What Film Camera Should I Buy First?

Choosing the Right Camera for Film Photography

One of the most asked questions I get, when it comes to film photography, is what camera should I buy? Or, what camera should I start with? That is such a great question! Today I am going to share the two cameras that I keep coming back to and referring to others. Both cameras are wonderful, affordable options whether you are already a professional photographer or a hobbyist. They are also going to give you some really amazing results. The best part?  You can buy a camera and lens combination for under $300! 

I like to recommend using a 35 millimeter camera. It is probably the one you saw your parents using when you were a kid. You can still find the film at Walmart and Amazon, which makes it an easily accessible film. Another perk is that you’ll get more shots per roll. Depending on what film you use, you can get between 24 to 36 pictures. Whereas the medium format, more professional gray camera you will only get about 16 shots per roll. 

Additionally, the film is also cheaper! This makes it an excellent, budget-friendly option when you are deciding which camera you’re going to shoot with.

What Camera Should I Buy? | The Nikon F100 v. Canon 1V

The first camera I am going to recommend is the Nikon F100.  It’s the first camera I got and I am still shooting with it. I use it on my own personal family and I also do client work with it because it’s just an awesome, solid camera. 

Nikon F100 

I bought my F100 off of Facebook Marketplace for under $200. You can also find them on eBay and most other buy/sell used item pages. The F100 fits all of Nikon’s modern-day lenses!  It is amazing because you can put a more professional lens on there and get the very professional photos you’re looking for. If you’re already a Nikon shooter, then I highly suggest you go with the Nikon F100, because you wont need to buy any additional lenses as you can just easily interchange the lenses you already have.

Another camera you might see floating around is the F5 or F6. It’s also a great camera, but it’s going to be a little pricier than the F-100. It has more focus points and would be considered a bit of a step up from the F-100.  I still recommend just starting with an F-100. 

The Canon 1V

If you are a Canon shooter, I recommend the 1V. The Canon 1V is canon’s equivalent to the Nikon F100.  It has the same options and availability. You can easily find them on eBay or Facebook Marketplace for under $200. Just like the Nikon, the Canon 1V will fit all of the Canon’s modern day lenses. 

This is for professional photographers, but even if you are a hobbyist, I still highly recommend buying one of these cameras because of the cost and versatility you get, while still producing the beautiful images you want. However, if you don’t own lenses or have one that you’re working with, then I recommend going out and buying a 50 mm 1.8 lens. Both Canon and Nikon have these lenses for under $100.  

Whether you are a professional photographer or a hobbyist, a canon or a Nikon user, these are the camera options that I highly recommend to start with. Both the Nikon F100 and the Canon 1V are wonderful cameras that deliver the professional quality work you want. They are also very affordable as you can purchase everything you need and  shoot film for under $300! The compatibility with other lenses of the same brand is another huge perk that provides many options when you are shooting. I hope I have helped answer the popular question of which camera to buy as a Film photographer.