Shutter Hunter

Everyone remembers their first film camera, and everyone remembers how they got into shooting film. I was in a creative rut; I had been shooting digitally for a while but wanted more creative control and needed a bit of an artistic mixup, ya know? I also, like most people coming from digital, loved the grain or “noise” associated with how film photos looked so I figured it was about damn time. Unfortunately, I had no family members who ever were into photography – so there were no hand me down cameras available for me. I knew I had to do the dirty work and go hunt for one.

First, I needed to do research on what exactly I wanted. I knew I wanted to shoot on 35mm. That was done, decision made. Next was finding the right camera. Being completely new to shooting on film, I wanted to make sure I had a bit of a safety net when it came making clear exposures in tricky lighting situations – so I told myself I needed a camera with shutter or aperture priority. Either would be helpful. Having that reliable “A” on my lens and shutter speed dial would come in handy for a new shooter like myself. So…what did the internet tell me to get under those circumstances? The almighty internet said buy one of two cameras: a Minolta X-700 or a Canon AE-1. I pondered for a while, but when I was tired of doing mental gymnastics in my head on which camera I wanted more, I decided on the Canon purely based on the fact that I owned a Canon DSLR so I figured I might as well keep it in the family. Another really cool selling point was that the Canon AE-1 was the first SLR camera equipped with a microprocessor, and it did have shutter priority which made me feel at ease. The camera was produced from 1976-1984 which meant Canon had seen a ton of success with it. Upon doing more research, I found that the AE-1 was backed by a massive advertising campaign which helped it sell over a historic 1 million units, some commercials focused on the Olympics, and some focusing on USA professional athletes like Joe Theismann. I was locked in; it was time to search for one.

The hunt was on. I browsed eBay for about 30 minutes before I became anxious about ordering a used product like a camera from the 70s or 80s because I wanted to make sure I could hold and feel the camera before spending money on it. Craigslist? Way too sketchy. I had heard of a few eCommerce apps where you meet up with people in your area so I gave two apps a download; OfferUp and LetGo. OfferUp had way more cameras, but I actually got my first response back from LetGo. It took about a week, but some things are worth waiting for. The seller had accepted my offer of $25 for a Canon AE-1 that was in “poor shape”. For some reason I had checked what else she was selling on her profile and low and behold; a Minolta X-700 for $20 also. I quickly messaged her again inquiring, and I had locked both cameras down for $40 combined.

I was living in the South Loop of Chicago at the time and I had to meet the seller somewhere near Cermak and Taylor Street, so it really was just a bit southwest of where I was already – only about a 10-15 minute drive. After a few days of going back and forth on LetGo, we eventually set up a date and time to meet. This was my first time meeting up with someone on this app so I was weary at first. It was actually a really pleasant experience to be honest. I met her, picked up the cameras, and went on my way. No sketchiness, no fuss, it was so easy. The AE-1 was in pretty great condition; shutter speeds seemed right, shutter button fired with battery, and the viewfinder was clean. The lens on the X-700 was dusted inside, but the shutter speeds and film advance lever were working. I was given the original manuals for both cameras, including the original written receipt of the X-700 (stay tuned for an SLR Story on a different Minolta X-700 I picked up). I was pretty ecstatic. The Canon AE-1 quickly became my shooting companion. The TTL light metering and shutter priority mode basically held my hand during my first few months of learning to shoot on film. It has accompanied me in many elements including snow, rain, heat; and has always been reliable. Check out a few sample photos from my first few rolls of film below!

These were photos I made amongst my first few rolls ever in my AE-1 and they definitely gave me that film feel and look I was going for. The grain, the texture, it was all there. I had absolutely no idea what I did to myself when I got that first roll of film back. I was hooked. During my time shooting there was a sensation that I could feel throughout my bones as I would press the shutter button. The sound and vibration of the mirror smacking up and down, the clicking and tension in the cranking of the film advance lever, the weight of the metal camera body; I loved it all. Little did I know it would turn into a passion and a collection I would become so involved with. I am forever indebted to my Canon AE-1, and to the person who graciously sold it to me.

What was your first film camera? Let me know in the comments!