[{"totalItems":"32,271","totalPages":10757,"currentPage":0,"items":[{"id":"phhg4e\/node\/235197","site":"https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/","hash":"phhg4e","entity_id":235197,"entity_type":"node","bundle":"basic_content","bundle_name":"Basic content","ss_language":"und","path":"node\/235197","url":"https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/faster-morning-routine","path_alias":"faster-morning-routine","label":"11 gadgets and apps to speed up your morning routine","content":" Get out the door faster. Harness the right tech to propel yourself out of bed and out the door in record time. Amazon We could all\u2014early birds and night owls, single folks and families\u2014use a little more time in the mornings. So harness the power of tech to carve out those minutes and get out the door on schedule. From gadgets that whip up breakfast in seconds to apps that wake you at precisely the right moment for your body clock, we've picked out 12 ways you can improve the early hours of your day. 1. Get up at the right time for you Our alarms aren't always in line with our body's circadian rhythms. And when a blaring clock wakes you from a deep cycle of sleep rather than a light one, you feel groggier as a result. To avoid this problem, try a smarter alarm. For example, the clever Sleepace Nox Smart Sleep System ($100 on Amazon) monitors how deeply you're sleeping and nudges you awake at the optimal time. You still set a window of time when you need to get up\u2014after all, you don't want to run late for work\u2014but the Sleepace Nox picks the best moment within that window, based on your sleep cycle. Then it eases you into the morning with nature sounds and a lamp designed to mimic sunlight. If you're not willing to invest in a full alarm-clock system, then some fitness trackers will perform a similar service. During the night, the Fitbit Charge 2 ($120 on Amazon) monitors your sleep, decides when it's best for your body to get up, and eventually nudges you into wakefulness by vibrating on your wrist. As with the Sleepace Nox, you choose a window of time within which you want to wake up, so you're not entirely at the mercy of your circadian rhythms. During the day, the Charge 2 does a lot more: It tracks your steps, monitors your heart rate, and reminds you to keep moving. 2. Warm the house before you wake If you live in a chilly clime, you may find it hard to leave your toasty bed for the icy world outside your blankets. To heat the house right before you wake up, a smart thermostat can learn what temperature you like at specific times and activate itself automatically. The third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat ($234 on Amazon) will figure out your preferences in about a week. Then you can either leave it on autopilot or control it with your phone from any olcation. It works with the Amazon Echo and Google Home too, so you can turn the temperature up or down with a voice command from the comfort of your bed. 3. Brew coffee automatically Having a shot of coffee ready when you rise will certainly speed you up on a sleepy morning. Thanks to the growing number of smart devices hitting the market, you can find kettles and coffee makers that connect to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth so you can control them with an app\u2014and program them to have a cup of joe waiting when you wake. Take the Nespresso Expert Espresso Machine ($380 on Amazon), which lets you set a time for your morning mud the night before. You can even configure personalized coffee settings for different people in the family. If you forget to set it, you can still get your caffeine fix at top speed: The machine goes from cold to ready-to-brew in less than 30 seconds. 4. Hear the news while you get ready Don't waste time flipping through the newspaper or scrolling through various apps in the morning. A smart speaker can read the news\u2014along with the weather and your calendar appointments\u2014aloud as you get dressed and prepare breakfast. This multitasking saves you valuable minutes. A growing number of speakers fits the bill, but we like the Amazon Echo Spot ($115 on Amazon) because it also acts as a very capable bedside alarm clock. In addition to news, it can play audiobooks, music, and videos, and more. And you control it with Alexa voice commands, leaving your hands free to get ready for the day. 5. Check the traffic before leaving If the roads are clear, your commute will take less time, and you can take a few more precious minutes at home. On the other hand, if you know that traffic is jamming up the route to your office, a map app can tell you exactly when you need to walk out the door to arrive on time. It can even warn you about these conditions in advance. Although you can find several options in your app store, you can't go wrong with the tried-and-true Google Maps (free for Android and iOS). To set up traffic alerts, start by telling Google Maps where you work: Tap the menu button (three horizontal lines), Your Places, and Labeled (you only need to hit the last option if you're on an Android device); pick Work; and enter the address. Next, tap the menu button (three horizontal lines), followed by Settings, Notifications, and Commute. Now, when bad traffic builds up on your route, Google Maps will send you a warning, so you can adjust your morning routine accordingly. 6. Find your phone faster Scrambling around looking under cushions because you can't find your smartphone can really slow you down in the morning. Luckily, both Android and iOS have built-in tools to help you locate your phone in moments. On Android, open Settings, choose Security & location, and tap Find My Device. Once you enable this feature, you can pinpoint your phone's location or force it to make a loud noise by visiting this website on any other device. In the iOS Settings app, tap your name, iCloud, and then Find My iPhone to turn on this feature. If your handset goes missing, you can head to the iCloud website on another device to view the phone's location on a map. As with Android, you can also force the phone to ring even if it's set to silent, making it easier to track it down. 7. Predict the weather perfectly Should you grab an umbrella or a hat on your way out the door? What coat do you need to face the day's weather? When you don't know the forecast\u2014or your app delivers an unclear prediction\u2014you have to hesitate and waffle, delaying your exit. Cast all uncertainty aside by investing in Dark Sky ($3\/year for Android and $4 for iOS), which will definitively tell you what to expect. Any number of gadgets and apps offer weather forecasts, but Dark Sky excels with hyperlocal forecasts, mixing radar measurements and custom predictive technology to calculate conditions for the next few hours. You can also use it to watch simulations of rain clouds pass over your area in real time. 8. Spend less time in the bathroom Anything you can do to get ready faster will save you time. Gadgets like electric toothbrushes will clean your teeth more efficiently, and with smart locks, you'll avoid having to hunt for your keys. But our time-saving pick is all about drying your hair faster. The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer ($498 on Amazon) comes with a hefty price tag, but it lives up to that up-front cost with a bundle of useful features: A fast, focused stream of air dries your hair as quickly as possible, three airflow settings help you achieve the technique that works best for your coiffure, and four heat settings let you find the perfect temperature. With a variety of tweaks and adjustments, you can find the settings that give you the most efficient morning routine. 