Butterflies of the World - Lifecycle, Ecology, Taxonomy, Conservation, Photography, Butterfly Holidays, Photo Galleries, Book Reviews and more.........
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.
Butterfly photography PAGE 2
 
PAGE 1 - Digital cameras and lenses
PAGE 2 - Film cameras and lenses
PAGE 3 - Shooting techniques by flash or daylight

35mm cameras, lenses & film

All the photographs in the Malaysia, West Africa and French Alps galleries were taken with Minolta Dynax 7 cameras, on slide film. These were later scanned with an Epson 1670 flatbed scanner for use on the website.

Prior to 2006, all my photography was done with film cameras, and although I shoot much of my material now on digital, I continue to use my film cameras to fill in the gaps in my slide collection, which comprises of several thousand photographs of butterflies from all over the world.

To the best of my knowledge, the only 35mm SLR camera currently manufactured is the professional Nikon F6, but there are many excellent models available on the second-hand market, including the Nikon FM2, Minolta Dynax 7, and the Canon EOS series.

Take a look at the buying second-hand section on this page. As with digital cameras, try several models before buying, and remember that optical quality, ergonomics, metering accuracy and durability are far more important than gimmicky features.

This shot of Cithaerias phantoma was taken with my Minolta Dynax 7 using a Sigma 105mm macro lens, on Fuji Provia 100 slide film. The slide was scanned by Fujilab. The quality of a scanned slide is usually just about acceptable for website use, but a digital SLR provides higher resolution and better control of contrast and colour.

Lenses for 35mm cameras

As with digital, choice of lenses is very much a matter of personal preference.

Some people like to use long focal length lenses and work from a distance, arguing that it causes less intrusion, enables them to shoot butterflies without leaving footpaths, and is less likely to scare off a nervous species. If this is your style, I'd recommend the use of a tele-macro such as a Sigma 180mm, or a Nikon 200mm micro, used in conjunction with a tripod or monopod.

Many people use "macro-zooms", which enable you to take grab shots from a distance, and then move in closer if the subject stays still long enough. Unfortunately most macro-zooms require the user to operate a slider in order to switch between normal and close-focussing modes, and only focus closely at particular focal lengths. Even the best zoom lenses are optically inferior to true macro lenses. My advice would be to forget zoom lenses, and get a fixed focal length macro lens.

As previously stated, I prefer to use a Sigma 105mm macro, which has a wide maximum aperture of F2.8, and consequently a bright viewfinder image. The Tamron 90mm macro also has an excellent reputation, as do the Canon, Sony-Minolta and Nikon equivalents.

Longer lenses such as the Sigma 180mm or Nikon 200mm are slower to focus, heavier to carry, more difficult to hand hold without inducing camera shake, and can be difficult to manoeuvre in tight situations.

Note that lenses for 35mm cameras need to have a longer focal length compared with lenses used on APS format digital SLRs. The larger image size of the 35mm frame requires a focal length about 60 percent longer, for the same angle of view. Thus a 60mm lens on a digital camera equates to 90mm on a film camera.

Lenses designed for 35mm cameras can be used on digital bodies, although you need to check with the manufacturer to ascertain whether they will be compatible with the focussing and metering systems. Lenses designed specifically for APS or smaller digital formats however are NOT suitable for use on 35mm cameras.

Film and processing

Choice of slide film is very much a matter of personal taste. Each slide film has it's own characteristics, which may be loved by one photographer but loathed by another.

I usually use Fuji Provia 100 film, which is noted for it's sharpness, fine grain, and natural colours. Many people prefer to shoot on Fuji Velvia 100, which has extremely vivid colours and incredible sharpness. In 2007 Fuji introduced a new film, Provia 400x, which produces pleasing natural colours, excellent sharpness and remarkably fine grain for a 400 ISO film. The purchase price of Provia and Velvia films does not include processing, which is carried out by Fuji at extra cost. Fuji also make process-paid films - Sensia 100 and Sensia 200, both of which are excellent, but not quite up to the standard of Provia and Velvia.

The other major film manufacturer - Kodak, produces 2 ranges of film. It's Ektachrome products are noted for their high saturation and contrast, which some may prefer, but tend to look a little harsh to my eyes. The company's Kodachrome films have a totally different feel about them. Kodachrome 64 is an excellent film, with good sharpness and minimal grain, but can look a little "cool" under certain lighting conditions.

The main reason why people use Kodachrome is because it has great longevity - the dyes used in the films are very resistant to fading, and should last for many decades. It can only be processed by Kodak laboratories, and turn around times tend to be long, but the standard of processing is very high.

Making life easier

The decision to switch from film to digital is often painful and slow, so some people tend to continue using their film cameras, and at the same time get a budget digital model to see how they get on with the new media.

It is very easy to make mistakes if you try to use one brand of digital gear alongside another brand of 35mm gear - the focusing rings often rotate in different directions, the knobs and dials will be in different places, and the whole feel of the equipment will be completely different. It makes sense therefore to use the same brand of camera for your digital and film work. This also makes economic sense, as lenses from film cameras will also fit on digital cameras from the same manufacturer.

Beware however that there will often be compatibility issues - older lenses usually don't have all the necessary electrical contacts to provide full integration with the much more advanced metering, flash and focusing systems of digital models.

Buying second-hand

When buying second-hand, run a roll of print film through the camera before parting with your money. Check that the film advances and rewinds properly, make sure that the lens aperture stops down correctly, test the shutter speeds, metering accuracy, auto-focus,  flash operation, and make sure that all the controls operate smoothly. Choose a time when the camera store is not busy, and ask the salesperson if you can quickly shoot a roll of film on the premises. The store should be able to process the film and show you the prints within an hour. Finally, make sure you get a "full satisfaction or money back" guarantee.

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Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007-2008, and must not be reproduced or published in part or in whole elsewhere in any form without written permission from Adrian Hoskins. Breach of copyright will be pursued by litigation.
 
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