View Full Version : Film SLR
WetBottom
05-05-2009, 09:39
I have inherited an old film SLR. It's an Olympus OM-2. It has many lenses and filters and other things I don't know how to use that go with it.
Since starting to play with it I've become a bit addicted (which with film is an unfortunately expensive addiction).
I'm still very clueless about how to really use it though, and I was hoping some of you may have some pearls of wisdom regarding SLRs and the woods.
I the main thing I'm pondering is what type of lens is best for hiking photos? Just for day trips, or maybe a night or two in the woods, nothing long distance.
I obviously am not lugging every lens it has up a mountain. I am hiking the 4000 footers in NH, and enjoy making trip reports to show family and friends with the pictures after.
Feel free to talk down to me, I am totally clueless about SLRs. :sun
Here is a web site that may interest you. Kenrockwell.com
It covers a wide range of camera issues. Ken is a Film and Nikon fanatic. He is very opinionated ( in a good way ) but backs it up with a lot of technical knowledge.
The OM 1 in its day was a top of the line camera. I am sure wikipedia has something on it.
What lens to carry? I would suggest a wide angle ( that would be something lower then 50 mm, hopefully you have a 28 mm ).
Remember the sunny sixteen rule. On a sunny day, set your camera iso for the speed of the film you purchased ( suggest fuji print film iso 100 ), apeture for f 16 and the shutter speed close to the iso of the film ( 1 / 125 ). This, in most cases, will give you the correct exposure. Try it and check the light meter on the camera.
Go to the library and get a good basic photography book published pre 1980. That should give you the basics of film photography which is a strong foundation for digital photography. Any book authored by ansel adams is also a good place to start.
Leaning film photography is not that expensive when you consider that you can pick up a 1000 dollar film nikon for about 75 bucks ( Nikon N 90s ) that can give you a bit better picture then a digital D700 nikon that runs 3000 dollars.
Have fun, the OM 1 is a very nice camera. Just remember that if it breaks or needs repair, its cheaper to pick another used one then to try and get it fixed. So my point being is not to get too attached to the camera itself. Its the person behind the camera that makes the difference.
For outdoor shots you will probably want a range of lenses. For example a wide angle (maybe something around 28mm), a "normal" lens (usually considered 50mm), and a short telephoto (say around 100mm to 200mm). This would give you a decent range, and with a 2X teleconverter you could have up to a 400mm equivalent (a teleconverter is MUCH lighter and more compact than another lens).
For my Nikon, I found my favorite lens for taking out with me was a 35-105mm zoom. Did not give all the range that I would like, but was a compact, relatively light compromise.
I would suggest buying an introductory book of film cameras. There is a fair amount to learn. If you become real serious about this, New York Institute of Photography offers an expensive, but very complete correspondence course. Also, for basic techniques, BetterPhoto.com offers good quality courses. Most of the BetterPhoto courses emphasize digital camera, but a lot of the info is applicable to film also.
Do you use a digital SLR now? If not, the starting point for things to understand are:
- DO NOT FORGET TO SET YOUR FILM SPEED WHEN YOU LOAD YOUR FILM!!!!
- Film Speed and it's effects on Photo Quality and Lighting requirements
- Relationship between Aperture and Shutter Speed
- How to adjust exposure
- Depth of Field and how to modify it
- Finally, as in any type of photography, composition - what makes a good photo and what detracts from a photo.
I'm sure others, who know more than me, will also jump in with advice.
Good luck and enjoy. I just dusted off my old film camera too. It is expensive!
This is going to sound a little snide, but if you don't know much about SLRs, the OM-2 isn't a good place to start. Put it on your mantle and look kindly on it, but choose something different to shoot with. The OM-2 goes for about $70 now, so it isn't a high end camera by any means. You'll spend a lot of cash in film and developing and strain your eyes looking through a loupe at the slides. If you want to get into SLRs, try a digital camera instead. If you just want some nice snapshots of your hikes, try a digital point and shoot. You'll be able to focus on your hike and not on setting dials and exposure and worrying if the meter even works any more (the OM2 was a first generation auto exposure camera).
Until you get skilled at using the camera, try leaving a 35mm or 50mm lens on. Don't bother with a zoom unless it is a modern design (i.e, late 90s or later).
Many community colleges have photography courses that require a manual focus camera like the OM-2 and you might look there for a introduction to photography.
