Analog film photography and cameras

Poor results from the first batch of photos :(

Seems it won't expose evenly at 1/1000th; one side of the picture is dark where the shutter isnt moving fast enough. Shame.

it may need a service. Like bikes, moving parts will sieze and or stop working properly. However, you may still get away without servicing, but not pushing the camera to its limits. Stick around the 1/125 - 1/500 and see what happens. you may need to compensate +/- a stop (what's on the dial isn't necessarily what is actually happening inside the camera).

Also boots printed half my pictures on the piss - seems the machine got confused due to some of the pics being uneven and so chopped most of them in two. Went back in to complain, and the woman did everything she could to blame me for various grievances. At least they're redoing them in an hour though.

pah. go somewhere else. Stay away from boots, they have no idea about film. http://www.londonfgss.com/thread6112.html

It seems a lot of my pics are quite grainy too. It's only ISO 200 film so that surprised me - it seems to be primarily on the ones that I took with massive apertures (F1.4). Is that typical? Should I be backing it off a couple of stops and taking with longer exposures?

where did you get the film (and what film was it)? get hold of some fuji superia 200ASA from a camera shop. last bit is important as you need to know it's been stored well. f1.4 again, is at the limit of the lens and is unlikely to be sharp.It's also a very difficult aperture to work with (I still struggle sometimes).

Also (if anyone is still reading!) whats the slowest shutter I can get away with without a tripod? would 1/125 be ok?

1/focal length, depending on your technique. for a 50mm lens, 1/50. You can get away with slower, but practice.

suggest fresh batteries and film, take some test shots, 1/250, f5.6 or so, on a tripod if you have (or can borrow) one.