Despite being one of the oldest camera manufacturers in the world, Rollei never shied away from taking left-field approaches with their camera systems. If you’re bored of two-a-penny SLRs and crave something a bit different, Rollei might just be your best bet.

A failure to quickly master the dark arts of electronics from the 1970s onwards, an ill-fated arrangement with Hasselblad and a lack of price competitiveness compared to their new Japanese competitors stymied the company badly. Rollei barely limped into the 21st century. It did not have the resources left to sustain the promotion of its advanced Hy6 film-digital medium format camera, and the famous company finally closed its doors in 2015.

Today, professionals, enthusiasts and beginners alike can use equipment designed by a manufacturer that was not afraid to stand out from the crowd. Don’t be put off by the crappy GoPro clones and accessories put out under the Rollei name these days. If anything, these only serve as an acknowledgment of enduring affection many still feel for the storied brand.

So let’s jump right into the classics, oddities, and rarities that you should look out for at the beginning, middle and end of your dive into the Rollei wormhole.

Best Professionals’ Camera – Rolleiflex 6008 Models

Rollei released the SLX camera in the mid-1970s, a fully electronic medium format SLR to compete with Hasselblad’s famous machines. With a built-in light meter, automatic motor advance, and shutter-priority auto-exposure, it was in many ways a far more advanced camera than the ones being produced by Rollei’s Swedish rivals.

Then in 1984 they released a totally new series of Rollei medium format SLRs; the 6000 series. These cameras are simply stunning. Advancements in electronics throughout the 1980s meant that Rollei’s newest SLRs could be smarter, more durable, and more feature-dense than any medium format SLR that came before them. For the next thirty years the brand would continue to push the range forward, resulting in some of the best medium format SLRs in the world.

The 6008 Professional, 6008 Professional SRC 1000, and 6008 Integral all pack the greatest combination of features, highest modularity, and best build quality of any camera in the 6000 series. While other cameras in the lineup forego certain features (the 6003 loses its interchangeable backs and the 6001 lacks a light meter, for example) the 6008 models do everything (and often much more) than any shooter could ask of a camera. There’s even the intelligently named 6008 AF, for those who want to own the world’s first autofocus 6 x 6 camera.

The 6008 Professional or 6008 Integral are the models to keep an eye out for. Square negatives emerge from its interchangeable film backs, which could be swapped mid-roll. A waist-level viewfinder provides a glorious view down onto the scene, though this could be swapped for a prism finder of choice if necessary.

A full range of accessories including extension tubes and film inserts for different formats meant the system could tackle any photographic challenge it was pitted against. Modernized electronics provided the full gamut of shooting options to a user. Various metering modes and autoexposure settings are possible, and the cameras could even shoot up to 2FPS, should you have the desire or money available to burn through 120 film so quickly. Flash sync up to 1/1000th of a second completes the specs of a system that almost feels like the final evolution of Hasselblad’s 500 C/M and EL/M medium format cameras. 

The lenses for the system are top of the line, perhaps unmatched in by any other medium format camera system. As well as matching the Carl Zeiss glass of its Hasselblad counterpart punch-for-punch, 6000-series users also had access to lenses manufactured by Schneider-Kreuznach which were a full stop faster than the Zeiss glass. Lenses like the Schneider Apo Tele-Xenar 180mm f2.8 and the hyper rare Xenotar 80mm f2 provided the system with shock and awe comparable to Pentax’s SMC Takumar 105mm f2.4, or the Contax Zeiss 80mm f2 Planar. 

If you can find one, a Rolleiflex 6000 series camera will still hold its own against the very best professional systems, film or digital, without a shadow of a doubt. For complete information on this sensational camera, including potential troubles to look out for, be sure to check James’ review of the 6008 Professional.

Best Enthusiasts’ Camera – Rolleiflex Twins Lens Reflex Camera

If you hold more than a passing interest in the history of the photographic medium (and as visitors to this website, you most likely do), you owe it to yourself to use a classic Rolleiflex TLR at least once in your life. Featured proudly on banknotes of certain sovereign states and crooned over in airy bossa nova tunes (yes, really), the twin-lens reflex camera invented by Franke & Heidecke in the 1920s succeeded in breaking into the public eye as no other camera had done before it.

From jobbing photogs recording the iconic sports events of the day to jet-setters capturing the first commercial transatlantic flights, the Rolleiflex was a sensation as soon as the first cameras left the factory.

