The Best 35mm Film Camera for YOU
The best 35mm film camera. For YOU.
It’s tough to recommend any one camera because there are so many great options out there to consider, and they all have their unique strengths and challenges.
Psst- This blog is available in video form!
You have everything from fully manual SLRs which will have you focusing the lens, metering the scene, and setting exposure all on your own, to point-and-shoots that allow you to, well, point and shoot.
If you’re looking for a list of recommendations, I’ve included that below the main portion of this blog. That list is based on cameras I own or have used personally, seen my friends use, and cameras that I’d like to add to my collection for one reason or another- along with a little context for each.
Okay? Okay. Let’s dive in.
Here for specific camera recommendations? Jump to that section now.
How to Choose Your First Film Camera
Where to Buy Film Cameras
It might seem obvious at first glance. You’ve got flea markets and thrift stores, camera shops, and online options. But these outlets all have their advantages and disadvantages so let’s break them down quickly.
Thrift stores, garage sales, and flea markets
Should you buy a film camera at a thrift shop or a garage sale?
Short answer- don’t do it. Especially not if this is your first time buying a film camera. Often the folks selling cameras here don’t know anything about them or whether they work, and if you’re just getting started? Chances are neither do you.
If someone’s willing to let a relative’s old film camera go for $5 or something like that, it might be worth taking your chances, but unless you know your stuff, I’d advise against this route.
Camera shops
Camera shops usually have a much better, more curated selection of functioning cameras. That’s a definite point in the ‘advantages’ category. BUT camera stores are typically the most expensive place to buy a camera of any kind. Hands down.
Online shops
EBay has my heart when it comes to film cameras. Unbeatable selection of any and every camera you could possibly want, the best prices, and plenty of reputable sellers. Just read a few reviews and ensure that this is not your seller’s first rodeo. A few happy customers are plenty of proof that the camera is going to show up at your door in the described condition.
I have personally purchased every film camera (and most of the digital camera gear I own) from eBay, and I even have my favorite sellers that I come back to at this point.
Both of my solar-powered Olympus cameras (Trip 35 and Pen EE-3) from eBay.
How Much Should You Spend on a Film Camera?
You can find plenty of fantastic film cameras for under $100. Remember, these are old cameras, and while you might be planning to shoot with them for years, there are no guarantees in the film world.
Unless you have money to burn, I’d recommend sticking at or under the USD 100 mark for your first few cameras. Yes, you can fix a camera if it breaks, but it’s often much more expensive, time-consuming, and frustrating than it’s worth.
You’ll be much less disappointed if that $50 point-and-shoot gives up mid-way through its 8th or 9th roll than if you drop USD 300 on a higher-end model that you don’t know how to repair.
Manual vs. Point and Shoot Film Cameras
The beauty of film cameras is partly in the spectrum of options available- many of them can even be a bit quirky and ‘out-there’ as well, making the whole process of selecting YOUR camera very individualized.
Some cameras do everything for you- even advancing the film- while others require you to meter the scene, adjust shutter speed and aperture, and focus the lens. Ultimately, the level of manual control you’ll want depends heavily on what you’re looking to get out of the film photography experience.
If you prioritize ease of use and want to focus on composition, there's no shame in using a camera with automatic exposure. All of my cameras have automatic settings available, even if they do give me control over certain things.
I am more of a camera in one hand, coffee in the other photographer to be honest, so I love to let that 50-year-old tech do the heavy lifting and just focus on finding interesting compositions.
At the bare minimum, it’s nice to have the option to change settings, and you should look for something that allows you to set the ASA/ISO too, but that should be a standard feature of the vast majority of 35mm film cameras out there.
Psst… I have specific recommendations for cameras ranging from “I don’t want to think” to “give me control over everything” down below ⬇️
A Quick Warning About Batteries
One thing to consider is battery compatibility. Many older film cameras use batteries that are no longer manufactured.
There will likely be workarounds. Everything from using a bit of cardboard or tin foil to make a smaller battery fit snugly to using modern options with slight voltage differences and adjusting the ASA accordingly, but this can get technical quickly, and may very well be a turn-off if you’re looking at your very first film camera.
If you're not comfortable with tinkering, some cameras use readily available batteries like AA or AAA, or even none at all! My current everyday camera, the Olympus Pen EE-3, features a solar-powered meter, eliminating battery concerns entirely. I love it.
Either way, this is something to check out on the camera model you’re eyeing before you pull the trigger. You may not want to hunt through Reddit threads and camera forums to solve battery issues with your first foray into the wonderful world of 35mm film photography.
35mm vs. Half-Frame Film Cameras
With film and development costs always on the rise, a half-frame camera might be an interesting option to consider.
These cameras, as the name implies, use half the amount of film per exposure compared to a standard 35mm camera. This translates to double the number of photos per roll (around 72 exposures for a typical 36-exposure roll).
