I'm starting to do film photography and the Ultra F9 really catches my eyes so it's great to see a detailed review of it. Thanks for the vid! More power to you, love from PH 🇵🇭
Thank you for another great video, Bon. 😊 I just recently got into film photography and I wanted to start with something that's not so intimidating so I searched for videos about it and I came across your channel. I think your videos and reviews are very helpful, not to mention very aesthetically pleasing. You're my favorite photography channel. ❤️ Keep it up, kababayan :)
I’ve missed your colours and aesthetic on RU-vid Bon! Thanks for the outline of this little guy, again another camera I didn’t even know existed! The image quality wasn’t too bad for a plastic lens!
I recently received this camera as a gift and have been trying to figure out the world of film (I have been using a digital camera for a while now). Thank you for this very clear and simple explanation on how to set it up! Great video and great pictures!!
I expected more from kodak than just another clone camera. It looks like no one put any effort into the design, unlike sprite or agfa. The Ultra F9 font is really generic. At least you made pretty good sample images with it. :D
My god, I was judging the font so bad! I just didn’t say it because I didn’t wanna sound too much of a font elitist or something haha but like… a generic italicized serif font? C’mon hahaha 😂 maybe most of the budget went to the fancy box
Another nice video !!! Somehow, I am always surprised about the results, you get with this type of camera. You always use 400 ASA films, right ? I tried it several times and the pictures always came out too bright and pretty much overexposed. 100-200 ASA works much better for me, but then, I mostly use those types of cameras on sunny days only.
Bright sunny days outside will probably be best on 200. It could also be from the scans. I tend to get high quality flat tiff scans of my images, which allows me to bring back details in the highlights if the image is too overexposed Though from my experience, I don’t think I ever gotten an image that’s too blown out using ISO 400 😅 Maybe I don’t go out when it’s too sunny haha
I remember when I was a kid we used to have this camera and thats how I really fell inlove with taking photos, now I am loooking where I can really buy this :/
Hi once I load a new film I can’t seem to turn the wheel fully it’s stops.. and it only shows the “S” and doesn’t go further .. so my film count is not going up. I’ve wasted already two film rolls. Do you have any advice?
It's wild to me that people are paying $50 for new plastic cameras when there are literally millions of them out there at garage sales and thrift stores. They used to give away cameras like this as free gifts when you'd open a bank account or subscribe to a magazine and stuff. Just ask any old person if they have one and they'll probably give it to you.
Thank you Bon for an amazing review on this great camera. Just ordered mine online and planning to do film photography once i got my hands on it. Im very excited and this video helped out a lot thank you. Just need one more clarification if you dont mind hehe Do i need to move the advance wheel every time i take a shot? Thank you again bon hope youll answer my question.
Hey thanks! Yes, you need to move the film advance wheel every time before you want to take a shot That basically readies the shutter and moves the film to the next
@@Bonsees Thank you Bon for being such a great inspiration, continue your work hoping we could be on one fil together 👍🏼 and one last thing, how wound I know if i had moved the wheel enough? Thank you 🤍
Do you bring your film to a photographer or shop to get them developped? I always ask to put all the pictures on my USB as well, I find it's easiest and best quality that way! Years ago I would scan them, gives an extra retro effect but it's less time efficient and worse quality
I´ve some concerns: first the lense aperture of f/9 needs super bright sunlight or indoor light to produce decent looking images on probably any analog film. I would only use Kodak Tmax 3200 or Cinestill 800. because if you plan on using this camera in any low light situation (even with flash), image quality will be garbage.
I agree that f/9 needs a lot of light, but in this camera, this is offset by a fairly slow shutter speed (1/120). If we go by the sunny 16 rule, this puts us about 1 stop from f16 SS120 for ISO200. This means that the camera should be able to have decent exposure in bright sunny days even for ISO 200. That said, from my experience, 400 and 800 ISO works best to handle most lighting situations using these kinds of cameras. I don’t think you need to only use 800 and 3200, although you can 😅
Also, you need to be within 3 meters of your subject for the flash to work, so if you’re taking portraits of people in doors, it should be fine. Room-wide photos, probably not.
You’ll have to first get your film developed then scanned (if you’re new, I suggest getting it done at a Photo Lab). Once you get digital scans, you can transfer those to your phone
If by “roll” you mean “advance,” then yes~ that’s how the camera moves to the next frame and readies the shutter to fire when you press the shutter button 😊
Hello, what do you think is the best option between these three: * KODAK Film Camera M35 / M38 * Kodak Ultra F9 Reusable Film Camera * Kodak I60 Reusable Film Camera Thank you!
Thank you for making this informative video! I got my F9 second hand, and when I loaded the film and scrolled to reach 1, the # was not scrolled to 1, it scrolled to 32. I took a sample picture and it advanced to 33 after scrolling. Will this ruin my roll of film and only allow me to take 3 pictures until it reaches 36? Or will the count start over at 1 and allow me to keep shooting until the film is through?
