Encyclopaedia
Film Camera Guide
- 143Total Cameras
- 46SLRs
- 24Rangefinders
- 31Compacts
- 13Medium Format
Common starting points
- First film camera: Canon AE-1, Pentax K1000, and Olympus Trip 35 are popular choices
- Value SLRs: Minolta X-700 and Canon AE-1 offer a lot for the price
- Premium compacts: Contax T2, Yashica T4, Olympus MJU-II
- Medium format: Mamiya RB67 (studio), Pentax 67 (more portable)
- Street photography: Leica M6, Olympus OM-1, or compacts
35mm SLR Cameras
Single-lens reflex with interchangeable lenses
- SLR
Canon A-1
1978-1985
35mmIntermediateAdvancedCANON FD mount£80-200Versatile shooting with multiple auto modes, Serious FD system users
- SLR
Canon AE-1
1976-1984
35mmBeginnerIntermediateCANON FD mount£60-150Learning manual photography, First film SLR
- SLR
Canon AE-1 Program
1981-1987
35mmBeginnerIntermediateCANON FD mount£80-180Those wanting automatic options, Upgrade from AE-1
- SLR
Canon EOS-1V
2000-2010
35mmProfessionalCANON EF mount£400-800Professional sports and action, Photojournalism
- SLR
Canon F-1
1971-1981
35mmAdvancedProfessionalCANON FD mount£150-350Professional reliability, Harsh conditions
- SLR
Canon New F-1
1981-1992
35mmAdvancedProfessionalCANON FD mount£200-450Professional Canon FD system users, Sports and action photography
- SLR
Canon T90
1986-1990
35mmAdvancedProfessionalCANON FD mount£100-250Fast action and sports, Multi-spot metering
- SLR
Contax 167MT
1987-1994
35mmIntermediateAdvancedCONTAX YASHICA mount£100-200Simple C/Y mount body, Travel (AAA batteries available everywhere)
- SLR
Contax Aria
1998-2002
35mmIntermediateAdvancedCONTAX YASHICA mount£200-400Daily Zeiss lens shooting, Travel photography
- SLR
Contax RTS
1975-1982
35mmIntermediateAdvancedCONTAX YASHICA mount£100-250Carl Zeiss T* lens users, Design enthusiasts
- SLR
Contax RTS III
1990-2000
35mmAdvancedProfessionalCONTAX YASHICA mount£400-800Maximum film flatness/sharpness, Studio work
- SLR
Minolta 110 Zoom SLR
1976-1979
110CollectorFixed lens£50-120Collectors, 110 format enthusiasts
- SLR
Minolta Maxxum 7 / Dynax 7 / Alpha 7
2000-2006
35mmIntermediateAdvancedMINOLTA A mount£100-200Advanced amateur photography, Those wanting modern features on film
- SLR
Minolta Maxxum 7000 / Alpha 7000
1985-1988
35mmBeginnerIntermediateCollectorMINOLTA A mount£30-80Historical significance, Affordable entry to A-mount
- SLR
Minolta Maxxum 9 / Dynax 9 / Alpha 9
1998-2003
35mmProfessionalMINOLTA A mount£200-400Sports and action photography, Those wanting unusual speed capabilities
- SLR
Minolta SRT-101
1966-1975
35mmBeginnerIntermediateMINOLTA SR mount£50-120Learning manual photography, Budget-conscious beginners
- SLR
Minolta SRT-102 / SRT Super
1973-1976
35mmBeginnerIntermediateMINOLTA SR mount£60-130Those wanting SRT-101 with improvements, Manual photography learning
- SLR
Minolta X-700
1981-1999
35mmBeginnerIntermediateMINOLTA MD mount£80-180Learning with automation backup, Affordable entry with capable features
- SLR
Minolta XD-7 / XD-11
1977-1984
35mmIntermediateAdvancedMINOLTA SR mount£100-250Versatile auto and manual shooting, Compact size with full features
- SLR
Minolta XE-7 / XE-1
1974-1977
35mmIntermediateAdvancedMINOLTA SR mount£80-180Smooth operation enthusiasts, Portrait and studio work
- SLR
Nikon F
1959-1974
35mmAdvancedProfessionalCollectorNIKON F mount£200-500Collectors and historians, Mechanical camera enthusiasts
- SLR
Nikon F100
1999-2006
35mmIntermediateAdvancedProfessionalNIKON F mount£200-400Professional-grade features at modest weight, Those familiar with Nikon DSLRs
- SLR
Nikon F2
1971-1980
35mmAdvancedProfessionalNIKON F mount£250-550Mechanical SLR users, Professional reliability
- SLR
Nikon F3
1980-2001
35mmAdvancedProfessionalNIKON F mount£300-600Professional film photography, Those wanting auto exposure + manual
- SLR
Nikon F5
1996-2004
35mmProfessionalNIKON F mount£300-600Sports and action photography, Photojournalism
- SLR
