How To Use a Film Camera

With technology getting more and more advanced, there are very few people in the world who know how to use a film camera. I think learning how to use a film camera, however, is one of the best ways to get you to see the world differently.

When you look at the world through the lens of a camera, everything is a little bit different. You don't see the things you normally see. You see the beautiful yet unnoticed things. Like the pieces of grass sticking through the cracks in the pavement or the way someone looks when they laugh. You see the things that you don't see everyday.  There is something about looking through the lens of a camera that looking at the screen of a digital camera cannot provide.

Using a film camera, however, is not an easy task. First, you should try and learn about the different parts of the camera.

Then comes learning how to load the camera with film. 

Next comes focusing on the image you are trying to shoot. To manually focus a film camera, you must move the focus ring (number 5 in the above picture) either left or right depending on how close you are to the image.

With most film cameras, looking into viewfinder (number 19 in the above picture) and through the lens at the image will look something like this before it is focused:

There is a circle with the line through the center of the lens, and when the camera is not focused on the image, the image look disjoint. By moving the focus ring left or right, you should be trying to make the image look not disjoint.

Next, you should set the exposure of your camera, which will effect the brightness or darkness of your photograph.  In order to set the exposure, you will have to adjust both the aperture ring ( number six in the above picture) and the shutter speed dial (number 8 in the above picture).

In order to set the aperture ring and shutter speed dial, start by slightly pressing the shutter release button (the button used to take a picture, number 11 in the above picture) and looking into the viewfinder. When you look into the viewfinder, there should be some form of dial, such as a red "x" or "o" on the right hand side of the image. Adjust the aperture ring and shutter speed dial until the "x" and "o" disappear or until a green symbol appears. This means that your image is not underexposed or overexposed, which will make you image look clearer when it is developed.

To finish the job, simply press the shutter release button all the way down until you hear the shutter move. To take another picture, pull back the film advance lever (number 9 in the above picture) and repeat the same process.

Although it seems like this process is tedious, learning how to use a film camera is important, as it will not only teach you more about photography, but it will force you to look into and see an object or scene rather than just look at it.