Circumstances, however, made pulling the trigger on this relatively old digital camera a little more interesting. I recently acquired a small system of half-frame lenses for my Olympus Pen FT which, in theory, could adapt well to the similarly-sized APS-C sensor size of the Fuji X-T1. And seeing as the X-T1’s price dropped considerably since its release in 2014, I thought that it could (in theory) combine with the already economical half-frame Pen FT to provide a perfect solution for the constantly rising cost of shooting film, without sacrificing anything of the analog-based processes that I love.

Before long the humble, workmanlike Fuji X-T1 quickly became the centerpiece of my photographic world. It accomplished something very rare among digital cameras – it provided a real analogue (no pun intended) to the process and workflow of shooting film, and even provided a meaningful lineage and continuation from the classic camera designs I love.

And perhaps most important to film shooters in our inflation-riddled, price-gouged future of 2023, I’ve discovered that the combination of Fujifilm X-T1 and Olympus Pen FT is perhaps the most economical film/digital setup out there.

Why the Fuji X-T1?

For devoted film shooters like myself, the arrival of the Fuji X-T series (as well as Fuji’s entire line of digital cameras) was a godsend. Finally, there was a practical alternative to the cynical devotion to the same old function-over-form black blob DSLR/Mirrorless design of the Nikon D-series, Canon EOS series, and Sony A-series cameras of the day, laden with multi-purpose sponge buttons and bottomless menus. Here was something that felt like it had a lineage to the manual focus cameras we loved, without it feeling like it was pandering to the people who loved them. The Fuji X-T series was (and still is) the answer we’d been seeking.

From the jump, Fuji X-T1’s design reminded me of (and bore an uncanny resemblance to) two of my very favorite SLRs; the Nikon F3 and Nikon EM. The camera fit in the hand as easily as the compact EM and shares much the same dimensions, and the control layout almost nearly mimics that of the F3. The angular design punctuated by small ergonomic finger rests is straight out of the F3’s playbook as well, and also recalls cameras like the Pentax LX, Olympus OM-4, Canon A-1 and F-1, Minolta XD and Leica R4. As somebody who has an affinity for this specific era of SLR design, the X-T1 feels like a true spiritual successor.

Where the X-T1 starts to separate itself from other retro-chic cameras is in the purpose of its execution. It doesn’t overdo or rely on its reference points, nor does it make the reference The Point. Yes, the control layout features a big ol’ shutter speed dial, an ISO dial, switches on the front, and an on/off switch integrated into the shutter button surround, just like the F3, but it doesn’t present itself as a hodgepodge pastiche marketing exercise. The presence of these tactile dials, levers, and buttons do recall a simpler time and have some retro-chic appeal, but they primarily streamline and make simple the myriad options and controls available for digital cameras.

The design and layout of these macro-controls is so effective that there’s almost no need to menu dive; all angles of the exposure triangle are available in a simple physical form. Its analog-inspired aesthetic doesn’t just simply act as a dog whistle for the film geeks among us (remember when Leica made a digital M with a fake film advance lever?); it actually forms the bedrock of its utility, which may be Fujifilm’s greatest design achievement to date.

The camera’s user interface also happens to recreate the manual film camera experience so well that it feels tailor-made for the use of legacy lenses. Though the X-T1 was praised early on for the quality and speed of its auto-focus, its user interface seems meant for an old manual focus lens. Adjusting aperture and shutter speed feels exactly as it does on manual focus cameras, and even the focusing aids feature a fun black and white digital rangefinder which mimics the split-image rangefinders of yore. The resemblance is a little uncanny, but oddly comforting, and I actually prefer it to the focus-peaking mode, and massively prefer it to the dinky glass viewfinder with no focusing aids found on most DSLRs.

Fujifilm X-T1 for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Fujifilm X-T1 at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

Olympus Pen Film Camera for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Olympus Pen Film Camera at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

My experience with the X-T1 and Legacy Lenses

Despite some initial hesitation, the X-T1 proved itself a real digital alternative to my favorite-ever cameras, and a platonic digital ideal for the film and manual-focus obsessed. With the X-T1, Fuji successfully recreated the very process of shooting my favorite cameras without ever resorting to cheap nostalgia, something I previously thought was impossible.

Revelatory though the X-T1 has been for me, there was one huge caveat that came with it and nearly all of Fuji’s cameras that initially prevented me from using them in the first place – the APS-C crop sensor. Debates about sensor size and image quality versus full-frame sensors aside, APS-C sensors still crop the crap out of the 35mm legacy lenses I love. Speedboosters purport to solve this problem (and they do, to some extent), but I don’t love the idea of throwing more glass elements at the cropping problem, nor do I love the idea of spending $700 USD for the privilege. No matter how good, the crop sensor of the Fuji X-T series really holds back raw, native adaptability between it and the full frame legacy lens systems many film shooters build their photographic lives around.

It’s this very issue which makes the Olympus half-frame lenses such a simple solution on the APS-C sized Fuji X-T1. While the Olympus half frame is still very slightly bigger than APS-C, it is the closest one can get to a native vintage legacy lens specification for the Fuji X-T series.

When used in tandem, the Fuji X-T1 and Olympus Pen FT lens system operate as one of the most elegant film/digital systems in photography, and the ideal combination for those unwilling to compromise on the film shooter’s workflow. The entire system (both bodies plus three lenses) is small and portable enough to fit in just a small bag, and one can switch from the Fuji X-T1 to the Pen FT in a couple of seconds. If it’s the real film experience one wants, the Olympus Pen FT offers one of the genre’s finest shooting experiences, and if it’s flexibility and versatility one wants, the Fuji X-T1 is there to grab everything else.

But aside from lens compatibility, there’s one thing which puts this entire system above the others – the Fuji X-T1’s film emulation. Despite being from the olden days of 2014, these film emulations still do a stellar job of approximating some of Fuji’s classic films. Fuji Pro 400H, Provia, Velvia, Acros, and even freakin’ Fuji Astia are represented in these film profiles, which can be applied both in-camera through JPEG processing, and in post-processing image editing software like Lightroom and Darktable. As somebody who doesn’t like the endless post-processing required to get RAW digital photos to look less flat, both the instant in-camera processing and the simplicity of applying a tailor-made film profile in post is extremely appealing, and even closer to the set-it-and-forget-it analog workflow.