Nikon F6
2004-2020
35mmProfessionalNIKON F mount£1200-2000Professional work requiring modern AF, Using modern AF-S/VR lenses
- SLR
Nikon FE
1978-1983
35mmBeginnerIntermediateNIKON F mount£100-200Aperture-priority workflow, Learning with auto backup
- SLR
Nikon FE2
1983-1987
35mmIntermediateAdvancedNIKON F mount£180-350Aperture-priority shooters, Flash photography
- SLR
Nikon FM
1977-1982
35mmBeginnerIntermediateNIKON F mount£100-200Mechanical reliability, Budget Nikon entry
- SLR
Nikon FM2
1982-2001
35mmIntermediateAdvancedNIKON F mount£200-400Reliable mechanical operation, Flash photography (fast sync)
- SLR
Nikon FM3A
2001-2006
35mmIntermediateAdvancedNIKON F mount£600-1000Those wanting auto with mechanical backup, Collectors and serious enthusiasts
- SLR
Olympus OM-1
1972-1987
35mmIntermediateAdvancedOLYMPUS OM mount£120-250Street photography (compact), Travel (lightweight system)
- SLR
Olympus OM-2
1975-1984
35mmIntermediateAdvancedOLYMPUS OM mount£120-250Auto-exposure with quality glass, Available light photography
- SLR
Olympus OM-3Ti
1994-2002
35mmAdvancedProfessionalOLYMPUS OM mount£800-1400Zone System practitioners, Landscape photography
- SLR
Olympus OM-4Ti
1986-2002
35mmAdvancedProfessionalOLYMPUS OM mount£500-900Professional OM system use, Complex metering situations
- SLR
Olympus Pen F
1963-1966
35mm half-frameIntermediateAdvancedCollectorOLYMPUS PEN-F mount£200-450Unique half-frame SLR, Collectors and enthusiasts
- SLR
Pentax Auto 110
1979-1985
110CollectorPENTAX 110 mount£80-180Collectors, Novelty/experimental photography
- SLR
Pentax K1000
1976-1997
35mmBeginnerPENTAX K mount£80-180Photography students, Those wanting to master manual exposure
- SLR
Pentax LX
1980-2001
35mmAdvancedProfessionalPENTAX K mount£350-700Professional Pentax K-mount work, Harsh conditions
- SLR
Pentax ME Super
1979-1984
35mmBeginnerIntermediatePENTAX K mount£50-120Compact K-mount shooting, Those wanting auto and manual modes
- SLR
Pentax MX
1976-1984
35mmIntermediateAdvancedPENTAX K mount£150-300Compact SLR system, Mechanical reliability
- SLR
Pentax MZ-S
2001-2003
35mmAdvancedProfessionalPENTAX KAF2 mount£300-600Modern AF film experience, Pentax FA/DA lens users
- SLR
Pentax Spotmatic
1964-1976
35mmBeginnerIntermediateM42 mount£40-100Huge M42 lens selection, Budget mechanical shooting
- SLR
Pentax Super A / Super Program
1983-1989
35mmBeginnerIntermediatePENTAX KA mount£80-160Learning all exposure modes, Those wanting full PASM control
- SLR
Yashica FX-3 Super 2000
1986-2002
35mmBeginnerIntermediateCONTAX YASHICA mount£40-90Budget Zeiss lens access, Learning manual photography
- SLR
Yashica Samurai X3.0
1987-1995
35mm half-frameIntermediateFixed lens£40-100Half-frame with a zoom, Video-camera-style handling
Rangefinder Cameras
Compact bodies with precise focusing
- Rangefinder
Bronica RF645
2000-2005
120AdvancedFixed lens£600-1000Portable medium format rangefinder, Street/travel with larger negatives
- Rangefinder
Canon 7
1961-1965
35mmIntermediateAdvancedLEICA THREAD-MOUNT mount£150-350Affordable LTM rangefinder shooting, Collectors of Canon history
- Rangefinder
Canon Canonet QL17 GIII
1972-1982
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£100-200Street photography, Budget rangefinder entry
- Rangefinder
Contax G1
1994-2002
35mmIntermediateAdvancedCONTAX G mount£300-550Carl Zeiss lens enthusiasts, Those wanting AF rangefinder
- Rangefinder
Contax G2
1996-2005
35mmAdvancedProfessionalCONTAX G mount£700-1200Contax G system users, Street and reportage
- Rangefinder
Fujifilm GF670 / Voigtländer Bessa III
2008-2014
120AdvancedFixed lens£1500-2500Portable medium format, Travel photography
- Rangefinder
Leica CL (1973)
1973-1976
35mmBeginnerIntermediateLEICA M mount£400-700Affordable M-mount entry, Compact M system
- Rangefinder
Leica M-A
2014-present
35mmAdvancedProfessionalLEICA M mount£4500-5500Purists wanting no electronics, Long-term reliability
