From picking out your film, to getting your shots developed, film photography brings love back into the art form.
The world of photography seems to be changing at a rapid pace these days. To me it seems that impossible to go a single day without hearing about the latest and greatest camera with 1 million Megapixels and 12,000 auto focus points. Photography has gone the way of the numbers game that marketers like to play with us, making us believe that we need more, and more.
While cameras of today are incredible, sometimes less is more. There is just something about film cameras that digital cameras cannot replicate. The feeling you get from using a 35mm film camera is hard to beat. From picking out your film, to getting your shots developed, film photography brings love back into the art form. If you are one of the many people looking to dabble in the world of film photography, stick around and take a look at the best cameras for starting your journey in the world of film photography.
Nikon N80 (Nikon F Mount)
For Nikon users who want to break into the world of film, the Nikon N80 would be a great place to start. Right off of the bat, users will feel comfortable with the form factor of the body because the N80 looks very similar to Nikon DSLR bodies of today.
The Nikon N80 was released back in 2000, and it features some technology that long time DSLR users will surely appreciate. If you pick up a Nikon N80 you will feel comfortable with the simple design and the well laid out controls; Nikon designed this camera with ease of use in mind.
In our full review we said:
“This camera is the best bet for anyone that wants a cheaper alternative to the autofocusing SLR cameras that arenât the pro-level, high end options. And for those people, the Nikon N80 is really a great choice.” Read our review
With a modern layout and with a plethora of lenses to choose from, the N80 would be a fine choice for a first film camera. When you add in features such as the top panel LCD, five area auto-focus, focus tracking, four exposure modes (P, S, A, and M), shutter speeds from 30″ to 1/4000, and 3D matrix metering the N80 becomes a camera most DSLR users will be able to use with ease. Image quality is of course dependent on your film and lens choice, but check out some of our image samples below.
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Nikon N80 Image Samples
Pro-Tip: Be sure to purchase high quality film to get the most from your film camera.
Canon EOS 33 (Canon EF Mount)
The Canon EOS 33 is a film camera that will make current Canon DSLR shooters feel right at home. Released back in 2000, the EOS 33 looks and feels like modern DSLR’s, which is great because making the switch to this body will take no time at all. Another great reason to grab the EOS 33 is the fact that it uses Canon’s EF lens mount. Any current Canon shooter will be able to pick up this body and use every EF Mount lens they currently own.
In our review we said:
“In the hand, the Canon EOS 33 feels just as solid as pretty much any full frame DSLR with the exception of the new 5D series and 1D series of cameras. It conforms well to the hand and it is lightweight. I have no issues toting it around all day. In fact, Iâm confident enough to use it as a backup body for my Canon 6D.” Read our full review
If you are wanting to jump into the world of film, and are currently a Canon shooter, this might be the camera for you. With great build quality, good autofocus performance, shutter speeds from 30″ to 1/4000, and a burst rate of four frames per second, performance is good. Add in E-TTL flash system compatibility, and the ability to use any Canon glass made within the last 30 years, the EOS 33 is hard to beat as an entry point. As with all film cameras, image quality will depend on film and lens choice. Check out our sample images below.
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EOS 33 Image Samples
Pro Tip:Â If you want to share your film images with the world on social media, be sure to pick up a negative to digital scanner
The Minolta Maxxum 7 (Minolta a7)
Jumping into film photography can be a little daunting, so picking a camera that at least feels a little familiar can go a long way. The Maxxum 7 (Minolta a7) not only looks like today’s bodies, it also has a fair bit of tech packed in to it as well. Released back in 2001, the Alpha 7 was starting to incorporate more digital technology into the analog world. The start of the transition from digital to analog can be seen in the large LCD panel on the back of the camera. At heart though the Maxxum 7 is an analog beast.
In our review we said:
“If you want to get into the Sony Alpha system via a film camera, then I really canât recommend the Minolta a7 enough. Using an adapter, youâll be able to use the lenses with your Sony a7 or Sony mirrorless camera with no issues. Theyâre also pretty affordable; so I highly recommend it.” Read our full review
The Minolta Maxxum 7 boasted a fast autofocus system which put efforts from Canon and Nikon to shame. The a7 was built solidly, but is also light weight which means lugging it around won’t be a chore. The built-in shooting modes of Sports, Portrait, Macro, Night, and Landscape, along with auto exposure and focus lock, make the camera easy to use. Perhaps the only downside to this camera is that lenses can be harder to find. The plus side to this is the lenses you can get are quite excellent, and can also be used on Sony’s latest offerings with an adapter. Overall the Minolta Maxxum 7 is a great choice.
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Minolta Maxxum 7 Image Samples
Pro Tip:Â Be sure to keep all of your camera gear safe in a quality camera bag
The Olympus XA2
The Olympus XA2 is a great little pocket camera that will serve any film shooter well. Starting out in film photography with a simple, fixed focal length camera is a great way to go. Thanks to its small form factor you can slip this little camera in your pocket. If your goal is to break into street photography with a film camera, the XA2 is just about perfect.
In our review we said:
“The Olympus XA2 is pretty simple to use as long as you remember youâre not in control of the exposure for the most part. It has a meter built in and youâll need to remember the maximum aperture of f3.5. With that said, it makes a whole lot of sense to keep the flash on and to also remember how far out youâre focusing with the camera.” Read our full review
The Olympus XA2 is just a step above a point and shoot camera, but don’t let this fool you. The XA2 is a very capable little camera with good build quality. A fixed aperture of f3.5 and a zone focusing system make this camera easy to use. Minimal controls mean you can just focus on how to shoot with film while having fun, not to mention picking one up will not break the bank.
Olympus XA2 Image Samples
Have you already made the jump into film photography? What was your first film camera? Let us know in the comment section below.