It should also be noted that the age of these emulations has also given rise to third party improvements upon them, namely the so-called “film recipes” for different Fuji sensors. These recipes provide different in-camera JPEG processing settings for emulations of specific films, ranging from the now-extinct Kodachrome to the hyped and consistently sold-out Cinestill 800T. Whatever lingering qualms one might have about the age and quality of the built-in film profiles and sensor can be soothed by these new user-made film recipes. If it isn’t ever enough, a real film camera is only a lens swap away, and the RAW files will still be there anyway for your editing pleasure.

This brings me to my final, and perhaps most timely, point – the system could very well be one of the best solutions to the problem of rising film costs. The older Fuji X-T1 can still be had for less than $500 USD new and less than $400 on the used market, and provides quite literally an unlimited number of exposures in every different variety, while the half-frame Pen FT automatically doubles the amount of exposures possible on a single roll of 35mm film, thereby halving processing costs. Shooting without financial pressure or worry is valuable for any and every shooter, and helps us enjoy and explore the art form we love more freely.

But what’s truly special about this Fuji X-T1-based system is that it accomplishes everything in a way that’s familiar to film shooters. The Fujifilm X-T1 itself is a wonderful and actually functional tribute to every classic film SLR I love, while the Olympus Pen FT provides me one of the best real film shooting experiences out there without blasting a hole in my wallet every time I finish a roll of film. And after years and years of shooting film nearly exclusively, being disappointed with the design philosophies of the digital world, and being priced out of consistently shooting film year after year, I couldn’t ask for a simpler, more elegant solution.

Get your Fujifilm X-T1 on eBay here

Get your Olympus Pen film camera here

Surviving 2020 with an Olympus Pen FT

Josh reviews the half-frame 35mm Olympus Pen FT in this review that's much more than just another camera review.

Follow Casual Photophile on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post The Fujifilm X-T1 and Olympus Half-Frame Lenses Make the Ultimate Digital Film System appeared first on Casual Photophile.

I first tried a camera of the type that I’ve seen called a “millennial compact,” the point-and-shoot cameras from the end of “film camera history.” The circa 2002 Pentax IQ Zoom 170SL (known as the Espio 170SL outside of North America) was slim and light, had a 38-170mm zoom lens, and did everything for me–focus, exposure, wind, rewind. (And flash. These cameras love to flash!) It was a fun little camera, and one that cost less than ten bucks shipped.

On one dark Portland February night in 2020, when social gatherings were still a thing, I was hanging out with my friend Paul. He is a technology geek who also has an affinity for film cameras. Show and tell over drinks had me mentioning that I had just bought the IQ Zoom 170SL. For some reason, my purchase didn’t sit right with him. Perhaps he had an aversion to those all-singing, all-dancing ’90s and 2000s compacts, an opinion popular with many classic-leaning film heads.

Eventually he pulled out his small stable of Olympus XA compacts. The XA. The XA 2, 3, and 4! How had I forgotten about the XA series?

Olympus XA4 Macro Review - Great Things in Small Packages

In 1985, my parents decided they wanted a small camera to take with them on holiday to Portugal – a hot and sunny getaway before the birth of their first child (hello) threw their lives into disarray (sorry). They chose and bought the Olympus XA4.  Manufactured for just one year, The XA4 was... READ MORE […]

In my voracious reading of all things film photography on the internet, I’d read many enthusiastic appraisals. I’d searched eBay for one, but quickly realized that they cost a bit too much money for me, save the runt of the litter, the lowly XA1. So while the XA series seemed the perfect fit for someone like me, someone looking for a camera in between the larger rangefinders and compact point and shoots, I never bought one.

But Paul, he had one Olympus XA and two XA2s. He figured that he didn’t need two XA2s. Would I like one for myself? Heck, yeah!

When the Olympus XA debuted in 1979, there was no other camera in the world quite like it. There were ultra compact cameras that used 16mm or 110 film, but the XA took 35mm film, meaning its photos would be of higher resolution and higher quality than the Pocket Instamatics lining the K-mart Camera Departments of America. There were already a couple other tiny 35mm cameras around–the Rollei 35 had been around for over a decade and the Minox EL a half-decade. But the Olympus XA featured a sliding dust cover that protected the lens, front viewfinder window, and photo cell. Unlike the Minox’s drawbridge dust cover design, the XA’s open dust cover sat flush with the body. The Rollei 35? The lens had to be pulled out to operate and also needed a separate lens cap. The XA’s lens never needed to move out, using a retro-telefocus lens design that kept the distance from the lens to the film plane very, very short. Just slide the cover and the XA is ready to be operated.

The ingenuity of the Olympus XA series can be attributed to one man, Yoshihisa Maitani. Maitani had been with Olympus for over twenty years and was responsible for the Japanese camera manufacturer’s obsession with small cameras. His Olympus Pen, a half-frame camera first introduced in 1959, was very tiny and got twice as many exposures from every roll of film. The Olympus OM-1 of 1972 was one of the smallest full-featured SLRs at the time and spurred every other Japanese camera company to have compact SLRs by decade’s end. But the XA series would go one step beyond all of that.

Maitani wanted a truly pocket-able camera that could go anywhere, a camera that because of its unobtrusiveness one did not have to make the tough decision of whether they wanted to take a camera with them or not. How could you not take it, when the camera weighs about nine ounces and easily slips into a good sized pocket? Nowadays we never have this predicament, since our smartphones are always in our pocket, camera at the ready. But in the analog world of the late 1970s, a truly pocket-able camera was revolutionary.

And to make the XA and most of its siblings (save the XA1) truly pocket-able, Maitani designed the camera to have an electronically controlled shutter. This allowed the shutter release button to be flush with the body, no protruding release to worry about getting caught in a pocket. This of course means that the XA cannot be operated without a battery. Thankfully the XA is powered by easy to find SR/LR44 button batteries.

Yoshihisa Maitani - The Man Who Made Olympus

What makes a person successful? The admiration of one’s peers? The realization of one’s ambitions and designs? Decades of professional coups? If these are the measures of success, famed Olympus camera designer Yoshihisa Maitani measured up. READ MORE […]

Olympus XA2 for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for olympus xa2 at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

The XA series pointed to a new world of electronically controlled compact and easy to use cameras. There were some easy to use 35mm compacts by 1979, the Konica C35 EF and C35 MF are good examples. But these were not as small as the XA and often had traditional camera accessories like lens caps, Ever-ready Cases, and shoulder straps. The XA did away with all that.

