Hasselblad 35mm Film Cameras

Taking Pictures That Are out of This World

Even with all the advances in digital photography, many famous space photographs were taken on film. There's just something about the way film reacts with light that can capture magic.

What About Formats?

When it comes to film photography, there are still a lot of choices available. While most of the simple pocket cameras have long since given way to digital, that does not hold true for many artists and other photographers. They want larger pictures and more capable cameras and that means moving up to a minimum of either 35 mm or medium format. Both formats are still popular and widely available:

• Medium Format: Despite its name, this is actually a large format and is commonly for art photography. The film size is several times bigger than 35 mm, requiring a larger body. Many models do offer interchangeable lenses, but the lens availability is generally poorer than for the smaller format.
• 35 mm Format: The smaller 35 mm format is for portability and flexibility. It's an excellent choice for sports and wildlife subjects due to the wide range of available lenses. This format offers more long lenses than any other, and also has great autofocus capability.

What Should You Consider?

There are a number of points to consider in choosing a new film camera. Most have fewer features than a DSLR, but good optical design can provide a large number of advantages on its own. Perhaps the biggest thing to remember about finding the right camera for your needs is that any Hasselblad SLR camera is a system, not the monolithic entity it may appear to be when you're looking through the viewfinder. To get the most out of any single-lens 35 mm design you need to consider a wide range of components and factors:

• Optics: You need to choose a lens with the right focal length and depth of field for your subject. Add a filter if necessary, and also set your aperture.
• Film: Know your film and set your shutter speed to make the most of it when using your camera. Faster speeds let you focus on faster movement, but you need film that's able to take advantage of short exposures. Use a light meter if you're not sure whether there's enough light for the photo you want.

Using Your Camera

Not every camera goes into space like a Hasselblad, but you can still take great pictures right here on Earth. Whether you choose a DSLR, a 35 mm, or even a medium format camera, the key is always to work with your film camera as a system from the lens to the film back.