10 Perfect Gift Ideas for Film Photographers from a Photographer's POV

November 23, 2023

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

Film photography can be a bit of a niche thing and not everyone knows what kind of film or gifts to buy for the photographer in their life. Every year, I end up sending a list of links to my friends and family members with very specific kinds of film and camera gear that I want. Otherwise, no one has any idea what to get me! I’m here to help you find that perfect gift for the film photographer in your life. These are all things that I want too, so *hint hint*, if you’re a friend looking for a gift for me, any of these will do. :) :) Here are 10 Perfect Gift Ideas for Film Photographers from a Photographer's POV!

1. HOLGA GCFN OR HOLGA 135BC

If you follow my work, you know the Holga GCFN is my all-time favorite film camera. It’s a 120 film camera and is super affordable, quirky and fun to try out. Every photographer should have one of these, in my opinion. Even if they don’t end up using it, it looks cute on a shelf! It’s a great way to start learning film photography too because it’s easy to use, hard to break and exciting to experiment with. It’s known as a “toy” camera because it’s made of plastic and the photos have a very specific vignette to them, giving the images a surreal and moody atmosphere. I’m obsessed with the Holga camera, which is why I made this blog post and this YouTube video about it. :) The Holga comes in a ton of different colors, which is also why it makes a great camera to collect. I’m currently working on owning one of every color and so far I have about 10 different ones! The colorful ones are more likely to be found on eBay, bought from a secondhand seller. Currently, only the classic black style is being produced, which you can find brand new on Amazon or B&H Photo. Hopefully, one day they’ll start producing the colorful ones again and they’ll be a bit easier to find. If you’re photographer friend prefers to shoot 35 mm film, there is a super cute red version that you can buy brand new on B&H Photo here. I have a blog post and YouTube video about the 35 mm version too! It’s just the 120 version that is currently only available in black if you prefer a brand new camera. And there are other versions of the camera, I just prefer the GCFN version because it has a glass lens, as opposed to a plastic lens, which I find to be a bit sharper.

WHERE TO BUY:

Holga GCFN 120 Camera on Amazon
Holga GCFN 120 Camera on eBay

Holga 135BC Camera on B&H Photo
Holga 135BC Camera on eBay

2. PROFESSIONAL AND UNIQUE FILMS TO TRY

This might seen obvious, but sometimes as a gift-giver, you might have no idea what film to buy for the photographer in your life. If you’re looking to impress, you can never go wrong with Kodak Portra 160 (available in 120 or 35mm) or Kodak Portra 400 (available in 120 or 35mm). It’s quite pricey but is known as one of the best and most accurate color films out there. I hardly ever buy it for myself because of the price, which is why it would make a great gift. Trust me, they won’t be disappointed! If you’re looking for a more affordable, normal film, Kodak Gold 200 is always great too (also available in 120 and 35 mm)! If you’d prefer to buy a more unique and fun film, I’d recommend Lomography LomoChrome Purple (120 or 35mm) or Turquoise (120 or 35mm). These are exactly what they sound like - a purple film and a turquoise film. Not all photographers are down to experiment with these kind of colors but personally, I love them! I’m always looking for ways to make my photos more unique. You can also check out my blog post about some of my favorite color 35 mm films here if you’re interested in reading more!

WHERE TO BUY:

Kodak Portra 160 120 film on Amazon
Kodak Portra 160 35mm film on Amazon

Kodak Portra 400 120 film on B&H Photo
Kodak Portra 400 35mm film on B&H Photo

Kodak Gold 200 120 film on B&H Photo
Kodak Gold 200 35 mm film on Amazon

Lomography LomoChrome Purple 120 on B&H Photo
Lomography LomoChrome Purple 35mm on Amazon

Lomography LomoChrome Turquoise 120 on B&H Photo
Lomography LomoChrome Turquoise 35mm on B&H Photo

NEOPAN ACROS 100 35mm II (new version)

B&H Photo

eBay

NEOPAN ACROS 100 120 II (new version)

B&H Photo

eBay

3. POLAROID CAMERA

Another camera that every photographers should try out at some point! I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t love a polaroid. And while those Instax mini’s are cute and great, there’s something classically special about the standard, old school polaroid. For a while, the Polaroid brand was dead and gone. But a company called The Impossible Project began producing film to work with vintage polaroid cameras. It wasn’t the most reliable film at first, but they eventually procured the rights to the Polaroid brand and now produce consistent, beautiful film that works perfectly with vintage polaroid cameras. They also make brand new polaroid cameras, like the, which are also fun and would make an incredible gift! There’s nothing like an instant photograph. it’s a great way to capture moment with friends and families, especially during the holidays! You can scoop up vintage ones on Amazon ( I prefer the classic Polaroid One-Step 600 camera) or Polaroid’s new cameras like the I-2 or Polaroid Now, on Polaroid.com. Plus, they have TONS of other gift ideas on their site, including Bluetooth speakers, camera straps, frames and film styles. They always have great Black Friday / Cyber Monday deals too!

