Filming camera equipment goes beyond just the cameras, lenses and film alone. Tripods, lighting and storage equipment are essential for any type of professional photography. Film camera equipment must also include the means to develop that film. This is true of both still camera equipment and movie camera equipment.

The greater list of supplies is one reason many photographers choose to switch to digital photography. For some, the extra supplies for film, camera and lens equipment are worth the enhanced quality of film photography. Extra camera and film equipment includes:

1. Accessories to help set the scene being photographed

2. Proper darkroom supplies for film developing

3. Equipment to store and secure film camera lenses, cameras and film

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Set the scene with the right camera lens equipment

Whether you're shooting inside or out, you need equipment to make the setting on film perfect. An outdoor setting may need little more than a tripod to position the camera. An indoor studio needs plenty of backdrop screens, prop-ups and lighting to create the setting you want.

I recommend: Belger Photo & Video Supply sells backdrops, lighting supplies, tripods, props and other supplies to help prepare an indoor or outdoor setting. Pro Studio Supply has several backgrounds and stands available, along with lighting equipment and countless other photography supplies.

Purchase equipment for developing photos taken by a film lens

The biggest step in film photography is processing and developing the film. This requires the proper developing chemicals for both the film and photo paper, not to mention the paper itself and an enlarger to transfer the film images.

I recommend: B&H Photo and Electronics has all necessary darkroom equipment for developing and processing, right down to stirring devices, gloves, clips and brushes. Ritz Interactive specializes in the Ilford brand of glossy finish paper.

Protect your investment with adequate storage for professional film cameras and film

Your cameras, professional camera lens and film need safe and protective storage; you must ensure cameras and lenses are well-protected from hard contact damage. Film, meanwhile, needs protection from exposure to light or other damaging rays like ultraviolet or x-rays.

I recommend: CamBags has a huge supply of bags, holsters and cases from manufacturers like Lowepro, Tamrac and Pelican to protect your film camera and lens. Focus Camera supplies several film storage bags to protect film from water, x-rays and other damaging elements.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check your local listings for a film camera supplier in your area. Given the delicacy of most photographic equipment, you may want to avoid the risk of damage during shipping.
• •  Weigh the pros and cons of having an outside processor develop your film. The extra cost may be worth it if you're not experienced at processing.

Movie film camera equipment has been around since the late 1800s. Capturing motion on a fluid roll of tape at 24 or 30 frames per second instead of a fast series of stopped motion photos was a great catalyst for the movie industry.

Whether you are an amateur or professional film photographer, you want the best camera for the job. Lenses play an important role in filming as they are the catalyst for capturing the image in the form you want. You should know your filming requirements before shopping for cameras and lenses:

1. Prime lenses have a fixed focal length and zoom lenses have a variable focal length.

2. A wide-angle professional camera lens has a focal length of less than 25mm and takes in a wider area than a telephoto lens, which has a focal length of over 50mm and which grabs a narrower shot.

3. The anamorphic professional film camera lens captures great details and clarity, is the most expensive film to shoot and is most commonly used with 70mm film for widescreen production.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Personalize your shopping experience for your film lens and camera and equipment

There are still many camera shops in existence where you can visit and talk with a shop owner, but online shopping is becoming more the norm for film photographers' needs. Many film cameras and equipment are offered through private sale as technology and film sizes change.

I recommend: B&H Photo is a popular photographers' resource. They have film camera lenses and accessories for the spectrum of lens sizes. You will find new and used movie camera equipment through In-Sync Publications.

Locate new and good quality used movie camera equipment

Film motion picture camera equipment can be quite expensive, however you have options when searching for equipment for your project. No matter what your preference for film, whether it's 8mm, 16mm, 35mm or 70mm film, there are cameras available for sale or rent to deliver your required end result.

I recommend: The staff at Du-All Camera offers professional assistance in addition to filming camera equipment for purchase and rent. Kitmondo is a resource for new and used movie camera equipment.

Meet other film photographers and get expert advice on camera lens equipment

Networking with people with a similar interest in film photography can aid you in your exploration of the myriad possibilities that film offers. You can locate community photography clubs by contacting a local school. There are also online communities which offer you the opportunity to meet people worldwide who have a broad range of experience and who can make recommendations when you have questions.