- Rangefinder
Leica M2
1957-1968
35mmAdvancedProfessionalLEICA M mount£1000-180035mm and 50mm lens use, Street photography
- Rangefinder
Leica M3
1954-1966
35mmAdvancedProfessionalCollectorLEICA M mount£1200-250050mm and longer lenses, Collectors
- Rangefinder
Leica M4
1967-1972
35mmAdvancedProfessionalLEICA M mount£1400-2500Refined M shooting experience, Fast film loading
- Rangefinder
Leica M4-P
1980-1986
35mmAdvancedLEICA M mount£1500-2500Budget Leica M entry, Those comfortable with external meter
- Rangefinder
Leica M5
1971-1975
35mmIntermediateAdvancedLEICA M mount£1000-1800Those wanting a built-in meter, Larger hand ergonomics
- Rangefinder
Leica M6
1984-2002, 2022-present
35mmAdvancedLEICA M mount£2500-4000Street photography, Documentary work
- Rangefinder
Leica M7
2002-2018
35mmIntermediateAdvancedProfessionalLEICA M mount£2500-4000Those wanting AE on an M, Professional work
- Rangefinder
Leica MP
2003-present
35mmAdvancedLEICA M mount£3500-4500Leica purists, Those wanting a mechanical M with a meter
- Rangefinder
Mamiya 7 II
1995-2014
120AdvancedMAMIYA 7 mount£2000-3500Travel photography, Landscape photography
- Rangefinder
Minolta CLE
1981-1985
35mmIntermediateAdvancedLEICA M mount£400-800Affordable Leica M-mount shooting, Those wanting AE on a rangefinder
- Rangefinder
Minolta Hi-Matic 7sII
1977-1984
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£60-130Street photography, Travel photography
- Rangefinder
Plaubel Makina 67 / 670
1979-1986
120AdvancedFixed lens£1200-2000Portable 6x7 format, Travel with quality
- Rangefinder
Ricoh 500G
1972-1977
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£40-100Budget rangefinder experience, Learning photography
- Rangefinder
Voigtländer Bessa R / R2 / R3
2000-2015
35mmBeginnerIntermediateLEICA M mount£300-600Budget entry to M-mount, Using Leica lenses affordably
- Rangefinder
Yashica Electro 35
1966-1977
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£50-150Low light photography (f/1.7), Budget rangefinder entry
- Rangefinder
Yashica Electro 35 GSN / GTN
1973-1987
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£60-140Low light photography, Street photography
Compact Cameras
Point-and-shoot convenience
- Compact
Canon Demi
1963-1967
35mm half-frameBeginnerFixed lens£40-90Economical shooting, Experimental photography
- Compact
Canon Sure Shot / AF35M
1979-2000s
35mmBeginnerFixed lens£10-50Casual photography, Budget-friendly film shooting
- Compact
Contax T
1984-1990
35mmIntermediateAdvancedCollectorFixed lens£400-800Premium compact experience, Collectors
- Compact
Contax T2
1991-2002
35mmIntermediateAdvancedFixed lens£800-1500Street photography, Travel (pocketable quality)
- Compact
Contax T3
2001-2005
35mmAdvancedFixed lens£1500-2500Ultimate compact image quality, Street photography
- Compact
Fujifilm Klasse S
2007-2015
35mmIntermediateAdvancedFixed lens£700-1200Premium compact photography, Travel
- Compact
Fujifilm Klasse W
2007-2015
35mmIntermediateAdvancedFixed lens£800-1300Wide-angle compact photography, Street photography
- Compact
Fujifilm Natura Classica
2004-2015
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£400-700Low light photography, Natural light portraits
- Compact
Fujifilm QuickSnap
1986-present
Single-use film camera (film format not stated in the release)BeginnerFixed lensVariesUnderwater and glove-friendly shooting (Active), Black-and-white snapshots
- Compact
Fujifilm Tiara / DL Super Mini
1994-1998
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£80-180Compact wide-angle carry, Everyday carry
- Compact
Lomography Fisheye No. 2
2009-present
35mmFixed lensVariesFisheye snapshots, Day and night experimentation with the built-in flash
- Compact
Lomography Lomomatic 110
2024-present
110Fixed lensVaries110 cartridge film, Colourful special editions
- Compact
Lomography Simple Use Reloadable
2017-present
35mmFixed lensVariesStreet, action and creative photography, Pocketable everyday use