I started with film, now shoot digital, and am planning on picking up a used medium format film camera in the next year or so for trips where all I do is work to get one or two nice pictures (that I could then blow up to a ridiculous size!).
vamelungeon
05-05-2009, 10:41
I have a couple of old 35mm cameras that I bought cheap, and my favorite is the oldest that is pretty much all manual. I'm learning as I go and a photographer friend said the best way to learn is to take a lot of pictures. You'll get a lot of bad ones but some good ones too and you learn from both.
Any library will have some film photography books from the 60's and 70's that will help you explore your camera.
Not to sound a little snide.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/free-digital-camera.htm
vamelungeon
05-05-2009, 10:49
Not to sound a little snide.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/free-digital-camera.htm
I get mine done at WalMart and get prints and a CD. (cue anti-walmart team)
WetBottom
05-05-2009, 10:51
I am looking into taking classes, but most of the art colleges are geared towards digital, and I didn't see any classes offered at the community colleges. (If any knows of any in Boston, let me know...)
I do not have the money to buy a digital SLR, so it's not going to happen. What's the worse I could do here, take a bad photo? :)
I currently use a cheap point and shoot, which is tiny and weighs almost nothing, so it will continue to come with me.
I have a wide angle lens, it also has two zoom type lenses, and then the 50mm lens. There are also some macro attachments, which weigh nothing- does anyone ever find themselves using them on the trail? There also may be other lenses for the camera sitting in a closet somewhere, but I'm plenty overwhelmed with these for now.
I'm happy to try at this and fail, I'm having a great time with the journey! :)
WetBottom
05-05-2009, 12:26
I'm really enjoying this Ken Rockwell website. Much more than I would be enjoying doing any work I'm supposed to be doing right now...
Thanks for the link!
Snowleopard
05-05-2009, 13:32
WetBottom, What lenses did you get with this?
The most standard lens is 50mm. Olympus made very good lenses. Some of the off brand lenses (Tamron, Sigma, Tokina, etc.) that people also bought for these cameras are pretty good and some are mediocre.
It should be easy to get pictures with this that are superior to all but the best digital cameras.
The OM-2 is a good camera http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/om2/index.htm
Feral Bill
05-05-2009, 14:41
I found the OM1 to be an excellent backpack camera in its time. The OM2, I believe, adds automatic features. As suggested above, an older photography book will get you started nicely.
Depending on the trip, I used to carry a 50mm, 70-150 zoom, and a 28mm lens. I also carried close up attachments for the 50mm.
This is a top of the line film camera, and a bargain now. have fun.
For the record, I now carry an Olympus ultra zoom which has advantages but does not take better pictures.
WetBottom
05-05-2009, 15:32
I don't know what the lenses are off the top of my head, I can check exactly when I get home.
After doing some reading, I feel like what I need to work on most is composing my photos. I want to be able to take pictures all up the trail and tell a little story with them, but often times I manage to take pictures of nothingness, or pictures which cut out pieces of people and things.
I've already noticed a big advantage of this camera for me has been I have to stop and think to use it. :)
I'd prefer to just carry one lens, maybe two.
The Will
05-05-2009, 15:42
Wetbottom,
What lenses came with the camera?
Does the camera have an "Aperture Priority" setting? Aperture priority is a great setting for landscape/nature photography or anything that is not fast motion and requires a very fast shutter speed. It is also a setting that is very forgiving to the learner.
The filters can come into the equation later, once you get more of the basics down. But just a note ahead of time...there are just a few filters that can be used and still give you a natural rendition of your outdoor subject...polarizers, warmers, neutral density filters and graduated neutral density filters.
What I mean by "natural rendition" is that you could use the filters to improve the current lighting conditions without making the image appear altered or fake. In short, the results of these filters are not anything that could not be seen naturally given the right light conditions.
WetBottom
05-05-2009, 15:45
What would an aperture priority setting look like?
Snowleopard
05-05-2009, 16:01
A link to operating the Olympus OM-2 (n) camera.
http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/om2/om2manual/index.htm
Aperture is how wide the diaphragm of the lens is open. In the eye, the iris is the diaphragm. The smaller the F number the wider the diaphragm and the more light gets to the film. Aperture priority sets the aperture and lets the cameras automation pick the shutter speed. To see the effect of aperture go to:
http://www.photonhead.com/exposure/simcam.php
WetBottom
05-05-2009, 16:12
That Simcam link is great.
So, what's the difference between aperture priority, and just setting the camera to auto?