Yet despite its revolutionary features, the Olympus XA and siblings XA1, XA2, XA3, and XA4 were still transitional cameras, a bridge between what came before and what would come after. While auto-focus, however primitive, had already been featured on a few cameras, focus on the XA series would either be achieved via rangefinder (XA), or via zone focus (XA2, XA3, XA4). (The XA1 is fixed focus.) Nor would the XA series have motor drive–the film advance was the wheel type that would soon be seen on the disposable cameras that would crowd the checkout at your local Caldor. That’s okay. If the XA series had auto-focus and motor drive, the cameras would be bigger. The 1980s would be dominated by fairly bulky “compacts” featuring auto-focus and motor drive. It would not be until the end of the decade, when Maitani introduced his last camera design, the Olympus mju / Stylus series, where those automatic features would finally be included in a truly compact camera.

Another concession to size was that the XA series cameras did not feature a built in flash. We had already seen integrated flash units with the Konica C35 EF, so the tech was there. But adding a flash to the XA at that time would have made the camera bulkier. The compromise was to offer an add-on proprietary flash, either the regular A11, more powerful A16, the runty A9, or the built-in battery A1L. This would add a couple inches of length to the camera–still remedially pocket-able but not as compact. But because the XA was designed with optional flash, it only flashes when you want it to. Compare that to the “always flash unless you deactivate it” flashes of the 1990s compacts.

But what about the XA2, specifically, the camera that I actually got? It was introduced in 1980 as a stripped-down version of the XA. The Olympus XA2 features a four-element f/3.5 lens versus the XA’s six-element f/2.8. (Both lenses have a 35mm focal length.) The XA featured rangefinder focusing, possibly the smallest camera to do so, whereas the XA2 is a simpler zone-focus in which we choose between close-up (person), middle distance (group of people) and far/infinity (mountain). We don’t have the focusing precision of the XA, but because the XA2’s exposure system favors wide depth-of-field, leaving the focus slider in the middle position generally results in in-focus shots. And since the slider slides into the middle position when the dust cover is closed, no need to worry about changing anything!

It didn’t take long for me to take to my Olympus XA2. I really enjoyed the photos it made. There can be slight vignetting in some shots, but that’s not as big of a deal to me as it may be to others. I also liked the programmed shutter and self timer. The XA2 is not designed to give you any control over exposure other than changing the ISO setting–the XA is the only camera in the series that has exposure control. The shutter on the XA2 can reach a speed as fast as 1/750 yet also as slow as 2 seconds. That two second maximum shutter opening is very useful. For low light shots, put the camera on a stable surface, set the timer (the “leg” lever for that acts as a handy stabilizer), and press the shutter. I’ve gotten some great low light shots doing things this way.

The “take anywhere” nature of the camera has led me to use the Olympus XA2 more than any other camera I own. It’s easy to take it with me even when I don’t think I want to bring a film camera along. And because of its diminutive size I can easily carry it along with a bigger, more “serious” camera, especially if that other camera has black and white film loaded in it. While the lack of a traditional filter mounting ring on the XA series means I can’t slip on a yellow or red filter for black and white, I have gotten some great black and white images with the XA2 anyways.

The XA2 isn’t perfect, no camera is. Folks who want a camera with exposure control and/or auto-focus need to look elsewhere. If you want a flash, you are stuck with the XA’s proprietary series. And avert your eyes if the “wheel” film advance reminds you too much of disposables at drunken parties. Get beyond all that and you’ll be amazed at how capable this little machine is. Over the past three years this camera has never let me down. It’s been a constant companion–in shirt or jacket pockets, in my backpack, or in a pouch on my handlebar stem where I can quickly take the camera out to snap a pic.

What’s the worst thing about the Olympus XA2? It’s that it soured me on the automatic compacts that came after it. I’ve tried a number of auto-focus/auto-exposure/auto-wind point-and-shoots over the years, and none of them clicked. All of them left the collection, yet the XA2 remained.

Get your Olympus XA2 on eBay here

Buy one from our shop, F Stop Cameras

Olympus XA2 film camera for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for olympus xa2 at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

Follow Casual Photophile on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post Olympus XA2 – Point and Shoot 35mm Film Camera Review appeared first on Casual Photophile.

The result is a rangefinder-esque body style, that does away with the prism bump by flipping the SLR mirror on its side, allowing the viewfinder mirror path to be completely internal. In addition to the unconventional mirror orientation, the Pen F has two other tricks up its sleeve: the film format and the shutter.

The Pen F is a half-frame camera, meaning that the image format is half that of full-frame. For the user of this camera, this means two things. First, when the camera is held horizontally in the natural position, the image made will be vertically oriented (commonly called “portrait” orientation). The viewfinder also naturally displays the image in portrait orientation. To take a landscape orientation photo, we hold the camera vertically. This isn’t a big deal, but it’s probably the first thing that most photo geeks will notice when picking up a Pen for the first time.

The second important note is that, with a Pen, you can shoot twice the number of images on any given roll of film.

The shutter is also unique to this camera, employing a spinning disk with a cutout (rotary shutter) rather than the traditional two curtains. This means that unlike a typical focal plane shutter camera, the Pen F can sync with flash at all speeds.

To the original Pen F, two other models were alter added. The Pen FT, released in 1966, and the Pen FV, released in 1967. Identifying each is easy, and each has its pros and cons.

The original Pen F is most easily identified by the gorgeous gothic letter F engraved into the front. This camera is a full manual camera with no light meter, and no need for batteries. Further differentiating it from its later siblings is its film transport mechanism – the original F uses a double-stroke film advance.

The next model, the Pen FT, loses the gothic F and adds an uncoupled light meter. This second camera also changes the film advance to single stroke. The trade-off with the addition of a meter is that it employs a half-mirror, which allows half of the incoming light from the lens to go to the viewfinder for viewing, and half to go to the metering cell. What this means is that the viewfinder of the FT is considerably dimmer than the earlier F. Another strike against, the half-mirrors of the FT are unfortunately prone to mirror corrosion/degradation, an affliction which can only be solved by replacement.

The final iteration, the FV, was made in much smaller quantities than its two siblings. But it is essentially a Pen FT with the meter removed, returning to the same viewfinder as the Pen F.

Yoshihisa Maitani - The Man Who Made Olympus

What makes a person successful? The admiration of one’s peers? The realization of one’s ambitions and designs? Decades of professional coups? If these are the measures of success, famed Olympus camera designer Yoshihisa Maitani measured up.

Read More

casualphotophile.com

Okay, an all mechanical half frame camera that’s (at the youngest) nearly sixty years old. Why should we care today?