So what makes the Rolleiflex stand out in the modern era? Well, you don’t have to stare at it for a long time to realize the camera does not feature the traditional configuration we’re used to today. On a Twin Lens Reflex camera, the duties of composing a photograph and capturing the image are split between two different lenses. You look into the viewing lens via a waist-level finder and magnifier. Aperture and shutter settings then fall neatly under your thumbs via wheels, making the camera a model of good ergonomics. The Rolleiflex is fitted with Carl Zeiss or Schneider taking lens, providing impressively sharp results for a camera of this vintage.

For a shooter picking up a Rolleiflex in 2019, you will be surprised how refreshing the experience of using this quirky machine is. The square negative and the top-down viewfinder will recalibrate your brain if you are stepping up from a 35mm system. The perfect ergonomics mean that you will be able to do so in minutes, not weeks.

As competition emerged from ever-improving SLR cameras, the company erred. Then, as Victor Hasselblad introduced his medium format SLR, a gentleman’s agreement in which Rollei would not compete with Hasselblad’s SLR system meant that Rollei sat back and watched as the Swedes pulled in oceans of cash and former former TLR users.

But that’s history now. Shooters today can find out for themselves why Rollei’s TLR cameras were so beloved. Different models produced over the span of fifty years are are available at all price points, depending on age, condition and the ability to swap out the viewfinder.

Best Entry Level Camera – Rollei 35

After the famed TLR cameras, Rollei is probably best known for its Rollei 35 compact, a camera that once again made virtue out of the unusual. The camera was designed by Heinz Waaske, whose genius went unrecognized at his former employer Wirgin and whose prototypes went unclaimed when offered to Leica and Kodak. 

The tiny camera’s winding lever is operated with the left hand. It possesses a viewfinder, but this can only be zone focused. Many of the controls were mere millimeters apart from each other. And yet, with over 2 million cameras produced and the Queen of England amongst its users, it is fair to say that the Rollei 35 was a meteoric success.

This success stems from two considerable advantages that the camera holds over its competitors then and even now. Firstly, the camera is truly pocketable. I’m not talking about ‘pocketable’ in the way that Contax T2 shooters use the word (see my review here). The Rollei 35 is back of jeans certifiable. It allows enthusiasts to capture the in-between moments when a full-sized camera is impractical.

And then there’s the lens. Over the years many would swear fielty to the Carl Zeiss-designed 40mm Sonnar lens that comes with many of the Rollei 35 models. It allows users to capture moments with beautiful sharpness and colors reminiscent of all of the best vintage glass.

If you can cope with the camera’s scale focusing and quirky ergonomics, it still represents an exceptional choice as a carry-everywhere camera in 2019. Not all Rollei 35 models were born equally, however. There are the basic models, the normal models, and the later advanced models with high end electronic metering systems. These newer SE and TE versions command quite a premium over the lower-end models. As James noted in his 2017 review of the SE, “the differences between the SE (Sonnar Electric) 35 and the B35 are less Mercedes versus Volkwagen, more Mercedes versus one-wheeled skateboard.”

The Rollei 35 T is probably the best middle of the road model. It’s priced perfectly for the average hobbyist, packs a well regarded four-element Tessar lens, and retains build quality that is more Mercedes than “one-wheeled skateboard…”

Waaske’s most famous invention

Some Essential Lenses and Collectible Oddities

Sadly for Rollei, some of their more out-there systems proved to be too far ahead of their time to achieve commercial success (or simply too expensive). That means that there are a couple of martyr systems which may offer interest to (risk-taking) connoisseurs today.

In the 1970s, Rollei attempted to keep up with the staggering pace being set by Japanese SLR manufacturers. This led to the creation of the Rolleiflex SL35, a traditional 35mm SLR. The system boasted a fine range of Carl Zeiss manufactured lenses, which shared a design lineage with the Contarex SLR and Super Speed cine lenses from Zeiss. These same designs would later be refined and re-released for the Contax/Yashica cameras. Lenses such as the Zeiss 35mm f1.4 Distagon and 85mm f1.4 Planar even share the same unique triangular bokeh that the Super Speeds famously displayed in The Shining. 

Although the system was not lacking in the optics departments, the bodies were a letdown. They represented some of Rollei’s first efforts at electronics, and you can really tell on some models like the Rolleiflex SL35 ME. The cameras are simply unreliable.