WHERE TO BUY:

Vintage Polaroid One-Step 600 on Amazon
Vintage Polaroid One-Step 600 on eBay

Polaroid I-2 on Amazon
Polaroid Now on Amazon

Polaroid.com for the I-2 and Polaroid Now

4. RING LIGHT

If your photographer friend has a small studio or likes to take portraits, a ring light is a great gift. I always have a ring light set up in my studio because it’s the perfect amount of light for a perfectly exposed polaroid portrait. They’re a great fill light but can also be used for a million other purposes. If your photographer friend shoots models, it’s great for a makeup artist to use while getting ready for the shoot. The Neewer 19-inch ring light that I have has temperature adjustment, an iPhone selfie holder and brightness control. It’s extremely easy to use and automatically makes every photo look amazing. It’s great for TikTokers too!

WHERE TO BUY:

Neewer 19-inch Ring Light on Amazon

Neewer Ring Light Kits on B&H Photo

5. SSD DRIVE

My husband recently bought a Crucial X6 1 TB portable SSD to use for his work but I ended up stealing it from him because it’s so amazing! For years, I’ve used normal external hard drives and have had issues with them disconnecting from my computer, breaking or just not showing up when I plug them in. An SSD, or solid state drive, doesn’t have any of those mechanical disks inside that are so easy to break with the traditional hard drives. Plus, the one I have is super small, easy to travel with and has tons of storage space. These are incredibly handy for dropping files onto them after a shoot, especially if you’re traveling and worried about losing your files. They’re super fast, shock-resistant and reliable. Photographers can never have too much storage space, especially if they shoot video or scan their own film in high resolution. Those files can take up tons of space and this is the perfect solution for that and is much easier than those desktop hard drives that are huge and unsafe to move around.

WHERE TO BUY:

The Latest Crucial Portable SSD on B&H Photo

6. ONA BACKPACK OR BAG

ONA is a stylish and long lasting brand of camera bags and backpacks. I’ve had two different ones over the years and I’ve loved them both dearly. They are extremely well-made and the quality is top notch. Any photographer would/should be stoked to receive one of these! I started off with the Monterey style but ultimately switched to the Clifton style because it had space for more cameras. I shoot with a LOT of different film cameras and I typically travel with at least 5 cameras in my backpack at any given time. The inside dividers are adjustable so you can change them to fit all of your weird quirky camera shapes. I also love that they have a refurbish program that I plan on taking advantage of soon. I’ve had my current Ona backpack for at least 10 years and it’s probably about time for a little TLC. For $50 you can send it in and they’ll repair and treat the leather or canvas to make it look brand new! It’s definitely on my Christmas list to myself this year to send mine in and get that done. :) I’m hoping to scoop up one of the shoulder bags one of these days too!

WHERE TO BUY:

ONA The Monterey Leather/Waxed Canvas Backpack
ONA The Clifton Camera Backpack

ONA Backpacks on B&H Photo

7. FILM SCANNER

I’ve had my Epson V750 for over 10 years and have definitely run it into the ground. A nice film scanner will save you thousands of dollars in the long run. I scan all of my own film so I never have to pay a film processing company to do it for me. Plus, I get full control over how my images turn out. I can color adjust before or after scanning, depending on my preference, and I can scan in incredible high resolution to make gigantic prints. These scanners last forever. The newest version is the Epson Perfection V850 Pro Photo Scanner. They aren’t cheap but you have to think about it as a long term investment. Scanning film after I get it back from processing is one of the most satisfying and fun parts of my job as a photographer. It’s also just fun to learn the process and to have that control that allows you to fully make your photos your own.

If you’d prefer a film scanner that’s less expensive and much smaller, you can try the Kodak Slide N Scan Digital Film Scanner or Kodak SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scanner.

