35mm Film SLR
 

Finally after many years of watching birds and wildlife I am looking to buy my first camera. I am looking at a Canon Rebel T1 film camera as a good entry point into photography. Of course the cost to transfer one roll of 24 film pics to a cd is about $15.00 cdn, so digital camera is not out of the question. Any comments or questions. One thing Ii have noticed is how inexpensive long lenses are for this new camera body. Most people who own a film slr usually keep it for many years where most of my friends that do digital tend to buy a new camera every two years, this is just something I noticed. Of course another factor is the percentage of keepers from each roll of film won't be as high as digital. Decisions, decisions. Thanks for any feed back.

Don't even consider a new film camera in this day and age. The thought of paying to get pictures onto your computer, never mind paying through the nose for it, is just crazy. It will cost you far more than the money you saved by buying a cheap old film camera instead of a digital. Seriously, there is no reason to buy a film camera anymore, not unless you have very specialised needs that only film can fulfil. (There are still a few such, I gather, but we are talking seriously specialised.)

The reason people swap over their digital cameras every few years is that digital cameras keep getting better and better, but film cameras haven't improved to speak of in 20 years or so. No-one is spending R&D dollars on film anymore, so there is no point in replacing your old film camera with a new model: there aren't any new models, not to speak of, nor will there ever be. Ergo, people don't buy new film cameras these days.

If you don't want to spend too much, look at any of the several older, lower-spec digital cameras on the market. The digital equivalent of the Canon film camera you mentioned is an example, but there are many others. You will more than save the extra initial cost by not spending money on film, and have the benefit of being able to take as many shots as you like, and be able to see the results immediately. Or have a look at second-hand units if you prefer. There are some nice models around now, selling for not very much.

Thanks for the post back, you make alot of sense. Digital it is then.

Film ... Scary stuff!

I remember using it once upon a time. No way would I ever go back or wish it upon anyone else.

I used to use a Canon T70 and a Pentax me super, both great cameras but after buying digital I can't see me using 35mm again.

I would agree with Tannin.

I have used film since the 60's, used more cameras than you could throw a stick at, and had a darkroom on and off for most of that time.

When the D100 came out with 6 mega pixels I thought it was time to dip my toe in the digital pond.

The result - all my darkroom gear is in the loft and I have not shot film since. Now I used to spend hours in the darkroom and thoroughly enjoyed it, but ease of processing on a computer - no mixing chemicals - washing everything up at 2:00 in the morning and cost just did it for me. For my digital darkroom I also bought Genuine Fractals which allows for big quality enlargements. Use of this showed just how good digital now is.

With digital I think you just take more pictures, as once you have the kit there are no cost thoughts until you print. Dead shots cost nothing so you can afford to experiment.

As an aside on the subject of cost of cameras, when I bought my 'cut down dream' Nikkormat in 1967 it cost the equivalent of 12 weeks wages - body only. My 'dream' the Nikon F was well out of my reach at nearly 6 months wages !!!!!!!!!

You have been all a great help, I hunting I go for a digital camera. Thanks alot.

Yes, I agree, film is fun, but only now and again. I still pop a reel of film through a camera now and again. Digital allows me to experiment far more and this more than anything else has progressed my photography.

Duncan

I have a digital canon 10d and a film camera eos 600 i was thinking was using my eos 600 but only to take advantage of my canon 17 mm 40 mm zoom as i would get full avantage of the 17 mm setteing ! unless i had a canon 5 d !

Tony,

You may well find that using a lens designed for a digital camera with a crop factor will give serious vignetting (dark areas) in the corners of the frame when used on a full frame film body.

Lenses designed for digital bodies project a smaller image than full-frame lenses.

Duncan.

Whilst you are correct, the Canon 17-40L is not designed specifically for digital. It is an EF lens and its the EFS lenses that you are referring to, these would not even fit a non EFS compatable camera, as they protrude deeper into the mirror box and would foul the mirror in a full frame camera

Thank you Duncan and Stephen i have never tried it yet on the eos 600 only my 10 d but i think this one has been designed for EOS film cameras if not let me know,i may not have put all the lens info down,sorry, canon are making things complicated now !the lens is a -
canon zoom EF 17-40 mm f4 L-usm lens ! and i must say it is a superb lens,thank you again for reply's.

I will not have to use my eos 600 for full frame i have bought a canon 5d and what a camera just superb,fancy falling in love with a camera !looking through the view finder is as clear as anything owing to the full frame,and i can alter the ISO for every single shot and so easy,there is no built in flash which would be handy now and again ! altough indoor shots i do like natural shots !this camera was origanly £2500 now it is £1800 and also i have got back £200 from canon ! i have just done a site for which all the photo has been taken at my home it is www.myhomeandgardenindigital.me.uk and the photos in the may to july was taken with the Canon 5d the idea of this site is to show people who cant get out what can be done at your own home with a digital camera and computer mind you a garden would help but you can take table top photos,i thought of doing this site as 7 years ago i had a stroke that affected the whole of my right side could not walk very well or use my right hand which is still bad i use to press the shutter release button with my left hand a feat in it self ! after a year of doing that it came to my mind to stick something rough on the release button so i could feel it,which i did and it worked,i have a large pond in my garden which atracts a lot of dragonflys i had five differant types last year they are not on this site as i want photos on it that i have taken from feb this year to feb next year and the site will then be complete ! sorry for long message but it is a thought any one could do a site like this if they have a garden but better still a nature garden !cheers.Tony.