If you’re feeling truly adventurous, the Rolleiflex 3003 is worth the risk for its uniqueness and interest. Using these same Zeiss lenses, the 3003 is the 35mm shooter’s answer to the medium format 6008 system (or a Hasselblad). With a waist-level viewfinder and changeable film magazines, the 3003 is a truly unique 35mm camera system. Despite not being a commercial success, many in the camera industry took notice. Many of the camcorders of the late-90s and early 2000s were based on the handgrip concept pioneered by Rollei in the 3003.

If you are after an exotic TLR, Rollei created a telephoto and wide-angle version of their classic ‘Flex cameras, which featured a 135 F/4 Sonnar and 55mm F4 Distagon respectively. These special models go for quite a premium compared to the normal versions. They were meant for professionals as well, meaning the examples that come on sale have probably been used hard.

Feel that we’ve left a must-have Rollei off the list? Let us know in the comments.

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In the interest of spreading the Pentaxian gospel, we’ve compiled the best of the brand into one of our popular Essentials articles. Most Pentax cameras and lenses are worth shooting, but if you’re seeking the absolute cream of the crop, these are the ones that epitomize Pentax perfection. Enjoy.

Best Professionals’ Camera – Pentax MZ-S

The MZ-S was introduced in 2001 as Pentax’s final flagship professional grade SLR (buy it using our eBay affiliate link here). It was intended to compete with the heavy-hitters of the era, the Canon EOS-1v, the Minolta a9, and the Nikon F6. Although it never quite hit the heights those cameras did, the MZ-S ended up being the most technologically advanced film camera Pentax would ever develop, and the finest pro-spec film camera Pentax has to offer.

Raw specs on the MZ-S are impressive even by today’s standards – a vertically traveling focal plane shutter with a range of thirty seconds to 1/6000th of a second, a variable metering system featuring center-weighted, spot, and segmented matrix metering, a completely backwards compatible K-mount system, a continuous follow focus AF mode as well as a traditional six point stationary AF mode, and nineteen custom modes, all user-editable.

Specs aside, if there’s any reason to get the MZ-S, it’s the design. The MZ-S’ signature control plate is tilted back at an angle, which makes for an ergonomic experience that’s totally unique in the professional segment. The two big important dials on the top plate, which control most functions (shutter speed, mode selection, etc), can be operated with the user’s thumbs, which frees up the index and middle fingers to shoot more quickly. For the professional Pentaxian, this camera is the one to get.

Best Enthusiasts’ Camera – Pentax LX (K-Mount) or Pentax 67 (medium format)

For hardcore enthusiasts, there’s arguably no better or more interesting brand than Pentax. Back in the day, Pentax built their name off of their artful workmanship, practicality, and high quality embedded into nearly every camera, which earned them some of film photography’s most dedicated acolytes. Picking just one camera to represent this segment was tough, so I chose two which just barely (and I mean barely) edge out the others.

The first is one of James’ favorite 35mm SLRs, the Pentax LX (buy it using our eBay affiliate link here). The LX is something of a marvel in the pro-spec SLR market; it bucked the trends that pro SLRs often followed at the time and showed the world that something better was possible. It was small and relatively light, but just as durable and finely made as its big and bulky competitors, and set the technological standard higher for the capabilities of pro SLRs as we know it.

The LX features a black-painted chrome body for corrosion resistance, a full weather-sealing down to the buttons and dials, a removable pentaprism with ten different available focusing screens, pretty much everything one would expect from a pro spec SLR. But what separates the LX from the rest is its fully mechanical titanium shutter. This is significant – the LX has an aperture-priority mode, but once the batteries go, the shutter can still be usable across five different shutter speeds. Nikon’s FM3a equals this feat, but lacks most of the other features that make the LX so great.

The second camera on our list is a bona fide classic, the Pentax 67 (buy it using our eBay affiliate link here). A favorite of studio photographers and amateur weightlifters everywhere, the Pentax 67 is one of the most important cameras ever made, and a must-have for those of the medium format persuasion.

The first iteration of the Pentax 67 gets my vote based on its representation of old-school 1970s Pentax. It’s an all-metal heavyweight beast weighing in at 2.7 lbs, and god knows how much with a lens. To aid in carrying this thing around, Pentax crafted a beautiful signature wooden handle to complete the stunning visual package.