WetBottom
05-05-2009, 16:13
Oh, and up until this point I have just been fiddling the aperture and shutter speed until the light meter is in the center. I realized I didn't have a clue, so I better do as the camera tells me. :)
Snowleopard
05-05-2009, 16:22
Oh, and up until this point I have just been fiddling the aperture and shutter speed until the light meter is in the center. I realized I didn't have a clue, so I better do as the camera tells me. :)
Not necessarily!! Make the darn thing OBEY you.
Setting aperture and shutter speed yourself is often best once you learn what it all means because you can make the picture turn out the way you want. Example: fast moving stream:
Fast shutter speed, e.g. 1/1000 sec, you'll get sharp pics of the water splashing.
Slow shutter speed, e.g. 1/2 sec., you'll get a ghostly picture with a funny smoothed out image wherever the water is moving.
At first, set the exposure according to what the camera tells you, then move on from there. Remember that for any given light level, you can use a larger aperture and smaller shutter speed and get the same exposure.
--Walter
Not necessarily!! Make the darn thing OBEY you.
Setting aperture and shutter speed yourself is often best once you learn what it all means because you can make the picture turn out the way you want. Example: fast moving stream:
Fast shutter speed, e.g. 1/1000 sec, you'll get sharp pics of the water splashing.
Slow shutter speed, e.g. 1/2 sec., you'll get a ghostly picture with a funny smoothed out image wherever the water is moving.
At first, set the exposure according to what the camera tells you, then move on from there. Remember that for any given light level, you can use a larger aperture and smaller shutter speed and get the same exposure.
--Walter
Just as important in nature photography is the depth of field, or what parts of the photo will be in focus.
Look again at the SimCam site, compare the photo as the camera wishes to shoot it, then adjust it as suggested in the caption. See what it does to the background?
This is very useful to know if you want everything in focus, like a landscape, or only the subject in focus (like a flower) and the background blurred. This latter will make the flower "Pop" in the picture.
This change in the depth of field is dependent on the aperture setting. Larger aperture (smaller number) the less depth of field, smaller the aperture (larger number) the greater the depth of field. Like squinting your eyes to help focus on something. The shutter speed is only changed to make the exposure correct. Any number of combinations will work for exposure, only certain ones will give the effect you want on depth of field.
This is why you need to get a book or attend a class if you want to make use of the control that a SLR will give you. If you just let the camera make the decisions, you might as well stick with a point and shoot and save some money and weight.
Have fun - it can get pretty intriguing.
The Will
05-05-2009, 18:21
That Simcam link is great.
So, what's the difference between aperture priority, and just setting the camera to auto?
My mistake for not looking specifically at that camera before suggesting the Aperture Priority setting--it doesn't have that setting. The above posts have given excellent, concise explanations of aperture. I understand if these terms and effects are all foreign. I haven't looked but I'm sure there are several websites that provide great information for the new photographer. One source that I have appreciated myself is, "Photography Outdoors: A field guide for travel and adventure photographers", Art Wolfe (renowned in wildlife photography circles) and Mark Gardner.
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Outdoor-Photography-Techniques-Professional/dp/0896584593/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241561631&sr=1-2
In contrast to what an earlier poster said (whose work I've seen and whose travel resume I respect very much)...they suggested setting aside your Olympus film camera and picking up a digital camera. There would be an advantage here in being able to see your work immediately, but with a camera like yours everything is up to you and I believe that will steepen your learning curve. The downside is the delay in seeing your work and film costs.
Snowleopard
05-05-2009, 19:06
It looks like the Auto mode is aperture priority. Set aperture and the camera picks the shutter speed.
http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/om2/om2manual/index2.htm
As for which lens to use, whatever you feel like taking with you. For low light conditions probably 50mm is fastest. 50 mm is probably also sharpest. The macro attachments can be fun; I have them and often brought them on hikes.
You're in Boston; the BPL probably has lots of film camera books. For the basics at the library, Kodak put out some good books on the basics of photograpy. Once you have the basics, libraries will have some good books on landscape photograpy and wildlife photograpy that are also fun.
--Walter
There would be an advantage here in being able to see your work immediately, but with a camera like yours everything is up to you and I believe that will steepen your learning curve. The downside is the delay in seeing your work and film costs.
I agree fully. If you are willing to take the time and inconvenience of learning to use a fully manual camera, you will probably end up a better photographer faster than if you try to learn on a camera that makes too many decisions for you.