First, the Pen F was made to a very high standard of quality. The construction is all metal, and it is clear that no corners were cut in its development and production. The camera feels solid in the hand and doesn’t give users anything to worry about when it comes to durability.

Next is the size of the camera. All of the ingenuity that went into removing the prism bump, as well as the smaller frame size means that the resulting camera is almost impossibly small, and since the lenses don’t need to cover as large an image area, they can be smaller too. The Pen series of cameras are so small, in fact, that there really is no reason to not have one on you at all times, and they therefore offer a great (much more manual) alternative to a point and shoot film camera.

Although their size may be comparable to a film P&S, their image quality isn’t even in the same universe. The lenses made for the Pen F series are incredibly compact, and very sharp. In addition to their quality, there is also quite a variety. The available focal lengths range from 20mm all the way up to 800mm (28mm-1150mm full-frame equivalent), and often include a few different speeds to suit your shooting style as well as your budget (there is both a 25mm f2.8 and a 25mm f4).

Also, because of the similarity of the half-frame format to the aps-c format in terms of size, these lenses can easily be adapted to and enjoyed on a range of aps-c digital cameras for years to come.

In my opinion, the standard lenses to have are either the 38mm f1.8, or the 40mm f1.4. You really cannot go wrong with either. [More sample shots from these lenses can be seen in Josh Solomon’s incredible article Surviving 2020 with an Olympus Pen FT.]

Surviving 2020 with an Olympus Pen FT

Josh reviews the half-frame 35mm Olympus Pen FT in this review that's much more than just another camera review.

Read More

casualphotophile.com

This brings me to my last, and potentially most important reason to consider a Pen F: the cost. Despite the undeniable quality of the system, the prices for these cameras and lenses have not followed the recent trend, where the best (and sometimes not the best) film cameras have seen their prices skyrocket to eye-watering heights. What this means is that it’s still possible to pick up a very nice Pen F body with a 38mm f1.8 lens for a few hundred dollars in working condition.

More than that, in an age where a 36-exposure roll of color film costs around $16, it’s incredibly nice to get two-times the number of images without a significant loss in image quality. [A point that James made in his article Five Ways to Cope with the Rising Cost of Film.]

The Pen F lineup of cameras are incredible, and when you factor in their persistently low cost of entry, I consider them to be a no-brainer purchase for those of us who value build quality, portability, and uncompromising image quality.

Get your own Olympus Pen FT on eBay here

Buy a camera in our shop F Stop Cameras

Follow Casual Photophile on Facebook and Instagram

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post The Olympus Pen F as a More Methodical Point and Shoot Alternative appeared first on Casual Photophile.

“Let’s see,” I said. Basic math, but I had to think. “It’s… 67 years old.”

“Is that older than you?” She asked.

“That’s older than Papa!” I replied, and pressed the shutter release to catch her look of disbelief.

This math equates the birth year of the Olympus 35-S to 1955, and it’s an impressive camera for its era.

A compact body made entirely of metal, an acceptably capable fixed lens, a viewfinder with integrated rangefinder focusing patch, a fast focusing tab, rapid wind lever, and the first ever rapid rewind knob built into a Japanese camera (the rewind knobs of prior Japanese cameras were all simple knobs, lacking the flip out lever of the 35-S which later became ubiquitous), the Olympus 35-S is no slouch on the spec sheet. At least, not in its own time. For film shooters today who are looking for a fixed lens rangefinder to burn their 35mm film, there are better choices. Minolta, Canon, and Olympus themselves all made cameras in the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s which effectively evolve the formula of 1955’s 35-S.

Still, for collectors of Olympus cameras or people who simply appreciate all-mechanical, all-metal and glass film cameras with no electronics and simple design, the Olympus 35-S is pretty nice.

Olympus 35-S Spec Sheet

• Format – 35mm full frame
• Lens – Olympus E. Zuiko F.C. 48mm F/2.8
• Aperture Range – F/2.8 – F/16
• Shutter – Seikosha MX leaf shutter; speeds Bulb, 1 second, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/50, 1/100, 1/250, 1/500th of a second
• Shooting Modes – Manual Only
• Focusing Modes – Manual focus, rangefinder integrated into viewfinder
• Light Meter – None
• Flash Capability – External flash sync X/F/M
• Other Features – Accessory shoe (cold), film frame counter, film speed reminder, strap lugs
• Weight – 620 grams

I shot my Olympus 35-S at a coastal park amongst stunted conifers and sandy seawalls. It was the kind of late-March sunny day that looks like spring but feels like winter. The wind never stopped for a moment and I could feel the salt sticking against my face and lips. My daughter hung in there admirably, screaming into the wind between exposures and doing her best not to squint. The ocean lapped at the feet of the gulls, and I wondered how the hell any creature could stand to stand in the one-inch-deep ebb and flow of frigid sea water at low tide. But they do it. And I photographed it.

The wind did its best to freeze my fingers and pry the camera from my mitts. But the Olympus 35-S fits nicely in the hand. It lacks contoured grips of any kind, but it’s large enough that my fingers can find purchase. The lens is dense and balances the weight of the body perfectly when held two-handed.

The controls are all localized on the lens barrel so that adjusting aperture and shutter speed are easily achieved with one finger and one thumb. The aperture selection is displayed in a cut-out window on the top of the lens barrel (which is beautifully finished), and these are accompanied by easily-legible scale focus markings. The focusing tab allows rapid focusing and the focus scale is marked in feet. All of this is executed beautifully, comparable in design and quality to the many similar West German cameras of the era (many of which I’ve written about previously).

The shutter release, film advance lever, and film rewind lever are all located on the camera’s top plate. These all actuate as one would expect (assuming that one has used an old film camera before). The internal film compartment is typical fare, with a metal pressure plate, metal rollers, and a gorgeous metal sprocket advance gear. The film take up spool is sheathed in plastic, which could be a weak point in the camera’s reliability, though mine seems strong and stable.

There’s a film frame counter and a film speed reminder on top as well. These do what they do.

The viewfinder is small and somewhat dim. However the rangefinder focusing patch is built into the viewfinder, something that not every 35mm rangefinder of its era could claim. If there is a weakness in the overall Olympus 35-S package it is certainly the smallness of the VF. And for those of us who wear glasses, well, the VF could be a deal-breaker. Not just because it’s even harder to peer through for glasses-wearers, but also because its bezel is metal and it scratches lenses. I changed into contact lenses just prior to shooting this thing after testing it first with my glasses. It’s bad.

