It's such a quirky experience, using one. But once you figure it out its such an enjoyable experience and challenge.

Rollei 35 s

My favorite compact camera dependent on a distance scale for focussing. To my knowledge there is nothing that comes close to it in design and quality.


I have been a professional event photographer in Los Angeles for 10 years while teaching photography at the same time. Follow the links below to see my work and be sure to subscribe to my channel on Youtube for more videos

YOUTUBE

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www.mikmilman.com


Pentax SMC Takumar 1.4 vs Yashinon-DX 1.4

Check out this comparison video between the Pentax Takumar SMC Takumar 1.4 and the Yashica Yashinon-DX 1.4 I honestly like them both and will probably use them quite differently. The Pentax 1.4 has a warm, rich, earth tone feel. In my opinion it far rivals the Canon 50mm 1.8. I did not find any cons to it. The Yashica Yashinon-DX is quite a bit different. I was surprised by how much it flared, which lead me to believe that it must have had haze in it. I didn't find any. More light just seem to transport through it and it has an overall cooler, flatter profile. The cool thing about these lenses are their compatibility. If any film camera with an M42 mount can take them or use them digitally with an adapter. What do you all think?

How to Find Cheap Film Cameras

If you're looking to get into film photography but you're on a budget, I highly recommend looking at cameras from manufacturers you may not be familiar with. Some of my favorites come from Yashica and Konica. At this point perceived value of old cameras far outweighs their original costs.

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Pentax 67 diopter (why I almost sold my Pentax 67)

 

The Pentax 67 does not have a built in diopter. Rather, if you wear glasses, you will need to purchase an aftermarket eye piece. Well it turns out that whoever owned this camera before me did just that which is why it always looked blurry to my eyes.

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5 Reasons You Should Get the Canon A1

Canon A-1

Canon A-1

More Camera

You may be familiar with the Canon AE-1, perhaps Canon’s most iconic manual focus film cameras. The AE-1 has surely secured its position as an icon. And as such, with the resurgence of film, commands quite a price. At the time of writing this article, an AE-1 can run up to $250.

Conversely, the Canon A-1 is far less iconic of a camera. Yet it is a superior camera in most ways. The Canon A-1 sits atop Canon’s prosumer line of the era and features full manual control, shutter priority, aperture priority and full auto control.

Build Quality

The Canon A-1 is built with more premium materials than the AE-1 or some of its competitors such as Minolta’s X-700.

canon a-1 features

Lenses

During the production run of the A-1, there were over 50 lenses available. That means there are lots of options and lots of them out there.

Be proud

Proudly smirk at all those suckers with an AE-1, knowing you have more camera.

Price

You can get an A1 for about $100 at the time of writing this article. That’s not bad at all.

top of Canon a-1