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Beginning -

Photography started with film. The first photograph and camera in the world resulted from the work of French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. It was taken in 1826 or 1827.

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Public photography - The first widely available photography method was the daguerreotype, named after French artist and photographer Louis Daguerre.

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Photographic evolution - The first digital camera was created in 1975 by Kodak engineer Steve Sasson.

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Progression - Over a span of over 50 years, the camera has evolved into something deeply engrained in our culture. All our phones have pretty impressive cameras now, for instance.

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Camera market - Since the birth of the iPhone, stand-alone cameras are partially seen as superfluous, unless you are a professional. However, there are a great many benefits. They are usually much better quality.

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Film cameras -

You may ask yourself why, in a world where the best quality cameras we have ever had are available, and where every phone has a good lens, would you revert to using the old method of shooting?

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Pros and cons - We will run through the pros and cons of using an analog camera over these modern inventions.

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The format - Many people think that there are a lot fewer options when you use film, but, depending on your camera, there are lots of different formats and styles. The format is the size of your film.

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Small format - If your format is 35mm, as most film cameras are, then your images will be more grainy. However, you will have more variety with the film type, i.e. black and white, color, negative, etc.

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Medium and large format - These formats are older. You can still get them, but it is harder to find a place that will develop them. The film is larger and will be less grainy. The camera that uses them will be more complex than 35mm cameras.

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Images - It might be considered a disadvantage that most film only has 24 or 36 pictures on it. But it can also be seen as an advantage because it means that you really have to think about every image you take. You can’t just snap away.

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Imperfections -

Your photographs are made even more unique by the little flaws that every camera may have. Maybe a little light will leak into the photo, or there will be a scratch. Often the effect is charming rather than ruinous.

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Excitement - When you do take your photographs, you cannot see them right away. Some people may see this as a con, but it is also very exciting to wait for your pictures and see how they come out.

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Control - There are three main aspects over which you have more control in comparison to your phone camera or a simple digital camera, unless you are in manual mode. These are the shutter speed, the exposure, and the focus.

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Control - By changing these variables around, you can achieve exactly the photo you want without any technology doing the guessing for you.

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Technology - Some film cameras are partially electric, but they use batteries and do not have a screen where you can see your pictures.

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Technology - The fact that film cameras are not fully electric is refreshing. We spend all day on our phones and computers, so it's a lovely break to just go and walk around a park and take some pictures.

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Developing -

Depending on how serious you are about the hobby, you can either get the photos developed at a photography store or, if you have a nearby studio, you could do it yourself.

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Developing - It can be a really mindful activity to develop your own photographs. You are in a dark room, focusing on a very delicate process. Even if you do not take up film photography, it is worth trying to develop photographs once in your life.

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Environment - Unfortunately, the chemicals used to develop the film and the film itself are not very good for the environment. The chemicals are toxic and the film is unrecyclable.

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Storing - When your photos are developed, you can get the photography store to scan them for you so they are available online. However, if you do it yourself, scanning the photographs into digital format is very time-consuming.

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Aesthetically pleasing -

It’s not just the photographs that are cool, but the cameras themselves are very nice to look at. As they are not very expensive, you could buy a few old ones and use them to decorate your house.

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Convenience - Film cameras are just not as convenient as digital cameras. If you are taking photos on your phone, they can go straight onto social media platforms. Nowadays, the same goes for digital cameras as well.

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Weight - It is possible to get a point-and-shoot camera that is light, but usually film cameras are heavier than digital cameras. Back when everything was analog, the technology didn’t exist to make them super light.

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Money - Although the actual film cameras are less expensive than digital cameras, buying the film and developing it is expensive. Be sure you have enough cash before you start the hobby.

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Quality - Even though film photos have special quirks in them, they will never be as high quality as the photos we can take with modern technology. Cameras have more megapixels now, and better color filters.

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Quality - Nevertheless, quality is not just in how clear the picture is. Photography is about more than that, so it really just depends on what you consider to be quality. Pick the style of photography that works for you.

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Repairs - With analog cameras, a lot of them use parts that are no longer in production. When it breaks, it might cost a lot of money to fix. Or you may have to look hard to find someone who has the skills to fix it.

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The process - Using a film camera is a longer process than using a digital camera. It requires patience. This is especially the case if you are used to using cameras that do a lot of the important things for you such as focusing, exposure, and shutter time.

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Considerations -

Learning how to use a film camera is both difficult and rewarding. On the one hand, you may get many things wrong and your picture won’t come out right. On the other hand, you can take beautiful shots if you get it right.

Sources: (Parallax Photographic Coop) (Urth) 

See also: Celebrated pioneers of photography

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