adavis47
Well-known
After a discussion about the good old days with a friend - how tactile the film cameras were: loading film, advancing the film, turning shutter speed dials, etc - I decided to pick up an M camera and shoot a few rolls of film. So, today I went out with my M4 and had these impressions and laughs:
1. Gosh, this camera is so small.
2. Bottom plate just like an M9 and loading film is no hassel.
3. Advancing the film a few frames returned that sweet mechanical feeling.
4. First shot: OMG, what a shutter release! What a sound! However, it only went "click" once. I checked to see if the shutter speed was set to "B." Nope. Shoot again, "click" - just once. How about that.
5. Framed a portrait, "click" and turned to the back of the camera to see what the capture looked like - whoops!
6. Set the camera down. Dang, forgot to turn it off. Hah!
All in all a great amount of fun. The mechanical M cameras are such a joy to use. I see one major drawback to the camera; i don't really miss the preview; and I can wait until the film is developed; and I know any quality difference between digital and feel won't make my pictures better or worse; but not being able to change film speed on the same roll is a bummer. It's a real benefit of digital where any image can be taken at any ISO that suits you. We'll see where this all ends up: selling one or keeping both, but I'm smiling.
1. Gosh, this camera is so small.
2. Bottom plate just like an M9 and loading film is no hassel.
3. Advancing the film a few frames returned that sweet mechanical feeling.
4. First shot: OMG, what a shutter release! What a sound! However, it only went "click" once. I checked to see if the shutter speed was set to "B." Nope. Shoot again, "click" - just once. How about that.
5. Framed a portrait, "click" and turned to the back of the camera to see what the capture looked like - whoops!
6. Set the camera down. Dang, forgot to turn it off. Hah!
All in all a great amount of fun. The mechanical M cameras are such a joy to use. I see one major drawback to the camera; i don't really miss the preview; and I can wait until the film is developed; and I know any quality difference between digital and feel won't make my pictures better or worse; but not being able to change film speed on the same roll is a bummer. It's a real benefit of digital where any image can be taken at any ISO that suits you. We'll see where this all ends up: selling one or keeping both, but I'm smiling.
pdexposures
Well-known
As far as changing the ISO in camera goes, films like Tri-X and Portra have such an amazing latitude you can shoot between 100 and 1600 and not have to change anything in the development stage.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Don't forget the M4 has a much better buffer than the M9...
Phil Forrest
Phil Forrest
Glenn2
Well-known
Just don't forget which one you are using when it comes time to remove the base plate. Taking the base off to change a card and seeing a naked roll of film on the take-up spool can spoil your day!
Gary Sandhu
Well-known
And with tri-x no white balance worries
froyd
Veteran
But you are forced to buy a whole new sensor every 24-36 exposures! What a scam! who invented this business model? Gilette? 
hepcat
Former PH, USN
A coffee stain on the back of the camera can point to much larger problems tho.
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
You should go IIIf for the full experience
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
I still think a retro, manual digital camera has a viable market today.
What I mean is manual shutter cocking, manual dials, manual focus, etc.
What I mean is manual shutter cocking, manual dials, manual focus, etc.
semi-ambivalent
Little to say
Film? You've just added perhaps four generations of your family that will look at your pictures. Look sharp now!
s-a
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
But you are forced to buy a whole new sensor every 24-36 exposures! What a scam! who invented this business model? Gilette?
But your sensor is self cleaning with every shot!
Phil Forrest
Ben Z
Veteran
I have two trusty, well-used M4s sitting in a display case. I take them out now and then and exercise the shutters and controls to keep them from needing an overhaul, and I promise myself I'm going to take a roll of b&w from the freezer and shoot, but somehow the thought of developing it and scanning it, vs just plugging an SD card into the computer...and back the M4s go into the case.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
adavis47
Well-known
Know what you mean Ben Z. I plan on sending out the film to be developed and scanned. Probably puts me under the Heretic titlel - but it will sure be like Christmas when they return in the mail.
- but it will sure be like Christmas when they return in the mail.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
Ben Z
Veteran
Believe me Roger it kills me most of all. I really don't care all that much for the whole digital thing. In addition to the 2x M4 I have a IIIa and IIIf and a set of screw type lenses, plus a couple of Rolleiflexes and a Rollei 35s and 2 Nikon F Photomic FTn's and a set of Nikkors from 21-300mm. All of it in perfect working condition. And a Speed Graphic and Calumet monorail in 4x5. And a freezer full of b&w and all the gear and chemicals to develop it, plus a Canon 4000dpi film scanner and an Epson v750. What I don't seem to have is the gumption to put it to use. Digital is just so much less hassle, especially since the end product for me is an inkjet print from a digital file. If I had an enlarger and was into wet printing then shooting film would make a lot more sense to me.
IEDEI
Well-known
great post!
Make sure you also drop an SD card into the M4....although the last time i tried this with the M5---it didn't save any photos onto it! Perhaps my M5 needs a CLA.
Make sure you also drop an SD card into the M4....although the last time i tried this with the M5---it didn't save any photos onto it! Perhaps my M5 needs a CLA.
Fraser
Well-known
I've done that:bang:
adavis47
Well-known
Went out shooting today and I am enamored with this mechanical device (M4). Since I am sending out the film for development/scanning, it is a major shift to come home and not be able to see the images. So much in life has become instantaneous that it feels, well, awkward, out-of-balance. However, there is also something oddly pleasing about not being able to immediately see the images. I was looking/reading about Robert Capa where his film would be sent off (like all news correspondents) and he wouldn't know what the images were like. His focus was on taking pictures, being in and recording the present, without any immediate gratification of the images taken. It's an interesting way to approach photography.
clayne
shoot film or die
Get ready to watch the quality of your photographic output increase now that you're not wasting time on cerebral aspects of photography that digital cameras love to encourage. It now becomes simply a matter of the camera, the subject, and the way you see.
The fact that you're not *seeing the images immediately* is very important! It provides a structure where you'll be forced to fully rely on your seeing and previsualization abilities. You'll have to trust that you're getting the shots you desire because you're forced to - committed to what you're seeing through the viewfinder with no ability to cheat around this.
The time you have away from taking the shots to seeing the shots will also promote a healthy objectiveness for when you actually do look at your stuff - as the majority of solid photography is hugely about self-editing. A couple days or even a week between shooting and seeing is actually quite short if you think about it. Months later is probably better for self-editing.
I have a feeling you're realizing this sort of paradox - where upon something that is "older" and less technologically "capable" is actually connecting you more innately and viscerally with photography itself. It's at that point where one starts to realize that digital, while useful, is somewhat of a scam.