Film Camera Guide
Comprehensive buying guides, common issues, and honest assessments for film cameras.
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
Canon A-1
1978-1985
Versatile shooting with multiple auto modes, Serious FD system users
Canon AE-1
1976-1984
Learning manual photography, First film SLR
Canon AE-1 Program
1981-1987
Those wanting automatic options, Upgrade from AE-1
Canon EOS-1V
2000-2018
Professional sports and action, Photojournalism
Canon F-1
1971-1981
Professional reliability, Harsh conditions
Canon New F-1
1981-1992
Professional Canon FD system users, Sports and action photography
Canon T90
1986-1990
Fast action and sports, Evaluative metering pioneers
Contax 167MT
1987-1994
Reliable C/Y mount body, Travel (AAA batteries available everywhere)
Contax Aria
1998-2002
Daily Zeiss lens shooting, Travel photography
Contax RTS
1974-1982
Carl Zeiss T* lens users, Design enthusiasts
Contax RTS III
1990-2000
Maximum film flatness/sharpness, Studio work
Minolta Maxxum 7 / Dynax 7 / Alpha 7
2000-2006
Advanced amateur photography, Those wanting modern features on film
Minolta Maxxum 7000 / Alpha 7000
1985-1988
Historical significance, Affordable entry to A-mount
Minolta Maxxum 9 / Dynax 9 / Alpha 9
1998-2003
Sports and action photography, Professional reliability
Minolta SRT-101
1966-1975
Learning manual photography, Budget-conscious beginners
Minolta SRT-102 / SRT Super
1973-1976
Those wanting SRT-101 with improvements, Manual photography learning
Minolta X-700
1981-1999
Learning with automation backup, Excellent Rokkor lens system
Minolta XD-7 / XD-11
1977-1984
Versatile auto and manual shooting, Those wanting premium Minolta build
Minolta XE-7 / XE-1
1974-1977
Smooth operation enthusiasts, Those wanting Leica build quality on budget
Nikon F
1959-1974
Collectors and historians, Mechanical camera enthusiasts
Nikon F100
1999-2006
Best value professional-grade Nikon film body, Those familiar with Nikon DSLRs
Nikon F2
1971-1980
Those wanting the finest mechanical SLR, Professional reliability
Nikon F3
1980-2001
Professional film photography, Those wanting auto exposure + manual
Nikon F5
1996-2004
Sports and action photography, Professional photojournalism
Nikon F6
2004-2020
Ultimate 35mm film experience, Professional work requiring best AF
Nikon FE
1978-1983
Aperture-priority workflow, Learning with auto backup
Nikon FE2
1983-1987
Aperture-priority shooters, Flash photography
Nikon FM
1977-1982
Mechanical reliability, Budget Nikon entry
Nikon FM2
1982-2001
Reliable mechanical operation, Flash photography (fast sync)
Nikon FM3A
2001-2006
The best of FM2 and FE2 combined, Long-term reliability
Olympus OM-1
1972-1987
Street photography (compact, quiet), Travel (lightweight system)
Olympus OM-2
1975-1984
Auto-exposure with quality glass, Available light photography
Olympus OM-3Ti
1994-2002
Zone System practitioners, Landscape photography
Olympus OM-4Ti
1986-2002
Professional OM system use, Complex metering situations
Olympus Pen F
1963-1966
Unique half-frame aesthetic, Collectors and enthusiasts
Pentax K1000
1976-1997
Photography students (the classic learning camera), Those wanting to master manual exposure
Pentax LX
1980-2001
Professional Pentax K-mount work, Harsh conditions
Pentax ME Super
1979-1984
Compact K-mount shooting, Those wanting auto and manual modes
Pentax MX
1976-1985
Compact SLR system, Mechanical reliability
Pentax MZ-S
2001-2003
Modern AF film experience, Pentax FA/DA lens users
Pentax Spotmatic
1964-1976
Huge M42 lens selection, Budget mechanical shooting
Pentax Super A / Super Program
1983-1989
Learning all exposure modes, Versatile shooting situations
Yashica FX-3 Super 2000
1986-2002
Budget Zeiss lens access, Learning manual photography
Pentax Auto 110
1978-1985
Collectors, Novelty/experimental photography
Minolta 110 Zoom SLR
1976-1979
Collectors, 110 format enthusiasts
Yashica Samurai X3.0
1987-1995
Half-frame with versatility, Video camera-style handling
Rangefinder Cameras
Compact bodies with precise focusing
Bronica RF645
2000-2005
Portable medium format rangefinder, Street/travel with larger negatives
Canon 7
1961-1965
Affordable LTM rangefinder shooting, Collectors of Canon history
Canon Canonet QL17 GIII
1972-1982
Street photography, Budget rangefinder entry
Contax G1
1994-2002
Carl Zeiss lens enthusiasts, Those wanting AF rangefinder
