Return to Answer

Any SLR film camera with shutter speed and aperture control would work. Some schools have equipment checkout. She may be able to use a school camera for the first several assignments or even the entire course.

Any SLR film camera with shutter speed and aperture control would work. Some schools have equipment checkout. She may be able to use a school camera for the first several assignments or even the entire course. Consider purchasing from a local shop that tests and guarantees equipment.

• Shutter speed dial is on the camera.

• Aperture ring is usually on the lens. Exceptions include Canon EF and Minolta AF.

• ISO is set once per cassette when loading film. It's not like digital cameras where we change ISO from shot to shot. Newer cameras may read the DX encoding from the film cassette.

• There are too many available cameras to choose from. I would choose a mount, then look for a suitable camera. My top picks would be FD, PK, and MD because OEM lenses in those mounts tend to be good and still useful on digital (mirrorless with adapter).

• Consider a Canon T70 or T90 (but not T50, which does not have shutter speed controls). They are powered by standard AA batteries, which are cheaper and more readily available than other options. In a pinch, she could pull batteries from a flash unit. They use the same FD mount as the AE-1.

• Also consider a Canon EOS SLR, which uses the EF mount that's still used in Canon DSLRs. The camera would have fairly modern features (autofocus) with a good selection of lenses should she decide to stick with film. If she instead decides to transition to digital (via an EOS DSLR), the new system would be familiar and easy to learn. If she collects high-quality EF lenses, they would still be useful on digital.

• An auto-incapable camera is likely unnecessary.

  • The requirements you quote imply manual-capable, not manual-only. – "35mm single lens reflex camera (capable of operating in manual mode)."

  • After clicking on the first dozen or so PDFs in a Google search for film photography syllabus, I encountered only one syllabus that could be interpreted as requiring an auto-incapable camera. It also states that cameras would be inspected and approved prior to the first assignment.

    Majority of others seem more concerned that students not use point-and-shoot, box cameras, or auto-only cameras. Even though I explicitly included Film in the search, some courses allow the option to use digital cameras. One high-school course allows camera phones for the first semester.

• Keep in mind that when looking through the viewfinder, she would effectively be looking directly at whatever is on the other side of the lens. Be careful when the sun is in the frame.

• Don't worry about the owner manual. Operating instructions should be available online for most cameras (Butkus Camera Manual Library). The rationale behind the requirement is likely that the instructor does not want to answer a lot of questions about how to operate specific camera models.

• Many assignments will likely need a tripod. (Long exposure, multiple exposure, variable exposure, variable aperture, etc.)

• Do get a neoprene strap. It will make carrying the camera much more comfortable.

• Wait on getting a camera bag. Film cassettes will fit in her purse, and she's unlikely to be carrying around multiple lenses at this stage. Cameras are easier to use when they aren't hiding in a bag.

• Shutter speed dial is on the camera.

• Aperture ring is usually on the lens. Exceptions include Canon EF and Minolta AF.

• ISO is set once per cassette when loading film. It's not like digital cameras where we change ISO from shot to shot. Newer cameras may read the DX encoding from the film cassette.

• There are too many available cameras to choose from. I would choose a mount, then look for a suitable camera. My top picks would be FD, PK, and MD because OEM lenses in those mounts tend to be good and still useful on digital (mirrorless with adapter).

• Consider a Canon T70 or T90 (but not T50, which does not have shutter speed controls). They are powered by standard AA batteries, which are cheaper and more readily available than other options. In a pinch, she could pull batteries from a flash unit. They use the same FD mount as the AE-1.

• Also consider a Canon EOS SLR, which uses the EF mount that's still used in Canon DSLRs. The camera would have fairly modern features (autofocus) with a good selection of lenses should she decide to stick with film. If she instead decides to transition to digital (via an EOS DSLR), the new system would be familiar and easy to learn. If she collects high-quality EF lenses, they would still be useful on digital.

• An auto-incapable camera is likely unnecessary.

  • The requirements you quote imply manual-capable, not manual-only. – "35mm single lens reflex camera (capable of operating in manual mode)."

  • After clicking on the first dozen or so PDFs in a Google search for film photography syllabus, I encountered only one syllabus that could be interpreted as requiring an auto-incapable camera. It also states that cameras would be inspected and approved prior to the first assignment.

    Majority of others seem more concerned that students not use point-and-shoot, box cameras, or auto-only cameras. Even though I explicitly specify Film in the search, some courses allow a digital option, and one high-school course even allows camera phones for the first half of the course.

• Keep in mind that when looking through the viewfinder, she would effectively be looking directly at whatever is on the other side of the lens. Be careful when the sun is in the frame.

• Don't worry about having a paper owner manual. Operating instructions should be available online for most cameras (Butkus Camera Manual Library). The rationale behind the requirement is likely that the instructor does not want to answer a lot of questions about how to operate specific camera models.

• Many assignments will likely need a tripod. (Long exposure, multiple exposure, variable exposure, variable aperture, etc.)

