If you have a 35mm camera or have chosen to buy one, you need good film. Don't think of this in terms of the best brand name film, because most of the generic films will perform just as well as the name brands. Just buy whatever's on sale.
There are two kinds of film out there, slide film and color film. You should buy Color print film. (Or Black and White print film, if you're an art-house wannabe.) You don't want slide film-those are developed to be used in a slide projector.
If you purchase print film, the only choice you're faced with is what film "speed" to buy. A film's speed is a measure of its sensitivity to light, measured either as "ISO" or "ASA." (Don't worry about the abbreviations; treat them as if they mean the same thing). For example, a 200 ISO film would capture an image on film twice as fast as a 100 ASA film. Slower speeds give you clearer pictures, but they also are more prone to blurriness if your picture subject is moving around. Use the following as a guideline:
100 ISO/ASA: Slow Film Good for sunny, outdoor conditions, less "grainy"
200 ISO/ASA: Medium Film Good compromise for indoor/outdoor use
400 ISO/ASA: Fast Film Good for indoor use, low light conditions, or action shots
SoYouWanna know more? Check out our full-length article SYW take great photographs?