Contax G2
1996-2005
Ultimate Contax G experience, Street and reportage
Fujifilm GF670 / Voigtländer Bessa III
2008-2014
Portable medium format, Travel photography
Leica CL (1973)
1973-1976
Affordable M-mount entry, Compact M system
Leica M-A
2014-present
Purists wanting no electronics, Long-term reliability
Leica M2
1957-1968
35mm and 50mm lens use, Street photography
Leica M3
1954-1966
50mm and longer lenses, Collectors
Leica M4
1967-1975
Refined M shooting experience, 135mm lens use (vs M2)
Leica M4-P
1980-1986
Budget Leica M entry, Those comfortable with external meter
Leica M5
1971-1975
Those wanting built-in meter, Underrated M bargain seekers
Leica M6
1984-2002, 2022-present
Street photography, Documentary work
Leica M7
2002-2018
Street photography requiring speed, Those wanting AE on M
Leica MP
2003-present
Professional photojournalism, Leica purists
Mamiya 7 II
1999-2014
Travel photography (lightest 6x7 system), Landscape photography
Minolta CLE
1981-1985
Affordable Leica M-mount shooting, Those wanting AE on a rangefinder
Minolta Hi-Matic 7sII
1977-1984
Street photography, Travel photography
Plaubel Makina 67 / 670
1978-1999
Portable 6x7 format, Travel with quality
Ricoh 500G
1971-1977
Budget rangefinder experience, Learning photography
Voigtländer Bessa R / R2 / R3
1999-2015
Budget entry to M-mount, Using Leica lenses affordably
Yashica Electro 35
1966-1977
Low light photography (f/1.7), Budget rangefinder entry
Yashica Electro 35 GSN / GTN
1973-1987
Low light photography, Street photography
Compact Cameras
Point-and-shoot convenience
Canon Sure Shot / AF35M
1979-2000s
Casual photography, Budget-friendly film shooting
Contax T
1984-1990
Premium compact experience, Collectors
Contax T2
1990-2002
Street photography, Travel (pocketable quality)
Contax T3
2001-2005
Ultimate compact image quality, Street photography
Fujifilm Klasse S
2007-2015
Premium compact photography, Flash fill in daylight
Fujifilm Klasse W
2006-2015
Wide-angle compact photography, Street photography
Fujifilm Natura Classica
2006-2015
Low light photography, Natural light portraits
Fujifilm Tiara / DL Super Mini
1994-1998
Affordable wide-angle compact, Everyday carry
Nikon 35Ti
1993-1999
Premium compact experience, Street photography
Nikon Lite Touch Zoom
1993-2000s
Casual photography, Budget film shooting
Olympus Mju-I / Stylus
1991-1997
Everyday carry, Travel
Olympus Pen EE
1961-1966
Experimental photography, Economical shooting (double frames)
Olympus Stylus Epic / MJU-II
1997-2002
Everyday carry, Travel photography
Olympus Trip 35
1967-1984
Sunny day photography, Travel (no batteries needed)
Olympus XA
1979-1985
Pocketable quality camera, Street photography
Olympus XA2
1980-1985
Everyday carry, Travel photography
Pentax Espio / IQZoom
1992-2005
Casual photography, Budget film entry
Ricoh GR1
1996-2001
Street photography (28mm wide angle), Ultra-compact quality camera
Ricoh GR1s
1998-2001
Street photography, Everyday carry
Ricoh GR1v
2001-2005
Ultimate GR1 experience, Professional street work
Ricoh GR21
2001-2002
Ultra-wide photography, Architecture
Yashica T4 / T4 Super
1995-2001
Zeiss quality at lower cost than Contax T2, Travel and everyday carry
Yashica T5 / T4 Super D
1995-2000
Sharp compact images, Street photography
Canon Demi
1963-1967
Economical shooting, Experimental photography
Medium Format Cameras
Larger negatives, superior quality
Bronica GS-1
1983-2000
Budget 6x7 medium format, Studio work
Bronica SQ-A / SQ-Ai
1982-2003
Budget Hasselblad alternative, Studio photography
Fujifilm GA645
1995-2000
Medium format point-and-shoot, Travel photography
Fujifilm GSW690III
1992-2002
Landscape and architecture, Wide-angle 6x9 work
Fujifilm GW690III
1992-2002
Landscape photography, Maximum negative size
Hasselblad 500C/M
1970-1994
Studio photography, Portrait work
Hasselblad 503CW
1996-2013
Studio photography, Portrait work
Mamiya RB67 Pro-S
1974-1990
Studio photography, Portrait work (large negatives)
Mamiya RZ67 Pro II
1995-2004
Studio photography, Fashion and portrait work
Pentax 645
1984-1997
Entry to medium format, Wedding photography
Pentax 645N / 645NII
1997-2006
AF medium format shooting, Wedding photography
Pentax 67 / 6x7
1969-2009
Landscape photography, Portrait work
Pentax 67II
1998-2009
Studio photography, Landscape photography