Film Cameras = More Fun, More New Friends than DIGITAL?

[dct]

A chrome M8 or M9, or a Fuji X100 will get you the same questions, at least in the beginning: just two days ago a girl who was serving me a coffee noticed my chrome M9-P and asked if I develop film. I smiled, showed her the back of the camera and said "Yeah, I do everything in my light room". Her interest vanished.

You should have asked her, if she would like escort you to your dark room... 🙄

 

[paparona]

Film cameras are indeed the coolest thing there days.I am fortunate to have to photograph high profile social events,charity fashion shows etc. on a regular basis.I have made lots of friends with my M7.So many young people,girls especially,recognise the Leica M film camera and say it is at the top of their wishlist.It seems guaranteed to get me an Access All Areas pass-----I expect someone has to do it! Long live the Leica and film.
http//sikorskimazur.zenfolio.com

 

[Drago]

I've found that shooting with a TLR makes people (strangers, too) instantly relax. They think it's wonderful to be photographed with such an antiquity, and can hardly believe that such a thing still works. Conversations usually follow.

True. Most people can't believe that these old metal things, actually still works 😀 When people ask me how old this or that is, i said older than me and there's always surprise on their face. The other comment i often get is that they look good/sexy/whatever , something you can't find with digital ( design ) . Well i can't argue about that

 

[barnwulf]

I agree completely. A number of people respond to my Leica and my Zeiss Super Ikonta III folding camera. One day I was shooting with the Super Ikonta and a young woman said that she liked my camera so I told her what it was and she said, "Oh, it's a good one too." Then she said that she was a photographer too. Since I am 73, I almost never get comments from young women. It was a very good day. - Jim

 

[photografity]

I used to black tape covering the whites on my RD-1... People would stop me asking why I still shoot film or how old is my film camera? 😀

 

[sepiareverb]

I get just as many nosy people whether shooting film or digital. I've finally discovered that using a flash outdoors seems to make them keep their distance. Gilden must be much more widely known that I suspected.

 

[bgb]

I have over the last couple of years had people come up to me and ask my if that is a film camera and why do i still shoot film, had a few say "cool camera dude' and one very pretty young lady wanted to have a play with it. Odd thing is that the camera is a Yashica GSN not a Leica or anything flash.
Why is the question, i think because the GSN is so easy to use and i'm relaxed using it i seem like some friendly old guy that is just out taking a few snaps.
I don't get the friendly smiles and "what is that camera" questions when I'm shooting with an slr ... not sure if it's the camera my attitude or what but I know a day out with the GSN is going to be fun 😀

 

[bhop73]

I get it all the time too with the M6, or when they see me wind the XA. Then there's the X100 which usually goes like .. "That looks like a cool old film camera" *shows the lcd display.. "It's digital? Thought you were shooting film." And then there's the F100 where they just assume it's digital anyway..

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Sit in Washington Square in NYC for a while with a chrome Leica and the reasons of why you should shoot a film camera will become very clear, rather quickly. Yowza.
Now that spring is really here, it's imperative that I take a film camera along on my frequent outings to the city.

Not so much here in Philly, it's just a different kind of town.

Phil Forrest

 

[jaredangle]

I get comments on my Nikon F4 on occasion when shooting downtown, but not the F100 as it's indistinguishable from a modern DSLR. The Contax G1 usually passes for a point and shoot, although last week, I was shooting with it and a guy came running up to me asking if it was a Contax, mentioned that he used to shoot an M6 but had to swap it for a CL after getting in a car accident, then he ran off.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

i find that people of the fairer sex respond very favorably to the TLR... i think it reminds them of their dad or granddads.....the amount of stares from women to my rolleiflex is incredible. and it can't be the overweight balding me....

 

[Roger Hicks]

Many people assume that my M9 is a film camera...

Cheers,

R.

 

[isoterica]

For me when I go out I generally get a comment per walk. I carried an Ansco Memar Pronto and an older couple I took a photo of approached me, the man was a collector. The conversation began. I carried a Yashicamat into an art store, the older men behind the counter starting talking to me about when 'those cameras were new'. Carried my Minolta 35 Model II.. well you can guess the conversation there, it began with 'Is that a Leica?' lol. Well no. Brownie Hawkeye, 'Wow, I haven't seen one of those in a long time'.

Older cameras look unique as compared to the cell phones, compacts or dslrs that are currently available. It's not necessarily that they are old, only that they are different. With the elderly people though, definitely because they are older cameras. They wax nostalgic. Do you make long term friendships? Generally not but it really is nice to chat with people rather than walk past them day in and day out.

*I haven't yet gotten a chance to try them all, those that I have collected, so maybe I should start making a list of what people say per camera, see who jumps at what. 😀

 

[al1966]

I was walking the streets of London on Monday and a pleasant gent in a wheelchair said an OM2 now thats a proper camera. Sadly he had to give it up as he lost most of the use in his hands. He now uses one of the early Canon AF cameras, but would rather be using the OM2 🙁

 

[kdemas]

I've had the same with my M8 Roger. When they finally see the screen on the back they look rather surprised 😉

Many people assume that my M9 is a film camera...

Cheers,

R.

 

[pinkarmy]

you will still be alone if you act like an a**
no matter it's digital, film, brand name, flash or no flash
...with or without a camera

enjoy (taking pictures or the loneness)

 

[mbdiesel]

When I am shooting with my shen- hao 4x5, people usually stare for a while. I only had one person come over and talk to me about the camera. I am a brown skinned Indian guy so who knows...they get scared when I put my head under the dark cloth and they start moving along in case it blows up.

 

[ReeRay]

I was shooting in an underground Thai temple only a few days ago with my Hexar RF and AF. A Thai guy with his Canon digital came up to and asked if his wife could take a shot of the two of us together explaining that he was honored to be in the presence of a dedicated film man. He asked if he could hold the RF for the shot. As we were posing a young German tourist walked by with his Grandads Minolta SRT and amazingly a Thai schoolgirl with a Contax G1. Well, the Canon guy couldn't believe his luck and after we all posed he insisted on buying food/drinks for all.

P.s. I'm a 66 year old Brit. The Thai guy was 55, the German lad was 38 and the school girl was 17.

So yea, film has no barriers or peers.

 

[35photo]

Yeah, people will come up and strike conversations from time to time about my M6 or M4...Just today a young asian guy came up to me while I was out during my lunch break asking if he could take a photo of my M6 with his iPhone that's a first...cool with me

 

[bensyverson]

I was shooting in an underground Thai temple only a few days ago with my Hexar RF and AF. A Thai guy with his Canon digital came up to and asked if his wife could take a shot of the two of us together explaining that he was honored to be in the presence of a dedicated film man. He asked if he could hold the RF for the shot. As we were posing a young German tourist walked by with his Grandads Minolta SRT and amazingly a Thai schoolgirl with a Contax G1. Well, the Canon guy couldn't believe his luck and after we all posed he insisted on buying food/drinks for all.

P.s. I'm a 66 year old Brit. The Thai guy was 55, the German lad was 38 and the school girl was 17.

So yea, film has no barriers or peers.

That's seriously the best thing I've heard all week