9. Speed up breakfast prep The best way to make good breakfast choices is to prepare your food yourself, rather than buying a pre-packaged option. But if you take too long, you'll have to eat that healthy meal on the run as you hurry to catch your bus or beat traffic. One way to solve this particular problem is to make a morning smoothie\u2014but to prepare it quickly, you should invest in a high-quality juicer or blender. The Hamilton Beach Smoothie Smart Blender ($40 on Amazon) scores highly in the all-important speed stakes: Its 40-ounce glass jar can whip up a smoothie in just 45 seconds. Plus, you can save different blending settings so you don't have to reconfigure it each time. As a bonus, this is one of the less expensive picks in the field, and it still delivers good performance. 10. Take your coffee on the road Maybe you forgot to set your Nespresso the night before. Maybe you want a second cup of caffeinated goodness. Or maybe you don't have the time to sit at the table and sip your morning tea. In any case, you can always take your hot beverage with you to work. The Ember Temperature Control Mug ($150 on Amazon) will preserve a drink's warmth for as long as it takes you to drink it. (Check out our full review here.) You set the liquid's desired temperature on the device itself or through a connected app, and if you go the app route, you can also save different presets for your favorite drinks. Thanks to the Ember's sophisticated tech, all you need to worry about is getting out the front door on time. 11. Remember your morning tasks If you're always running out the door without your keys, or you keep forgetting to water the houseplants before work, give a to-do list app a try. We like Remember the Milk (for Android and iOS). It lets you easily organize tasks, associate them with particular days, sync them across multiple devices, and even assign certain jobs to other family members. Forgetful types can set reminders that will appear as push notifications, emails, texts, or tweets whenever you need a nudge. The app is free, but for features like subtasks, unlimited storage, and a linked Apple Watch app, you can buy a Pro version for $40 a year. Interested in talking about deals and gadgets? Request to join our exclusive Facebook group. With all our product stories, the goal is simple: more information about the stuff you're thinking about buying. We may sometimes get a cut from a purchase, but if something shows up on one of our pages, it\u2019s because we like it. Period. ","teaser":" Get out the door faster. Harness the right tech to propel yourself out of bed and out the door in record time. 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Your morning routine doesn't have to be chaotic and rushed. To regain some time in the morning\u2014or sleep in a little longer\u2014try out these apps and gadgets.<\/div>","ts_bonnier_summary_long":"
Your morning routine doesn't have to be chaotic and rushed. To regain some time in the morning\u2014or sleep in a little longer\u2014try out these apps and gadgets.<\/div>","ts_bonnier_eyebrow":"
DIY<\/a><\/div>","timestamp":"2018-02-24T14:30:01.993Z","bm_field_display_off_ramp":[true],"sm_field_image":["https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/sites\/popsci.com\/files\/styles\/325_4x3\/public\/images\/2018\/02\/00-echo-spot.jpg?itok=4FMW_oi7&fc=50,50"],"bm_use_sir_trevor_custom_page":[true],"bm_field_sponsored":[false],"bm_field_flag_gallery":[false],"bm_field_custom_page":[false],"bm_field_flag_video":[false],"bm_field_display_bottom_recirc":[true],"bm_use_sir_trevor_body":[true],"bm_field_x90_hide":[false],"tid":[224389,60,201159,64,224038],"sm_field_layout_standard":["right-sidebar"],"sm_field_primary_channel":["diy"],"tm_vid_2_names":["David Nield"],"tm_vid_1_names":["tech hacks Gadgets apps DIY"],"spell":["11 gadgets and apps to speed up your morning routine"," Get out the door faster. Harness the right tech to propel yourself out of bed and out the door in record time. Amazon We could all\u2014early birds and night owls, single folks and families\u2014use a little more time in the mornings. So harness the power of tech to carve out those minutes and get out the door on schedule. From gadgets that whip up breakfast in seconds to apps that wake you at precisely the right moment for your body clock, we've picked out 12 ways you can improve the early hours of your day. 1. Get up at the right time for you Our alarms aren't always in line with our body's circadian rhythms. And when a blaring clock wakes you from a deep cycle of sleep rather than a light one, you feel groggier as a result. To avoid this problem, try a smarter alarm. For example, the clever Sleepace Nox Smart Sleep System ($100 on Amazon) monitors how deeply you're sleeping and nudges you awake at the optimal time. You still set a window of time when you need to get up\u2014after all, you don't want to run late for work\u2014but the Sleepace Nox picks the best moment within that window, based on your sleep cycle. Then it eases you into the morning with nature sounds and a lamp designed to mimic sunlight. If you're not willing to invest in a full alarm-clock system, then some fitness trackers will perform a similar service. During the night, the Fitbit Charge 2 ($120 on Amazon) monitors your sleep, decides when it's best for your body to get up, and eventually nudges you into wakefulness by vibrating on your wrist. As with the Sleepace Nox, you choose a window of time within which you want to wake up, so you're not entirely at the mercy of your circadian rhythms. During the day, the Charge 2 does a lot more: It tracks your steps, monitors your heart rate, and reminds you to keep moving. 2. Warm the house before you wake If you live in a chilly clime, you may find it hard to leave your toasty bed for the icy world outside your blankets. To heat the house right before you wake up, a smart thermostat can learn what temperature you like at specific times and activate itself automatically. The third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat ($234 on Amazon) will figure out your preferences in about a week. Then you can either leave it on autopilot or control it with your phone from any olcation. It works with the Amazon Echo and Google Home too, so you can turn the temperature up or down with a voice command from the comfort of your bed. 3. Brew coffee automatically Having a shot of coffee ready when you rise will certainly speed you up on a sleepy morning. Thanks to the growing number of smart devices hitting the market, you can find kettles and coffee makers that connect to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth so you can control them with an app\u2014and program them to have a cup of joe waiting when you wake. Take the Nespresso Expert Espresso Machine ($380 on Amazon), which lets you set a time for your morning mud the night before. You can even configure personalized coffee settings for different people in the family. If you forget to set it, you can still get your caffeine fix at top speed: The machine goes from cold to ready-to-brew in less than 30 seconds. 4. Hear the news while you get ready Don't waste time flipping through the newspaper or scrolling through various apps in the morning. A smart speaker can read the news\u2014along with the weather and your calendar appointments\u2014aloud as you get dressed and prepare breakfast. This multitasking saves you valuable minutes. A growing number of speakers fits the bill, but we like the Amazon Echo Spot ($115 on Amazon) because it also acts as a very capable bedside alarm clock. In addition to news, it can play audiobooks, music, and videos, and more. And you control it with Alexa voice commands, leaving your hands free to get ready for the day. 5. Check the traffic before leaving If the roads are clear, your commute will take less time, and you can take a few more precious minutes at home. On the other hand, if you know that traffic is jamming up the route to your office, a map app can tell you exactly when you need to walk out the door to arrive on time. It can even warn you about these conditions in advance. Although you can find several options in your app store, you can't go wrong with the tried-and-true Google Maps (free for Android and iOS). To set up traffic alerts, start by telling Google Maps where you work: Tap the menu button (three horizontal lines), Your Places, and Labeled (you only need to hit the last option if you're on an Android device); pick Work; and enter the address. Next, tap the menu button (three horizontal lines), followed by Settings, Notifications, and Commute. Now, when bad traffic builds up on your route, Google Maps will send you a warning, so you can adjust your morning routine accordingly. 