Recently I wrote about some old tech that I own like floppies but I completely forgot film cameras. I use them all the time and so they're by far not obsolete. This summer I took more photos on film than with my DSLR. Here you can see my Asahi Spotmatic. This model was being produced in the 60s and 70s. It has its faults but when one keeps them in mind, the photos tend to work out rather well. Given that it's at least 50 years old and still in use is mind-blowing to me.
The lenses that I use are also considered vintage nowadays. They don't have autofocus. You can't just press a button and the photo is always sharp and well exposed. You need to think before shooting. You have to work for your photos, not just take them but make them as many often say.
I just finished a roll of film and rolled it back to its canister, i.e., the box where the film is protected from light. You can see it on the next picture on the left side of the camera. Also, in the centre is the shutter curtain. The film frame lies behind it.
I switched the camera to bulb mode, so that I can press the button and the shutter curtain remains open. Compare the pictures below and above. When the curtain moves away, you can see towards the lens. The hexagon is formed by the aperture blades, i.e., the analogue of the iris in the human eye. It looks small but it fully covers the film frame and there are no shadows. Its apparent size is just an illusion of perspective.
So the Spotmatic is an example of a camera that quite likely your grandfather or father has used. The size and weight are quite okay. Your shoulders won't hurt from a heavy backpack if you go hiking all day. However that comes at a price. The obtained frame is rather small. There were cameras using film that was much taller and wider. For example, I have this Iskra camera shown below. You can see how small the canister is. The frames that the Spotmatic camera can produce are 24x36 mm. However, the Iskra exposes frames that are 6x6 cm. This is about twice the area. It is called a medium format camera. Other models were able to produce 6x7 cm, 6x4.5cm and even 6x9 cm.
Below is a comparison of the spool holding a medium format film and the common 35mm canister. Medium format film comes in rolls. It is not hidden in a light-tight protective box.
I develop my films at home. It's a fun but time-consuming procedure. It requires careful measuring and mixing of the chemicals, as well as monitoring their temperature. The processed images may get ruined if one is not careful with the temperature, timings and the agitation, i.e., shaking, of the development tank. I can tell more about it in a separate article.
Have you used a film camera yourself?
I have few old cameras. I remember when we used them when I was a child. It was interesting for me waiting to see photos...Today everything is easier but there is no happiness like before.