The Lens

Old lenses are great, and they have personality that can sometimes be lacking in the standard fare of today’s Canon and Nikon and Pentax and Sony do-everything-perfectly modern lenses. A big part of this hobby, in fact, has coalesced around easily adapting old film camera lenses to digital bodies. There’s just something about images made with old lenses that’s hard to quantify or replicate, but whenever I see a shot from an old ~50mm lens I instantly know that I’m seeing an image that was made by something other than Canon’s latest nifty-fifty.

Fixed-lens cameras like the Olympus 35-S offer much the same, let’s call it interesting, image quality.

This particular fixed-lens camera uses a 4.8cm (48mm) Olympus E. Zuiko F.C. with a maximum aperture of F/2.8. Images are very sharp when stopped down to F/8, and sharpness is still excellent even when shot wide open. At this aperture, F/2.8, and with a close subject the background is nicely blurred as well. There’s lovely gradual shift from out-of-focus to in-focus areas of a shot, and on the whole, the lens is a solid performer. It’s just a good, old lens that packs a lot into a small, affordable package.

Final Thoughts

The Olympus 35-S is a beautiful camera. It’s nicely made and competes easily with the fancy West-German cameras of its class and era. Its rangefinder works well, its controls are laid out intelligently, and it’s easy to use (so long as we’re comfortable using a fully manual camera with zero user aids). The fixed lens is of a versatile focal length and with a fast-enough aperture that we’ll be covered in all but the dimmest light. It’s just a super pretty and capable classic camera, and one that’s flying under the radar these days. Of course, this is in part because they’re somewhat uncommon in the USA and Europe.

For those wondering if they should buy – I can’t recommend this camera for someone who simply wants to make nice film photos. There are much better cameras for that. Point and shoots from the 1990s will do the same things as this Olympus, and more, and easier. SLRs offer far greater bang for the buck. And for those of you who are specifically looking for a fixed lens, classic rangefinder film camera, I’d recommend later models (some of which were also made by Olympus!).

If you’re an Olympus collector or someone who simply loves true classics, by all means seek out your own 35-S and enjoy the tactile, old-world experience of shooting a camera made after the big war and well before the era of electronics. But for everyone else, the Olympus 35-S will probably feel a little too old and limited. That said, it’s a gorgeous thing.

Get your own Olympus 35-S on eBay here

Shop for this (or anything else photographic) at our shop F Stop Cameras

CASUAL PHOTOPHILE is on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post Olympus 35S 35mm Rangefinder Camera Review appeared first on Casual Photophile.

Full disclosure; I’m a camera freak, jumping from brand to brand, going from digital to film, experimenting with different formats. I have no shame. This is what happens when you are a lover of cameras and photography and not loyal to any brand or format.  

A camera is a tool used to capture light in a box. Sure, some are more elegant, some do it more efficiently, but the best camera for each photographer is the one that serves their needs for the given situation. It’s that simple. 

So, with Panasonic and OM Digital Solutions (formerly Olympus) set to launch their new flagship cameras based on the micro four third sensor shortly [in fact, Olympus today announced the new OM-1], let’s examine the system’s strengths, limitations and yes, the hate.

A brief history of micro four thirds

The micro four thirds (MFT) system is the standard based on the four third system originally developed by Kodak and Olympus. It was the first format specifically designed for digital single lens reflex (SLR) cameras. Olympus engineer Katsuhiro Takada selected the sensor size as the best compromise that allowed for optically excellent images from a smaller camera body. 

Later, Panasonic joined Olympus to further develop the MFT system. The sensor size remained the same. The only difference was that the MFT system was without a mirror. They were the first mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses. The first MFT camera released was the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G in 2008. Olympus followed in 2009 with the PEN E-P1.

(The MFT sensor is 4x’s smaller than the 35mm “full frame” sensor)CC https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

This smaller sensor creates a 2x crop factor when compared to a full frame sensor (The same dimensions of the 35mm film). Without getting too technical, just remember your field of view and depth of field are doubled. 

For example, if we use a 50mm lens with a 1.8 depth of field on a full frame camera. This same lens when placed on a MFT camera becomes the equivalent of a 100mm lens. I would have to physically back up from my subject (increase my working distance) to get the original 50mm field of view. I’m still letting in the same amount of light with the 1.8 aperture opening, but my depth of field (out of focus area) is equivalent to a 3.6 on a full frame camera.

The MFT system has its inherent limitations, which we’ll discuss first, and then follow that with its benefits. 

Limitations of MFT

• Low light ability isn’t as good as larger sensors – A larger sensor camera does a better job in low light conditions. The greater number and the larger size of the photosensors allow for more light gathering. Current MFT sensors start showing noticeable digital noise around 6400 ISO.
• Depth of field is wider – If you crave bokeh, a system with a larger sensor achieves this easier and is a better option. However, you can create sufficient subject and background separation if you understand all the variables in producing depth of field in photography even with a MFT camera. 
• Less dynamic range – There might be slightly more image detail with full frame cameras, but honestly the casual picture taker may not be able to see the difference. You would have to truly pixel peep to spot any discrepancies.

Benefits

• Size and portability – Despite the small size of the current generation of mirrorless full frame camera bodies, their lenses (yes, there are a few exceptions.) are still considerably larger than on MFT systems, especially telephoto lenses. Full frame lenses have to be larger to cover the larger surface area of the sensor. 
• In body image stabilization – Tack sharp hand-held shots are capable with shutter speeds of a few seconds, making tripods less needed. The smaller sensor is just easier to stabilize.
• Depth of field is wider – Depth of field was mentioned as a limitation before but depending on your genre of photography a wider depth of field may be more desirable. A photographer shooting adventure, architecture, environmental portraits, landscapes, macro, nature and street photography may not require a system that produces a very shallow depth of field.
• Smaller Files – For the majority of the current crop of MFT hybrid cameras the megapixel limit is around 20. There continues to be heated debate about how many megapixels are truly needed to produce quality clean images especially if images are printed. Bear in mind, as file size increases the more storage space required, and the greater computer processing power needed to work with the files in your imaging software.

Hate through the centuries  

Throwing shade on the little guy is nothing new in photography. When the 35mm film format was first gaining popularity in the early 20th century for still photography, it was considered unprofessional and the medium of only the amateur by many accustomed to using the larger film formats of the era.

In the late 19th century, Alfred Stiegliz, one of the pioneers of modern photography, wrote The Hand Camera – Its Present Importance in the 1897 edition of The American Annual of Photography.  In the article, Steigliz confessed to his past prejudice against the newly developed smaller hand-held cameras, and how he considered them not serious tools for true photographers or professionals. 