- Compact
Lomography Sprocket Rocket
2010-present
35mmFixed lensVariesPanoramic shots with sprocket-hole borders
- Compact
Nikon 35Ti
1993-1999
35mmIntermediateAdvancedFixed lens£600-1000Premium compact experience, Street photography
- Compact
Nikon Lite Touch Zoom series
1993-2000s
35mmBeginnerFixed lensVariesCasual photography, Budget film shooting
- Compact
Olympus Mju-I / Stylus
1991-1997
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£40-100Everyday carry, Travel
- Compact
Olympus Pen EE
1961-1966
35mm half-frameBeginnerFixed lens£40-100Experimental photography, Economical shooting (double frames)
- Compact
Olympus Stylus Epic / MJU-II
1997-2002
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£150-350Everyday carry, Travel photography
- Compact
Olympus Trip 35
1967-1984
35mmBeginnerFixed lens£30-80Sunny day photography, Travel (no batteries needed)
- Compact
Olympus XA
1979-1985
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£100-200Pocketable quality camera, Street photography
- Compact
Olympus XA2
1980-1985
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£50-120Everyday carry, Travel photography
- Compact
Pentax Espio / IQZoom series
1992-2005
35mmBeginnerFixed lens£20-80Casual photography, Budget film entry
- Compact
Praktica VF212
2026
35mmBeginnerFixed lensVariesCheap reusable snapshots
- Compact
Reto Project Kodak EC35
2026-present
35mmBeginnerFixed lensVariesFirst film camera, Daylight snapshots
- Compact
Ricoh GR1
1996-2001
35mmIntermediateAdvancedFixed lens£400-800Street photography (28mm), Ultra-compact quality camera
- Compact
Ricoh GR1s
1998-2001
35mmIntermediateAdvancedFixed lens£700-1100Street photography, Everyday carry
- Compact
Ricoh GR1v
2001-2005
35mmAdvancedProfessionalFixed lens£1000-1500Street photography, Those wanting manual ISO and focus options
- Compact
Ricoh GR21
2001
35mmAdvancedFixed lens£2500-4000Ultra-wide photography, Architecture
- Compact
Silverbridges WideluxX
2026 (pre-orders open)
35mmFixed lensVariesPanoramic photography
- Compact
Yashica T4 / T4 Super (T5)
1990-2000s
35mmBeginnerIntermediateFixed lens£250-500Zeiss lens in a compact, Travel and everyday carry
Medium Format Cameras
Larger negatives, superior quality
- Medium Format
Bronica GS-1
1983-2002
120AdvancedBRONICA PG mount£500-900Budget 6x7 medium format, Studio work
- Medium Format
Bronica SQ-A / SQ-Ai
1982-2003
120IntermediateAdvancedBRONICA SQ mount£400-800Budget Hasselblad alternative, Studio photography
- Medium Format
Fujifilm GA645
1995-1997
120IntermediateAdvancedFixed lens£400-700Medium format point-and-shoot, Travel photography
- Medium Format
Fujifilm GSW690III
1992-2002
120AdvancedProfessionalFixed lens£700-1100Landscape and architecture, Wide-angle 6x9 work
- Medium Format
Fujifilm GW690III
1992-2002
120AdvancedProfessionalFixed lens£600-1000Landscape photography, Maximum negative size
- Medium Format
Hasselblad 500C/M
1970-1994
120AdvancedHASSELBLAD V mount£800-1500Studio photography, Portrait work
- Medium Format
Hasselblad 503CW
1996-2013
120AdvancedHASSELBLAD V mount£1500-2500Studio photography, Portrait work
- Medium Format
Mamiya RB67 Pro-S
1974-1990
120AdvancedMAMIYA RB mount£400-800Studio photography, Portrait work (large negatives)
- Medium Format
Mamiya RZ67 Pro II
1995-2004
120AdvancedMAMIYA RZ mount£500-1000Studio photography, Fashion and portrait work
- Medium Format
Pentax 645
1984-1997
120IntermediateAdvancedPENTAX 645 mount£150-350Entry to medium format, Portrait work
- Medium Format
Pentax 645N / 645NII
1997-2006
120IntermediateAdvancedProfessionalPENTAX 645 mount£350-600AF medium format shooting, Portrait photographers
- Medium Format
Pentax 67 / 6x7
1969-2009
120IntermediateAdvancedPENTAX 67 mount£600-1200Landscape photography, Portrait work
- Medium Format
Pentax 67II
1998-2009
120AdvancedProfessionalPENTAX 67 mount£800-1500Studio photography, Landscape photography