I recommend: Join the Professional Photographers of America to network with other film photographers. Register with the Professional Photographers' Network to learn more about professional film camera interests and needs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Since all lenses are unique, find a film camera supplier who caters to the type of filming you are doing so that you will have a variety of lenses to consider.

Film photography is becoming a lost art in a digital age. As film camera use dwindles, so does the right knowledge of using them and their equipment. The proper use of the professional film camera lens, and other gear like tripods, is a valuable commodity.

Whether your business involves using film cameras or teaching others, learning everything about using film camera and lens equipment is your priority. You must know and show how to get the most out of film camera equipment. You definitely want to know:

1. How to properly use tools like tripods with film cameras.

2. What film camera lenses to use ahead of time.

3. Whether film lenses should be used with digital cameras.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know how to use tripods with a professional camera lens

Tripods are essential when using professional film cameras. The camera must be still to aid in focusing, especially if you must focus manually. You must know the right type of tripod to place the camera on and how to position it correctly.

I recommend: Expert Village has a video tutorial on using tripods properly. Owner IQ offers manuals on several Sony tripod products. The Nikonians are a conglomerate of photography buffs who provide information on many Nikon film cameras and equipment, including what type of tripods you should use. Gary Stanley writes in Vivid Light Magazine on carbon fiber tripods and their advantages.

Use the right lens for film camera

Whether you're using still cameras or movie camera equipment, the lens means everything to whether the film will turn out. Knowing if you have the right lens especially important with filming camera equipment, since you can't discover the picture's quality until after processing.

I recommend: ACM Siggraph explains the more traditional techniques for film camera lenses, explaining shots, camera moves and angles. SLR Today goes into detail on lenses and their focal lengths, from wide-angle and telephoto to macro and apochromatic.

Learn to use a film lens on a digital camera

Many photographers feel that using film camera lenses on digital cameras can improve their digital pictures' quality. This all depends on the lens filter and how well it picks up the light.

I recommend: Chris' Camera Center suggests which film lenses may and may not work with digital SLR cameras along with times when using them isn't a good idea. Several members on Betterphoto.com discuss the benefits and best ways to use film lenses. The Online Photographer has a blog on whether or not film lenses work on digital cameras.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Attend conventions and seminars where you can meet other professional photographers. You can get the best knowledge on film camera equipment by talking directly with experts of professional film cameras.

It would be nice if all you had to do to get great pictures was hold up the camera, point it in the right direction and press the shutter button. While part of taking great pictures has to do with how the photographer sees things, a big help to the process is having thorough knowledge of the camera. Film cameras, in a digital photography era, require an understanding of seldom-heard film camera and lens equipment key terms.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Field of view

Field of view is the angle at which objects can be seen through the viewfinder of the camera and can be recorded on film. Anything outside the field of view is not recorded in the photograph.

I recommend: See Photo.net for more information. Also visit Pelco to learn how to calculate field of view.

Lens filter

Lens filters are made of glass or plastic and screw in front of the lens of the camera. They can enhance the final image by producing effects such as color enhancement and contrast enhancement, or by darkening light skies.

I recommend: CameraFilters.com has excellent explanations of the different filters that are available.

Range finder

A range finder is a type of film camera that has two view windows instead of a lens to view the subject. Separate views are created by each window that, when in focus, align with each other to create one image.

I recommend: SCPHOTO defines the range finder camera and other film cameras for better film camera understanding.

Wide-angle lens

A wide-angle lens on a camera usually has a shorter focal length than that of a normal lens and is used for landscape and wildlife photography, where more of the scene needs to be photographed.

I recommend: Nature Photographers presents an in-depth discussion on the use of the wide-angle lens.

Light meter

A light meter measures the amount of light and tells the photographer the correct exposure at which to set his or her camera for a photograph. There are two types of meters-reflective and incident light meters. Reflective meters measure the amount of light reflecting off the subject and incident light meters measure the amount of light falling on the subject.

I recommend: Visit Fred Parker's website for more information on how to adjust your settings for extreme conditions such as snow or sand in bright light. Look at Weatherscapes.com for more information.

Prime lenses

A prime lens is a lens with a fixed focal length, as opposed to a zoom lens which has a wider range of focal length available. Apart from being cheaper, there are fewer distortions from a prime lens, which allows for sharper images.

I recommend: Visit the website of Photocritic for a fuller explanation and history of prime lenses.