By Alfred Stieglitz – National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C., online collection, Public Domain

In the 21st century, the same attitude over size influences beliefs about whether the MFT system is suitable for professional work. 

However, as the system has matured, there have been a number of photographers who have embraced the system and are producing compelling professional work. Below are a few:

• Matt Harspool, Australian based adventure, travel and underwater photographer 
• Magic Owen, UK based fashion photographer
• Lisa Michele Burns, Australian based travel and landscape photographer
• Jimmy Cheng, UK based portrait and wedding photographer
• Jay Dickman, USA based National Geographic travel and nature photographer 

The future

So, what does the future hold for the MFT system? With more than fifty lens manufacturers producing lenses for the system and the number of hybrid shooters it will continue to survive in some form for the foreseeable future. However, its growth has much to do with Panasonic’s and OM Digital Solutions commitment to research, development and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with the sensor. Although capable, the current sensors in the most recent Olympus OMD EM-1 MK III and the newly released Panasonic GH5 II are four years old. A Promising sign is the development of a 21.46 megapixel stacked CMOS designed sensor that may soon find its way in future releases of micro four third cameras.

The Panasonic GH6 and the OM Digital Solutions flagship cameras are scheduled for release early this year. They will have to come strong with features and performance to silence, if only briefly the bigger is better critics.

So, is the system right for you? Only you can decide. Your subjects, shooting style and personal needs will dictate what’s best. I am cautiously optimistic about its future. I want the system to survive, not out of some great sense of loyalty. As stated earlier, I have none. I want to see it survive because it is a viable system and in the hands of a competent photographer who understands its strengths and limitations outstanding work can be produced. 

More importantly, competition drives innovation. The more manufactures we have producing cameras with their unique approach of capturing light in a box, the better it is for us photographers to tell our own singular stories.

Find your own MFT system at B&H Photo

Browse eBay for MFT cameras

Follow Casual Photophile on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post In Defense of the Micro Four Thirds Camera appeared first on Casual Photophile.

So before we get started, let’s establish some ground rules. The electronic 35mm SLR category encompasses any 35mm SLR whose exposure capabilities are aided by electronics. This can range from something like the humble, aperture-priority-only Nikon EM to the autofocus-equipped, armed-with-every-mode-ever Minolta A7. That’s as varied as it gets.

It is this category’s extraordinary variety that makes this list so difficult, yet so exciting to organize. I ended up having to ask myself some rather serious questions about cameras and list-making in general. What really, and I mean really, makes a camera (or anything) great? Is it their stat sheet and groundbreaking tech, or is it the beauty of their execution of existing tech? Is it their sales figures or their historical importance? Is it what the camera is objectively, or is it how that camera made you feel?

Each camera on this list revealed to me a different answer to every one of those questions. To other shooters, other cameras may hold different answers still. This isn’t an objectively perfect Top 10 list, but these are my and I’m sticking with them. Do check my answers you’ll find links to reviews of each of these cameras in the paragraphs below each.

Let’s get into it.

Nikon F3

I should start this by saying that this list isn’t intended to be sequential. Every one of these cameras are about as good at helping you make images, are as interesting, and are as worthy of your love and attention as each other. But heaven help you if you thought that I wasn’t going to put the Nikon F3 first, even symbolically.

Sure, the F3 is hyped up by literally everybody (including myself). Sure, it’s not as capable as any pro-spec autofocus SLR. Sure, it’s nearly functionally similar to nearly any bare-bones electronic SLR. And yes, the LCD display sucks and the AE lock button sometimes aggravates my carpal tunnel. I know – it’s not perfect.

But look at it, just for a second. Look upon its Italian, Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed body, with its sharp, defined lines terminating in a soft curve accented by the now-iconic Nikon red stripe. Look into the viewfinder and enjoy brightness and eye-relief beyond compare. Marvel at the accuracy and utility of its uncommon 80/20 center-weighted meter, and watch in awe as it works in immaculate concert with its aperture-priority mode. And press the shutter button and listen to its crisp chirp, feel the smooth ratchet of its perfectly-engineered, ball-bearing mounted, self lubricating advance lever, and frame the next shot with joy and inspiration in your heart. It’s not perfect, but God, it’s close.

Now, I’m only being slightly facetious. The Nikon F3 really is a beautiful, historically important, and still-relevant machine that has occupied its lofty place in camera history from the day it was released in March 1980. It was Nikon’s last professional manual focus camera, and may still even be its greatest. It enjoyed an incredible twenty year production run from 1980-2000 and remains an incredible camera even in the 2020’s, owing to its sleek lines, spartan charm, and easy usability. I recommend it to those shooters who are loyal to 35mm, the SLR genre, and good design as a whole. Even after all the hype, the Nikon F3 is still one of the best there ever was.

[Get a Nikon F3 on eBay here]

Nikon FA

I know what you’re thinking. This is a top 10 list for all electronically-controlled SLR’s, and we’re giving Nikon two spots? Is that really what we’re doing?

Yes. That is, in fact, what we’re doing.

That’s because our next camera is Nikon’s most advanced manual focus camera ever, and a camera that is likely more influential than any in their entire roster – the Nikon FA, otherwise known as the Technocamera.

The FA makes this list for two reasons – its influence, and its still-astonishing usability. For one, the FA’s emphasis on technology over pure pro-spec performance should sound familiar – it is one of the familiar plays of the “advanced amateur” camera and one that carries on to this day. Sure, the Minolta X-series and Canon A-series did this first, but the FA is arguably the genre’s greatest exponent. It blew all those other electronic manual focus cameras out of the water with its pioneering technology, matrix metering, which was the first to utilize a computer to analyze a given scene to produce a meter reading. Any doubters to the FA’s influence need not look further than their own digital camera – matrix metering (or evaluative metering) is likely the default metering mode.

Perhaps the greatest attribute of the FA is that it utilized its incredibly complicated technology just to make everything easier for any level of shooter. Shooting an FA is simplicity in manual focus form – just focus, shoot, and you’ll get a perfect image. I recommend it highly for anybody looking for just one SLR body to grow with (provided, of course, that you find one that works).

[Get a Nikon FA on eBay here]

Olympus OM-4Ti

But that’s enough of looking at this list through Nikon multi-coated glasses. If you’re tired of hearing me squawk about how cool Nikon is, how about this – there’s a camera that might be better than the both the FA and the F3, and it’s not a Nikon. It’s the Olympus OM4-Ti.

