Which film should you choose for your camera?

Summary

• What film format to choose for your camera
• Color or black and white film, how to choose
• What ISO sensitivity for your photo film
• Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing your analog film requires understanding a few essential criteria: the format of your analog camera, the ISO sensitivity, and the type of image you want to achieve. This guide will help you choose a film suited to your equipment and successfully take your first shots.

What film format to choose for your camera

The film format must exactly match your camera's format. Before any purchase, identify whether you have a 35mm camera or a medium format camera, as this information entirely determines your film choice.

The 35mm format, the ideal standard for beginners

35mm film, also called 135 format, is the most accessible entry point for starting analog photography. Compatible with most compact and SLR cameras, it offers a wide choice of brands, sensitivities, and film types.

• Maximum availability: The 135 format is easy to find from all specialized retailers like France Argentique, with a wide selection of color and black and white films.
• Varied number of exposures: 35mm films generally come in 24 or 36 exposures, with rarer variations in 8, 12, 18 or 27 exposures for special projects.
• Identical development cost: Whether you load 24 or 36 exposures, the development price remains the same, but the unit cost per exposure decreases with longer films.

To start without too much waste, a 24-exposure film is an excellent starting point. This length allows you to learn the basics of exposure and composition without accumulating too much film to develop too quickly.

120 format and other formats, what are the differences

The 120 film format is for photographers with a medium format camera like a Hasselblad, Mamiya, or Pentacon. This large film format offers a larger image area, resulting in a finer rendering and more detail in your images.

• Superior image area: The 120 format offers a much larger exposure area than 35mm, which results in better quality enlargements and increased detail.
• Reduced number of exposures: A 120 film generally offers 8 to 16 exposures depending on the camera format (6x6, 6x7, 6x9), compared to 36 for 35mm, which implies different management of the film budget.
• Limited availability: The 120 format is still less common in stores, but France Argentique offers a selection in color and black and white for photographers with the appropriate equipment.

The 110 format, once popular, is now almost obsolete. This rare mini-format is practically no longer found new, and compatible cameras are difficult to locate, making it unsuitable for beginning your analog photography learning.

How to adapt the format to your camera

The compatibility between your camera and your film is non-negotiable. A 35mm camera will only work with 135 film, while a medium format camera absolutely requires 120 film. This compatibility can be checked by opening the back of your analog camera or by consulting the user manual.

If you own a 35mm SLR or compact camera, do not hesitate to opt for 35mm film, which is widely available. If you have access to a medium format camera, the 120 format will allow you to fully exploit its potential for portrait or studio projects, as explained in our analog film guide.

Color or black and white film, how to choose

This choice must be made before loading your analog film into the camera, as it is impossible to switch from color to black and white in the middle of a roll. The decision depends on your creative intention and the type of subjects you wish to photograph.

Color films for a vibrant and warm rendering

Color film reproduces the entire chromatic palette of your subject, with a rendering that varies significantly depending on the brand. Kodak Portra 400 offers warm and natural tones very suitable for portraiture, while Fuji Superia and Agfa Vista offer appreciable versatility for everyday life and travel.

Developing and printing color photos represents a greater investment than black and white. This budget factor deserves to be taken into account if you regularly practice analog photography and wish to print your images.

Testing several color films helps you identify your aesthetic preferences and build your own visual signature. Each manufacturer has its own palette, grain, and character, which profoundly influence the mood of your images. Kodak Gold 200, for example, stands out for its vibrant colors and warm rendering, particularly suitable for outdoor shots.

Black and white for mastering light and contrast

Black and white simplifies learning analog photography by isolating fundamental visual elements. Concretely, it refocuses attention on brightness, contrast, composition, and shapes, without the distraction of colors.

• Focused learning: Without color to guide the eye, you progress more quickly in mastering brightness, contrast, and composition. The chosen ISO directly influences the grain and sensitivity of your analog film.
• Simpler and more economical development: Black and white development costs less and requires less precision than color development, which reduces the risk of error for beginners.
• Excellent reputation for reportage and street photography: Black and white has long dominated street photography and documentary reportage, two areas where contrast and shapes take precedence over color.
• Characteristic and aesthetic grain: Black and white grain offers a distinctive visual presence, sought after for its authentic and timeless rendering in creative projects.

Reference black and white films for beginners are Ilford HP5 and Kodak Tri-X, two safe bets offering excellent value for money and great reliability. ORWO, a historical German brand, offers an authentic vintage rendering for photographers seeking a more singular aesthetic.

What ISO sensitivity for your photo film

ISO sensitivity measures your film's ability to capture available light. The higher the ISO value, the faster the film reacts to light, which directly affects the grain, contrast, and rendering of your images. In analog photography, this sensitivity is fixed when choosing the film and cannot be changed once inserted into your camera.

ISO 400, the versatile sensitivity for a good start

ISO 400 film represents the best compromise for starting analog photography. This ISO film works outdoors in good weather, indoors in well-lit conditions, and even in the early evening, offering a comfortable margin of error on exposure.

In black and white, an ISO 400 film delivers a soft and classic grain, well suited for reportage and street photography. In color, it produces a warm rendering that is suitable for portraits, lifestyle, and travel. This is why analog photographers unanimously recommend 400 ISO to beginners.

• Maximum adaptability: ISO 400 works in most everyday lighting conditions, from outdoors to small bright interiors.
• Balanced grain: The grain remains discreet enough to capture details, while providing that characteristic texture of analog film.
• Creative flexibility: This sensitivity allows latitude in the choice of apertures and shutter speeds according to your creative intentions.

An ISO 400 film with 24 or 36 exposures is a solid starting point for beginners. It allows you to test your technique without excessive film waste, while offering enough exposures to experiment with different photographic approaches.

Low or high ISO, what impact on the final rendering

ISO sensitivities outside of 400 address specific situations with their own characteristics. The best color analog film largely depends on your lighting conditions: a low ISO value excels in sunlight, a high ISO value is essential in low light.

• Low ISO (50-200): Extremely fine grain, very sharp rendering, ideal for sunny days, studio portraits, and daytime landscapes, but requires good lighting.
• High ISO (800-3200): Pronounced and visible grain, allows concert photography, dark interiors, or evening shots, with a more textured rendering often sought for a vintage or artistic effect.
• ISO value and light conditions: Choosing the ISO adapted to your usual lighting avoids overexposure or underexposure, two errors difficult to correct in analog as there is no possible post-processing.
• Creative impact of grain: Pronounced grain is not a defect; it is an assumed aesthetic characteristic for certain styles and photographic projects.

Kodak Gold 200 offers very fine grain and vibrant colors for sunny days, while an ISO 3200 film becomes indispensable in low light, concerts, or dark interiors. Testing several ISO values helps you understand how this variable influences your personal photographic style.

Adapting your ISO to light and the photo project

The brightness of your usual environment should guide your initial ISO choice. If you primarily photograph outdoors in good weather, an ISO 125 or 200 film, like Kodak Gold 200, is more than sufficient. If you shoot indoors or in the evening, opt for an ISO 400 film or higher.

Your creative intentions also influence this ISO film choice. Documentary reportage and street photography appreciate ISO 400 in black and white for its discreet grain and strong contrast, while portraiture and lifestyle prefer ISO 400 in color for its warm rendering. You can then refine your choices by consulting our analog cameras forum to discuss with other photographers about their ISO choices for their specific projects.