10 Reasons Why You Should Seize The Day With Film Cameras

Friday, January 17, 2014


I have always  liked vintage treasures and instant film and film cameras are one of them. A camera that prints the pictures you take right away. Imagine, taking a picture with your instant camera and see it print right before your eyes. Precious, isn't it? Holding that piece of memory in your hands, just ignites your feels every time. At least, that's how I feel every time I get to use my Instax camera.

There's just something with instant film cameras that you'll never seem to get with high mega pixel digital cameras. I have been playing with my Instax for almost a year now and I still can't find why I love taking pictures with it, besides the fact that I don't own a good digital camera. Maybe because only a few have them? Only a few enjoy them? I don't really know. But what I know is that I enjoy taking pictures with them.

1. You will never know how your photo will turn out.


Photo from depoisquecrescemos.

Film cameras and Instant cameras doesn't have any photo preview. What you take is what you get. There are no photo previews before printing them, they'll be printed the way you have taken them

2. Instant film and film cameras are cheap....er.


Photo from DesignBoom.

Don't bother worrying about the money, they're very affordable- though the films maybe a lot more expensive than the camera itself. I had a thought of collecting them once, but I have other things I want to buy. Maybe you could collect them.

3. Your photos are more precious.


Photo from EricKimPhotography.

Having the fact that there is only one original copy of that photo that you took at right at that very special moment makes the memory a thousand times more precious than anything else in the world. Every time I take pictures with my instant film camera, I always  feel that I am holding another priceless memory.

4. The instant printing right there and then makes taking photos even more satisfying.


Photo from ClassicBride.

The smell and feeling of a freshly printed film is indeed, a very happy thing. You don't have to process anything, just take a photo and cry after it is printed. Yes, that's how you should roll with your film cameras.

5. Instantly printed pictures have a unique value than a digital one.


Photo from TheHindu.
Instant film cameras can beat the crap out of those pixels. Nothing can beat those silver halide crystals on those films. Nothing can, I say. Nothing.

6. You can't delete the photos you have just taken.


Photo from depoisquecrescemos
You can't just delete them like you do when you hate a photo of yourself on a digital camera. With film cameras, no matter how ridiculous you look like in your photos, you will never have the guts to just throw them away. If you do, SHAME ON YOU.

7. Megapixels don't matter.


Photo from depoisquecrescemos.
In the league of instant film and film cameras, nobody cares about how detailed you printed photo is. The only thing you'll envy others about is the way they choose the photos they take. Yes. I envy them.

8. You don't have to hesitate about the angles and the focus.



It's that decision of take it or leave it. A hit-or-miss game. But nonetheless, angles don't matter. Focuses don't mater. All that matters is the memory you've captured.

9. Mistakes turn to beautiful memories.


Photo from GlimpseJournal.

There are no mistakes on instant films neither wasted films. There's no perfect picture on film cameras. Remember, the photos you take are a memory of the past. If you happen to take a picture of your friend doing something weird or if he/she looks weird on that picture, save it. That's a valuable piece right there.

10. There's only one original print of that very moment in that photo.



Your camera can only produce one copy of that very moment, of the very second you took that picture. Nobody, not unless you give it to them, can have another copy of that picture. Not two of a instant film is the same. They may look the same, but if you look closely, there's a big difference between the two.

I have been enjoying this luxury of having my pictures printed right away for quite some time now. Shooting with them is fun and thrilling as you will never know how it will turn out. Every time that I look at my pictures, I reminisce every detail I know about that very moment we took that picture. Precious. Pictures.

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49 comments

  1. I love film! They're raw and I love the grit and grain in the photos. :)

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  2. mistakes turn to good memories is a good one!! somehow I love taking photos of people without them knowing it appeals more.

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    Replies
    1. Some people don't like taking candid pictures with film cameras, but I do.

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  3. So many memories with photos talaga. I love taking photos myself - it has a story in each of them hehehe

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  4. I have to agree that there's something about printed photos and films that add surprise and memory to pictures.

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    Replies
    1. There's just something in them that one cannot seem to identify.

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  5. Hi bro
    This is first time i am landing in your blog site site with nice info's
    thanks for sharing bro

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  6. Helpful for photographers who valued their photos so much, even the ordinary people.

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  7. I am into scrapbooking so I'm still in having my photos developed..and i love looking at the photos and touching the paper.