6. Find your phone faster Scrambling around looking under cushions because you can't find your smartphone can really slow you down in the morning. Luckily, both Android and iOS have built-in tools to help you locate your phone in moments. On Android, open Settings, choose Security & location, and tap Find My Device. Once you enable this feature, you can pinpoint your phone's location or force it to make a loud noise by visiting this website on any other device. In the iOS Settings app, tap your name, iCloud, and then Find My iPhone to turn on this feature. If your handset goes missing, you can head to the iCloud website on another device to view the phone's location on a map. As with Android, you can also force the phone to ring even if it's set to silent, making it easier to track it down. 7. Predict the weather perfectly Should you grab an umbrella or a hat on your way out the door? What coat do you need to face the day's weather? When you don't know the forecast\u2014or your app delivers an unclear prediction\u2014you have to hesitate and waffle, delaying your exit. Cast all uncertainty aside by investing in Dark Sky ($3\/year for Android and $4 for iOS), which will definitively tell you what to expect. Any number of gadgets and apps offer weather forecasts, but Dark Sky excels with hyperlocal forecasts, mixing radar measurements and custom predictive technology to calculate conditions for the next few hours. You can also use it to watch simulations of rain clouds pass over your area in real time. 8. Spend less time in the bathroom Anything you can do to get ready faster will save you time. Gadgets like electric toothbrushes will clean your teeth more efficiently, and with smart locks, you'll avoid having to hunt for your keys. But our time-saving pick is all about drying your hair faster. The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer ($498 on Amazon) comes with a hefty price tag, but it lives up to that up-front cost with a bundle of useful features: A fast, focused stream of air dries your hair as quickly as possible, three airflow settings help you achieve the technique that works best for your coiffure, and four heat settings let you find the perfect temperature. With a variety of tweaks and adjustments, you can find the settings that give you the most efficient morning routine. 9. Speed up breakfast prep The best way to make good breakfast choices is to prepare your food yourself, rather than buying a pre-packaged option. But if you take too long, you'll have to eat that healthy meal on the run as you hurry to catch your bus or beat traffic. One way to solve this particular problem is to make a morning smoothie\u2014but to prepare it quickly, you should invest in a high-quality juicer or blender. The Hamilton Beach Smoothie Smart Blender ($40 on Amazon) scores highly in the all-important speed stakes: Its 40-ounce glass jar can whip up a smoothie in just 45 seconds. Plus, you can save different blending settings so you don't have to reconfigure it each time. As a bonus, this is one of the less expensive picks in the field, and it still delivers good performance. 10. Take your coffee on the road Maybe you forgot to set your Nespresso the night before. Maybe you want a second cup of caffeinated goodness. Or maybe you don't have the time to sit at the table and sip your morning tea. In any case, you can always take your hot beverage with you to work. The Ember Temperature Control Mug ($150 on Amazon) will preserve a drink's warmth for as long as it takes you to drink it. (Check out our full review here.) You set the liquid's desired temperature on the device itself or through a connected app, and if you go the app route, you can also save different presets for your favorite drinks. Thanks to the Ember's sophisticated tech, all you need to worry about is getting out the front door on time. 11. Remember your morning tasks If you're always running out the door without your keys, or you keep forgetting to water the houseplants before work, give a to-do list app a try. We like Remember the Milk (for Android and iOS). It lets you easily organize tasks, associate them with particular days, sync them across multiple devices, and even assign certain jobs to other family members. Forgetful types can set reminders that will appear as push notifications, emails, texts, or tweets whenever you need a nudge. The app is free, but for features like subtasks, unlimited storage, and a linked Apple Watch app, you can buy a Pro version for $40 a year. Interested in talking about deals and gadgets? Request to join our exclusive Facebook group. With all our product stories, the goal is simple: more information about the stuff you're thinking about buying. We may sometimes get a cut from a purchase, but if something shows up on one of our pages, it\u2019s because we like it. Period. ","tech hacks Gadgets apps DIY","David Nield","
Your morning routine doesn't have to be chaotic and rushed. To regain some time in the morning\u2014or sleep in a little longer\u2014try out these apps and gadgets.<\/div>","
Your morning routine doesn't have to be chaotic and rushed. To regain some time in the morning\u2014or sleep in a little longer\u2014try out these apps and gadgets.<\/div>","
DIY<\/a><\/div>"],"bm_field_feed_builder_exclusion":[false],"im_field_author":[224038],"bm_field_display_social":[true],"bm_field_exclude_from_cl":[false],"bm_field_last_updated":[false],"sm_field_sponsor_label":[""],"bm_in_nps":[false],"sm_field_subtitle":["Get out the door faster.\n"],"bm_field_display_author_bio":[true],"im_field_tags":[224389,60,201159,64],"im_vid_2":[224038],"sm_vid_Authors":["David Nield"],"im_vid_1":[224389,60,201159,64],"sm_vid_Tags":["tech hacks","Gadgets","apps","DIY"]},{"id":"phhg4e\/node\/235261","site":"https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/","hash":"phhg4e","entity_id":235261,"entity_type":"node","bundle":"basic_content","bundle_name":"Basic content","ss_language":"und","path":"node\/235261","url":"https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/mars-phoenix-juno-images","path_alias":"mars-phoenix-juno-images","label":"Meanwhile in space: Jupiter looks great and Mars is a dust heap","content":" Here's the most gorgeous space news you need to catch up on. A time lapse sequence at Jupiter's South Pole. Gerald Eichst\u00e4dt\/JunoCam Travel Pictures Quick, what were you doing on February 7, between 10:21 a.m. and 11:01 a.m. EST? Were you in school? In a meeting? Zipping tens of thousands of miles past the South Pole of Jupiter? If it's the last one, then you're probably the Juno spacecraft. Hey, Juno. This series of pictures of the swirling clouds of Jupiter's south pole were taken during that time while the spacecraft was between 85,292 and 124,856 miles away from the planet's surface. Just before these pictures were taken, Juno got as close as 2,100 miles to the planet during its tenth science orbit. Juno arrived at Jupiter in 2016 and is expected to do a total of 12 science orbits to gather more information about the inner workings of the gas giant by July of this year. At that point, the mission could be extended. Cage Match A paper published this week in Nature took a closer look at solar flares like this one, which was recorded by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory in 2014. This flare, coiled and ready to spring, could have turned into a coronal mass ejection or CME. But something held it back. That something, researchers say, was a magnetic cage that held the more rope-like flare close to the Sun, keeping it from pushing out into space. If the cage had been weaker, or the rope stronger, a