The Pentax 67 was beloved in its day for its build quality and reliability (something that’s waned a bit as these machines get older), but it was the quality of its lenses that catapulted into fame (waned this has not). Nearly every single lens made for the Pentax 67 is a stunner both physically and practically, churning out some of the most nuanced and beautiful images in medium format photography. When paired with a good film, good eyes, and impossibly buff arms, it’s hard to beat the Pentax 67 in the professional medium format sphere.

Best Entry Level Camera – Pentax Spotmatic

Let’s keep this section simple – if there’s a Pentax SLR everybody should own, it has to be the Pentax Spotmatic. Yes, the K1000 gets the plaudits. Yes, the MX can fit in your pocket if you try hard enough. And yes, the K2’s got aperture priority and looks pretty sweet too. But if you’re trying to learn the fundamentals of photography, there isn’t a better camera than the Spotmatic in the Pentax lineup, or in 35mm photography in general.

The Spotmatic is perhaps Pentax’s greatest achievement, as it brought TTL (through the lens) metering into the hands of consumers (note: The Topcon RE Super beat Pentax to the punch, but that camera was priced out of the hands of average consumers). This was significant – a TTL meter enabled shooters to keep their eye to the viewfinder and adjust their settings according to the in-viewfinder display. The idea was a hit, and Pentax sold millions of Spotmatics throughout the 1960s (and they still sell well – buy it using our eBay affiliate link here).

Today, the Spotmatic still holds up as a gorgeous, well-made, and easy-to-use camera. It’s an all-metal, all-mechanical classic from the ’60s endowed with those clean Pentax lines. The design is simple, and begets the most straightforward mechanical shooting experience in photography. Frame up a shot, flip the metering switch on (which doubles as a depth-of-field preview lever), adjust settings to taste, and fire away. The combination depth-of-field preview and metering switch is a masterstroke – it lets the shooter know exactly how their aperture settings will affect the image right before they press the shutter, perfect for educating novices about the fundamentals of aperture. It’s a small feature, but an important one, and one that lifts the Spotmatic to the top spot in the Pentax canon. 

[The above shot of the three FA Limited lenses was kindly provided by Ned Bunnell, former president of Pentax USA.]

Collectible Cameras and Lenses – Asahiflex and the Pentax FA Limited K-Mount Lenses

Pentax is a company which is always aware of its reputation and its position in the history of photography. It should surprise no one, then, that they boast an incredibly interesting range of collectible cameras and lenses.

Lest we all forget, Pentax is the OG when it comes to Japanese SLRs. Back when German rangefinders ruled the world and the Japanese camera industry made a living off of playing copycat, Pentax (then called the Asahi Camera Company) decided to do something different. The Asahi Camera Company were convinced that the SLR, not the rangefinder, was the future of photography, and put their money into developing their very own Asahiflex camera. The gamble paid off – the Asahiflex would be the first in a long line of Japanese SLR’s which would eventually grow to dominate the photographic market.

Today, the Asahiflex is a good-looking, charming, but slow-operating camera. Pentax were still trying to figure out the SLR format, and so the Asahiflex lacks things we take for granted, like an auto-return mirror, auto-diaphragm lenses, and a pentaprism for eye-level through-the-lens viewing. Despite its inherent limitations, there’s no denying its importance to the history of photography, which makes it an essential piece for any Pentax collector (buy it using our eBay affiliate link here).

Since then, Pentax built a reputation for itself by building extremely high-quality, but affordable cameras and lenses. Pentax decided to pay homage to this tradition with their K-mount equipped Pentax FA Limited lenses.

The Pentax FA Limited Lenses are Pentax’s attempt at bringing an old-school approach to build quality and image quality into the digital age. The three lenses are fixed-focal length lenses patterned along the lines of the old Takumars, with manually adjustable, all-aluminium components housing some stunning glass. The three lenses also offer some wonderfully off-kilter focal lengths (31mm, 43mm, and 77mm) that were selected to better approximate the way we see the world. These lenses make an interesting addition to modern DSLR setups and their specificity and relative rarity make them perfect for any Pentax collector (you can browse for these exciting lenses on eBay via our affiliate link here).

Some Essential Lenses

A buyer’s guide to the Pentax lens system really only needs to consist of one phrase – “buy one.” From Super Takumar to SMC-Pentax, Pentax’s lens lineup is fantastic from top to bottom. Whichever lens you choose will make great photos. That said, here are a couple of standouts.

