My Film Cameras

Yo what up, welcome back to my new masterclass on stuffing that empty void inside yourself with material possessions. Today's episode is sponsored by Squarespace. Well, I've been very very fortunate to shoot lots of different cameras over the years, but I've only held on to a few of them. Some people might call me a camera collector, and while personally I think I'm more of a camera whore, collector is probably more apt. I do have a lot of cameras. When I think of a collection, or a collector, I tend to think of a rock collection, which its only purpose is to sit around and be admired. While I do admire the f**k out of these cameras, I use them all quite regularly. About as regular as my bowel movements. Like I said, I've had lots of cameras come and go, but some were so great I just couldn't let them walk out the door. So let's take a look at my current collection of film cameras. Try not to touch yourself while you're watching this. Let's start off this video by cracking a cold one with the boys. I'm just kidding, this is a camera, and yeah, it's basically a reusable disposable. Let's start this off with point and shoots, and arguably one of the best of all time is the Contax T2. This camera is pretty popular, thanks to Kendall Jenner, and obviously I'm a huge fan of hers, so I had to get one. The body is made of titanium, so it's got some heft to it for being such a small camera, but it feels well built. Hell, if my favorite movie Stuart Little has taught me anything, it's not about the physical size of you, but the size of your heart. I use this camera for all kinds of work. It's probably one of my most used cameras. It's a solid blend of point and shoot with a lot of manual controls, so if I'm going out anywhere, I generally slip this into my pocket or prison wallet. I did a full review of this camera not too long ago, so go check that out if you're digging the vibes. This camera has a beautiful Carl Zeiss 38mm 2.8, and is overall built to last, I hope. This particular camera was produced sometime between 1991 and 1999. And finally, the story of how I got this camera was that I picked it up from a thrift store for five dollars. Next up, we have the Canon AE-1. I lost my film virginity to this camera, though I've since had other camera partners and learned quite a bit more. Wink. As you can see, I have the winder attachment here on the bottom, which basically just makes the camera a little bit bigger and helps me grip it easier. I also have a brass soft shutter release and a tap-and-die leather strap to really pimp this thing out. As far as entry-level cameras, I can't recommend this one enough. I typically shoot with this 28mm 2.8 Rokinon, and boy do I love it. The lens has this really nice softness and flaring that I think a lot of people associate with being low quality, but I actually really dig the look. I get a lot of questions about the lens hood on this camera, and honestly, I don't know much about it other than it was originally made for Leica lenses. And yeah, I know, using a Leica lens hood on a non-Leica lens is probably going to send me straight to Leica hell, but whatever, I'm going there anyway. Like I said before, this camera was my first 35mm camera, so it'll always have a special place in my chest where my heart used to be. This particular Canon AE-1 dates back to 1977, as far as I can tell. Here's some shots from over the years. I typically shoot this camera on extended trips, like my somewhat recent one to Nepal, where I had to consider the weight of literally everything in my bag. I fully expect it to be by my side when I die and have my naked body set ablaze and catapulted into the ocean. I got this camera 5 or 6 years ago from a thrift store for $5. The Leica M6. This camera is pretty new to my collection as well, if you watched my previous video. I was looking for a 35mm camera that was a little bit smaller, because the Canon AE-1 is a little bit on the bigger side with the winder constantly attached to it. I have one lens right now for this machine, and it is the Jupiter 12 35mm f2.8. And I know what you're thinking, this ass clown is using a $50 lens on a Leica M6? Yep, and there's nothing you can do to stop me. In fact, I'm willing to die for it. I actually really like the look that this lens produces, and that's why I choose to use it. It produces nice flaring and has a wonderful softness that is pretty consistent with my style, so I'm going to continue to stand by it. I'm probably going to hold onto this camera forever. It's just a beautifully crafted machine that just feels damn good to use. It's just so much fun to shoot with, that it practically disappears in your hand. Not because someone stole it, but because it's so unobtrusive to the setting. I chose the titanium version for one reason, because Karen Miyoka and Shoots with Koops both have one, and it looks pretty damn cool. The serial number on this camera tells me it was made in 1996, so it's relatively new for a film camera. I purchased this camera secondhand from a thrift store for $5. Moving on to medium format, the mighty Pentax 