massive plasma eruption could have occurred instead. Dusty Days Nearly 10 years ago, the Mars Phoenix Lander parachuted down to its new home, near the North Pole of Mars. It landed in May 2008 and operated through early November of that year, surpassing its stated mission by two months. But it slowly lost power. Images taken in 2010 showed that ice had severely damaged its solar panels. Last December, the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance orbiter spotted Phoenix's landing site (the dark spot to the top left) and its parachute (the dark spot to the lower right). The darker image, where the two sites are more pronounced, was taken soon after it landed in 2008. The more recent image, taken in December 2017, shows that dust has slowly reclaimed the landing sites, making both the chute and lander fade into the Martian background. Image Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech\/Univ. of Arizona merged galaxies The result of a long slow galactic collision, spotted by Hubble. ESA\/Hubble & NASA Aftermath of a Merger This galaxy might look soft and lovely, but it has been through some hard times. Researchers think that the galaxy in this image used to be two spiral galaxies, which merged over millions of years in a slow-motion collision, eventually becoming the elliptical galaxy visible here. The bluish light at the center belongs to a whole host of newly-formed stars born into this cosmic tempest. ","teaser":" Here's the most gorgeous space news you need to catch up on. A time lapse sequence at Jupiter's South Pole. Gerald Eichst\u00e4dt\/JunoCam Travel Pictures Quick, what were you doing on February 7, between 10:21 a.m. and 11:01 a.m. EST? Were you in school? In a meeting? Zipping tens of thousands","ss_name":"Mary Beth Griggs","tos_name":"Mary Beth Griggs","ss_name_formatted":"Mary Beth Griggs","tos_name_formatted":"Mary Beth Griggs","is_uid":242,"bs_status":true,"bs_sticky":false,"bs_promote":true,"is_tnid":0,"bs_translate":false,"ds_created":"2018-02-23T23:00:00Z","ds_changed":"2018-02-23T23:00:01Z","ds_last_comment_or_change":"2018-02-23T23:00:01Z","bs_field_sponsored":false,"bs_field_display_social":true,"bs_field_custom_page":false,"bs_field_feed_builder_exclusion":false,"bs_field_display_author_bio":true,"bs_field_display_bottom_recirc":true,"bs_use_sir_trevor_body":true,"bs_field_flag_gallery":false,"bs_field_flag_video":false,"bs_field_display_off_ramp":true,"bs_in_nps":false,"bs_use_sir_trevor_custom_page":true,"bs_field_x90_hide":false,"bs_field_last_updated":false,"bs_field_exclude_from_cl":false,"ts_bonnier_summary":"
Feast your eyes on these spacey delicacies.<\/div>","ts_bonnier_summary_long":"
Feast your eyes on these spacey delicacies.<\/div>","ts_bonnier_eyebrow":"
Space<\/a><\/div>","timestamp":"2018-02-23T23:00:02.159Z","bm_field_display_off_ramp":[true],"sm_field_image":["https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/sites\/popsci.com\/files\/styles\/325_4x3\/public\/images\/2018\/02\/jupiter_time_lapse.jpg?itok=p4fGn5a2&fc=50,50"],"bm_use_sir_trevor_custom_page":[true],"bm_field_sponsored":[false],"bm_field_flag_gallery":[false],"bm_field_custom_page":[false],"bm_field_flag_video":[false],"bm_field_display_bottom_recirc":[true],"bm_use_sir_trevor_body":[true],"bm_field_x90_hide":[false],"tid":[212416,205761,206261,206932,212470],"sm_field_layout_standard":["right-sidebar"],"sm_field_primary_channel":["space"],"tm_vid_2_names":["Mary Beth Griggs"],"tm_vid_1_names":["Space images jupiter Mars"],"spell":["Meanwhile in space: Jupiter looks great and Mars is a dust heap"," Here's the most gorgeous space news you need to catch up on. A time lapse sequence at Jupiter's South Pole. Gerald Eichst\u00e4dt\/JunoCam Travel Pictures Quick, what were you doing on February 7, between 10:21 a.m. and 11:01 a.m. EST? Were you in school? In a meeting? Zipping tens of thousands of miles past the South Pole of Jupiter? If it's the last one, then you're probably the Juno spacecraft. Hey, Juno. This series of pictures of the swirling clouds of Jupiter's south pole were taken during that time while the spacecraft was between 85,292 and 124,856 miles away from the planet's surface. Just before these pictures were taken, Juno got as close as 2,100 miles to the planet during its tenth science orbit. Juno arrived at Jupiter in 2016 and is expected to do a total of 12 science orbits to gather more information about the inner workings of the gas giant by July of this year. At that point, the mission could be extended. Cage Match A paper published this week in Nature took a closer look at solar flares like this one, which was recorded by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory in 2014. This flare, coiled and ready to spring, could have turned into a coronal mass ejection or CME. But something held it back. That something, researchers say, was a magnetic cage that held the more rope-like flare close to the Sun, keeping it from pushing out into space. If the cage had been weaker, or the rope stronger, a massive plasma eruption could have occurred instead. Dusty Days Nearly 10 years ago, the Mars Phoenix Lander parachuted down to its new home, near the North Pole of Mars. It landed in May 2008 and operated through early November of that year, surpassing its stated mission by two months. But it slowly lost power. Images taken in 2010 showed that ice had severely damaged its solar panels. Last December, the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance orbiter spotted Phoenix's landing site (the dark spot to the top left) and its parachute (the dark spot to the lower right). The darker image, where the two sites are more pronounced, was taken soon after it landed in 2008. The more recent image, taken in December 2017, shows that dust has slowly reclaimed the landing sites, making both the chute and lander fade into the Martian background. Image Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech\/Univ. of Arizona merged galaxies The result of a long slow galactic collision, spotted by Hubble. ESA\/Hubble & NASA Aftermath of a Merger This galaxy might look soft and lovely, but it has been through some hard times. Researchers think that the galaxy in this image used to be two spiral galaxies, which merged over millions of years in a slow-motion collision, eventually becoming the elliptical galaxy visible here. The bluish light at the center belongs to a whole host of newly-formed stars born into this cosmic tempest. ","Space images jupiter Mars","Mary Beth Griggs","
Feast your eyes on these spacey delicacies.<\/div>","
Feast your eyes on these spacey delicacies.<\/div>","
Space<\/a><\/div>"],"bm_field_feed_builder_exclusion":[false],"im_field_author":[212470],"bm_field_display_social":[true],"bm_field_exclude_from_cl":[false],"bm_field_last_updated":[false],"sm_field_sponsor_label":[""],"bm_in_nps":[false],"sm_field_subtitle":["Here's the most gorgeous space news you need to catch up on.