• Do get a neoprene strap. It will make carrying the camera much more comfortable.

• Wait on getting a camera bag. Film cassettes will fit in her purse, and she's unlikely to be carrying around multiple lenses at this stage. Cameras are easier to use when they aren't hiding in a bag.

Any SLR film camera with shutter speed and aperture control would work. Some schools have equipment checkout. She may be able to use a school camera for first several assignments or even the entire course.

• Shutter speed dial is on the camera.

• Aperture ring is usually on the lens. Exceptions include Canon EF and Minolta AF.

• ISO is set once per cassette when loading film. It's not like digital cameras where we change ISO from shot to shot. Newer cameras may read the DX encoding from the film cassette.

• There are too many cameras to choose from. I would choose a mount, then look for a suitable camera. My top picks would be FD, PK, and MD because OEM lenses in those mounts tend to be good and still useful on digital (mirrorless with adapter).

• Consider a Canon T70 or T90 (but not T50, which does not have shutter speed controls). They are powered by standard AA batteries, which are cheaper and more readily available than other options. In a pinch, she could pull batteries from a flash unit. They use the same FD mount as the AE-1.

• Also consider a Canon EOS SLR, which uses the EF mount that's still used in Canon DSLRs. The camera would have fairly modern features (autofocus) with a good selection of lenses should she decide to stick with film. If she instead decides to transition to digital (via an EOS DSLR), the new system would be familiar and easy to learn. If she collects high-quality EF lenses, they would still be useful on digital.

• An auto-incapable camera is likely unnecessary.

  • The requirements you quote imply manual-capable, not manual-only.

    35mm single lens reflex camera (capable of operating in manual mode).

  • After clicking on the first dozen or so PDFs in a Google search for film photography syllabus, I encountered only one syllabus that could be interpreted as requiring an auto-incapable camera. It also states that cameras would be inspected and approved prior to the first assignment.

    Majority of others seem more concerned that students not use point-and-shoot, box cameras, or auto-only cameras. Even though I explicitly included Film in the search, some courses allow the option to use digital cameras. One high school course allowed camera phones for the first half of the course.

• For Canon FD, the standard Nifty Fifty (FD 50/1.8) is very good. Some assignments are best done with fast prime lenses. (Depth of Field) The FD 35-105/3.5 zoom is also good, but susceptible to veiling glare.

• For Pentax PK, SMC primes are well regarded. The SMC-A 35-105/3.5 zoom is very good. Not as sharp as its FD counterpart, but more resistant to veiling glare.

• Good lenses can survive the transition to digital via adapters on mirrorless bodies. I regularly use several FD and PK mount lenses.

Any SLR film camera with shutter speed and aperture control would work. Some schools have equipment checkout. She may be able to use a school camera for the first several assignments or even the entire course.

• Shutter speed dial is on the camera.

• Aperture ring is usually on the lens. Exceptions include Canon EF and Minolta AF.

• ISO is set once per cassette when loading film. It's not like digital cameras where we change ISO from shot to shot. Newer cameras may read the DX encoding from the film cassette.

• There are too many available cameras to choose from. I would choose a mount, then look for a suitable camera. My top picks would be FD, PK, and MD because OEM lenses in those mounts tend to be good and still useful on digital (mirrorless with adapter).

• Consider a Canon T70 or T90 (but not T50, which does not have shutter speed controls). They are powered by standard AA batteries, which are cheaper and more readily available than other options. In a pinch, she could pull batteries from a flash unit. They use the same FD mount as the AE-1.

• Also consider a Canon EOS SLR, which uses the EF mount that's still used in Canon DSLRs. The camera would have fairly modern features (autofocus) with a good selection of lenses should she decide to stick with film. If she instead decides to transition to digital (via an EOS DSLR), the new system would be familiar and easy to learn. If she collects high-quality EF lenses, they would still be useful on digital.

• An auto-incapable camera is likely unnecessary.

  • The requirements you quote imply manual-capable, not manual-only. – "35mm single lens reflex camera (capable of operating in manual mode)."

  • After clicking on the first dozen or so PDFs in a Google search for film photography syllabus, I encountered only one syllabus that could be interpreted as requiring an auto-incapable camera. It also states that cameras would be inspected and approved prior to the first assignment.

    Majority of others seem more concerned that students not use point-and-shoot, box cameras, or auto-only cameras. Even though I explicitly included Film in the search, some courses allow the option to use digital cameras. One high-school course allows camera phones for the first semester.

• For Canon FD, the standard Nifty Fifty (FD 50/1.8) is very good. Some assignments are best done with fast prime lenses. (Depth of Field) The FD 35-105/3.5 zoom is also good, but susceptible to veiling glare.

• For Pentax PK, SMC primes are well regarded. The SMC-A 35-105/3.5 zoom is very good. Not as sharp as its FD counterpart, but more resistant to veiling glare.

• Good lenses can survive the transition to digital via adapters on mirrorless bodies. I regularly use several FD and PK mount lenses.