Hmm interesting. My experience with mine is that if I go over 36 (I can usually get 38 shots because of how I load my film) the counter just stays at 36 until I reach the end of the roll and can’t advance anymore. The camera resets to 0 only after I rewind the film and open the film door. I’m assuming you should be ok though I only ever pushed beyond 36 like at most three shots 😅 if you do get stuck, you can always rewind the film back into the canister (making sure you don’t fully rewind the leader in), and shoot however many photos you already taken previously while the lens is covered when you use it again (if you don’t cover the lens, you’ll get double exposures). E.g., if you shot 3 photos and get stuck, rewind the film, load the film on a different camera (or same one if the counter resets to S), shoot 3 photos while the lens is covered, then shoot the rest normally. Hope this helps!
What happens if you forget to advance the roll before taking a new picture? Will it become a double exposure, or will the camera now allow a new picture to be taken?
could anyone help me with why i’m not able to take the film out after rewinding? just shaking it like in the video doesn’t make it fall out unfortunately.
Yes! Just try to not fully wind the film into the canister (but if that happens, search “how to take film leader out of canister” it’s fairly easy to do)
Does it have to be a film camera? If you just want to have printed photos, you can technically use any camera you already have (like your phone) and buy a photo printer (Kodak sells some printers below $100). I’m saying this because while you can technically print film photos at home, there are extra steps you have to take like developing and scanning the film. Also, while this camera may be cheap, film isn’t. I’m not trying to scare you away from shooting film. The whole film process can be really fulfilling. I just want you to know that it’s not the most convenient if you simply want to have printed photos
Check your film roll if it says 36 exp then that means you have 36 exposures. Keep on shooting up to 36 (I sometimes get up to 38). You’re finished with a roll once you feel tension and you can’t advance the film anymore (don’t try to force it as it will pull and rip the film out of the canister)
hi so i’m not sure if my camera is broken but i tried to put the film onto the spool and kept turning the wheel i closed the door of the back of the camera and it didn’t lock at all it just keep allowing me to wind it so i’m confused as to what i’m doing wrong and also when i wind it the thing on the top doesn’t turn around either
This sounds like the film isn’t latching to the take up spool. Try to make sure the spokes on the gear ⚙️ and the film take up spool are hooking onto the sprocket holes so when you move the film advance wheel, it drags the film with it before you close the camera
You’ll have to finish shooting the whole film roll, then when you get it developed at a photolab, ask for digital scans of your images. You can then send those digital files to your phone/computer
I usually go to a local photolab to get my film developed and scanned, but I own an Epson V600 and Plustek OpticFilm 8300i. I've also tried camera scanning before. I just don't have a lot of free time nowadays to do the developing and scanning myself.
Kodak is trying to reproduce the success of the Instamatic of the 60s by increasing the number of all-plastic toys (including the lens). It is not with mediocrity that Kodak will revive film sales, even if the intention is very laudable. The Instamatic used type 126 chargers which further simplified use and above all was of much better quality with the use of aluminum parts and glass objectives. Once again Kodak is on the wrong track. Good video.
Thanks 🙏🏼 although it’s not really Kodak that is making these cameras, afaik, they’re smaller companies (usually in China) that make these under the Kodak brand that some acquired years ago when Kodak was having a rough time. Meanwhile, Kodak is making a new Super 8 camera that’s looking fine but is extremely expensive 😅
@@Bonsees I suspect it, but the Chinese are also capable of doing good things. The problem with film is that there are no serious manufacturers today to make good film cameras like before. Enthusiasts are turning to the second-hand and old market which is not inexhaustible and aging devices can no longer be repaired. Or they buy devices like this one which at least has the merit of introducing young people to film which is always positive. There is indeed a renewed interest in Super 8, but here in my country the problem is finding a lab that develops it and that costs an arm and a leg. Your videos are very complete with supporting photos, well done.
@@Hector_Malot yeah~ I wish camera manufacturers would make new film cameras that aren’t just reusable disposables~ seems like Pentax is on it, and a few other independent ones like Mint. If those are good and successful, maybe the bigger manufacturers will try too. Of course there’s always Leica with the rereleased M6, the MP and MA (but they’re extremely expensive 😵💫). Hopefully we’ll see some more mid-range film cameras again soon~
This was a good video. I am just venturing into film camera and will be purchasing this camera. Would you help me with which film do I buy for the camera?
I’m working on a vid for the H35. They have some framing differences too, the H35 is portrait while most cameras are landscape, and some other things like the location of the film advance wheel and the way you turn on the flash, etc
Thanks for the helpful video, could you help me diagnose mine? My camera no longer advances film, I even replaced the battery to see if that was it. I loaded a new film properly into the camera and the wheel that loads before shooting just keeps turning, it never catches and advances it. Are the gears broken or something?