WHERE TO BUY:

Epson Perfection V750-M Pro on Amazon

USED Epson Perfection V750 Pro on eBay

Epson Perfection V850 Pro on Amazon

8. FUN FILTERS & PRISMS

If you’re looking for something that is quirky, lighthearted and not too expensive, you can always get them an interesting filter or prism to use to create unique photos. I love getting weird with my photos and trying out new techniques. I’ll shoot through empty plastic bottles and clear plastic sandwich bags to create a different atmosphere with my images, but a prism or rainbow filter would probably be a bit more of an exciting gift to open! You could go for the NEEWER 58mm Kaleidoscope Prism Lens Filter or the KOGJAERS Prism Glasses 79mm Handheld Kaleidoscope Prism. These would make great stocking stuffers too!

WHERE TO BUY:

NEEWER 58mm Kaleidoscope Prism Lens Filter on Amazon
KOGJAERS Prism Glasses 79mm Handheld Kaleidoscope Prism on Amazon

9. STORAGE BINDERS FOR NEGATIVES

Storage binders for loose negatives are a great gift too. These are a necessity in my life. I’ve filled quite a few of these over the years. If the photographer in your life tends to leave their film negatives strewn across their house, this is a great way to help them organize them and keep them safe. Make sure to get the sleeves too (available for 120 film or 35 mm). I label all of my binders and negatives and finally have a good system down. Plus, the negative sleeves that go inside are archival quality and will keep the negatives safe for many years to come!

WHERE TO BUY:

Vue-All Archival Safe-T-Binder with Rings on Amazon
Vue-All Archival Safe T-Binder with Rings on B&H Photo
Archival 120 Size Negative Pages on Amazon
Archival 120 Size Negative Pages, Pack of 25 on B&H Photo
Archival 35mm Size Negative Pages on Amazon
Archival 35mm Size Negative Pages on B&H Photo

10. GIFT CARDS!

When all else fails, an Amazon gift card is always great because you can find the majority of film styles and cameras on Amazon. KEH camera is another great idea because they sell used camera gear. The majority of film cameras are vintage and used, and keh camera has a great system of checking and rating the quality of used cameras and lenses. I’ve ordered quite a few cameras over the years from KEH and have always had a great experience. If you know that your photographer friend prefers eBay, you can always pick up a gift card there too!

Amazon Gifts Cards

B&H Photo Video Gift Cards

KEH Camera Gift Cards

BONUS IDEA:

I’ve been using Smugmug as my online gallery/storage system for over 12 years. I upload my photos directly from Lightroom and keep all of my photos organized in galleries by year, photo shoot, location or film type. I honestly don’t know what I would do without smugmug. I send gallery links to all of my clients through smugmug and from there, they can download the photos in high-res, order prints and gifts and share the links with others! Not to mention, the smugmug app keeps my photos accessible at all times, and even backs up the photos and videos on my phone! It’s an amazing online storage service and is super affordable for what you get, in my opinion. You can get 15% off of a subscription for your photo friend here!

I hope these ideas help you in your search for the perfect gift! As a full-time photographer, I would be thrilled with any of these gifts and I really think the photographer in your life will love them too!

Have a happy holiday season! And don’t forget to stop by my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

#commissionsearned

<3 Myles

Neopan Acros 100 I vs. Neopan Acros 100 II Sample photos in Paris, France | The Best 35 mm & 120 Black and White Film

October 13, 2023

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

When I first started getting into photography in college, Neopan Acros 100 was one of the black and white films that my teacher recommended. Over the years, I tried out a ton of other black and white films, but there was always something special about Neopan Acros 100. It had such beautiful contrast, extreme sharpness, detail in the shadows and a true blackness that I always look for in black and white film. When I discovered that they were discontinuing it in 2018, I was devastated. I had taken Neopan Acros 100 with me all over the world; Paris, England, Scotland and all over the United States. It had become my go-to black and white film. I was super grateful though when Fujifilm announced that they’d be releasing a new version of the film in 2020, Neopan Acros 100 II. They have it available in 35 mm and 120, thankfully! These days, I’ve almost entirely switched to color film, but I finally decided to try it out and see if it lived up to the original version. I was planning a trip to Paris last year and decided it would be fun to re-enact my camera set-up from my first trip to Paris back in 2010 when I used the original Neopan Acros 100. I packed up my Canon Rebel K2 and Holga GCFN and a few rolls of Neopan Acros 100 II and even visited Versailles again, twelve years later, to test out the new version of the film using the same camera and location. I even made a YouTube video about our trip to Versailles and my thoughts on Neopan Acros 100 I vs. II, so make sure to give it a watch! :) I’ve included examples at the bottom of this post with Neopan Across 100 version I and then Neopan Acros 100 version II, in both 35 mm and 120 formats. I also took a roll of 120 Neopan Across 100 II to Kauai in 2022, so you’ll see a few Holga photos from our trip there too. :)

