Pictures are beautiful because they create memories. And how do we achieve these wonderful memories? Simple! Cameras capture good quality pictures from wherever you are. You can find cameras in your android and iOS phones, tablets and laptops. However, they are not really perfect in comparison to the best compact 35mm film cameras. With these cameras, you get excellent images there and then, whether on a trip or at a party somewhere. Moreover, they are usually light in weight and compact to fit in your handbag or even trouser pockets. All you need to do is point and shoot, thus easy to use.
Why do people choose the 35mm film camera nowadays?
Despite the fact that there are many brands and types of cameras available in the market, many people prefer the 35mm film cameras recently. Why? This is what we seek to find out. First of all, this is not a digital camera; it is a film camera just as the name goes therefore it has existed for a long time, hence traditional. It is very easy to use and does not require any intensive training whatsoever. You do not spend a lot of time editing pictures because of slight adjustments, unlike the digital cameras which need you to pay keen attention to detail whenever you are editing.
Additionally, this film camera gives you the ability to pay more attention to your shooting skills so as to deliver super quality images. The important thing here is to focus on the light if you are looking for quality. The other reason why people choose the 35mm film camera is simply because it offers a variety of colors to choose from. So, whatever your preference is, you will not miss out on your favorite color. Whether you want dull or bright pictures or anything in between that, this camera will sort you out.
Using a film camera gives you a lot of experience because there are skills that you must learn so as to be perfect at it. Digital cameras will not expose you to such skills because they are very straightforward. You are able to learn how the camera produces an image by familiarizing yourself with the speed of the shutter, metering, and aperture among others. Further, it is interesting to experience the development of images by the film camera in a dark room. It is just a magical feeling that no one wants to miss. With all these reasons, who will disagree that film cameras are still precious assets?
6 Best Compact 35mm Film Cameras
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Canon AE-1 35mm Film Camera w/ 50mm 1:1.8 Lens (Renewed)
The Canon AE-1 was first produced in 1976 and still famous to date. It is famous for helping one to learn and understand the basics of film photography. The AE-1 simply means Auto Exposure 1. It has a simple design and features a black and silver exterior while others may be completely black.
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This camera measures 141mm by 87mm by 47mm and weighs about 2 pounds. To operate its shutter, you need a 4LR44 battery because it will not function without it. You can be able to check the level of the battery using a battery check button which sits beside the film plane indicator. Replace the battery if the meter needle reads above 5.6.
Similarly, it features dual-material construction; plastic and metal on its top plate. This ensures that it serves you a long time. Besides having a fast shutter speed, it also has lenses that are interchangeable. They include; Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 S.S.C, Canon FD 50mm f/1.8 S.C and Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 S.S.C.
In addition to this, its viewfinder has a 93.5% vertical field of view and horizontal image coverage of 96%. Nonetheless, it cannot perform multiple exposures. The best thing about this camera is its huge finder that is bigger than most popular film cameras. This enables it to produce big and brighter images.
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CONTAX T2 Point & Shoot 35mm Compact Film Camera (Japan)
If you are in need of vibrant and clear pictures, the CONTAX compact film camera does not disappoint. It features a 38mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss T sonar lens which absolutely makes this possible. It is available in silver, titanium, jet black and gold finishes meaning you have a variety to choose from.
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The catchiest bit about this camera is its in-built flash that comes in handy whenever there is poor or no lighting. You can still get excellent quality images by using flash. Also, it allows you to choose from a variety of shooting modes and programming it manually based on your preference.
Furthermore, it can autofocus with the help of rapid shutter speeds so as to deliver clear images. There are no blurred images even when in motion. Besides, it is easy to use because all you need to do is click on a switch that brings out the lens and the camera is ready for action.
It comes with accessories such as a neck and wrist strap. Despite all these amazing features it has, it is expensive but worth it. The fact that you can manually control it and the presence of the Carl Zeiss Sonar lens makes it a superb camera.