Those who remember 1983’s Olympus OM4 remember a camera that may have been the most advanced, and smallest, professional-level SLR of its day. It crammed all of Olympus’ most advanced technologies into a shock and weather-resistant chassis the size of a Leica-M camera. It featured the world’s first multi-spot meter (which could take a spot reading from eight different segments of the frame), as well as their famous off-the-film-plane style of metering, which ensured an incredible amount of metering accuracy. Whereas the FA took care of everything for the user, the OM4 gave the user ultimate control over the exposure, and to a degree arguably finer than even the Nikon F3. And similar to the F3, the OM-4 enjoyed an incredibly long production life spanning from 1987 to 2002 in its now-famous Ti form.

If we’re talking absolute endgame cameras, never mind the greatest electronic 35mm SLR’s of all time, the Olympus OM-4 ranks near the top. This is the camera that best represents Olympus’ philosophy of quality, compact design, and technological ingenuity. I heartily recommend the OM4-Ti, the titanium-clad version of this camera, as they are the easiest to find in stellar condition.

[Get an Olympus OM4 on eBay here]

Minolta XD (XD-7, XD-11)

Even though this is a list of The Greatest, I despise the GOAT (greatest of all time) debate, in any form. If I have to hear Stephen A. Smith get into a shouting match with some other weird talking head about lEbRoN jAmEs I may just lose it. Aside from the tendency of GOAT arguments to devolve into obnoxious rants made to harvest hate clicks and provoke engagement-at-all-costs, it’s that the argument often fails to take into account the limitations of the knowledge and the changing values of the time of any athlete, artist, or whoever. Bjorn Borg never had the chance to play with a graphite tennis racquet, polyester strings, and years of sports science research; Rafa Nadal never had to play with a wooden racquet, natural gut strings, and in a time where smoke breaks were a thing.

Considering this, a camera like the Minolta XD becomes even more remarkable in hindsight. Released in the olden days of 1977, the Minolta XD became the very first multimode SLR at a time when such things did not exist. I can’t stress that enough – nobody had even seen a camera that could perform both aperture and shutter priority duties with a flick of a switch until this camera came along. Just like we wouldn’t have had Kobe Bryant or LeBron James without Michael Jordan, we wouldn’t have the FA, the OM4-Ti, the Canon A-1, or practically any multi-mode camera in history without the Minolta XD. It’s that important.

Now before anybody hurls a tomato at me and accuses me of picking cameras purely on historical relevance, I will remind you that this is the Minolta freakin’ XD we’re talking about. This is, to this day, one of the finest shooting manual focus SLR’s ever made. It was perhaps the best child of the union between Minolta and Leitz (yes, that Leitz), and features the best combination of the former’s technological wizardry and the latter’s elegance in design. While not as well equipped as the later Nikon FA or Olympus OM4-Ti, the Minolta XD still holds a distinct edge in shooting layout and build quality. Its Acute Matte focusing screen is the same found in Hasselblad cameras, its controls are snappy and smooth, and if obtained in the black trim, you get a black chrome Leitz-approved finish. It is also, in my opinion, the most elegantly designed of the compact manual focus SLRs on this list. It may not be the greatest of all time, but its greatness transcends that tired moniker.

[Get a Minolta XD on eBay here]

Canon A-1

While the Minolta XD came sprinting out of the gates first in the photographic technological arms race of the late 70’s, there was a rival following close behind. It was clad in all black enamel, cut a Darth Vader-esque figure, and packed one key technology that the XD was too timid to give an official name to – programmed auto-exposure. It’s Canon’s finest creation from their manual focus FD mount days, the Canon A-1.

More than most other cameras of its ilk, the Canon A-1 is emblematic of the hyper-technological advanced amateur segment. It’s covered in the technology of the day, most importantly becoming the first camera to feature shutter priority, aperture priority, manual override, AND programmed autoexposure in one body (note: the rival Minolta XD does technically have a program mode, but it’s not as explicitly stated as it is on the A-1). The feature list goes on longer than Too $hort’s music career, and includes an exposure lock, an exposure compensation dial, an extended range of manually selectable shutter speeds from 2 to 30 seconds, a viewfinder shutter, double exposure capability, and discrete dials for each shooting mode. Yes, this may contribute to a cluttered control interface, but it’s a small price to pay when the entire photographic world is just a switch away.

I can practically hear the furious keystrokes of Canon AE-1 owners in the comment section. Why the A-1 over the obviously more important AE-1? It’s simple – it’s a better camera. The A-1 does everything the AE-1 and AE-1 Program can do. It also does more, does it better, and most importantly, does it cheaper.

[Get a Canon A1 on eBay here]

Canon AE-1

But even all that said, I can’t in good conscience leave the Canon AE-1 out. It’s the VW Bug, the Coca-Cola, the Fender Stratocaster of electronic SLR’s. It’s also the reason the consumer-focused electronic SLR segment even exists.

Just like we did with the Minolta XD, we have to consider what the photographic world was like before the AE-1. Before it, the amateur SLR market consisted of bulky bare bones cameras that were often simplified versions of their professional counterparts. Although these were often very good cameras in their own right, they painted the entire SLR format as something reserved only for professionals, while amateurs were largely better off with fixed lens rangefinders or viewfinder cameras.

The introduction of the automated Canon AE-1 in 1976 completely shattered the popular preconception of what an SLR should be. It was small, lightweight, and due to its groundbreaking microprocessor-powered shutter priority mode, incredibly easy to shoot – in short, the opposite of what an SLR was. It sold like no other SLR before it, eventually selling 5.7 million units worldwide. The AE-1 proved so popular that it opened up an entirely new consumer-focused amateur SLR segment in the market, and paved the way for every automated SLR to come afterwards.

Though I will always pick the more fully featured A-1 over the AE-1 and the later AE-1 Program from a shooter’s perspective (and have actually spoken ill of said cameras in an infamous article), I will admit there is a certain charm to shooting an AE-1. It’s practically a rite of passage as a beginner; millions of shooters experienced SLR photography for the first time through its viewfinder. It isn’t the best camera on this list, but it’s certainly the most important, and is still a fine shooter for any class of photographer.

[Get a Canon AE1 on eBay here]

Pentax LX

James once called the Pentax LX “The Best Professional 35mm Camera.” I remember holding my Nikon F3 kind of like how this lady holds Kevin Hart. I later realized I didn’t do this out of skepticism; I did it because it was probably true.