\n"],"bm_field_display_author_bio":[true],"im_field_tags":[212416,205761,206261,206932],"im_vid_2":[212470],"sm_vid_Authors":["Mary Beth Griggs"],"im_vid_1":[212416,205761,206261,206932],"sm_vid_Tags":["Space","images","jupiter","Mars"]},{"id":"phhg4e\/node\/235263","site":"https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/","hash":"phhg4e","entity_id":235263,"entity_type":"node","bundle":"basic_content","bundle_name":"Basic content","ss_language":"und","path":"node\/235263","url":"https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/how-to-buy-film-photography-camera","path_alias":"how-to-buy-film-photography-camera","label":"A normal person's guide to buying an old film camera","content":" You don't have be an expert (or a hipster) to enjoy analog photography Pentax K1000 film camera This full-manual Pentax SLR is a classic camera for learning the basics of photography. Stan Horaczek Today, Kodak announced it was bringing back one of its iconic black-and-white films, TMax P3200, which has been out of production since 2012. It\u2019s a monochrome film that\u2019s extra-sensitive to light, so you can shoot with it in dark settings, and it will give you a gritty, grimy look that so many smartphone filter apps have tried to replicate. But that\u2019s not the only good news in the film photography world at the moment. Kodak is still preparing another iconic film called Ektachrome for market later this year, and a new film SLR from a company called Reflex slated to ship later this year camera just had a crowdfunding run that raised 150 percent of its goal. In short: Right now is a really great time to try out film photography. Of course, it\u2019s not as simple as your smartphone camera, but that\u2019s the point. It\u2019s a process\u2014and that\u2019s a large part of what makes it great. Of course, the first thing you\u2019ll need is a camera. Luckily, there are still lots of old film shooters waiting to you take you to hipster photography heaven in thrift stores, garage sales, and online auctions. Sadly, this renaissance has pushed prices on the secondary market up from rock bottom a few years ago. But, if you know what to look for, you can find a shooter that will hold its value while churning through roll after roll of cellulose acetate (the material from which film is made). Pick your perfect old camera There are three general types of film cameras: SLRs, compacts, and rangefinders. The type you should pick depends on lots of variables including your budget, shooting style, and even aesthetic preferences. If you see something you think you like, check it out on a site like Camerapedia, which offers tons of useful knowledge about old gear. Nikon F3 The F3 is still a popular film camera for higher-end shooters. This one has some bumps and bruises but works perfectly and only cost me $75 at an estate sale. Stan Horaczek SLRs What are they? This is the classic form factor many people imagine when picturing an analog camera. They have interchangeable lenses in the front and a viewfinder that lets you look out through the lens and into the world with some help from a mirror inside. That\u2019s where they get their three-letter name, which stands for single-lens reflex. Advantages: SLRs are typically the most durable option and, if you\u2019ve ever used a DSLR (which stands for digital SLR), the whole experience should seem familiar. They typically offer manual controls to help you learn, and you can swap the lenses if you get really into it and want to expand your collection. If you already have a DSLR from a company like Nikon or Pentax, your lenses might even work (a quick Google search for compatibility will confirm it). If you have a modern Canon camera, however, it\u2019s worth noting that their newer lenses won\u2019t work with older film models. Disadvantages: They\u2019re the biggest cameras out of all the options, and some older models don\u2019t offer much in the way of assistance when it comes to figuring out exposure, so brush up on your aperture and shutter speed knowledge. Some models to check out: The Pentax K1000 and the Canon AE-1 Program are both iconic film cameras that are perfect for learning. They were extremely popular, so the companies manufactured millions of them, many of which are still around. I\u2019ve paid as little as $5 for a K1000 at a garage sale. The Minolta SRT-101 is another iconic camera you can find on the cheap, but it\u2019s big and heavy compared to those two. If you want to step up to a slightly higher-grade camera, the Canon A-1, the Nikon FM2, and the Nikon F3 are also excellent choices. Expect to pay well over $100, and sometimes much more depending on condition, for one of these. All the SLRs mentioned to this point have been manual focus, which means you have to rotate the lens yourself in order to get things sharp. There are plenty of modern autofocus SLRs out there, but they typically aren\u2019t as affordable as their manual counterparts. One note about old manual-focus SLRs is that the zoom lenses you sometimes see with them are terrible in terms of build and optical quality. If the camera comes with a big Vivitar, Sears, Quantaray, or another third-party lens, be prepared for soft focus and a clunky user experience. Sticking to a lens that matches the camera\u2019s maker is your safest bet until you learn the intricacies of picking out new glass. Olympus Stylus Epic There was a time when these were $50. Now, you're very lucky to find one under $100. Stan Horaczek Compact cameras What are they? They look like black or silver bars of soap, but this segment of the film camera market has taken off over the past two years. They\u2019re also called point-and-shoot cameras, because they don\u2019t offer much in the way of manual controls. Advantages: If you just want to get the film look without having to learn lots about exposure and other photographic concepts, compacts are a great solution. They\u2019re much smaller than the other types of film cameras, and they often use batteries that are cheaper and easier to find. They\u2019re also conspicuous than a big camera, too. Disadvantages: Since most compact cameras were designed for mass audiences, many of them are terrible in terms of image quality and build. Again, they don\u2019t offer much in the way of manual controls, which may be a negative depending on your outlook. Also, because of the way their lenses are constructed, they often have to rely on the built-in flash to get the proper amount of light in the photo. Shooting a flash in 2018 immediately draws a lot of attention. You also can\u2019t change lenses if you get sick of the same field of view. Some models to consider Unfortunately, the demand for any truly excellent compact cameras has spiked hard over the past year or so, thanks in part to their stylish nature. Kylie Jenner, for instance, recently touted the virtues of her Contax T2 (a truly iconic camera), and the average price on the second-hand market spiked several hundred dollars to around $1,000. Olympus made some excellent point-and-shoot cameras under the Stylus series, and the zoom lens versions are still pretty affordable at less than $100. There\u2019s another version called the Stylus Epic (or the international name, the MJU II), which has an exceptionally sharp lens, and doesn\u2019t zoom. It\u2019s getting more difficult to find them all the time for anything below $200. If you go thrifting, keep an eye out for pretty much anything made by Contax, Olympus Stylus compacts, or anything in the Ricoh GR family. If you don\u2019t want to go bargain hunting or drop hundreds of dollars, the Nikon L35AF, which you can often find at estate sales and on eBay for under $100, is an underrated camera that\u2019s bigger than most point-and-shoots, but has a great lens attached. Minolta Easy Flash camera This is an example of a trap camera for collectors and shooters. It's not a very good camera in most ways, but it looks really cool. It will work, but you're better off with something more reliable and well-known. Stan Horaczek Rangefinders What are they? The rangefinder resides somewhere between the compact and the SLR. You compose and focus using a viewfinder held up to your eye, but you don\u2019t actually see through the lens of the camera, as you would with an SLR. The lens is coupled to the viewfinder so it knows when something is in focus. Shooting with a rangefinder is likely different than anything you\u2019ve experienced with a digital camera, unless you\u2019ve used something like the Fujifilm X100F. Try it before you make the leap. Advantages: Some rangefinders allow you to swap out your lenses, while others opt for a fixed lens system that tunes the glass for that specific camera. They\u2019re typically smaller than SLRs, but offer more manual controls than a compact. They\u2019re also often some of the best-looking cameras around. Disadvantages: The focusing process will likely take a little getting used to. The good ones are fairly expensive. Many of the older models don\u2019t have a built-in light meter, so you\u2019ll have to get a separate one or use a digital camera as a benchmark. Some