The best gifts for film photographers in 2022
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Film photography is in a bit of a renaissance. New films are being announced on a monthly basis and Leica is bringing back its iconic M6 camera with a modern twist.
With the holiday season in full effect, we’ve rounded up a few of the best film photography gifts you can find, from fun new film stocks to a large format camera that probably cost more than your car. Checkout the slideshow and let us know what other film products you plan on getting for yourself or your loved ones over the holiday season.
Note: Gifts are listed in order from least to most expensive.
CineStill 400Dynamic – $15 per roll – A new 35mm, 120 format color negative film stock
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Earlier this year, CineStill brought a new color negative film to market following a successful crowdfunding campaign. It’s called 400Dynamic and its a 400/27° ISO color negative film that was ‘specifically designed for still photography, to be processed in C-41 chemistry.’
According to the company, the film ‘delivers a soft color palette with natural saturated color and rich, warm skin tones.’ You can purchase it in both 35mm (36 exposures) and 120 formats on CineStill’s website for $15 a roll.
CineStill 400Dynamic Color Negative Film
Kodak Gold 200 (120 format) – 5-pack for $45 – Kodak Gold is once again available for medium format photographers
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Earlier this year, Kodak Alaris announced it was bringing its popular Gold 200 color negative film stock back to 120 format. Now, the film is available to order, giving medium format film photographers yet another color negative film stock to choose form.
The last time Kodak Gold was available in 120 format was 25 years ago, in 1997, when it was available under the Kodacolor Gold 200 branding. While this new Kodak Gold 200 carries a familiar name, it appears to be an entirely new formula, with an emphasis on keeping it an entry-level film, compared to the company’s ‘Professional’ Portra and Ektar film stocks.
Kodak Gold 200 in 120 format is available in five-packs for $44.95 at most retailers (Adorama, B&H, KEH).
Sous vide machine – Starting at $50 – Easily bring your development chemicals up to temperature
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What does a kitchen appliance with a French name have to do with film photography? If you develop your own film, a sous vide (pronounced sue veed) machine is a safe, efficient solution to getting your chemicals exactly the right temperature with minimal effort.
Rather than attempting to babysit a warm water bath and a thermometer, a sous vide machine allows you to dial in the exact temperature you need your chemicals at. Plug it in, turn it on, set the temperature, and clip it onto the edge of a container with water and your development chemicals inside. Within 20-30 minutes, you should have chemicals ready for precise film development (the exact time will depend on the power of your sous vide machine and the temperature required).
While this will help with black and white development as well, it really shines when using it for color film development considering how precise the temperatures of C41 chemicals need to be for proper development.
Sous vide machines can be found both online and in-store for as little as $50. More expensive models even have remote control functionality over Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth for adjusting and monitoring the temperature on your mobile device.
CameraTins wooden cameras – Starting at $59 – Replica film cameras made entirely of laser-cut wood
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They’re not nearly as functional as real film cameras, but these wooden film camera replicas from Etsy shop CameraTins are sure to make wonderful decorations for your home or office.
Made of laser-cut wood, CameraTins has a rotating stock of various camera models. All of the models currently available include removable lenses and, in the case of the Hasselblad 503CW replica, a removable viewfinder, making it a little more interactive than your usual replica camera.
Prices start at $59 for the wooden Zeiss Ikon SW replica, with the wooden Leica M3 replica retailing for $79. You can see all the wooden cameras and other accessories on CameraTins’ Etsy shop.
Analogue Wonderland film subscription box – $65 every other month – A reoccurring 35mm film subscription box
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Who doesn’t love getting a parcel filled with fun surprises in the mail on a reoccurring basis? UK-based Analog Wonderland is bringing the concept of the ‘curated subscription box’ to 35mm film lovers everywhere. Once signed up, subscribers will receive a box every other month (depending on the length of subscription). Each box contains six different rolls of 35mm film, curated from a selection of 100.
Not only is this a fun way for film lovers to try new emulsions, but it’s also a way to connect with other 35mm shooters. Each month all subscribers receive the same film stocks, and Analog Wonderland provides an online space for folks to both discuss their results and compete in friendly competitions.
NONS SL660 – $600 – An expensive Instax Square Film camera with a Canon EF mount
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Meet the NONS SL660, an interchangeable-lens SLR instant film camera that works with Fujifilm Instax Square Film. The SL660 features a Canon EF mount that can be converted to be used with other lenses, such as M42, Nikon F, PK, CY and even older medium format lenses.
Photographs are captured on Fujifilm’s 1:1 Instax Square Film and images are composed using the camera’s pentaprism viewfinder.All settings are manual, as is focus. The device does offer aperture control though and lasts for over 100 shots using the built-in battery, which is charged over USB-C.
Other features include a bulb mode, a multiple exposure mode and a hot shoe for flashes (with a sync speed up to 1/250). Although any EF-mount lens (or lens adapted to EF-mount) should work, but NONS suggest using lenses between 28mm and 58mm (full-frame equivalent) to minimize vignetting and to prevent from the image circle being smaller than the Instax Square Film.
You can purchase the NONS SL660 from NONS’ website for $600.
Leica M6 film camera – $5295 – An updated version of Leica’s iconic rangefinder camera
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20 years after Leica made its last M6 rangefinder film camera, the Wetzlar company has brought it back in a familiar form factor packed with modern electronics and improved components, reviving the iconic piece of gear.
The updated M6 features technology from Leica’s MP film camera, places it inside an M6 form factor. The updated M6 features more modern internal electronics and an anti-glare 0.72x viewfinder taken from the company’s newer MP film camera. It also uses a solid brass construction with the same rear ISO dial found on the original M6.
Despite being announced in October, the Leica is still taking pre-orders for the $5295 M6. Each unit is handmade in Germany.
GP810HP 8×10 camera by Pagani × Gibelinni – $75000 – A large format camera for supercar fans
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If Leica’s $5295 M6 reissue isn’t rich enough for your blood, we have the camera for you: a limited-edition 8×10 camera designed by two iconic Italian companies.
Sports car manufacturer Pagani and large format camera manufacturer Gibelinni teamed up to create the GP810HP, a $75,000 8×10 camera. The luxury camera is constructed of aluminum and titanium and only 75 units were manufactured, the first 30 of which were available exclusively to owners of Pagani’s supercars.
You can find out more about the GP810HP in the product brochure:
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This article comes from DP Review and can be read on the original site.
