Film photographers opinion?

Studio or Ambient light?

Studio fashion is a no brainer: Kodak Porta 160

Ambient light Fashion: Kodak Porta 400 or Fujipro 400H

Landscape: Velvia 50 slide film if you can get it developed at a pro lab. Kodak Ektar 100 if you're processing in a drug store. Both have limited exposure latitude. You're going to need to nail that exposure otherwise you'll suffer blown highlights or muddy shadows.

Black and white is a whole other ball game.

For studio situations AND landscapes then for me it's Fuji Acros 100 every single time.

Ambient light stuff, is more tricky to nail down and will depend on your preference. Staying with the big makers, it's going to be between Fuji Neopan 400, Kodak TMax 400, Ilford Delta 400, Ilford HP5+ 400, Kodak Tri X 400.

These black and white films CANNOT be developed in a 1 hour drugstore type place. You'll need a pro lab to do it or do it yourself.

If you are developing in a drugstore then you are limited to Ilford XP2 Super and Kodak BW400CN for black and white.

All films mentioned are available in 35mm. Everything except Kodak BW400CN and Fuji Neopan 400 are available in 120.

If it's a 35mm film camera and you are new to photography in general then I would recommend a cheaper film such as Fuji Superia 400, or Kodak ProfotoXL 100 for your colour work. Some of the films I mentioned don't come cheap.

Depends what the camera is designed for. If it's 135 (35mm) then you'll find plenty of supplies and variety still. If it's 120 roll, then a little more expensive and less choice, but it's still in supply.

If this camera is much over 25 years old, you might find that the light seals leak, so I'd first try a cheap roll of film - to see if the light meter (if it has one) is still working in calibration, if the shutter mechanism is free, if the lens is clear of fungus, and if it is letting in light from anywhere due to perished seals.

In some SLR cameras, the glue from perished light seals can jam the mirror and even shutter mechanisms, so it is very wise to replace them. Light seal kits can be bought on the Internet, and they are usually very easy to replace.

I sort of buy ultra cheap old film cameras for a hobby, then bring them back to life. I revel in super cheap bargains from car boot sales (an English sort of mass yard sale), and usually also use cheap film. It's a lot of fun, and a challenge to use old gear that requires a skill set to use successfully.

If you get hooked, then buy a film scanner. There are plenty of 35mm film scanners, or flatbeds that are capable of film scanning (they have a lamp in the lid, and a mask for negatives or slides) about and some still in production. If you think that one day you might venture to medium format film, then buy something also capable of scanning 120 film negs.

It's the camera what determines what you need; if a 35 mm roll one, there are many films b&w and color; choose 100 ISO first and try some others then as 400