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    Replies
    1. Better than staring at them on your computers/tablets/phone isn't it?

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  8. Interesting post! My sisters are into this. They love taking polaroids!

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    Replies
    1. I just hope the film would be cheaper so that many others can enjoy this as well.

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  9. Super agree with what you've written here; Mistakes turn to beautiful memories! And might just turn out to be your favorite photos.

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    Replies
    1. I like taking stolen shots. Whenever I look at them, I remember what was happening when I took it.

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  10. I love taking candid shots. I miss these instant polaroid photos that were popular during the 80's

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  11. OMG! Now I'm tempted to get that Instax Mini 8 na talaga :D

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    Replies
    1. You should! I mean, for the price of around 4k, sulit na siya.

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  12. OMG! Now I'm tempted to get that Instax Mini 8 na talaga :D

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  13. this is what i love about printed pictures. you can keep it wholeheartedly and it always have sentimental values.

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  14. I've had the pleasure of using film cameras up until my university days (yes, that's how old i am *LOL*) because digital cameras were still a very rare (and expensive) back then and as much as i love the convenience of my digital camera, seeing my old printed photos takes me down a memory lane that no digital camera can ever replace

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  15. I love this post! Very informative and entertaining! :) I love the photos as well. Good job!

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  16. I love this post! Very informative and entertaining! :) I love the photos as well. Good job!

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    Replies
    1. Most of the photos aren't mine though but the editing was all me. But thanks!

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  17. Photos are precious. Camera film can be more effective than those are in digital. I totally agree with your post. Nice one. :)

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  18. You are right in the way you claim that instant film and cameras have several advantages compared to digital photography. But it seems digital is getting more in demand today.

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    Replies
    1. Most people prefer digital cameras. They like how the megapixels affect the quality of their photos. It takes some skill to be able to produce good shots with film cameras.

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  19. I'll say nobody beats the manual means like film photography. Though I have to admit, I'd like to do that thing soon (since when I was a kid, the elders would not let me take photos that way). I believe they are more effective, efficient, more qualitative than the digital ones. This is the venue where the "real great ones" are separated from the "bandwagon trendsetters."

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    Replies
    1. I agree. Film photography do sort the talented/skilled photographers from 'settings' photographers.

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  20. I really like the way you described instant film. I do love talking pictures and I will think about buying an instant camera!! Makes the picture and the moment special!

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    1. You should. It's not that much of a big loss if you're going to try it. It's fun and exciting to play with instant cameras.

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  21. Film camera's output are genuine, romantic, if not, more precious and memorable as you get what you take as how you see it straight from the lens and the mirrors without the "CMOS sensor"

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    Replies
    1. I agree. Nothing can beat how genuine film cameras are.

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  22. I love film cameras they're sort of romantic, I've always wanted one <3

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    Replies
    1. Yes they are. I used to want one, now I have one. :D

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  23. I point out to my family these reasons why I want film cameras but they don't seem to understand...I'll have my own film camera collection someday :)

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    Replies
    1. I know that feeling. That is why the moment I had the money to buy one, I went straight to the nearest camera store and bought one. You family will know why you want them when you start taking pictures of them with it, trust me.

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  24. I'm a bigtime sucker for photography. Yes, digital photos have become way too handy, but you are indeed, correct. Holding on to your film is priceless. No take twos just shooting away. Aaaah. Feels!

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  25. Aww. I'm so excited to get one mas sentimental nga naman :)

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  26. I love taking photos.And love the idea too that if i dont get it right the first time,I can still take more photos of my subject from different angles since I can always delete the ones I think that didnt make the cut.But after reading your blog, i realized that im should have my photos printed and make an album out of it and not just keep it on an external drive.Becasue thats what I have been doing all this time. Photos taken from your camera makes taking photos more precious because just like what you said, it prints right away.

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    Replies
    1. No skill is needed and no mistakes are made with instant cameras. That's why I like it, shooting with no regrets.

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  27. I love photography, film making and your article's very helpful for this matter. Truly, one should be very observant when using a camera.

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  28. Today the used prices of all film cameras are so cheap that it doesn't cost much more to own a professional flagship Nikon like the F, F2, F3, F4 or even F5. Taking pictures using those cameras is really takes creativity.

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  29. Film cameras can be impractical for moms like me, my kids will surely click and shoot at everything.

    ReplyDelete

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