film photographer

My Film Camera Collection

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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

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5 Tips for getting Into Film Photography

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Today I have Five tips for those of you just getting into film photography!

5 tips for getting into film photography

 

#1 Understand your fundamentals.

Contrary to what many say, (specifically people who have never taught a photography class) I recommend you understand your photography fundamentals FIRST, before attempting to shoot in manual. Yes, an all manual film camera distills photography down to the basics, but if you’re just learning, not being able to see instant results, will slow the process of learning down, as you will not be able to immediately correct for mistakes. And that's not to mention that by the time you see your work, you may forget what your settings and lighting conditions were. If you still want to jump right in, I recommend you get either a point and shoot or any camera with an auto feature. DO NOT LISTEN to people saying you learn best on a manual camera. That sounds good on paper, but in practice getting a blank roll back is a huge disappointment and very off putting. You want to be able to get excited about the process, and the best way to do that is to go out and shoot and not feel bogged down by settings or frustrated by blank rolls. Get passionate about photography first, the technical stuff can come later.

#2 Start with Black and White Film.

Maybe you’ve heard that black and white is more pure and all that- and that may be true. But if you’re just starting out I recommend shooting black and white because you have a greater leeway when it comes to properly exposing your image. Color requires you to be much more precise, so there is more room for error. And while on the topic of Film...

#3 Start with ISO 400 Speed Film.

400 speed film will give you good amount of flexibility in getting a proper exposure in varying lighting conditions. Sure, it's technically not as “sharp” as a slow speed film, but if you want perfect, you may as well shoot digital.

#4 When in Doubt, Over Expose.

Film photography is better at preserving the highlights and... When exposing film it’s better to have too much information than too little. Ideally, you will nail your exposure, but when in doubt, its always better to over expose than under expose.

#5 Take Your Time and Enjoy the Process.

One of the many reasons to shoot film is because of how enjoyable the hands on process can be and it’s ability to put you in the moment. Never forget that and have fun!

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Pentax SMC Takumar 1.4 vs Yashinon-DX 1.4

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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?

Using Vintage Lenses on the Canon M50

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Shooting with vintage lenses on the Canon M50 is so much fun. Even though you lose your autofocus when doing so, getting footage with character is awesome- and affordable! I will be experimenting with shooting with my m50 and vintage lenses for a while. I have to say, I am liking the m50 more everyday.

In the above video, I compare the Canon fd 50mm 1.8, Pentax 50mm 1.4, Minolta 58mm 1.4, and the Yashica 50mm 1.4.

What do I think?

The Pentax SMC 1.4 is still my favorite vintage lens of all time- even if this particular test wasn’t amazing. There’s something about the build of the Minolta I love, but it skews green. And lastly, I was quite impressed with the Canon fd 50 1.8. I like it a lot more than I thought.