When someone asked me recently what I’m into I didn’t have answers. Existential crisis aside, what are some good hobbies/interests for someone in their mid thirties to pick up?
When someone asked me recently what I’m into I didn’t have answers. Existential crisis aside, what are some good hobbies/interests for someone in their mid thirties to pick up?
Film photography can still be pretty cheap compared to digital. Any prime 50mm-ish from the last 70 years will be at least decent to great, any manual camera from the last 50 years is will be good if working. A lot of East-Asian and Eastern European bodies and lenses from the 70’-90’don’t hold much value but a lot are very competent workhorses. A lot of (especially Japanese) “basic” lenses like the SMC Taks, most Canons and Nikons have gotten very expensive tho because nowadays people can easily adapt them to any MILC for that “vintage” look.
Go black and white, buy a bottle of Rodinal (or any clone) and a film tank. They will both last forever.
Good b&w film like Ilford FP4+ is getting expensive tho, but you can still burn through 50 rolls before reaching the price of a decent, entry level cropped frame DSLR or MILC. Double or triple that if you want a full frame digital camera.
Plus, a full manual setup is an amazing learning tool, and having only 36 shots per roll force you to stop and think before shooting anything.
Only potential problem is that scanning negatives can be tricky without buying a film scanner.
Sounds like fun! Overall though it has to cost more than using your phone and not having to buy film, paper or chemicals, I’d think. Not that there’s anything wrong with spending a bit of money on an interest.