The Discipline of 36 Frames My Vintage Film Camera Experience
Shooting with a vintage film camera for the very first time was both frustrating and eye-opening. It made me realize just how different the experience is compared to digital and I actually learned a few lessons I didn’t expect.
The first thing that really struck me was the technical “novelty”. For example, in digital camera, I can move the focus point around in the viewfinder but with film, it stayed fixed. It sounds like a small thing, but it completely changed how I approached framing a shot.
And then there was the number only 36 exposures. Knowing that forced me to slow down in a way I wasn’t used to. With a digital camera, I can take fifty photos of the same subject, try different angles, and later decide on the computer which one I like. But with vintage film camera (or some call it analog cameras), every single click mattered. I found myself walking back and forth, left and right, really analyzing the space before deciding if the moment was even worth capturing. Many times, I realized it actually wasn’t. That was new to me.
This limitation made me think about the real purpose of photography. At its core, photography is about capturing the real moment. But digital technology, with endless retries and endless editing apps, has shifted the focus. It’s no longer just about seeing and capturing, it’s often about fixing or modifying afterwards.
With film cameras, there’s no safety net. You don’t get instant feedback. You can’t check the back of the camera to see if you nailed it. And if you made a mistake you’ll only know days later, after the film is developed. That lack of instant gratification teaches you discipline. You have to earn your photo. You do the thinking, the planning, the framing and then the film camera records the result of your work.
I realized that digital cameras don’t require that same discipline. In a way, digital allows us to be lazy photographers. We can fire off dozens of shots and rely on luck or later editing, instead of committing to a vision in the moment.
But here’s the thing the limitations of film are actually exciting. They push you to slow down, to be intentional, and to appreciate the delayed gratification of waiting for the result. It makes every photo feel more meaningful.
Vintage Film cameras reminds us of the value of patience, intention, and discipline things that sometimes get lost in the digital world.
Thank you for reading this article about vintage film cameras, and if you’ve ever tried shooting on film, I’d love to hear what lessons you learned, share it in comments.
P.S. That very first roll of film also awakened a fascination I didn’t see coming: vintage film cameras themselves. I’ve always had a love for history and art, but holding a film camera as a photographer felt different. It wasn’t just an object; it stirred something deeply nostalgic, almost romantic.
Before long, I was scrolling through the “vintage” section on eBay, carefully hunting for film cameras with character. One led to another, and soon I had a small collection of five. Each one feels alive in its own way: different weight, different mechanics, different stories etched into the wear and tear.
Even when I’m not shooting, I find joy in simply looking at them. The smooth brass corners, the cracked leather grips, the satisfying click of a shutter, it’s less about function and more about presence. They are pieces of history, relics from an era when photography was deliberate, tangible, and slow. Owning them feels like holding fragments of time itself.
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All images in this article were taken by Elena Sullivan, ArsVie Photo Studio and are protected by copyright. If you are interested in using any of the them, please contact me for permission. Thank you for understanding!
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