models to consider The Leica M series is often considered the gold standard against which all other rangefinders are judged. Unfortunately, that means most of them cost absurd amounts of money. A Leica M6, for example (which is desirable because it was the last all-mechanical M camera before the company introduced electronic elements in the M7) typically costs more than $1,000 before you add a similarly pricy lens. In the world of the more realistic purchases, the Canon QL17 ($25-$100) is a great option for a beginner because it has a very sharp fixed lens. It\u2019s small and relatively easy to use as well. The Yashica Electro 35 ($40-$100) is another good, stylish option. If you want to get the most out of each roll of film, you can opt for a half-frame rangefinder like the Olympus PEN (roughly $150). It shoots photos that are only half the size of a typical 35-millimeter picture, which means you get 72 images on a single roll that usually only holds 36. You\u2019ll lose some image quality as a trade-off, but if you\u2019re going for the low-fi look, it could actually be a benefit. Canon point-and-shoot If you want a really lo-fi look, these little compacts often do a great job. They're very reliant on their built-in flash and the lenses usually aren't very sharp, so they can make images look "dreamy" or "muddy" depending on your outlook. I paid $2.50 for this one\u2014half price! Stan Horaczek Making sure it works Now that you\u2019ve found a perfect picture machine, it\u2019s time to inspect it and make sure everything is in working order. There\u2019s a chance that any dusty, neglected camera you pick up now has been sitting around for a while unless you get it from a shop\u2014and that can lead to problems. The first thing to check is the battery compartment. Storing a camera with a battery inside often leads to corrosion, which can literally eat away at the inside of the camera as the acid liberates itself from the cell. If you open the battery door and find green gunk, it\u2019s definitely a warning sign, but it\u2019s not necessarily a dealbreaker. Check and see if the parts look intact and make sure nothing is falling off. If it\u2019s just a little battery gunk, you can typically clean the majority of it with some rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab. If you have a chance to test out the camera before you purchase it, bring a spare battery with you to try it out. Many newer cameras won\u2019t work at all without a battery inside, so you can\u2019t test to see if you can trigger the shutter with the button. Camera batteries aren\u2019t necessarily easy to find anymore, so don\u2019t be surprised if you have to order one from Amazon or another camera shop after googling which one you\u2019ll need. Typical batteries include CR123 and CR2 cells. Make sure to try out all the moving parts, as well. If there are knobs, twist them. If the lens has a ring used for focusing, turn it and make sure it doesn\u2019t groan from internal friction (if a lens is making a sound like Chewbacca, it won\u2019t be fun to shoot). If there\u2019s a film advance lever, make sure you can push it, because they often jam up; if it\u2019s frozen, you won\u2019t be able to advance your film. Konica A4 This is one of my favorite film cameras ever. I bought it on a whim and it went everywhere with me for a year before it broke. The experimentation element of this process is part of what makes it great. Stan Horaczek One crucial element of your new camera is the light meter that measures the illumination in a scene and tells you which settings to use for your shot. Light meters usually engage when you push the camera\u2019s shutter button (the button you use to take the picture) halfway down. When activated, you\u2019ll typically see an indicator through the eyepiece like a needle that fluctuates or a light that moves around an exposure scale to show you what settings to use. Life will be hard if you try to learn without a working light meter, so make sure it\u2019s operational. Lastly, check the optics. Use your phone\u2019s flashlight to look through the glass of the lens. If you see little tentacle-like streaks inside\u2014especially around the edges\u2014that\u2019s likely lens fungus, which is extremely difficult to remove and might affect your photos, and not in a good, Instagram-filter way. Some lens glass will also yellow as it ages and, which is similarly hard to treat and can add a tinge to your snaps. (If you\u2019re shooting black-and-white film, however, the yellowing is actually less of an issue, for obvious reasons.) You also might notice a bunch of dust. While that can be annoying, it\u2019s typically harmless. Film cameras employ a focusing screen, which is a piece of glass underneath the viewfinder. It\u2019s often simple to open and clean out the dots of junk. Little bits of dust inside the lens itself are often inconsequential when it comes to image quality, as long as they\u2019re small. Nikon L35AF This Nikon isn't the prettiest camera, but it has a very sharp lens, which is crucial. Stan Horaczek Get some film By now, you\u2019ve noticed that pretty much every one-hour photo place on the planet has disappeared, which means you should plan on sending your film away for development unless you want to do it yourself (which is totally fun and you should definitely try it, but the subject of a different article!). If you want to shoot color, start with Agfa Scala, Kodak Gold, or Fuji Superia. They will set you back less than $4 per roll and give you a semi-grainy, and very film-esque look. Expect to pay roughly $11 to have each roll developed and scanned. No, it\u2019s not cheap, but that\u2019s part of what helps the process feel more precious and fun. Labs like The Find Lab and The Darkroom do an excellent job. If you want to shoot black-and-white, pick up some Kodak T-Max, Kodak Tri-X, or Ilford HP5 (The new TMAX P3200 film from Kodak is aimed at more advanced users since it requires careful processing, which costs extra if you\u2019re sending it out.) All of those stocks have been around forever and there are lots of guides (like ours!) online to help you develop it on your own. You can also send it away to the labs mentioned above, but expect to pay a little more. Right now, things are relatively great in the film world, but there\u2019s no telling when the boom will end. Film stocks are still going out of production here and there, but it\u2019s easier to shoot film in 2018 than it was five years ago, and that\u2019s a good thing. Let\u2019s hope it lasts. ","teaser":" You don't have be an expert (or a hipster) to enjoy analog photography Pentax K1000 film camera This full-manual Pentax SLR is a classic camera for learning the basics of photography. Stan Horaczek Today, Kodak announced it was bringing back one of its iconic black-and-white films, TMax P3200,","ss_name":"stan.horaczek","tos_name":"stan.horaczek","ss_name_formatted":"stan.horaczek","tos_name_formatted":"stan.horaczek","is_uid":1732,"bs_status":true,"bs_sticky":false,"bs_promote":true,"is_tnid":0,"bs_translate":false,"ds_created":"2018-02-23T22:00:09Z","ds_changed":"2018-02-25T15:33:44Z","ds_last_comment_or_change":"2018-02-25T15:33:44Z","bs_field_sponsored":false,"bs_field_display_social":true,"bs_field_custom_page":false,"bs_field_feed_builder_exclusion":false,"bs_field_display_author_bio":true,"bs_field_display_bottom_recirc":true,"bs_use_sir_trevor_body":true,"bs_field_flag_gallery":false,"bs_field_flag_video":false,"bs_field_display_off_ramp":true,"bs_in_nps":false,"bs_use_sir_trevor_custom_page":true,"bs_field_x90_hide":false,"bs_field_last_updated":false,"bs_field_exclude_from_cl":false,"ts_bonnier_summary":"
Film photography is fun because it's unpredictable and slow.<\/div>","ts_bonnier_summary_long":"
Film photography is fun because it's unpredictable and slow.<\/div>","ts_bonnier_eyebrow":"
