Saw it at the movies: film cameras that appear in films

Film still from the movie Twisters
(Image credit: Grainydays / Universal Pictures )

Film cameras have appeared in films since the earliest days of Hollywood, but do you ever hit the pause button to see what camera was actually used in a scene, and how practical it would be to use that particular camera to shoot whatever subject the on-screen photographer is trying to photograph?

It's exactly the sort of thing that camera nerd and movie buff Grainydays keeps his eyes peeled for as he hosts this YouTube video More Film Cameras in Movies – yes, like all good franchises, his original YouTube vid spawned a sequel…

More Film Cameras in Movies - YouTube More Film Cameras in Movies - YouTube
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ABOVE: Watch the video More Film Cameras in Movies

He picks apart the photo plot holes in an infinitesimal degree of detail. Could you really shoot that fast enough on a manual-wind camera? I think you'll find that's not the correct shutter sound for that model. He didn't wind the film on before or after taking the photo! How many frames does that roll of film have, for heaven's sake!?

The flicks that have their photography-related faux pas pulled apart include Godzilla Minus One, Twisters, Civil War, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Lost in Translation, Fallout and One Hour Photo.

Or you could sit down with a carton of popcorn and a can of soda and enjoy the movies instead…

If you're a fan of films as well as film, don't miss our guide to the 29 best movies about real photographers and 30 top films about fictional photographers. And here are some of the best film cameras, too…

Adam Waring
News Editor

Prior to joining digitalcameraworld.com as News Editor, Adam was the editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine for seven years, and as such is one of Digital Camera World's leading experts when it comes to all things Nikon-related.

Whether it’s reviews and hands-on tests of the latest Nikon cameras and lenses, sharing his skills using filters, tripods, lighting, L brackets and other photography equipment, or trading tips and techniques on shooting landscapes, wildlife and almost any genre of photography, Adam is always on hand to provide his insights.

Prior to his tenure on N-Photo, Adam was also a veteran of publications such as PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, so his wealth of photographic knowledge isn’t solely limited to the Big N.