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Comment by tuatoru | Hacker News Reader

Photography is perhaps becoming niche.

My wife learned in the digital era, but has recently got into film with a couple of 35mm cameras and now a Rolleiflex 120-format twin-lens reflex from family friends.

She struggles with, but likes, the ideas that you have to think much harder about your shots with film (especially 120: 12 shots per roll!), and that you have to keep records of your shots in a notebook or similar, because you won't see them for a while. She loves the different effects of the different film types.

The result has been moving from a 1:15 keeper ratio to closer to a 1:6 or 1:4 ratio.

Film cameras are heavy, though. Something in carbon composite would be nice. And possibly a dual-media camera: take a preview on digital, then if you want, take the shot on film.

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Shooting on film really helped with visualizing the exposure and depth of field of my shots, it was always a lot of fun waiting to see if my final photos looked as good as I imagined them, especially when shooting on picky film like Velvia (RIP).

> And possibly a dual-media camera: take a preview on digital, then if you want, take the shot on film.

Here are some guys using an analog version of your idea to preview their product shots:

https://youtu.be/f021EEy9B08?t=173

Try the Goodman Zone camera, a 3d printed medium format plastic camera. Also the Rolleicord or Rolleiflex T and earlier 3.5 models and the Minolta Autocord are light enough (~1 kg). I have a 3.5 MX-EVS and a 'cord IV.

https://doragoodman.com/goodlab-project/goodman-zone-medium-...

We have a Rolleiflex T, which we love for its mechanical qualities (so clever!) but still find heavy.

My wife uses Olympus (micro four-thirds) digital, which is much lighter. Olympus make (made?) some great lenses.

Made - they sold their camera business to another conglomerate. Marketed as "OM System" now, but with mostly the same product line (there's one new body so far).

Well, the only lighter medium format camera which isn't an ancient folder is the Fuji GS645S and it's not much lighter than the T, only 200 grams or so. There is a wide angle version, the GS645W which is even lighter at 680 grams. But it has its quirks: you frame it in portrait mode and the shutter has issues and makes a loud noise as well. You'd be lucky if you find one without fault.

The Rollei T is great but I was fed up with the crank issues on my 3.5 MX-EVS and bought an inexpensive 'cord. What kept me away from the T was the >1 kg weight and also the price. The 'cord is 830 grams but the viewfinder is qiute dim and not usable in weak light.

I too use a digital micro four thirds camera, but a Panasonic with the Leica 15 mm f1.4 and the first edition 20 mm Lumix lens. It's not much lughter than the 'cord

While I agree with everything here, I want to commend on the keeper ratio based on my own experience.

Whenever I shoot on film I definitely have a much higher keep ratio, but a much smaller overall keep volume.

It's simply not practical, either time/money/physically, to shoot on film the same amount and things that I do digital.

Heavier cameras help making sharper pictures as you can hold them still better.

She's hyper-aware of that. Everything is on tripod.

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