I'm far from an expert, and my photos show it. I do lack a lot of the creative vision that a truly good photographer has. But I have learned to take some technically decent photos, and even that is rewarding. When I first decided to get a SLR, the local camera shop recommended a Nikon FM2 - a FULLY manual/mechanical camera that is very high quality. Doesn't even need a battery to function fully.
This camera forced me to learn how the camera works, even to get basic pictures. This is the camera that I dusted off recently and I still love taking pictures with it.
The OM2 was designed by Mr Maitani (I met him...) , a keen climber. When it first came out it was the smallest SLRs you could buy and was used by several pro photographers.
It is "Aperture Priority", so set a wide aperture (1.8/2/2.8/3.5) for shallow depth of field (to isolate the subject) or a small aperture (F8/11/16) to have most or everything in focus.
Those numbers are fractions so F8 is really F1/8 (8 times less light than available) What you see through the viewfinder is always the widest aperture unless you use the depth of field lever.
Having said that, unless you particularly like the colours from film, and you would only know if you used a top lab, to shoot film and then have that scanned will be more expensive than purchasing a S/H DSLR .
Franco
WetBottom
05-05-2009, 20:16
I'm excited to learn to how to use the camera. I'm really not so concerned about the film aspect... Sure, it's a bit expensive, but not thousands of dollars expensive.
Anyway, I'm home and going to type out ALL of the camera things I have. So let's hope the computer doesn't crash.
Of note, MOST of this equipment belonged to my great uncle, who died maybe 20+ years ago... but not all of it. His equipment was well loved, and it beautiful shape, the other stuff may not be.
Cameras:
Olympus OM-2
(2) Canon AE-1
Maximus MC-1
Kodak Stereo Camera
Lenses:
Canons both have 50mm lenses
Olympus has 50mm lens, 35-70mm, 75-150mm, and a 28mm
Also- an Automatic Tele Converter that says 2X-21 and 3 little close-up attachments
Other stuff:
2 Flashes
a little lamp with a stand ?
2 small tripods
1 huge and heavy tripod
various filters
Is there a recommendation as to what style of mantle this would look nice on? :-? In this same aquisition I also inherited a lovely curio cabinet... Perhaps a display?
I kid. I'm going to have fun wasting some film and looking incompetent to others. What else will people have to gossip about with their loved ones?
I'm really enjoying this Ken Rockwell website. Much more than I would be enjoying doing any work I'm supposed to be doing right now...
Thanks for the link!
Your quite welcome....
Snowleopard
05-06-2009, 09:27
Franco has the right idea but the numbers are wrong, "Those numbers are fractions so F8 is really F1/8 (8 times less light than available) "
Unfortunately it's not that easy, changing the f number by a factor of 1.414 doubles the light. That's square root of 2 is 1.414.
'standard' F stops are:
f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22, f/32, f/45, f/64
One f stop is a factor of 2. So going from f 2 to f 1.4 doubles the amount of light reaching the film. Going from f 4 to f 5.6 halves the amount of light. These are always marked on a modern lens.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-number
That's a neat set of cameras. Once you've got the SLR down try playing with the stereo camera.
best way to learn is just from playing w/ it, the guides are great too, but get out there, get a notebook, right down your setting for each shot and play.... (yeah it gets really expensive)
The Will
05-06-2009, 17:06
I'm going to have fun wasting some film and looking incompetent to others. What else will people have to gossip about with their loved ones?
Before digital cameras, photographers considered film a simple tool to be used and one that was not to be used judiciously. Even some some of the most skilled photographers would be happy if they got one decent photo from a roll. The cost can add up, but if you take on the same attitude and just go shoot. . .
The AE-1 is a beautiful camera. There is definitely an aesthetic appeal to these old cameras. I can remember the joy and wonder I felt just holding them in my hands, taking the out of the case over and over just to look. Enjoy the newness.
Maybe next we'll discuss film.
Snowleapard
I put down some wide and some small F stop numbers as they appear on a standard lens, the point was that as you stop down from 1.8 to 2 and then to 2.8 etc you gain depth of field, nothing to do with exposure values in my example.
BTW Franco has been teaching about those numbers for over 30 years...
Franco
WetBottom
05-06-2009, 17:51
I have to eventually return one of the Canons to my mum, as it is hers. I just grabbed all things camera related from her house. (she really doesn't understand how to use the camera, so is of little help, but I don't need two canons so she can have it.)
