Nikon SLR Cameras

What film to use in old Nikon F camera?

Guest
26.07.2018
Guest

Can I use any 35mm film? If so, if its labelled colour film, will it be colour or black and white due to age of camera. I would like to make black and white photos.

Martin S
26.07.2018
Martin S

Any 35mm (135). Color film will give you colour pics, B&W film will give you Black and White pics. No matter how old the camera.
I made colour photos with a 1930ies camera and black and white pics with 1990ies cameras.
Here's an example how the catridge should look like:

Have fun using film! And it's a great camera, BTW.

Steve P
26.07.2018
Steve P

The camera does not make b/w or color photos, the FILM does. If you want b/w photos, then you need to use b/w film. It is not as easy to find as color film. You may have to order b/w film online. ISO 400 is a good all around film. ISO 800 gives you more ability to photograph in dim light, but you may need a neutral density filter to use that film in bright daylight. If you want a grainy look, then use ISO 1600 film but you will DEFINITELY need a neutral density filter for daylight use.

Fauxtonic
26.07.2018
Fauxtonic

The age of the camera has zero effect on the image on the negative. The SLR body can't positively or negatively affect image quality because there's literally nothing but air between the rear element of the lens and the surface of the film.

When you use color film you will always get a color negative. When you use B&W film, you will always get a B&W negative. You certainly can print a color negative color or B&W, but you can't print a B&W negative to get a color image. This should be excruciatingly obvious, and makes me wonder if you're not trolling. The age of the camera can't change this. You can use color film in a 100-year-old camera and you'll still get color images.

When picking film, you first need to decide if you want color prints, B&W prints or color slides. Then your next decision is ISO. You need to pick the ISO of film that suits your photographic and stylistic needs. Right now, style isn't (or shouldn't) be a concern of yours. When deciding on an ISO you have to ask a few basic questions. Do you need a fast film or slow film? Are you shooting on a tripod or hand held? Is your subject moving very quickly such as water droplets, a sprinter or a race car. The ultimate goal here is to choose the slowest film possible based upon your needs.

If you're shooting only landscapes, you will want to go with the slowest film (i.e. Lowest ISO) possible. This will yield the highest color saturation, the lowest amount of grain, and the most resolution. All of this equates to a much better and larger print.

If you're shooting basketball, then you are facing two challenges. One, you're in a low-light situation and two, your subjects are moving quickly. The only solution with film here is shooting with very high-speed film such as ISO 3200. In this case, you have to sacrifice grain, sharpness and color. This is because all ISO 3200 film is B&W - there's no color print film higher than 800. So if you do want color shots without introducing more gear, then you must shoot B&W at a basketball game. The only solution to shooting color is to use strobes mounted on the ceiling of the stadium - and, yeah, that's not a realistic option unless you have a connection with someone at your local stadium/arena.

If you're shooting portraits, you will want to go with a portrait film such as Kodak's Portra film or Fujifilm's Pro 400H. Both have very good extended contrast and very good skin tones. These types of film are made specifically for portraiture, so don't expect them to have the same punchy colors as an Extar film or a slide film like the iconic Velvia from Fuji.

But these are the extremes. For the most part, a good compromise would be to use an ISO 400 film which is fast enough to provide the shutter speeds that one needs to shoot outdoor sports during the day, landscapes will be acceptable if you don't print very large, flash photography will be much easier with more options in terms of using a flash diffuser.

So with this in mind, I suggest buying ISO 400 for now and stick with one specific brand. Kodak and Fujifilm are both excellent. Kodak tends to accentuate the reds and oranges while Fujifilm tends to have more saturated blues and greens. Sticking with one film type, say Kodak Extar, will allow you to get a strong idea of what that film is like, what it's color palate and tonal range is like. Then after a while, try another film of the same ISO. Doing it this way will help you learn the strengths and weakness of each film. You'll learn what you can and can't do with a 400 speed film. You'll understand what kind of look to expect, too. All of this testing and learning takes a lot of time. Don't expect to have a reliable understanding in just a few months; it can easily take a year or two. This is just part of the process of learning to shoot with film. The immediacy that digital provides is completely thrown out the window, and you are now forced to shoot with far more thought.

I recommend going online to either B&H or Adorama to buy your film. Here's a link to B&H's store:

Buying film online will save you a good deal of cash vs buying it at a local store.