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Olympus Stylus Epic DLX 35mm Point & Shoot Film Camera
With the Olympus stylus film camera, you are able to capture images that feature unmatched quality. Measuring 4.3 *2.3*1.5 inches, it is not only compact but also light weight in design. The unique thing about it is that you can use it anytime despite the weather conditions, thus convenient.
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In addition to being a point and shoot camera, it features red-eye reduction that assists in bringing out clarity in pictures. Without a 1*3V lithium battery, this camera will not go off. It offers you a wide selection of colors to choose from which in turn improves on exposure accuracy.
Additionally, you can easily focus on an image not necessarily at the center of the frame using its auto focus feature that eases the process. Its 35mm f/2.8 lens is very sharp, beating the lenses of most cameras in this list. You can easily capture images in areas where there is no lighting using the integrated auto-flash feature it comes with.
Nonetheless, it does not have manual functions which make operation quite difficult. It is best because of its ability to withstand weather conditions such as rainfall and snow. Notably, its lens is excellent and produces high clarity images.
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Nikon L35AF Camera
Putting its focus mainly on producing images that are of high clarity, the Nikon L35AF camera is a hot shot. Precision is a priority for this camera because the point and shoot feature allows you a finer focus of what you are trying to capture. This ensures that none of the images will be blurred.
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Its shutter is electronic. This means that it is able to click on your images faster than when using a manual shutter. Besides, there is a self-timer function that you can use to take pictures of yourself when no one is there to take snaps of you.
Similarly, it is easy to operate and also load film when need be. You do not need to control exposure as it will automatically do this for you. There is flash which means that your images will be brighter than normal and that is an added advantage altogether.
You can never go wrong with the clarity of its images because of its auto focus that is both fast and accurate. How can we forget the fact that it allows you to use real filters? This highly maximizes the image output. Its main downside is that the auto focus is a bit slower as compared to the rest of the cameras.
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Yashica MF-1 Snapshot Art 35mm Film Camera Set (Prussian Blue)
Are you a street photographer who wants to achieve amazing photos with your camera? Look no further. The Yashica film camera specializes on excellent street photography among others. This is because of its focusing range of 1m to infinity. Also, it is small and compact in size and fits really comfortably in your hands.
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To begin with, it has a fast shutter speed of 1/120 seconds which contributes to high precision images. Its powerful Yashica MF-1 lens delivers a focal length of 31mm together with an aperture of f/11. The presence of a built-in flash ensures that it produces pictures that are of high quality even in the dark.
Furthermore, it comes with a 400 35mm negative film that makes it possible for street photographs. Moreover, its battery life is long enough to support about 120 times of flash and its flash life can handle 3000 times of flash. But the battery life is dependent on the battery you are using.
It is mostly made of plastic so there is need to be careful when handling it as plastic is largely fragile. If you need a camera that favors different skin tones then this is the best option.
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Pentax Super Program 35mm SLR Film Camera with SMC Pentax-A 1:2 50mm Lens
The Pentax super program film camera is designed with students in mind. It is otherwise known as the student camera because it helps one to learn and understand all the basics pertaining to photography using film cameras. It measures 6.7 by 4.8 by 2.5 inches and has a weight of 1.75 pounds.
Product Details
This camera is compatible with any of the Pentax K-Mount lenses present in the market. You can control its exposure either manually or automatically which enhances its flexibility. It has a minimum shutter speed of 1/2000 seconds and its speed at maximum is 15/2000 seconds. With these kinds of great speeds, you will not have blurry photos whenever you are moving or capturing an object that is on the move.
The fact that it encompasses manual focus alone makes it a great camera for use by photography students. It has a sync speed of 1/60 seconds which makes sure that the flash works on a timely basis to produce excellent quality photos even when it is dark.
There is a depth of field preview that enables you to easily identify any sharp and blurred points in a photo. If you buy an old version of this camera then it will surely be a nuisance to you because of many broken and non-functioning parts.