My PRAKTICA MTL3 with a Carl Ziess Jenna 35mm f/2.4
Cameras and lenses are cheap to pick-up
If you are a gear head like me, there is something great about picking up a new bit of kit to play with. Well, film is a whole can of worms of gear, and a lot of it you can pick up for cheap. I have an old Ziess lens that was less than 100 GBP. You can always mount these on your DSLR too! :)
They also look good... with everyone wanting that 'retro' looking camera... just get one! :)
It slows me down and makes me think about my images more
It is easy to fire off a lot of pictures with a digital camera without actually thinking about it. This is not the case with film. I end up really thinking about each individual image beforehand, and this is a nice change of pace.
I feel more connected to the camera
Because I slow down with my camera, I feel more connected to my camera, more-so than with my digital camera which is more of a tool.
I like "the look"
There is a very distinctive look to film, one that can not fully be replicated with digital. It is not great for everything, but the style has its place and can be very pleasing to the eyes. Also, the imperfections often add to the image!
The element of surprise
There is something exciting having to wait for the film to be completed and developed before seeing the images. For me this process can be months, as I only shoot film every now and again, so when I finally see the pictures, it is a nice surprise (assuming i haven't screwed up).
The challenge
One reason I like photography is the challenge, and since only starting in the digital era, film is a 'new' challenge for me. I like that. :)