The Best Home Investment: A Great Film Reel
A movie is a sequence of moving pictures on a display, typically using audio, that create a tale. Some of us love to watch new movies at the cinema while secretly wishing for animated films. Or maybe you love old movies but are constantly being told that the next new release will be better than all the others. Whatever your preference, it’s fun to discover that there are alternatives to viewing classic movies in the comfort of your own home.
If you’ve seen “Lawrence of Arabia” before, you’ll know that it was one of the most successful films ever released – with a cast featuring such heavy hitters as George Clooney, Bing Crosby, James Bond, and of course Lawrence Of Arabia himself. This is definitely an example of early motion picture technology – and as we know, the advent of video cameras forever changed the way we watch films! The advent of sound recordings – perhaps best associated with the advent of the stereo sound system – also helped create a completely different type of experience when watching motion pictures. Suddenly, a silent film with a classical score would suddenly become vibrant, dynamic, and life-like! It was the birth of the era of “talkies”.
If you’re going to use a film to capture some of your favorite memories (or to send family members home from school with memories that they’ve never seen before), you’ll need to have a special device to record the film onto. You may decide that a simple camcorder is the best option, or you may prefer to invest in a more technologically advanced “lightweight” film unit. Whatever your decision, you’re almost certainly going to need to invest in some special film reels in order to capture your film. Essentially, these are units that contain a storage tank full of reels. When you want to record a film, you simply place the film unit inside the tank, strap on a cable, and then attach it to the reel that spins like a drill.
There are two types of film reels to consider when purchasing one. The most common type is the “dry film” reel, which is comprised mainly of a single removable plastic lens. This film reels can be used to record both still and video. The other type is the “wet film” reel, which is similar to the dry film, except that it has an internal organ that helps maintain the film’s stability. Wet film reels are the most fragile of all film reels, as their internal mechanisms tend to bend easily. If a film reel should somehow break, you can easily replace it using the included plastic lens.
In addition to film reels, you will also need to invest in a camera. Although it’s not absolutely necessary, a good quality digital camera will make taking film pictures easier and more enjoyable. Digital cameras generally have a mode dial that allows you to focus the camera on the perfect subject, and they make great general photos. The downside to using a digital camera is that you can’t preview your photos until you transfer them to your computer, which takes up some extra time but can be very worth it.
Film can be pretty expensive, especially if you plan on making several short films, so it’s important to think about all of your film budget options before you make a final decision. Fortunately, there are several cheap and readily available film reels that are suitable for a wide range of film photography projects. For under $30, you can buy a basic 35mm camera, and for just a little more you can buy a top of the line SLR (single lens reflex) camera for even faster processing power and superior photo results. If you’re looking to take home some professional-quality photos, I highly recommend both options. Good luck with your film photography!