Analog photography basics

In this blog, I would like to introduce you to the basics of analog photography. This post is primarily intended for people who have never tried analog photography. If you are a seasoned pro with analog medium formats at home, this post is probably not for you. All the information is just my subjective opinion; I don’t consider myself an analog photographer, and shooting on film is not my primary focus; my primary focus is digital photography

My favorite photo taken with a film camera

Film cameras

Your photography experience

Let's start by saying that if I were to divide my experience with photography, I would categorize it into sections based on experience level. The first category is for those with no photography experience, where I will advise you on the most suitable camera to start with and explain why. The second category is for more experienced users who already know how to control their camera, understand most of its settings, but have not yet tried shooting on film. The third category is for professionals who are not afraid to invest larger amounts and want the best possible output quality for their investment. The last category will be for those who want to take photos and instantly develop their images.

Point-and-shoot

“I have no experience with photography, but I want to try shooting on film”

If you have no experience with photography, I would like to explain a few points about how the whole process works. The first thing we’ll need is a camera and film. If you've never used a camera before, the most suitable option for you would be a point-and-shoot camera. As the name suggests, it’s the simplest type of film camera, where you don't need to worry about any settings. Your only task is to load the film correctly into the camera, take the pictures, and then remove the film from the camera. This type of camera is quite popular. Unlike larger and more complicated cameras, it’s lightweight and small, so you can carry it around your neck or in your pocket all day without it being a hassle. It won’t bother you even if you carry it with you all day on vacation, at a party, or on a trip. You can find this type of camera in most larger second-hand shops or on Facebook Marketplace. One example is the Olympus Mju, which I personally consider the most well-known and frequently sought-after model. 

If you already have your camera, let’s go over a few things that are good to know at the beginning. The first thing you need to do is load the film correctly. For your first few attempts, you can use YouTube tutorials, and after a while, this process will become routine for you. Once we’ve finished shooting the film, the camera will automatically rewind it back into the roll, and we can take it out. But what now? Now we need to take the film to a lab, where it will be developed through a chemical process so that the images on the film appear. After the development, we have two options, which are separate items when pricing. We can either have the developed film printed at the lab, and then we can organize the prints in albums, just like our parents used to do. This process is my favorite because shooting on film often takes a longer time, so by going through this process, you can look back at the moments you captured on film.

The second option after development is to have the film scanned into a digital format, meaning we don't print the pictures but have them sent to our email, where we can download them to our computer or phone and then upload them to Instagram, for example. The scans come in different file sizes depending on the quality. The higher the quality we want from the film, the more expensive the lab charges for the process. Personally, I would recommend the medium JPEG size. It’s the ideal compromise between quality and price. And that's it! Finally, you get to see your first photos shot on film. In the end, it wasn’t that difficult, right?

My girlfriend taking photos with a point-and-shoot camera

SLR

“I already have experience with photography and I want a camera where I can control its functions”

If you already have some experience with photography and can control your camera, understand shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, as well as know the different metering and focusing modes, this category is for you. Personally, I like this category the most because, for me, it offers the ideal balance between camera weight, size, price, and image quality. This type of film camera, called a SLR, has most of the features we are familiar with from digital cameras. For example, it allows us to set priority for shutter speed or aperture, manually focus, and fully utilize our potential to take a great photo. In addition to complete control over the camera, we now have one important feature that sets this type of camera apart from a point-and-shoot. We can change the lenses, meaning we are not limited to just one focal length. We can use either a prime lens or a zoom lens, and freely switch lenses depending on which focal length we personally prefer for shooting. Personally, I take this type of camera on my trips abroad. Unlike my mirrorless camera, which I usually shoot with, it’s much lighter, and I often enjoy shooting with film more on vacation. It may be a cliché, but the limited number of shots forces me to think more about each photo. I also love the film output. Even though today we can download a million film presets for digital photography, the fun factor of shooting with film and the resulting images cannot be replicated. You’ll either love it or hate it—there’s no middle ground. Personally, I use a Canon EOS 300v, which I got for about 20 euros, and I have the basic Canon EF 50mm f1.8 lens on it. While it's a bit slow to focus, it doesn’t bother me at all in this case. Overall, my film setup cost me about 35 euros. Paradoxically, this type of camera is sold for less than point-and-shoot cameras, yet it produces much better image quality. Below you can see my photos taken with an SLR

Medium format

“I have a lot of experience with shooting on film and I want to take the quality of my photos to the next level”

