Best Film Cameras You Can Buy on the Cheap
Photo by Jacek Dylag on Unsplash
Cheap Film Cameras
I remember learning photography on a Canon AE-1 35mm film camera that my dad picked up in the late 70s.
It was a fun camera to use, and since it was the mid-90s when I first started taking photos, I also learned how to develop film. The whole thing was a fun and awesome process that I wish more people would partake in today.
So that got me thinking…
If I were to recommend some classic film cameras you can buy, which ones would I choose?
Editor’s Tip: Film cameras are great tools for learning photography because many of them offer simple, straightforward controls that are very easy to use. Likewise, with a limited number of exposures, shooting on film forces you to think more purposefully about how you compose your photos, which helps you develop your creative eye. If you don’t want one of the cameras listed below, there are plenty other models you can choose from.
Best Film Cameras: Canon AE-1
I want to start with my old camera from back in the day, the Canon AE-1.
Not only is the AE-1 one of Canon’s most successful film cameras, but it is also one of the best 35mm film cameras ever made.
The camera body was built like a tank, so it offers years and years of reliable service. It sturdiness is matched by the quality of the Canon FD lenses that are used with it - those lenses are legendary for their sharpness and image quality.
The AE-1 is a manual focus camera and has a built-in meter, full manual controls, and great viewfinder. The viewfinder even has a split-image and focus aids. Nice!
But the AE-1 is perhaps best known for making photography affordable for beginners and enthusiasts. For the first time, many regular people could get their hands on a high-quality camera that had tons of features, like Shutter Priority AE exposure mode, which helps when photographing action shots.
Best of all, you can find Canon AE-1 cameras in great condition for around $80!
Learn more about the Canon AE-1.
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Best Film Cameras: Pentax K1000
As durable and reliable as the Canon AE-1 is, the crown for the camera that’s most “built like a tank” has to go to the Pentax K1000.
Honestly, you have to work really hard to destroy one of these things...they are that well made.
The all-metal construction makes it a heavy rig, but if you’re accident-prone like me, it’s a great camera to consider.
In fact, this is one of the best film cameras for beginners because of its durability and because it has simple, easy-to-use controls that make learning photography easier (and fun!).
Though the K1000 doesn’t have any high-end features or special shooting modes, it does have full manual controls which is helpful when learning about things like aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and the exposure triangle.
Plus, you can find these things in great numbers, often well below $100.
Learn more about the Pentax K1000.
Editor’s Tip: Since there is such a hot market for film cameras, if you have one you no longer use, you can easily sell it or trade it in. Doing so gives you a little cash in your pocket to use for upgrading to a more capable film camera, or you can use the proceeds to help finance a DSLR or mirrorless rig. The possibilities are endless! See how much your camera is worth.
Best Film Cameras: Olympus OM-1
My next pick for the best film cameras of 2019 is the Olympus OM-1 shown above.
These cameras have a long-standing reputation for outstanding quality. They have small, lightweight bodies that make them an excellent choice for a walkaround film camera (they make perfect travel photography cameras as well).
This is a beautiful camera, too. The minimalist design of Yoshihisa Maitani is absolutely gorgeous (he designed the Pen and Pen F cameras as well), and while how a camera looks isn’t all that important, it doesn’t hurt that this thing is easy on the eyes.
In terms of quality, it’s hard to beat the OM-1. In fact, it’s often referred to as the Poor Man’s Leica because it produced such excellent results. Add to that the fact that these cameras work with the impeccable Zuiko lenses, utilize a center-weighted metering system (that can be turned on and off), and a nice, large viewfinder, and you have a recipe for an excellent film camera.
It’s also a cheap film camera - about $65 is all you need to pick one up.
Learn more about the Olympus OM-1.
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Best Film Cameras: Minolta X-700
There are plenty of Minolta 35mm film cameras that could have made this list, but in the end, I went with the X-700 because it is hands-down the best Minolta film camera ever made.
This rig was designed and built specifically for beginner and enthusiast photographers, and as such, had a major hand in making photography a hobby that was accessible to the masses.
The enormous and bright viewfinder gives you a prime view of the subject. With fully automatic modes, you can jump right in and begin taking photos, or, if you have a little more practice and photography knowledge, you can use the cameras full manual mode as well.
This camera has auto exposure capabilities, an electronic self-timer, an electronically timed shutter, and TTL flash metering as well.
Granted, there aren’t as many lenses out there that you can use with this camera as you might find with the other cameras on this list.
However, as far as cheap film cameras go, the X-700 should definitely be on your radar at around $140.
Learn more about the Minolta X-700.
