Analog photography has been experiencing a renaissance for years. The feel and value of mechanical cameras appeals to many. But one thing has to be clear: film doesn’t forgive any sloppiness!
Analog cameras continued to be perfected until the early 1990s. Then it was over because the digital camera came. But 35mm film photography still has many fans – and is also finding new followers. And there are reasons for that.
What is analogue photography?
Julian Melzer is a photographer from Berlin. He knows both analogue and digital photography. He describes the feeling as follows: “Analogue photography has a lot to do with anticipation, because after the shutter release you can’t just scroll through and upload. Instead, we have to wait patiently and eagerly for the images to come out of development.”
Daniel Wollstein takes a similar view. He is a photographer from Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm just outside of Munich. He photographs professionally digitally and privately analogue. “Analog photography slows down. I’m also excited that the physical image is given a high priority.”
A 35mm film usually only allows 36 exposures and costs just as much money as the subsequent development and printing of photos on paper. “With every photo, the viewer has to deal intensively with the photograph. The image is created when the picture is taken and not during post-processing,” says Wollstein.
Which camera for analogue photography?
Wollstein recommends the OM series from Olympus as a camera because it is small and compact, offers good quality, has a wide range of lenses and is inexpensive. Analog cameras from Nikon and Canon are just as good, but more expensive. “If it’s analog, then really analog, without autofocus and program automatic. Only one exposure meter should be built into the camera.”
The puristic, high-quality appeals to Marwan El-Mozayen. “Many photographers love the haptic experience of a classic camera with its metal housing. That has a certain value,” says the editor of the international photography magazine “Silvergrain Classic”.
El-Mozayen counts among the classic analog camera manufacturers Hasselblad, Rolleiflex, Canon, Nikon, Minolta and Leica. Such cameras can be found on online marketplaces and auction houses as well as in photo shops. These are also the addresses when it comes to possible repairs and spare parts. The “Camerarescue.org” portal can also be a good starting point here.
Two lenses are enough to start with
Daniel Wollstein recommends a fast standard lens (50 mm) and a wide-angle lens with a fixed focal length of 28 mm for the camera housing. “With a 50 millimeter lens you get the fewest distortions and you learn to assess perspectives,” says Wollstein. Photographing instead of taking snaps.
Wollstein buys his films from photo wholesalers or online marketplaces. But also drugstores still have analogue films on offer and offer a development and photo service. “The quality is usually okay,” says the photographer. “But if you want top scans or prints, you should look for a professional lab.”
Angelika Görner is a photographer and runs a photo laboratory service in Dresden. She noticed that young people are rediscovering analog photography: “They try out analog cameras and discover the advantages,” she says. She also cites deceleration and the production of unique pieces and an overall manageable number of pictures as reasons, where otherwise inflationary digital snaps are started.
When it comes to black-and-white films, Görner sees the Ilford HP5 as a leader with a good price-performance ratio. But Kodak 400T-Max or Kodak 400TX are also good choices, albeit more expensive. For color films, some liked to use the cheap Kodak Gold, others the slightly more expensive Kodak Portra with ISO 400.
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Films will continue to be produced
Color films are also available from Fuji. But the range of black and white films is larger overall. Here also Adox, Agfa, Forma and Orwo still produce or restore. For self-development, there are special laboratory boxes that make a darkroom for film development superfluous.
The following applies to the ISO number: the higher, the more light-sensitive the film. And the more sensitive a film is, the more leeway the photographer has with aperture and time. Most photographers chose a 400 film, says Görner.
Last but not least, analog photography requires knowing the basics of photography. “The photographer is challenged with every picture and always has to make a decision because he can only take the picture once,” says Marwan El-Mozayen, explaining the challenge. The result is either good or useless: “It’s a different philosophy of work. Photographers have to work more concentrated and precise. Film does not forgive sloppiness.”
With material from the dpa