6x7, well documented on this channel. This is probably my favorite camera that I own, but don't tell the others as they might get jealous and leave me. This camera is thick with two C's. Let me put it this way, if I was thrown into battle with an angry dominant male silverback gorilla and I had to choose a weapon, I'd choose this camera. The shutter on this camera is loud, plain and simple. It's not really ideal for hiding and shooting inconspicuously in someone's closet, trust me. Despite the massive mirror inside, this camera can actually shoot at 1 1,000th of a second, so I like to utilize that whenever possible. Whether I'm shooting something moving quickly, like a skateboarding mouse, or I'm going somewhere hot and bright, like hell. This camera is prone to spacing issues, and my copy is no different. I get about 9.5 shots per roll on this camera, but let me tell you, that last half shot at the end of the roll is always a banger. Just kidding, it's usually s***. I love shooting the 6x7 format, and the Takumar 105 2.4 is honestly probably the greatest lens ever made. I'm starting to get hot and sweaty just thinking about it. I also have the 55mm f3.5, which is fine too. It's not the 105, and I think it knows that. On top up here, I have the fine focus viewfinder, which comes with a really flaccid hinge for some reason. This thing is constantly body slamming the eyepiece, like I body slam the buffet line. Additionally, I'm sporting the wood grip attachment here, which a lot of people say is on the wrong side of the body, but honestly, I think it just takes some getting used to. Unfortunately, Pentax didn't keep great manufacture date records, so I think it's safe to assume that this camera was made sometime in the last 800 years. I found this particular camera in a thrift store for $5. The Mamiya 7. As Emmert Wolff once said, I'm a tool. No wait, it was, a man is only as good as his tools, and this here Mamiya 7 is one of the best. This camera is a dream machine, blanketed in plastic and glass. It's so lightweight, quiet, and compact, you may not even notice it's there, like a certain mouse with a heart of gold. Because the Pentax 6-7 is so heavy, it's not really the ideal camera for travel, whereas this camera kind of is. This camera shoots 6x7 format as well, so I typically bring it with me on extended trips when I know I'll want to shoot medium format, or if I'm going somewhere where I don't want the crazy loud shutter on the Pentax to ruin everyone's good time, though my presence alone is generally enough to do that. I have the 80mm f4, and it's got to be one of the sharpest lenses I've ever shot with. Here's some photos. I think, honestly, I've produced some of my best work with this camera. The serial numbers on Mamiya 7s are kind of weird. They say that if your serial number starts with the letter A, it was made in the year 2000, B, 2001, etc. The serial number on this particular camera starts with O, so that would mean sometime around 2013, which doesn't seem right. But I could be wrong, I just didn't know that they made these cameras that far into the 2010s. Anyway, yeah, I picked up this camera for $5 at a thrift store. Lastly, in the medium format arena, we have the Plable Makina 670. Another 6x7 medium format camera, because apparently I have a type. In my opinion, this camera is on par with the Mamiya 7. I know that might be kind of a controversial statement. Sometimes falling in love is controversial. Just ask Romeo and Juliet. Oh wait, they're dead. I use this camera for a lot of the same work as the Mamiya 7, and the reason I have it is simply because I'm a whore for cameras. But the real reason is because it's 6x7 format, the lens goes down to f2.8, and it collapses in on itself like a black hole, which is kind of ironic because Plable... Before you go on a tirade in the comments, I'm well aware of how fragile this camera is, but so are my emotions, and I've been dealing with them for 29 years, so it should be no problem. I did a first impressions video of this camera not too long ago, so go check that out if you want. Otherwise, just know that it's a really nice camera with an awesome Nikkor lens. I also bought this camera for $5 from a thrift store. Lastly, jumping way the f**k up in format, is the Gibellini ACN 810. They always say, bigger is better, and they're right. 8x10 sheet film is about 52 times the size of standard 35mm film, so the detail and scope of the image is just sweet, buttery, turkey basted perfection. I typically shoot with this damn thing. It's the Schneider 360mm f6.8. This is kind of known as a portrait lens, but I use it mostly for landscape. That being said, I am in the market for something a little more standard to my style of work. I also have a Nikkor 120mm f8, about equivalent to a 15mm lens, which is pretty damn wide, like your mom. This camera was made in Italy by Alessandro Gibellini, and is mostly made of aluminum, as well as 3D printed parts, and spaghetti, obviously. Gibellini cameras are kind of known as the Ferraris of large format cameras, but I kind of have to disagree, because there's no tires or an engine on this thing. 