Over the last few months, I have fallen back in love with film photography.
I used to shoot film when I was younger, but like many others, quickly switched to digital as soon as I could.
But the call of the past has got me, and I now use film cameras alongside my digital of choice, the retro looking Fuji X100s.
And I am now moving onto the next step of building my own collection…albeit a small one…of vintage cameras that interest me.
Which got me thinking…how many previously loved and used cameras are now languishing at the back of cupboards, up in attics, in garages…in sheds out the back?
Once they were a prized object…often costing way more then the weekly wage of the time.
They captured a world very different to the one we are in now…it was a more manual world where it took more then pushing a button to take a photo.
Improvements in technology has meant that one by one, the film cameras lost favour with their owners as they moved onto the next bright, shiny new thing.
I currently have a few film cameras…ranging from a Ikon Zeiss Contina 1a (1954) through to a Miranda Automex III (1964) to a Yashica Mat-124G (1971) and a Fujica STX-N (1984) and lastly a Pentax (early 1990s).
I also have two Box Brownies (1940s/1950s) but not sure if they work or not…
None of these are particularly rare or valuable, but I am enjoying learning how to get the best out of them.
And I have to say knowing the history of a vintage camera just adds to the whole film experience.
I know the history of the majority of them as I was gifted them by their owners…but have no idea how the Yashica ended up in a local camera store, or how the Miranda came to be sold via eBay and journeyed from the US to my post box.
So do you have a vintage camera somewhere…maybe you used it when you were young, or perhaps it was passed down to you from older relatives?
If so, go rescue it…bring it out into the light again!
Perhaps see if it still works…get it serviced…slip some film in and bring it to life again.
Yes, you can still buy many formats of film!
If you are not photographically inclined..at least not with film cameras…consider selling it…even if it doesn’t work.
Some rarer cameras are worth quite a bit… more so if they are in good condition.
Or if that is too much work, perhaps pass it on to someone who will enjoy using it.
Because cameras aren’t made to sit languishing in boxes gathering dust…they deserve better than that!
Do you have a vintage camera? Do you know it’s history? Share in the comments below as I would love to know!
I have my Mum’s Canon EOS 500 and my Grandad’s Kodak No. 2-A Folding Autographic Brownie Camera. My Grandad’s camera is on display in my lounge room, as I love the way it looks. Mum’s is in a draw, I didn’t really know what to do with it, but couldn’t bring myself to give to the op shop. I bought a Nikon DSLR but still don’t really know how to use it. Maybe once I learnt, I’ll move on to learning about her film camera.
Do it, Collette! Using film is a very different experience to using a digital camera…it makes you think about what you are taking and teaches you about the mechanics of photography rather then everything happening automatically for you. Love the fact you have your Grandad’s camera on display too!
Your camera collection looks wonderful. I have a 1980’s Minolta which I use from time to time, in fact I have a film in it now. I also like to use a Polaroid, but the film is so mega expensive it makes me sad!!
Thanks Clare! I tried to get into Polaroid/Instax, but for some reason it hasn’t grabbed me. However, I now love shooting with 120 film and that is expensive too…only get 12 shots a roll but I love the square format and the quality!
I have a Diana camera (not old) which uses 120 film, I agree the square photos are lovely.