Best 35mm Film Cameras
See the best 35mm film cameras with examples of real film photographs to help you see what your 35mm film can look like depending on the equipment. From 35mm point and shoot film cameras to high-end options used by professionals, we can’t wait to show you what our film photography peers are talking about.
Yashica T4
Costs $100-600 (price has gone up with demand)
One of the best point-and-shoot 35mm film cameras, the Yashica T4 is an icon trusted by fashion and portrait photographers for its sharp quality and consistency. Even though its body has that simple, plastic feel of the 90s, the built-in German Zeiss lens is what has helped the Yashica T4 maintain its edge. (Some say it’s the best lens in a plastic point-and-shoot.) Colors come out beautifully with this lens and the settings are not overly complicated with only 3 buttons on the top — shutter release, self timer and a flash mode button (where you can also toggle between modes: daytime flash, low lighting with no flash and landscape). Just remember that the settings you pick reset when you turn the camera off.
And if you imagine the concept of a reusable disposable camera, this is pretty much it. Load the film, easily choose between flash, no flash or landscape, and then don’t even worry about focusing — the Yashica does that for you. It’s a fast, simple option with classic film results. Our co-founder describes it as “a very tough little camera that has a great built-in flash.”
Focus: auto
Exposure: auto
Mount: built-in f/3.5 lens
Batteries required: yes
ISO: 50 to 3200
Shutter: 1 second to 1/700 seconds
Flash: Built-in
Self-timer: yes
Made in: Japan
Produced: 1990-early 2000s
Canon AE-1
Costs $175-225 without a lens
Oh the Canon AE-1, the quintessential 35mm camera that is a film photographer’s favorite because you can choose between fully manual or semi-automatic with shutter priority auto exposure. Originally designed for newcomers to photography and heavily advertised with millions sold, its simple controls and accessories (with an auto aperture) make it easy to customize your look without getting lost in the settings. It has a sleek body and versions from before 1979 use a locking ring to attach lenses. The 70s was definitely this camera’s era with over 50 Canon FD lenses on the market from a fisheye to a tilt and shift. You do need a battery to operate the AE-1’s shutter and light meter so make sure to keep a backup on hand for professional use.
Given the large production of these cameras, try to find a well-maintained or certified build to prevent electrical issues and make sure it’s clean and free of dust. Overall, it can be easy to use and quite reliable.
Focus: manual
Exposure: manual or auto shutter
Mount: FD
Batteries required: yes
ISO: 25 to 3200
Shutter: 2 seconds to 1/1000 seconds
Flash: Hot shoe, PC socket
Self-timer: yes
Made in: Japan
Produced: 1976-1984
Nikon F6
Costs $1,000+
The price speaks for itself here — the Nikon F6 was made in 2004 blending the best of film with more modern benefits like a fantastic autofocus. Colors come out clean and beautiful, and the sharp focus makes for a professional, reliable result. The camera body itself doesn’t feel analog and the images compete breathtakingly with the possibilities of similar digital cameras, but it’s all on film! You may notice that the settings almost exactly match what’s available with the Canon EOS 3.
Focus: manual and autofocus
Exposure: manual or auto (shutter, aperture, etc.)
Mount: Nikon F-munt
Batteries required: yes
ISO: 6 to 6400
Shutter: 30 seconds to 1/8000 seconds
Flash: Hot shoe
Self-timer: yes
Made in: Japan
Produced: 2004-2020
Canon EOS 3
Costs $400+
This is a great 35 mm film camera, but it can be hit or miss on the manual focus and is less compact than some of the other, older 35mm film cameras (partially due to the classic Canon grip on the body). It actually has an eye-control system for focus, monitoring the iris to identify where you’re looking and then focusing on that point. Otherwise, the rest is standard and made for professionals and advanced amateurs alike. 15 of our film photography members (at least) use it in their work!
Focus: manual and autofocus
Exposure: manual or auto (shutter, priority, etc.)
Mount: EF
Batteries required: yes
ISO: 6 to 6400
Shutter: 30 seconds to 1/8000 seconds
Flash: Hot shoe
Self-timer: yes
Made in: Japan
Produced: 1998-2007
More talk of 35mm cameras from our photography friends
Contax G2
Beautiful images and easy to change out lenses, but it can break easily. Some of our members have shared they get “tired of fixing” their Contax G2s. It can also be less durable in cold or wet situations.
Nikon F100 or F5
The Nikon F100/F5 is worth noting too. Here’s what one of our film club members says about it:
“Can grow with the camera from running in an auto exposure mode to manual, can use modern flashes, huge selection of lenses. Endless feature set at a great price.”
James Green, Imperfect Studios
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