I've just been focusing on the Olympus for now, as it's in the best shape and has the most toys that go with it.
When I was a teenager my mother signed me up for a Boston at Night photography class at one of the art colleges during the summer. I think she just wanted to give me something to do, and the girl at the front desk told her it was a beginner class. So, I guess in full disclosure, I have technically taken a class with one of the Canon SLRs. But it was NOT a beginner class, and so they never covered how to use the camera, they just took us on field trips and did picture critiques. I remember a lot about exposure times, and I'm sure they talked about aperture, but I don't think I knew what that meant.
Looking back on it, I can't imagine what the other people in the class must've thought of me... I remember I didn't know how to load the film my first class. :o And I was by far the youngest person taking the class.
I think I do need to get a little notebook to take notes about the settings. Otherwise it will be harder to figure out when I've done something right, and when I've done something wrong.
I'm going to have to leave that Stereo camera for another day, I'm baffled just looking at it. :) Can it even take regular film?
I'm excited about being able to take pictures which focus on the subject, and not the background. Sometimes I'll see a pretty plant or something, but with my current cheap digital it focuses everything, so the pictures are very busy. I think I can fix it a bit with the settings, but the little screen is impossible to read outside.
I've decided I'm going to play with the 50mm and 28mm lenses, and leave the other ones for now.
So.... film? The guy at the store gave me 400 when I told him I didn't know what I wanted. I think I may have used 100 for night photography, but I don't know why.
The Will
05-06-2009, 18:18
So.... film? The guy at the store gave me 400 when I told him I didn't know what I wanted. I think I may have used 100 for night photography, but I don't know why.
A short answer.
The "number" on the film refers to the speed of the film--the higher the number, the faster the film. A fast film requires less light to expose it and thus it can capture your subject with a higher a shutter speed. The trade off is that faster films are not as fine grained (sharp) as slower speed films. The applications of a high speed film would be low light conditions or sports photography. In sports photography you MUST shoot with a fast shutter speed to avoid blurring of the subject (a person spiking a volley-ball, their arm captured without any blur).
A slow speed film requires more light to fully expose it but will render sharper images. In low light conditions a longer shutter speed is required to fully expose the film which is why people use tripods to stabilize their cameras. Most landscape photography will be done with a very slow film (50, 64, 100) to squeeze the most detail out of the image.
So, WetBottom, How did the experimenting with you film cameras go?
camper10469
01-21-2010, 10:24
Get the user manual here....
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/olympus/olympus_om-2/olympus_om-2.htm
Ask questions on this photogrpahy site in the 35mm section, you'll find many experianced photographers just waiting to answer your questions, they are all dedicated film users...
http://www.apug.org/forums/forum13/
enjoy the camera, it is a fine piece of equipment.
The next big thing? EVIL cameras (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens).
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/01/five-reasons-you-should-ditch-your-dslr/
I gotta get one......
I had an OM-1 back in the stone age.
I loved that camera, but unfortunately it was stolen.
I think the OM-2 is much the same as the OM-1 with maybe a couple of upgrades.
If it is a OM2S it should have an automatic mode.
The regular OM2 is totally manual and if you want to learn photography it is a good way to start as it forces you to understand the basic functions of aperture, speed etc instead of just putting it on program.
My suggestion is before you haul it off on a hiking trip, just buy a good book on film photography or take a class and practice a lot.
You also have a huge learning curve on film types. True roots photography IMO is B+W film and there are still a lot of B+W films and all have a different look.
I assume you want to shoot color film. The best IMO out right now is E100G slide film, but you cant get that developed at the drug store. Cant get it printed nomally, but it does scan extremely clean.
That said, film scanners is also a whole different subject so dont waste your $ until you research them too.
For a start I would shoot something like the cheapest negative film you can find to practice and maybe get some Kodak 100 gold for your trips.
Another item is Film ISO. You have to make sure your camera is set to the film speed if you want to use the internal meter. I think the OM2 has an internal needle swing meter. Not sure about the OM2 film speed setting but it may be marked in ASA which was the old film speed rating system. Now it is ISO.
For a hiking trip, just put a 28mm lens on it and take off. A wide angle lens has more depth of field (read up on that) at a lower aperture, IE more wide open (read up on that too), so with a wide angle lens you can pretty much just set it on F8 or sometimes lower, set the focus close to infinity and shoot away. With your camera you would just want to keep the meter in the middle. If to bright the meter will jump into the red and you need to stop it down (read up on that) and set the aperture to a higher number to reduce the light, adjust the speed to get the meter back in the middle.