The first is the crown jewel of the Pentax Super Takumar line, the Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 8-Element lens. It’s everything vintage lenses should be – masterfully made and capable of putting the clinical perfection of modern lenses to shame. It’s not the sharpest 50mm lens in the world, but the images it creates are distinct, with a warm color rendering and a detail rendering that sublimates reality into artistry. Pair it up with a Pentax Spotmatic or a meterless Pentax SV and you’ll have one of the best setups in 35mm photography.

The next is a lens for the K-mount faithful, the SMC-Pentax 85mm f/1.8. In the short telephoto range, there are few that can stand up to this lens. It’s quick and impossibly sharp, and particularly adept at subject isolation. For bokeh lovers, this lens is a must-have, with creamy out-of-focus areas that never distract or annoy. The grade between out-of-focus and in-focus areas is smooth, but clear, making it a stellar lens for portraits. These traits make it a hall-of-fame 35mm portrait lens, and an essential piece of any K-mount system (buy it using our eBay affiliate link here).

The last couple of lenses hail from the Pentax 67 system, the standard SMC 105mm f/2.4 and the wide-angle SMC 55mm f/4. These two are legendary among medium-format shooters both for the quality of their build and in the images they make. The 105mm f/2.4 is prized for the way it takes advantage of the shallow depth-of-field unique to medium format, and is beloved for its versatility and all-around image quality. The final iteration of the wide-angle SMC 55mm f/4 is a sight to behold as well, regarded as one of the best wide angle medium format lenses in class for its lack of distortion, corner-to-corner sharpness, and just-right wide-angle field of view. You really can’t go wrong with any Pentax 67 lens, but these two are two of the best (shop for 67 lenses using our eBay affiliate link here).

And that’s it for our Pentax list. Naturally we can’t include every camera or lens. Pentax has made hundreds of excellent products. If you feel like we missed something special, yell at us in the comments.

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Oh yeah. I forgot. I love Olympus.

So here I am, a few days later putting the final touches on the latest edition of our ongoing feature, The Essentials. We’ve already listed the very best from Nikon, Minolta, and Canon, and today we’re showcasing the best of the best from the brand that Maitani built. From impossibly small rangefinders to never-miss point-and-shoots, revolutionary SLRs and even the odd Olympus TLR, here are some amazing Olympus cameras to add to the collection.

Best Professional-Level 35mm SLR Camera – Olympus OM-4Ti

Olympus professional-level cameras don’t get the sort of talking time enjoyed by the robust and versatile system machines that Nikon and Canon produced for photojournalists and war reportage. But that’s not because they weren’t as good or as capable. Olympus has long created cameras and systems capable of working for a living, most obviously in their OM series of 35mm SLRs. Over thirty-odd years, each of the flagship cameras in the OM line offered all the features of their era, plus a full range of lenses and attachments for all uses; microphotography, dental photography, laboratory use – the list goes on.

But what made the OM series special, compared to professional camera ranges from other makers, was their size. When the OM-1 launched in 1972, it showed the photographic world that it was possible to have a professional-level camera in an incredibly small package. Olympus’ OM-1 shocked the photo world and spurred every camera maker to continual pursuit of higher technology in smaller form factors. And of Olympus’ many pro-spec 35mm SLRs, the one to own today must certainly be the OM-4Ti.

Debuting in 1986, the OM-4Ti enjoyed a remarkably long production run for a film camera, not being discontinued until 2002. It was a new and updated version of the earlier OM-4, enhanced with titanium top and bottom body plates, improved weather sealing, and a higher-speed flash sync. But beyond these important improvements, the OM-4Ti retained the earlier camera’s core DNA. And this is wonderful, considering that camera’s spec sheet.

It offered an electromechanical shutter capable of speeds from 240 seconds to 1/2000th of a second (plus bulb mode), aperture-priority auto-exposure mode, plus manual exposure shooting mode, a world’s first metering mode in which the camera automatically averaged eight different areas of the frame plus a built-in spot metering mode, and the OM series’ incredibly massive viewfinder rounded out the major features.

The quality of its construction and the high-tech feature set made the OM-4Ti a remarkable camera when new, and today it’s still one of the best film SLRs that money can buy.

Best Enthusiast Camera – Olympus XA

Legendary Olympus designer Yoshihisa Maitani’s entire professional life’s pursuit was miniaturization. In his earliest days developing the Pen half-frame camera (Olympus’ first major sales success) he was driven by the compactness and quality of his Leica camera. For the rest of his life he pushed Olympus to design and produce smaller cameras with better lenses. The culmination of this pursuit (and the final Olympus camera that Maitani personally designed) was the Olympus XA.