The trade-off is slightly lower image quality, similar to using a lower resolution setting on a digital camera. This is a more nuanced concept than I’ve just described, but we’ll leave it there for now.
Recent half-frames from my Olympus Pen EE-3 (Los Angeles & Malibu)
These are right out of camera- no adjustments at all beyond cropping and compressing a bit for the site to keep file sizes small. If anything, your photos should look very slightly better.
I do notice more grain, and I wouldn’t use a half-frame camera if someone was paying me and looking for the best quality, but these have all been surprisingly great quality and are perfect for morning coffee walks, quick snaps, and beach days out on the sand with my partner.
Let’s do the math so you can decide if a half-frame might be worth it simply for the savings.
I can usually get 38 or 39 exposures out of a 36-exposure roll by loading the film carefully. Similarly, that translates to 76-78 exposures using a half-frame, but let’s work on the assumption you’re getting 36 or 72 every time, and a roll costs $25 to purchase, shoot, develop, and scan.
1x Roll of film (Kodak Gold/Ultramax) = ~$10
Developing and scanning at normal resolution is usually something like $15/roll
That means at 36 exposures, you’re paying about $0.70 per photo, vs. the half-frame’s $0.35.
The difference is certainly not enormous but does begin to make more of a difference in instances where you are shooting more expensive film, dev/scan costs are pricier in your area, or you’re shooting a TON of film.
It’s also really nice to get 150-ish photos back from the lab after dropping off just a couple of rolls.
One last thing- half-frame rolls can take a surprising amount of time to get through. My partner and I often find ourselves struggling to finish a half-frame roll in time for another occasion where we’re hoping to shoot film and want to throw a fresh roll in.
Best 35mm Film Cameras for Beginners
These are in no particular order, just some favorites of mine to cover a few different use-cases and a starting point for you to begin your search!
Kodak Ektar H35 (Inexpensive point-and-shoot half-frame)
Image credit: Kodak
This is a great, cheap option for getting your feet wet in the world of film.
Similar to a disposable camera, this one has no focus, and no option to set the ASA/ISO, you just pop some film and a AAA battery in it and snap about 72 shots.
This is a great option if you’re not sure that film is for you, or if you’re on a limited budget.
You can pick up the camera, film, and have your first roll developed all for well under USD 100.
Olympus Pen EE-3 (Solar-powered half frame)
Image from eBay
This is a half-frame film camera as well, meaning double the photos, but half the ‘resolution’
Olympus made several cameras that use a selenium cell (solar power) on the front of the lens to power the light meter. This, and the Olympus Trip 35 mentioned next are two such examples.
There is no focusing on this camera, but you can set the ASA/ISO or you have the option to set the aperture if you’d like as well.
This is my current everyday walk-around camera. I love this design because it’s small enough to easily slide in with my other camera gear. If you didn’t know, I travel full-time and live out of a suitcase, so this is a great form factor for me.
Olympus Trip 35 (Solar-powered 35mm)
The 35mm alternative to the Pen EE-3.
Also solar-powered!
The lens does need to be focused manually, but it simplifies things by simply giving you four options- infinity focus to portrait. Basically landscapes and mountains to a subject about 1.5 meters away with a couple of stops in the middle.
Canon AF35M (Fully automatic point-and-shoot)
Keeps things simple with a couple of AA batteries.
You can find cameras like this one from Minolta or Nikon as well, but I own an AF35M and it’s almost unbelievably sharp for an old point-and-shoot from the 70’s.
Definitely a couple of quirks- it’s a very plastic-y build, the shutter sticks when it’s cold, and the old motor screams at you every time it advances the film, but it’s a fantastic camera nonetheless.
Canon QL17 GIII (Manual rangefinder)
Image from eBay
This is a more manual, and higher-end rangefinder option
I love this one (and want to add one to my collection) because it’s got a metal casing, making it more durable and giving it a nicer feel in the hand than something like the very plastic-y AF35M
I also love that it gives you manual control over focus, aperture, and shutter speed.
The one thing holding me up with this camera is the battery it uses and the lack of modern-day substitutes. Here’s a thread with some more information on that.
Canon AE-1 (The quintessential SLR)
Image from eBay
This one I have no direct experience with, but it is a tried and true workhorse camera, that I am absolutely prepared to recommend.
If you’re looking for the ability to use different lenses, and gain control over every single part of the photography process, something like the AE-1 is what you want to pick up.
It’s going to be pricier, but you’re also getting a relatively professional camera that’s worthy of some of the more premium film stocks like the famous Portra 400.
Many notable film photographers today got started with, or still shoot with the AE-1, and my friends who own them can’t say enough good things.
Wrapping Up
If you have any questions about the gear I own, my recommendations, anything I said in this blog or the video above, don’t hesitate to reach out…