The Best 35mm Film Camera for Beginners (Analog Photography Guide)
By Danny D | Last Upload on May 2nd 2022 | 35MM HOME → HOW-TO → NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY
Starting off with 35mm film photography can be a scary situation. Fortunately, beginners have a lot of good choices to work with.
Here are some of the best analog 35mm film cameras available and why. Quick!
The Best 35mm Cameras for Starters
- Pentax K1000
- Canon AE 1
- Nikon EM
- Minolta X Series
Remember to grab either of the above choices and start shooting 35mm like a pro in no time!
There are still a few good film cameras that are quite effective at producing extra sharp images even under the worst conditions.
Best Cameras for 35MM Film Photography
Starting off with 35mm film photography can be a scary situation. Fortunately, beginners have a lot of good choices to work with. Here are some of the best analog 35mm film cameras available and why. Grab some good film like Ektar 100, Portra 400, or Fuji Velvia 100 and start shooting.
The Pentax K1000
One can be forgiven for thinking that the Pentax K1000 is a toy these days. It’s not modern, the camera is not electronic, and it’s by no means the first thing folks think of when starting photography. However, the K1000 has a number of aspects going for it.
First, the camera is built solid. It can take a beating and keep going. Second, the lenses are very affordable, which is a big plus for a beginner on a budget. Third, you can find the K1000 just about anywhere; it was one of the most-produced cameras manufactured. And, finally, it’s entirely manual, which makes the camera great for learning all the basics first-hand. While a modern retail SLR might run over $700 at Costco, you can get a K1000 for under $200-250.
Folks should note there’s a lot of confusion about the Pentax K1000 and looking for a Pentax K100 film camera and Pentax K100 film online. There is no such camera as a Pentax K100. The truncation happens because it’s easier to remember and say, so soon enough everyone refers to Pentax K100 film camera photos as the easiest to take for a beginner on a film camera. It doesn’t help that people add tags like “pentax k100 photos” to boost web searches. On the other hand, there is a Pentax K100D digital camera for those who want full digital images.
The Nikon EM
If a beginner really has to go bargain but wants to get started right in photography, then the Nikon EM is the choice to go after for 35mm film photos:
- It’s easily affordable,
- Under $50 for a good working unit,
- It also has an auto-exposure feature that allows a beginner to learn other aspects first before having to worry about lighting,
- The design is very retro and 1960s in terms of style, and it comes with a lot of lens choices, including telephoto lens choices,
- The entire F mount lens line is available and very affordable, and
- The camera operates as an automatic.
So, if the fully manual choice is too daunting, go with the Nikon EM instead. The one downside of the Nikon EM is that it’s not near as durable as other choices, which means a user needs to be careful with it. Much of that comes with practice and a bit of paying attention, but if you’ve got to break something, the Nikon EM will be far less painful on the wallet. Canon ae 1 35mm film camera photos are definitely comparable to other choices on this list, and the unit provides a beginner with a really good camera for learning the basics on.
The Canon AE 1
This little beauty is another well-known beginner camera for 35mm photography, which uses the Canon FD lens line. The advantage is that FD lenses are extremely cheap, giving the user a great introduction to manual photography without serious cash outlay. The Canon AE 1 comes with a classic light meter, and it’s typically found with a stock 50mm f/1.8 lens.
The Minolta X-Series
There are three Minolta choices for 35mm film photos, including the X-300, X-500 and X-700. The big difference between the three is that the X-700 has a neat viewfinder and program mode. The others don’t but still work well as basic cameras. For those that put an emphasis on grip and feel, the ergonomic shape of the Minolta X-series stands out big-time, which is nice for long shooting trips. Expect to spend about the same as the K1000 above for a good unit.
One Last Runner-Up
The Yashica FX-3 (Super 2000)
Easy to learn and operate, the Yashica FX-3 is light, manual, and lots of lens options are available. Many photo teachers like this one because it uses Carl Zeiss quality lenses as well as being usable without batteries. In other words, if you have to be out in the boonies for months, this one lets you work without needing a charge or power replacement (awesome for wilderness trips). However, it’s one of the pricier classic film models; expect to pay closer to $250 for a good one.
The Canon EOS 650
A nice classic that allows use of the Canon EF lens series, which is still very much in use with higher line models, The EOS 650 is a great choice for a beginner who wants to scale up later on versus replace equipment outright as he or she gets better. Also known as the Canon Rebel, the EOS 650 was a sturdy model that provides automatic and manual features in one. It’s as affordable as the Nikon EM and as responsive as current models. Available in both film and digital, the EOS 650 is probably one of the most used models for photo schools at every grade level. The best part is, most units can be bought for as low as $25 online, and there are plenty of work lens choices, new and used. While you may not get the best 35mm film photos first time out, the EOS 650 is a good learning unit.
So, there you have it above, the best 35mm camera for beginner choices and their details. Now get out there and shoot photos!