The impressiveness of the XA can’t be overstated. For me, a shooter who values compactness and prefers to shoot in aperture-priority semi-auto mode, the XA is virtually perfect. It’s a tiny 35mm rangefinder camera with aperture-priority, manual focus, an in-viewfinder rangefinder patch, and one of the best metering systems I’ve ever used. Creative controls in the form of aperture selector and exposure compensation make it a true artistic tool, and its form factor means it can fit into a pocket (indeed, Maitani designed it to fit in a front shirt pocket).

Adhering to Maitani’s overarching philosophy that a camera is only as good as its lens, the XA features an amazingly sharp and distortion-free Zuiko 35mm F/2.8 fast prime lens. It is one of the best lenses ever placed in a fixed-lens camera, and it’s the single aspect of the camera that elevates the XA from a good camera to an amazing one. In fact, the XA is one of my favorite cameras ever made and I’m still fuming that Josh, and not I, was the CP writer who reviewed it. Who’s running this place anyway?!

Best Beginner’s Camera – Olympus 35RC

People who are just getting into film photography are often looking for a classic camera that looks gorgeous, makes beautiful images, offers a helping hand in the form of automation, and allows them room to grow. The Olympus 35RC checks all these boxes with emphatic, red ink.

What makes this camera ideal for the beginner is that it offers shutter-priority auto-exposure. This will allow the new film shooter to quickly understand the parameters of shutter speed and aperture and how each setting impacts the final image. The manual focus rangefinder will help the shooter understand composition and feel more connected to the act of image-making, and the inclusion of full-manual mode will offer the photographer greater creative control as his or her experience grows.

It’s not as rare as some other Olympus 35 series cameras (such as the top-of-the-heap RD) so prices are pretty low, another important factor for those just getting interested in film or photography. It also looks fantastic. And that never hurts.

For the Collector

Olympus has made quite a few collectible cameras. There’s the pre-name change Olympus M-1 (named after its designer, Maitani, the M-1 would later be renamed OM-1 after protests from Leica). M-1s were made for a very brief period and had matching “M-System” Zuiko lenses (further details in our full OM-1 review). Then there’s the also-rare OM-3, a mechanical SLR that was so similar to the still-in-production OM-1 that most buyers of the day purchased the earlier camera at a much lower price. The low sales numbers and brief production run has made the OM-3 something of a collector’s item today, like the M-1, and it’s the rarity of these machines that makes them each a must-have for the Olympus collector.

There’s the weird and wonderful Olympus O-product from 1988, an industrially-designed point-and-shoot film camera created by a truly characterful Japanese designer, Naomi Sakai. This point-and-shoot looks like no other camera out there, functions surprisingly well, and can actually make really pretty photos (a full review was penned last year).

Then there’s the Olympus Pen W, the incredibly rare, wide-angle-lens-equipped, half-frame compact that was manufactured for less than one year. This machine is the least common Olympus Pen production model ever made, and finding one in pristine condition today is many Olympus fans’ Holy Grail (got one – review coming soon).

And I must mention Olympus’ Twin Lens Reflex camera the Olympus Flex. This range of machines was made during the TLR boom of the 1950s, which saw Olympus doing their best to replicate the design (and success) of the famed Rolleiflex. They have relatively quick f/2.8 viewing and taking 75mm Zuiko lenses that make great images, even if they don’t enjoy the reputation of the famous German TLR on which the original was based.

Essential Lenses

Rumor has it that Maitani, wanting a perfect standard lens to use on the OM cameras, had the OM System 40mm f/2 designed and built to his personal and exacting specifications. According to our writer Dustin, who’s been shooting the thing for the past two months, perfect it is. Somewhat rare, a bit pricey but worth every penny, the 40mm f/2 is a fast, sharp, and characterful standard lens. If you’re shooting an OM, try to get one.

The OM System 28mm f/3.5 is well regarded as one of the best 28mm lenses ever to come out of Japan. It’s a distortion-free wide-angle lens, and though the sluggish maximum aperture might turn off some shooters, those who overlook this supposed fault will be shooting one of the best lenses ever made.