Basically you just need to practice a lot.
A 28mm lens is sort of a standard wide angle landscape lens.
A typical lens kit for that camera might be 28mm wide angle, fast 50mm, 85mm or 135mm for portraits.
Although I love longer telephotos, they are just too heavy for backpacking anyway, although good for wildlife, but if shooting wildlife you need that lens on your camera all the time.
Sounds like fun.
Link
http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/
The canon AE1 is a good camera too.
You have all the lenses you need for the OM-2 so just start shooting.
If you really want to waste tons of time, money and have a lot of frustrating fun and really learn the roots of photography, go buy some B+W film, a couple of developer tanks and an enlarger and set up a dark room.
I had one back in college and like an idiot I sold it. I regreted it for about 25 years, so two years ago I bought a new NOS enlarger on ebay for about $20. What a deal.
That said you can spend hours in a dark room.
The option DIY to an enlarger is to buy a film scanner.
I'm excited to learn to how to use the camera. I'm really not so concerned about the film aspect... Sure, it's a bit expensive, but not thousands of dollars expensive.
Anyway, I'm home and going to type out ALL of the camera things I have. So let's hope the computer doesn't crash.
Of note, MOST of this equipment belonged to my great uncle, who died maybe 20+ years ago... but not all of it. His equipment was well loved, and it beautiful shape, the other stuff may not be.
Cameras:
Olympus OM-2
(2) Canon AE-1
Maximus MC-1
Kodak Stereo Camera
Lenses:
Canons both have 50mm lenses
Olympus has 50mm lens, 35-70mm, 75-150mm, and a 28mm
Also- an Automatic Tele Converter that says 2X-21 and 3 little close-up attachments
Other stuff:
2 Flashes
a little lamp with a stand ?
2 small tripods
1 huge and heavy tripod
various filters
Is there a recommendation as to what style of mantle this would look nice on? :-? In this same aquisition I also inherited a lovely curio cabinet... Perhaps a display?
I kid. I'm going to have fun wasting some film and looking incompetent to others. What else will people have to gossip about with their loved ones?
I used a Canon SLR for a couple of decades or more. Most of my outdoor and hiking photos were taken with a "normal" 50 mm lens. Occasionally I would use a 24 mm wide angle, or a 100 mm long focus. But the 50 was the work horse lens.
The long focus was handy for taking pictures of flowers and occasionally documents that I needed in my work. It allowed me to stand back and still get useful photos of small things.
Weary
There was no OM2s...
The M1/OM1/OM1n were fully mechanical, manual cameras.
The 2 series was the electronic version (battery operated shutter) manual and semi auto (aperture priority) for the OM2 and OM2n.
The OM2SP (Spot Programme) included spot metering and a Programme mode.
Franco
To be precise...
The OM2 SP had the OM2S printed in white letters and the word Program in green, but was always known as OM2SP
Franco
best way to learn is just from playing w/ it, the guides are great too, but get out there, get a notebook, right down your setting for each shot and play.... (yeah it gets really expensive)
Well, film photograph is always expensive. But try to learn a bit before heeding Gaiter's advice. His way certainly works, but you can cut a decade or two off the learning process, if you read a bit first.
Weary
I agree, among other things especially learn aperture and how it affects depth of field and when to use which aperture.
That is one of the main keys of getting spendid photographs.
How aperture relates to depth of field per the lens length.
Speed vs aperture vs film speed.
Film grain. In color film I want as little as possible. B+W usually too, but I really like 3200 grainy film at times.
What is the minimum speed you can hand hold per lens length.
As mentioned above the sunny 16 rule is good to know, but pretty much locks you into one depth of field.
General natural lighting and the best light to shoot in, IE the magic hours.
When to overexpose and when to underexpose and how much.
When you should use a tripod.
When to use a cable release.
When to use mirror lock up if your camera has it.
After you figure those few things out practice a bit and you should be good to go.
A lot more to learn but that will get you started.
You should strive to get image as good as these....
One of many on the web
http://photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=1184522
Link to a whole list of learning links.
http://photo.net/learn/
You should strive to get image as good as these....
One of many on the web
http://photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=1184522
Many thanks for the link. I've messed with photography since about the age of 10. These photos make me realize how unskilled I am.
Weary