8x10 is a lot of fun to shoot, and very rewarding if you don't royally f**k it up. But it's also very time consuming, and somewhat travel restrictive, so you have to be pretty specific with what you choose to shoot. But regardless, I got a really good deal on it. I got it for $5 at a thrift store. So I also have the Nishika N8000, a Polaroid SX70, and a mystery camera, but we don't need to get into those too much. Be on the lookout for videos on them in the future. The SX70 I use mostly for personal documentation in my journal. What does that mean? A good example that totally didn't happen last Wednesday, is if I'm sad and I'm writing about it, I can capture the moment forever by snapping a photo of me crying on the toilet. You know, documenting my life. I guess what I'm saying is, I don't really use Polaroids, or whatever the hell you want to call these, for my portfolio work. In fact, I don't have any intention to. But that isn't to say that they aren't quality pieces of equipment. What is there to say about the Nishika? Yeah, the camera is cool, and I'm lucky to have it, but I swear every time I use it, I get so angry I throw up blood. Now you might be like, that sounds like kind of an overreaction, but trust me, you haven't been through it like I have with that camera. Since it's made of ass-grade plastic, I'll probably just keep using it until it finally snaps one day, and then I'll bury it in the backyard and move, so that it may curse future inhabitants of the property. Am I going to get more cameras in the future? Let's be real, yeah, probably. Though, it might be time for me to slow down a little. I think when you have enough cameras for a small army, maybe it's time to get more, god damn it. No, rethink. Because, as Steve Yedlin would say, it's not about the cameras, it's about how much drip you have. Yedlin does make a good point though, as viewing cameras is simply technical machines used for collecting data, and that that data can practically be manipulated to look however you want nowadays, so camera doesn't really matter. Jumping off of that idea, cameras don't really impact the aesthetic choices of your work. Usually, they aren't the thing responsible for your roll of sh**ty photos. For film photography, I believe that film and lens choice matter a whole lot more. Some people's entire workflow is about only using one camera and one lens, and just mastering it over the course of their lifetime. And that's totally fair, but my workflow flourishes under variety. Using different cameras kind of keeps me on my toes creatively. It keeps me from falling into repetitiveness. I sold a lot of my old video gear that I wasn't using anymore to fund this collection, and I don't regret it one bit. I've created some of my favorite pieces of work with this array of cameras. But before we end this video, I'd like to thank today's sponsor, Squarespace. Has this ever happened to you? You tell someone you're a photographer, and they call baloney. You get ready to slam dunk on them by showing your beautiful portfolio. Then you realize you don't have an online portfolio. Chances are, that's never actually happened to anyone. But are you just going to sit around and wait to be the first person it does happen to? With Squarespace, you can easily renovate a pre-designed but professional-looking template with your own photography work. And best of all, you don't need to know coding or anything about website design to get started. Squarespace's user interface is straightforward and incredibly easy to navigate. If for some reason you do run into a snag, Squarespace even has award-winning 24-7 customer service at your disposal. So what are you waiting for? If you're ready to build a website, you can start a free trial today at squarespace.com slash grainydays. And if you use the code grainydays at checkout, you can get 10% off your first purchase. So even with everything that I've said so far, there is still one camera that has been a total dream for me. This camera is sort of like the holy grail of film cameras. The golden idol. The reason I drink. It's the Hasselblad X-Pan. And I know half of you just flinched as I said that. I've always had this kind of fantasy where I walk into this countryside thrift store and buried under some junk is this unmarked box. I slowly open the box and inside is an X-Pan. I gasp, but I try to contain myself. It looks new, possibly never used, but who knows. That's all part of the mystery. I asked the old man running the store how much for the camera and he says, $5 and it's yours, kid. At first I'm taken aback because I'm a 29-year-old man. But then I look in my wallet. Oh, I only have $4. I knew I shouldn't have hit the dollar menu that hard. So the old man just turns and looks at me and says, take it, kid. It's yours. And I'm like, wow, you mean it, mister? And then maybe he says something wise like it's the camera that chooses the photographer. And then he asks if I'd be interested in a $4 Stuart Little Blu-ray. Yeah, I think that would be the best day ever. Oh, would you look at that?