So you’re getting into film photography for the first time, and you’re just about to pull the trigger on your first purchase. But you’re scared of buying a 40-year old camera that could potentially not work. How do you ensure that you’re buying a film camera that functions properly? You’re in luck because after buying a bunch of used cameras in the last couple of months (thanks, quarantine), I’ve more or less caught onto what to look out for. And I’ve made a lot of mistakes to get to this point. For the most part, this guide pertains well to 35mm cameras as well as entry-level medium format cameras.