Were you able to advance the film before and now you can’t? One thing I can think of is that the film doesn’t fully latch on to the take up spool. Sometimes, even if you think you’ve placed it properly, it can pop out when advancing the film. Try this, when loading new film, do the steps I did in this vid, but before closing the film door, fully rotate the film advanced wheel to make sure the film actually latches tightly on the take up spool (you can use your left thumb to press on the film canister while moving the film advanced wheel to put some tension on the film).
@@Bonsees thank you for responding! I used to be able to advance the film like normal, I’ve gone through three rolls previous to this. I tried using one of my friends rolls after that but I don’t think it was the right one and may be the cause of the trouble. The problem is that the cylinder inside the camera (underneath the advance wheel) won’t turn when I advance the wheel. The wheel cranks infinitely and never stops while the cylinder underneath it that catches the film does not move at all. I can’t even force it to catch the film it just seems disconnected or something. Any ideas?
Emergency!!!!! I mistakenly dropped the camera on the floor after taking 3 shots and the viewer (?) turns to S again. What does it mean 😭 I was still able to capture something but not sure if the pics will come out 😞😞
@@mokacokolata25 if you’re able to take new photos, you should be ok. The counter auto resets when you open the film door. Maybe the reset mechanism got triggered when it fell
Thanks. It’s ok that I’m “late” I’m not really here to compete with other channels on releasing a review of every new gadget/camera when they come out 😅
It’s based on the film stock you’re using. If you wanna use ISO 400, use a film that has an ISO 400 like Kodak Ultramax 400. You don’t set anything on the camera 😁
Would you recommend this as an overall good camera for someone who doesn't want a perfect picture but just a simple record? By the way the video was really helpful
I’d say so~ any old point and shoot will work as well for that matter. These reusable cameras just provide you with an experience similar to disposables. thanks!
No previews. After you process it, you can get a “contact sheet” which is like a mini print containing all the photos. This is how (back in the days) you’d choose which photos to print. But if you’re getting digital scans, that’s not really needed anymore
Great video and very good explanation! Do you know of an affordable point & shoot with sharpness over the entire photo without the corners smeared by the plastic lens? It's an aesthetic effect I'd like to get rid of, thanks in advance! 🥲
Hmm sorry, I don’t know. Most affordable cameras use lens with trade-offs to sharpness to keep the cost low. Part of why point & shoots with sharp lenses (Contax T series and Yashica T with Carl Zeiss lenses) are highly sought after. That said, I do own a Fuji Auto7 and while the corner sharpness isn’t as sharp, it’s still waaay better than the smearing on plastic lenses
Hello! Will you have a review of the kodak i60? I can't decide between the ultra f6, kodak i60, or vibe 501f. Do you have a recommendation? Thank you! ✨
Thanks Ed! I’d say the photo quality is pretty much the same. These photos were just scanned in a higher resolution than the photos I showed in my Agfa video from last year
thank you for sharing. i am currently trying to finally follow my passion of photography. i wanted to ask, for this camera, can i use basically any 35mm film? like colorplus, ektar, etc. And does it have to be kodak film, or can i also use fujifilm with it. Hope to hear back from you soon :)
You can use any 35mm film brand, though I suggest using rolls that have ISO 400 and above (so like Kodak ultramax and Fujifilm superia 400) so you can ensure you’re getting enough light to expose your photos. ISO 200 (so like Kodak gold and colorplus) are good for outdoor sunny day photos. I don’t recommend Ektar for this because that is only ISO 100 (it’s a good film though)
@@Bonsees thank you so much! I really am debating whether to get this camera or just a regular kodak 35mm, so i can use many different films. what do you think?
Either works, they’re pretty much the same. I suggest getting the one that is easier to get where you live, cheaper, or just the one that appeals to you more
I have some scanning equipment at home, but recently I just get high quality scans from a photo lab because I work full time now and don’t have much time to scan photos by myself
Thanks a lot for the video, I actually bought the F9 thanks to you which is my very first ever camera (super beginner here lol). Now that I have my roll/film I am able to develop it but how do I do to get them on my phone for example ? Do I have to buy a Kodak Mini Scanner ? Or is there actually company that does it ? Maybe it’s a dumb question, but since I don’t have the answer I’m here to ask lol. Thanks in advance 🙏
Hello, most film labs do development + scanning nowadays. So just ask them for scans. If you’re doing the development by yourself at home, you can check out camera scanning (using a digital camera which you might already have) or get a scanner (like the Epson V600 or Plustek OpticFilm). Checkout some tutorials for film scanning at home. I haven’t tried the Kodak mini scanner but my assumption is that it doesn’t really get high quality scans.
Hi Bon, great video and easy to follow!! ❤️❤️❤️ My flash no longer works, do you know why that might be? It worked the first few shots but now the red light doesn’t light up nor does the flash go off at all sadly!
Hi 👋🏼 oh no, I hope it’s not broken. Have you tried replacing the battery? That’s the thing with these cameras, the quality control can be hit or miss. I’m somehow lucky enough that my cameras all still work even when I’ve had them for a while and even lent them out to friends and stuff 😅