Gadgets<\/a><\/div>","timestamp":"2018-02-25T15:33:45.404Z","bm_field_display_off_ramp":[true],"sm_field_image":["https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/sites\/popsci.com\/files\/styles\/325_4x3\/public\/images\/2018\/02\/k29a9953_0.jpg?itok=nePK-_vy&fc=50,50"],"bm_use_sir_trevor_custom_page":[true],"bm_field_sponsored":[false],"bm_field_flag_gallery":[false],"bm_field_custom_page":[false],"bm_field_flag_video":[false],"bm_field_display_bottom_recirc":[true],"bm_use_sir_trevor_body":[true],"bm_field_x90_hide":[false],"tid":[63,212682,205774,202122,205551,64,207860,202197,211814,200319,60,224126],"sm_field_layout_standard":["right-sidebar"],"sm_field_primary_channel":["gadgets"],"tm_vid_2_names":["Stan Horaczek"],"tm_vid_1_names":["Technology cameras imaging buying guide how-to DIY nikon canon vintage history Gadgets"],"spell":["A normal person's guide to buying an old film camera"," You don't have be an expert (or a hipster) to enjoy analog photography Pentax K1000 film camera This full-manual Pentax SLR is a classic camera for learning the basics of photography. Stan Horaczek Today, Kodak announced it was bringing back one of its iconic black-and-white films, TMax P3200, which has been out of production since 2012. It\u2019s a monochrome film that\u2019s extra-sensitive to light, so you can shoot with it in dark settings, and it will give you a gritty, grimy look that so many smartphone filter apps have tried to replicate. But that\u2019s not the only good news in the film photography world at the moment. Kodak is still preparing another iconic film called Ektachrome for market later this year, and a new film SLR from a company called Reflex slated to ship later this year camera just had a crowdfunding run that raised 150 percent of its goal. In short: Right now is a really great time to try out film photography. Of course, it\u2019s not as simple as your smartphone camera, but that\u2019s the point. It\u2019s a process\u2014and that\u2019s a large part of what makes it great. Of course, the first thing you\u2019ll need is a camera. Luckily, there are still lots of old film shooters waiting to you take you to hipster photography heaven in thrift stores, garage sales, and online auctions. Sadly, this renaissance has pushed prices on the secondary market up from rock bottom a few years ago. But, if you know what to look for, you can find a shooter that will hold its value while churning through roll after roll of cellulose acetate (the material from which film is made). Pick your perfect old camera There are three general types of film cameras: SLRs, compacts, and rangefinders. The type you should pick depends on lots of variables including your budget, shooting style, and even aesthetic preferences. If you see something you think you like, check it out on a site like Camerapedia, which offers tons of useful knowledge about old gear. Nikon F3 The F3 is still a popular film camera for higher-end shooters. This one has some bumps and bruises but works perfectly and only cost me $75 at an estate sale. Stan Horaczek SLRs What are they? This is the classic form factor many people imagine when picturing an analog camera. They have interchangeable lenses in the front and a viewfinder that lets you look out through the lens and into the world with some help from a mirror inside. That\u2019s where they get their three-letter name, which stands for single-lens reflex. Advantages: SLRs are typically the most durable option and, if you\u2019ve ever used a DSLR (which stands for digital SLR), the whole experience should seem familiar. They typically offer manual controls to help you learn, and you can swap the lenses if you get really into it and want to expand your collection. If you already have a DSLR from a company like Nikon or Pentax, your lenses might even work (a quick Google search for compatibility will confirm it). If you have a modern Canon camera, however, it\u2019s worth noting that their newer lenses won\u2019t work with older film models. Disadvantages: They\u2019re the biggest cameras out of all the options, and some older models don\u2019t offer much in the way of assistance when it comes to figuring out exposure, so brush up on your aperture and shutter speed knowledge. Some models to check out: The Pentax K1000 and the Canon AE-1 Program are both iconic film cameras that are perfect for learning. They were extremely popular, so the companies manufactured millions of them, many of which are still around. I\u2019ve paid as little as $5 for a K1000 at a garage sale. The Minolta SRT-101 is another iconic camera you can find on the cheap, but it\u2019s big and heavy compared to those two. If you want to step up to a slightly higher-grade camera, the Canon A-1, the Nikon FM2, and the Nikon F3 are also excellent choices. Expect to pay well over $100, and sometimes much more depending on condition, for one of these. All the SLRs mentioned to this point have been manual focus, which means you have to rotate the lens yourself in order to get things sharp. There are plenty of modern autofocus SLRs out there, but they typically aren\u2019t as affordable as their manual counterparts. One note about old manual-focus SLRs is that the zoom lenses you sometimes see with them are terrible in terms of build and optical quality. If the camera comes with a big Vivitar, Sears, Quantaray, or another third-party lens, be prepared for soft focus and a clunky user experience. Sticking to a lens that matches the camera\u2019s maker is your safest bet until you learn the intricacies of picking out new glass. Olympus Stylus Epic There was a time when these were $50. Now, you're very lucky to find one under $100. Stan Horaczek Compact cameras What are they? They look like black or silver bars of soap, but this segment of the film camera market has taken off over the past two years. They\u2019re also called point-and-shoot cameras, because they don\u2019t offer much in the way of manual controls. Advantages: If you just want to get the film look without having to learn lots about exposure and other photographic concepts, compacts are a great solution. They\u2019re much smaller than the other types of film cameras, and they often use batteries that are cheaper and easier to find. They\u2019re also conspicuous than a big camera, too. Disadvantages: Since most compact cameras were designed for mass audiences, many of them are terrible in terms of image quality and build. Again, they don\u2019t offer much in the way of manual controls, which may be a negative depending on your outlook. Also, because of the way their lenses are constructed, they often have to rely on the built-in flash to get the proper amount of light in the photo. Shooting a flash in 2018 immediately draws a lot of attention. You also can\u2019t change lenses if you get sick of the same field of view. Some models to consider Unfortunately, the demand for any truly excellent compact cameras has spiked hard over the past year or so, thanks in part to their stylish nature. Kylie Jenner, for instance, recently touted the virtues of her Contax T2 (a truly iconic camera), and the average price on the second-hand market spiked several hundred dollars to around $1,000. Olympus made some excellent point-and-shoot cameras under the Stylus series, and the zoom lens versions are still pretty affordable at less than $100. There\u2019s another version called the Stylus Epic (or the international name, the MJU II), which has an exceptionally sharp lens, and doesn\u2019t zoom. It\u2019s getting more difficult to find them all the time for anything below $200. If you go thrifting, keep an eye out for pretty much anything made by Contax, Olympus Stylus compacts, or anything in the Ricoh GR family. If you don\u2019t want to go bargain hunting or drop hundreds of dollars, the Nikon L35AF, which you can often find at estate sales and on eBay for under $100, is an underrated camera that\u2019s bigger than most point-and-shoots, but has a great lens attached. Minolta Easy Flash camera This is an example of a trap camera for collectors and shooters. It's not a very good camera in most ways, but it looks really cool. It will work, but