Fitting for the Pentax design ethos, the Pentax LX is maybe the most unassuming of the pro-spec electronic SLRs of the day (this is, of course, the same company that gave us the Wonder Bread of cameras, the Pentax K1000). But similarly befitting of Pentax, it is the near flawless execution of the LX’s build and the thoughtfulness of its design that gives it its power.

In abbreviated terms (for the long form review, click here) the Pentax LX is what you’d get if you shrunk a Nikon F3, a Canon F-1 New, or a Minolta XK down to the size of an Olympus OM-series camera while somehow sacrificing none of those camera’s features. It features nine interchangeable viewfinders, ten different focusing screens, motor drive capabilities, and a TTL OTF metering system which controls a stellar aperture priority mode. While managing this, the LX still managed to surpass its competitors by adding a mechanical backup across five different shutter speeds, and by being uncommonly well sealed against the elements, making it shock and water resistant to a degree those other cameras would envy. No other pro-spec SLR, manual focus or autofocus, can lay claim to this kind of a spec sheet.

Best of all, it’s an incredibly user-friendly camera. Its small size and thoughtful control layout makes it perhaps the most ergonomically friendly camera to shoot on this list. And if you can find one, prepare to enjoy the best Pentax SLR body ever made.

[Get a Pentax LX on eBay here]

Leica R5

A few months ago, the Casual Photophile writers’ chat had a small debate about what their subjective perfect camera would be. I chimed in with, “Black Minolta XD with an exposure lock would be pretty near-perfect” James quickly reminded me that that camera already exists, only that it isn’t a Minolta XD. It’s the Leica R5.

The Leica R5 is often reductively considered a German Minolta XD on the juice, which is true to some degree. The R5 itself is based on the R4, Leica’s version of the Minolta XD, which was itself born out of a particularly interesting collaboration between Leica and Minolta, which you can read about here. The R4 took the XD and added an incredible metering system which, in aperture priority mode, can utilize both spot and center weighted metering, and officially added both an AE lock (in selective spot metering mode) and a program mode (!!). The R5 expounded on this by adding a wider shutter speed range (15s – 1/2000th of a second), TTL flash metering, and an even fancier program mode with a shift capability.\

Where the XD excelled in innovation and layout, the R5 excels in sheer build quality, shooting experience, and lens roster, and that’s saying something considering what I just wrote about the XD a few paragraphs before this. The R5 equipped with a 50mm Summicron is pure luxury in electronic 35mm SLR form, with every action streamlined, smooth, and of the very highest quality. You can’t expect less from a company like Leica.

[Get a Leica R5 on eBay here]

Contax RTS III

The camera which takes the penultimate spot on this list is, admittedly, my pick of the bunch. As much as I love my old faithful Nikon F3 and all of my Nikkor lenses, I have to give it up for the last great SLR of the manual focus age (barring the Nikon FM3a), the Contax RTS III.

The Contax RTS III is the platonic ideal of the manual focus electronic 35mm SLR segment. Released in 1990, it was one of the last of its kind due the mass shift towards autofocus SLRs. With the manual focus SLR’s last gasp, Contax perfected the form, bestowing their already beautiful RTS series of cameras with every piece of tech they could muster. The camera featured an incredible 32 – 1/8000th of a second shutter, an integrated motor drive that maxed out at 5 FPS, and a freakin’ vacuum film pressure plate for maximum film flatness (seriously, who does that??). Combine this with access to the entire roster of Zeiss C/Y mount lenses and it’s hard to think of a pound-for-pound more impressive SLR system.

Historically, the Contax RTS III can be seen as a swan song for the thirty odd years manual focus SLRs ruled the world. It combines the ease-of-use, flexibility, and raw capability of the later autofocus SLR’s with the elegant, concise control layout of old school manual focus cameras, and wraps it all up in the impeccable lines Contax is known for. For the manual focus faithful as well as Zeiss fanatics, it is the ultimate electronic SLR.

[Get a Contax RTS III on eBay here]

Canon EOS-1v

Seasoned readers of the site will likely have noticed our omission of autofocus 35mm SLR’s, a class of cameras objectively more capable than any on this list. This is intentional – I believe judging cameras purely on raw capability is just as shallow as judging athletes purely on final trophy count. Ichiro Suzuki, who maybe the greatest hitter to ever play baseball, never won a World Series and yet occupies a space among the legends. In the same way, I don’t think that cameras can simply be reduced to their picture-taking ability – there’s something more to them that we love.

With all that in mind, it might be surprising to pick the Canon EOS-1v as the representative for the roided-up autofocus SLR segment. It is not the statistical leader of the segment (that would be the Minolta A9), nor is it a personal favorite (that would be the Nikon F6). I do, however, think the EOS-1v is the epitome of the genre, has the best professional pedigree, and represents a culmination of technology in film photography as well as an important link to the digital future. The feature list is mind-boggling, so I’ll just list some of the greatest hits: 45-point autofocus, a shutter speed range from 30 seconds to 1/8000th of a second, 21-zone evaluative (matrix) metering, an 8.5% partial meter, 2.4% spot meter capable of multi-spot metering , and a centerweighted meter, and a 3 FPS motor drive, among other features. It was rugged and reliable, ergonomically near-perfect and distinctly modern in its design (it’s basically a 35mm Canon EOS-1D), and subsequently a favorite of professional photographers in the twilight of the film era.

The EOS-1v makes this list not only because of its capabilities, but because it is a camera that represents the link between the film and digital eras. The proof lies in two things – its design and its lens mount. The design of the EOS-1v foregrounded every modern Canon DSLR, and can be seen almost unchanged in cameras like the 5D Mk II and 1D. For my Nikonians out there, I’m sorry to say that history shows that Canon’s EF mount surpassed the F mount in the transition from film to digital. The EOS system became the de facto professional standard, with the “L” series of lenses becoming legendary in the modern era. Professionals who have already built up a formidable arsenal of EOS lenses can use Canon EOS-1v as a virtual 1:1 film version of Canon’s DSLR offerings, making it the most sensible choice for working professionals still interested in shooting 35mm. If it is pure performance you’re after, this is the camera to get.

[Get a Canon EOS 1v on eBay here]

Well, that’s the list. If you have another favorite mechanical SLR, let us know about it in the comments below.

You can find many classic SLR cameras in our shop, F Stop Cameras

Follow Casual Photophile on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

[Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates at B&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post The Ten Best Electronic 35mm SLR’s Ever Made appeared first on Casual Photophile.