This category is intended for someone who knows their camera perfectly, understands all of its functions, and wants to get the maximum quality out of their photos. If you plan to use your photos for large-format prints, calendars, or paid assignments, this is the category for you. We’re talking about medium format film cameras. Medium format cameras use different films than the two previous categories. These films are called roll films. They have a larger surface area for capturing images, offering better output quality. However, due to the larger frame size, they provide fewer shots on the film. These cameras, with few exceptions, are large and heavy, often requiring a tripod to use. Unlike the previous categories, they are not suitable for everyday carrying, and shooting with them requires much more preparation and a lot more heavy equipment that you need to bring with you. In the past, commercial work like advertisements or model portraits in the studio was shot with this type of camera. I used to own two types of medium format cameras, but the process of taking a photo is much slower, as it takes time to set everything up for a shot. That’s why I sold these cameras and stuck to shooting 35mm film with a DSLR. The main advantage of medium format film, in my opinion, is the excellent output quality. Some cameras also allow you to switch between different types of films during the shoot. These cameras not only offer interchangeable lenses but also film backs, which can be swapped out. This way, you can prepare different films before shooting and change them during the session as needed. The main disadvantage, as I mentioned earlier, is the weight and the high acquisition costs, which typically start in the thousands of euros for the camera.

A photo of my friend that I took with a medium format camera

Polaroid

“I want to take photos and instantly develop my images”

Taking photos with a Polaroid camera has one major advantage: you can hold the developed picture in your hand within a few minutes. The process works as follows: Polaroid film is made up of three layers: the top layer is a transparent plastic cover sheet, the middle layer is the film emulsion, and the bottom layer contains the developing agent. When light enters the camera and hits the film, it triggers a chemical reaction that begins the development process. Polaroids are often seen at weddings or parties, where they serve as a fun alternative to more serious photography styles. The fun factor is, after all, the main appeal of this type of film photography. Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of Polaroids; the film for these cameras is relatively expensive, especially when compared to the film and number of shots you get with an SLR film camera. The photo quality is also often lower than with the aforementioned types of film cameras. Polaroid cameras also tend to have worse lens brightness and imprecise focusing. If you plan to take photos with a Polaroid camera, keep in mind that there are three different film sizes: Mini, Square, and Wide.

My friend Vincek, taking photos of a cultural event with a Polaroid, sticks the photos on the wall, creating an instantly accessible photo album

Films

We’ve covered the basic classification of cameras on film, so let’s dive a little deeper into how we categorize the films that go into cameras and which one would be the best choice for you.

Format

The basic division of films is into two groups, based on format. Let’s quickly go over them. Do you remember when I mentioned that a medium format camera designed for professional work uses a different type of film? That would be roll film. This film is referred to as 120 film. I’m mentioning it first because, as a beginner, you probably won’t need it. If you're looking for film for your point-and-shoot camera or a film SLR, you will always be looking for a film called 135 or 35mm, also known as 35mm film. This type is available in two variants: one with 24 exposures, which is cheaper, and one with 36 exposures. Personally, I prefer the one with 36 exposures because I always like having more frames available to take more photos.

ISO/ASA

So, let’s go buy some film. We know we want a 36-exposure film, but if you look at the boxes in the store, you’ll notice they all have a value called ISO or ASA written on them. So, which ISO should you choose? You will typically come across several options, the most common being ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, or ISO 800. Before deciding which one to pick, you should know how you’ll be using the camera. ISO 100 is best for situations where you will always have plenty of light. ISO 200 is the standard for everyday daylight shooting. ISO 400 is personally my primary choice; you can use it to take photos both outdoors on a nice sunny day and in lower light conditions. It’s the most versatile option for shooting on film. ISO 800 is useful in poor lighting conditions, but keep in mind, it won’t help you much in complete darkness.

The last thing you should know about ISO is that, aside from its sensitivity to light, it also affects the graininess of your images. The rule is simple: the higher the ISO, the greater the grain. So, ISO 100 will give you the smoothest image, while ISO 800 will produce the grainiest results of all the options mentioned. For me, ISO 400 is the ideal compromise between image quality and grain. However, graininess is a matter of personal preference, and at the start, it’s a good idea to try different films so you can see which one and what level of grain you like best.

Color vs. Black & White Films

Next, we can divide films into color and black-and-white films. Again, this comes down to personal preference—some people love shooting only in black and white, while others prefer the vibrancy of color photos. Let’s focus more on color films for a moment. You should know that different color films have different color renditions. Currently, the most common color films are from two manufacturers: Kodak and FujiFilm. These films tend to have different color outputs. While FujiFilm films generally have cooler tones, Kodak leans toward warmer color renditions.

Within the films from these two manufacturers, there are also differences in color rendering. For example, Kodak Gold has very warm tones, while the more sensitive Kodak Ultramax is more color-neutral. One of the best color films today is Kodak Portra, which offers very realistic skin tones, making it particularly popular for portrait photography.

Personally, I prefer Kodak Ultramax. So how can you tell at the store whether a film is warmer or cooler in color? For instance, Kodak films usually have a colored stripe on the box beneath the logo that indicates the film’s color tone. Try looking at a Kodak film box in a store or on Google, and you’ll see that Kodak Ultramax has a blue stripe, indicating cooler colors. On the other hand, Kodak ColorPlus has a red stripe, signaling warmer, redder tones. Before we say goodbye, let's take a look at how the different color renditions of films influence our photographs in the gallery below.