THOUGHTS ON NEOPAN ACROS I vs. NEOPAN ACROS II

I’m definitely thrilled that Fujfilm brought back a newer version of the Neopan Acros 100 film, but I’ll forever miss the original version. While the contrast and tones of the new version are beautiful and remind me of the original version, I find that there is some loss of detail in the shadows and highlights. It just doesn’t seem to perform as well in low light. I used to be able to pull more detail during scanning while still getting those dark blacks and bright whites. But still, it remains one of my favorite black and white films, with great sharpness and that classic black and white film vibe. There’s something so special about the tones, bringing nostalgia and a timelessness to the images that I find hard to replicate with other black and white films.

I still particularly love using Neopan Across 100 with the Holga, especially if I’m in a bright environment. I still haven’t found a film as sharp as Neopan Acros. I’m able to blow up my images on a massive scale, even when I take the images with a camera that isn’t that great. It’s really an incredible film, whether you use the new version or the old one.

WHERE TO BUY NEOPAN ACROS 100 FILM

NEOPAN ACROS 100 35mm II (new version)

NEOPAN ACROS 100 120 II (new version)

B&H Photo

Adorama

eBay

If you’re interested in trying out the original version, just know that it can get a bit pricey since it was discontinued. But you can still find it on eBay, just always make sure you’re buying from a reputable seller with good ratings!

NEOPAN ACROS 100 35mm I (original version)

eBay

NEOPAN ACROS 100 120 I (original version)

eBay

Feel free to leave any questions or comments below! Thanks so much for stopping by! And don’t forget to stop by my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

<3 Myles Katherine

(By using the links and/or codes above it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

EXAMPLE PHOTOS:

2010 | NEOPAN ACROS 100 35 MM I (original version) | CANON REBEL K2

2022 | NEOPAN ACROS 100 35 MM II (new version) | CANON REBEL K2

2010-2012 NEOPAN ACROS 100 I (original version) 120 FILM | HOLGA GCFN

2022 NEOPAN ACROS 100 II (new version) 120 FILM | HOLGA GCFN

Holga 135BC 35mm Film Camera Review & How-To with Sample Images | The 120 Holga vs. the 35mm Holga

October 2, 2023

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

If you’ve been following my work at all, you know I’m obsessed with the traditional 120 Holga. I’ve written a blog post and filmed a YouTube video about it! When I unexpectedly received the 35 mm version of this camera, the Holga 135BC, as a Christmas gift last year, I was SO excited. I always assumed that I wouldn’t like the 35mm format as much, just because the square format is so unique. But as soon as I got the images back, I realized that the 35mm version is unique and different in it’s own way. Because of the BC, “bent corners”, or vignetting, created by the Holga, the images still have that dreamy, surreal vibe that I love so much. In fact, I think the 135BC has renewed by excitement about the Holga. I now have a new way to create my beloved Holga images.

In my latest YouTube video, I bring the Holga 135BC with me on a trip to Louisville, Kentucky to try it out for the first time. The video includes an unboxing, how-to, film loading and tips for creating multiple exposures, as well as all of my favorite photos from my first roll of film. But if you’d prefer to read about it, rather than watch the YouTube video, keep scrolling! :)

HOW TO USE THE HOLGA 135BC 35MM FILM CAMERA

In terms of camera settings, it’s pretty much exactly the same as the traditional Holga. It’s extremely easy to use once you get the hang of it! Just be patient and show yourself some compassion with your first roll while learning the camera. :) Sometimes, crappy film cameras can be intimidating because it seems impossible to create a “good” image with it. But that’s the whole point! You have to embrace that they are unpredicatable, unusual and low-quality. It’s about taking those features, turning them into something positive and using them to your advantage.

LENS SETTINGS

The lens only has 4 options for distance from your subject - landscape, large group of people, small group of people and single-person. I tend to leave it on the landscape option most often because it’s the most likely to end up in focus, in case you forget to switch it in-between photos. But if you plan on being within a few feet of your subject, I’d use the single-person setting for best results. I don’t really use the other two options very often, just because I tend to forget to switch the lens setting in general. It’s safest for me to just leave it on landscape so I don’t end up with blurry, out of focus images!

SHUTTER SPEED

On the bottom of the camera, there is a switch with a B and an N. These letters stand for “Bulb” and “Normal”. So, unless you’re trying to do long/slow exposures for light painting or something similar, then the Normal setting is what you want. I actually tape it onto the N setting, because I’ve had it accidentally switch back to B while in my camera bag, and then I end up with blurry images. “Bulb” basically means that the shutter stays open as long as you hold down the shutter button. Using the N setting is a shutter speed of about 1/100th of a second. That’s really what you want for everyday use.