you're better off with something more reliable and well-known. Stan Horaczek Rangefinders What are they? The rangefinder resides somewhere between the compact and the SLR. You compose and focus using a viewfinder held up to your eye, but you don\u2019t actually see through the lens of the camera, as you would with an SLR. The lens is coupled to the viewfinder so it knows when something is in focus. Shooting with a rangefinder is likely different than anything you\u2019ve experienced with a digital camera, unless you\u2019ve used something like the Fujifilm X100F. Try it before you make the leap. Advantages: Some rangefinders allow you to swap out your lenses, while others opt for a fixed lens system that tunes the glass for that specific camera. They\u2019re typically smaller than SLRs, but offer more manual controls than a compact. They\u2019re also often some of the best-looking cameras around. Disadvantages: The focusing process will likely take a little getting used to. The good ones are fairly expensive. Many of the older models don\u2019t have a built-in light meter, so you\u2019ll have to get a separate one or use a digital camera as a benchmark. Some models to consider The Leica M series is often considered the gold standard against which all other rangefinders are judged. Unfortunately, that means most of them cost absurd amounts of money. A Leica M6, for example (which is desirable because it was the last all-mechanical M camera before the company introduced electronic elements in the M7) typically costs more than $1,000 before you add a similarly pricy lens. In the world of the more realistic purchases, the Canon QL17 ($25-$100) is a great option for a beginner because it has a very sharp fixed lens. It\u2019s small and relatively easy to use as well. The Yashica Electro 35 ($40-$100) is another good, stylish option. If you want to get the most out of each roll of film, you can opt for a half-frame rangefinder like the Olympus PEN (roughly $150). It shoots photos that are only half the size of a typical 35-millimeter picture, which means you get 72 images on a single roll that usually only holds 36. You\u2019ll lose some image quality as a trade-off, but if you\u2019re going for the low-fi look, it could actually be a benefit. Canon point-and-shoot If you want a really lo-fi look, these little compacts often do a great job. They're very reliant on their built-in flash and the lenses usually aren't very sharp, so they can make images look "dreamy" or "muddy" depending on your outlook. I paid $2.50 for this one\u2014half price! Stan Horaczek Making sure it works Now that you\u2019ve found a perfect picture machine, it\u2019s time to inspect it and make sure everything is in working order. There\u2019s a chance that any dusty, neglected camera you pick up now has been sitting around for a while unless you get it from a shop\u2014and that can lead to problems. The first thing to check is the battery compartment. Storing a camera with a battery inside often leads to corrosion, which can literally eat away at the inside of the camera as the acid liberates itself from the cell. If you open the battery door and find green gunk, it\u2019s definitely a warning sign, but it\u2019s not necessarily a dealbreaker. Check and see if the parts look intact and make sure nothing is falling off. If it\u2019s just a little battery gunk, you can typically clean the majority of it with some rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab. If you have a chance to test out the camera before you purchase it, bring a spare battery with you to try it out. Many newer cameras won\u2019t work at all without a battery inside, so you can\u2019t test to see if you can trigger the shutter with the button. Camera batteries aren\u2019t necessarily easy to find anymore, so don\u2019t be surprised if you have to order one from Amazon or another camera shop after googling which one you\u2019ll need. Typical batteries include CR123 and CR2 cells. Make sure to try out all the moving parts, as well. If there are knobs, twist them. If the lens has a ring used for focusing, turn it and make sure it doesn\u2019t groan from internal friction (if a lens is making a sound like Chewbacca, it won\u2019t be fun to shoot). If there\u2019s a film advance lever, make sure you can push it, because they often jam up; if it\u2019s frozen, you won\u2019t be able to advance your film. Konica A4 This is one of my favorite film cameras ever. I bought it on a whim and it went everywhere with me for a year before it broke. The experimentation element of this process is part of what makes it great. Stan Horaczek One crucial element of your new camera is the light meter that measures the illumination in a scene and tells you which settings to use for your shot. Light meters usually engage when you push the camera\u2019s shutter button (the button you use to take the picture) halfway down. When activated, you\u2019ll typically see an indicator through the eyepiece like a needle that fluctuates or a light that moves around an exposure scale to show you what settings to use. Life will be hard if you try to learn without a working light meter, so make sure it\u2019s operational. Lastly, check the optics. Use your phone\u2019s flashlight to look through the glass of the lens. If you see little tentacle-like streaks inside\u2014especially around the edges\u2014that\u2019s likely lens fungus, which is extremely difficult to remove and might affect your photos, and not in a good, Instagram-filter way. Some lens glass will also yellow as it ages and, which is similarly hard to treat and can add a tinge to your snaps. (If you\u2019re shooting black-and-white film, however, the yellowing is actually less of an issue, for obvious reasons.) You also might notice a bunch of dust. While that can be annoying, it\u2019s typically harmless. Film cameras employ a focusing screen, which is a piece of glass underneath the viewfinder. It\u2019s often simple to open and clean out the dots of junk. Little bits of dust inside the lens itself are often inconsequential when it comes to image quality, as long as they\u2019re small. Nikon L35AF This Nikon isn't the prettiest camera, but it has a very sharp lens, which is crucial. Stan Horaczek Get some film By now, you\u2019ve noticed that pretty much every one-hour photo place on the planet has disappeared, which means you should plan on sending your film away for development unless you want to do it yourself (which is totally fun and you should definitely try it, but the subject of a different article!). If you want to shoot color, start with Agfa Scala, Kodak Gold, or Fuji Superia. They will set you back less than $4 per roll and give you a semi-grainy, and very film-esque look. Expect to pay roughly $11 to have each roll developed and scanned. No, it\u2019s not cheap, but that\u2019s part of what helps the process feel more precious and fun. Labs like The Find Lab and The Darkroom do an excellent job. If you want to shoot black-and-white, pick up some Kodak T-Max, Kodak Tri-X, or Ilford HP5 (The new TMAX P3200 film from Kodak is aimed at more advanced users since it requires careful processing, which costs extra if you\u2019re sending it out.) All of those stocks have been around forever and there are lots of guides (like ours!) online to help you develop it on your own. You can also send it away to the labs mentioned above, but expect to pay a little more. Right now, things are relatively great in the film world, but there\u2019s no telling when the boom will end. Film stocks are still going out of production here and there, but it\u2019s easier to shoot film in 2018 than it was five years ago, and that\u2019s a good thing. Let\u2019s hope it lasts. ","Technology cameras imaging buying guide how-to DIY nikon canon vintage history Gadgets","Stan Horaczek","
Film photography is fun because it's unpredictable and slow.<\/div>","
Film photography is fun because it's unpredictable and slow.<\/div>","
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