FLASH

The Holga 135BC comes with a removable flash. I love using a flash with my Holga, which is why the Holga GCFN is my favorite version of the 120 Holga. The Holga, in general, needs quite a bit of light to perform well. If you plan on using the Holga at night, inside or in another type of low-light situation, then I’d recommend using the flash. The Holga 135BC also comes with a bunch of colorful gel filters you can use to get creative. I haven’t tried it out yet with the 135BC camera, but I will definitely do that soon and update this blog post with some flash photos. :)

MULTIPLE EXPOSURES

The main reason I love the Holga camera so much is because of how easy it is to create double and multiple exposures. I’ve been using the 120 Holga since 2008 and it quickly became my favorite camera when I discovered the surreal and ghostly world that I could create with multiple exposures. I’ve even won a handful of awards with my multiple exposures, including first place in my senior thesis exhibition and one of the winners in the Lomography’s Ten and One Awards in the “Human Stories” category! If I had to choose one camera to use for the rest of my life, it would be the Holga. When I discovered that the 35mm camera was just as easy to use when creating multiple exposures, I fell in love even more! To create a multiple exposure with the Holga 135BC, you simply just DO NOT wind the film in-between shots. You click the shutter button for your first image and then click it again for your second image, right over top of the first. You can do this as many times as you want, creating triple or quadruple exposures if you’d like! Just keep in mind that every image you add will increase the exposure of the image overall, meaning that after three or four images, you will be losing detail in the highlights and will eventually just become a purely white image if you took too many. I usually stick to doubles and will occasionally try a triple.

FILM LOADING

This is my one source of contention with the Holga. They are sort of known for being difficult to load. The 135BC is no different. I recommend watching my YouTube video to get a better idea of how it works. But as long as you notice the knob on the top left of the camera spinning while winding your film in-between shots, then you’ve loaded the film correctly and it is winding through the camera. I typically start with bending the leader of the film before inserting it into the slit on the right side of the camera, to help it catch. Then, you’ll have to click the shutter button once or twice as you’re winding it and getting it started, before closing the back and taking another photo or two to prevent light leaks. Just make sure you can see the film sprockets catching on the grooves inside the camera before closing the back. A lot of crappy 35mm cameras work this way, so if you plan on shooting a lot of film in your future, unfortunately you’ll just have to get used to this process!

APERTURE

On the top of the lens you’ll notice a switch with a lightning setting and a sun setting. Technically, the lightning setting is supposed to be f/8 and the sunny setting is f/11. Most people who use the Holga would argue there’s not really a difference, but I tend to leave it on f/8 with the hope that it will let in a little bit of extra light, especially because I prefer to use lower ISO films in order to get sharper images.

WHERE TO BUY THE HOLGA 135BC

FILM OPTIONS

You can use any 35mm film with this camera, but I definitely have a few options I’d recommend. Keep in mind that Holgas in general need a lot of light to perform well. They are also known for not having the sharpest images in the world. This is why I tend to sick to ISO 200 or 400 film. When you get up to 800, the images become quite a bit grainy and less detailed. If you use ISO 100 or lower, just make sure you’re in a super bright environment, like the beach. Personally, I use ISO 100 pretty often with the Holga, but only when I know that my environment will be able to handle it, or I use a flash. You will definitely end up with much sharper images though, the lower ISO you use. If you’re a beginner, I’d recommend 200-400 ISO.

Here are a few of my favorite film options:

FINAL THOUGHTS

To be honest, I kind of love the images more than I thought I would! I was convinced that I’d always have more of an affinity towards the 120 version, but there really is something special and magical about the Holga brand in general. If you aren’t happy with your first roll of film, try again! It takes a bit of time to grow comfortable using the Holga, but once you do, you’ll love it! Especially, if you love the 35mm frame overall, this would be a super fun way to experience it differently. Personally, if I had to choose between 35mm and medium format, I’d choose medium format. But there’s nothing wrong with either choice, it’s really just a personal preference! If you think you might like the medium format version better, you can read more about it here!

SAMPLE PHOTOS

And of course, I can’t end this blog post without showing you a few sample images! These are all from my very first roll of film with this camera, so I’ll be sure to add more examples as I use the camera more.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to leave any questions/comments/thoughts below!
Have a magical day! And don’t forget to stop by my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

<3 Myles Katherine

(click to enlarge)