Dustin tells me the 50mm f/2 macro lens is the sharpest 50mm ever made. I’ve never used it, but I believe him, since he’s shot more rolls through Olympus cameras than anyone I know. I’ll whip him into reviewing the thing and we’ll see if he’s right, together.

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For those of us soldiering on with older Canon systems the story is a little different. FD died long before the age of the internet, and FL died when most people still had five-digit phone numbers. Before that Canon made cameras and lenses with the long-lived Leica Thread Mount, some of which are reportedly the best ever made for that archaic mount. 

Across these three major mounts and systems, deciding on a camera or lens can be a challenge. Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of the greatest Canon film cameras for your viewing pleasure. 

Best Professional Film Camera – Canon F-1 and T-90

Some vintage camera fans have a pretty substantial distrust of anything electronic. Most camera electronics cannot be repaired with a screwdriver and magnifying glass, and an electronic failure can mean turning a previously valuable camera into a brick. I acknowledge that I often share this bias, and the bevy of all-mechanical cameras in my personal stash seems to support this. 

That said, the original Canon F-1 is the finest pro-level camera produced by Canon in the pre-EOS era. The original F-1 (and the lightly revised F-1n) are simple, rugged, and heavily configurable. Josh described the original F-1 as something like an updated Topcon RE Super, which is not a bad thing in the least. 

The T-90 is something else entirely. It’s wholly electronic, and as far as user interface is concerned it is very much a modern camera. It shares its layout and modes with the first generation of EOS cameras, but instead uses the classic manual-focus FD mount. It offers several metering modes (spot, center weighted average, and partial area metering), eight exposure modes, and an integrated motor drive. For EOS users this is the best FD mount camera with the least difficult learning curve. 

Best Enthusiast Film Camera – Canon A-1 

James has recommended the A-1 over the AE-1 and AE-1 Program before, and I wholly support that viewpoint. The A-1’s feature set leaves the AE-1 in the dust, and still offers additional functionality over the AE-1 Program. 

The viewfinder is bright, shutter speeds are displayed with a simple red digital display, and modes can be easily switched without ever taking your eye off the viewfinder. Couple the A-1 to a power winder and continuous shooting is a breeze. 

Of course, it’s not perfect. Like the other A-series cameras the A-1 has a plastic body. Though it offers a reasonable facsimile of metal (and a brassy coating is visible under the black paint), it lacks the feeling of density and real quality found in F-series Canons. That said, having dropped a few myself that apparent lack of heft doesn’t count for much. Apart from a flimsy battery door, these are seriously tough cameras that take their tumbles in stride.

One undeniable benefit of all that plastic is a noticeable reduction in weight. The A-1 is no flyweight, but it is noticeably easier on the back and neck than the all-brass F-series cameras like the FTb and F-1. 

Best Interchangeable Lens Rangefinders – Canon P and VI

Canon is a stubborn brand. They kept at it with Leica Thread Mount longer than virtually anyone outside of Russia. While early Canon LTM rangefinders were primitive Leica copies, the last few models saw Canon come into their own to combine updated ergonomics and improved user experience with the venerable mount. 

The Canon P and Canon VI come very near the end of Canon’s LTM production, only the 7 outlasted this pair. The P and VI are similar, with angular bodies, large viewfinders, and a similar control layout on the top plate. Where they differ is in viewfinder magnification (like some of Leica’s M variants) and film advance methodology. 

The P has a 1:1 viewfinder with fixed framelines for 35mm, 50mm and 100mm lenses. The finder is large and bright, but the lack of magnification makes it hard for users with glasses to see the 35mm lines. The VI has switchable framelines and switchable magnification, and pairs 35mm framelines with 0.65x magnification, 50mm framelines with 1:1 magnification, and offers 1.55x magnification for use with telephotos. 

Where the P and VI-L came with traditional thumb advance levers, the VI-T did not. The VI-T features a bottom-mounted trigger advance similar to the Rapidwinder available for Leica M-Mount cameras.

Collector’s Choice – Canon 7sZ

The final Canon LTM rangefinder may also be the most advanced LTM camera built until Voigtlander launched the Bessa R in 1999. Derived from the 7s, the 7s Version II (popularly known as the 7sZ) replaces the selenium meter used in earlier 7 models with a CDS metering cell mounted in the top plate. 

Due to the lateness of its launch the 7sZ was produced in extremely small numbers. Bear in mind that the Nikon F launched in 1959, bringing SLR photography to professionals, and the Pentax Spotmatic launched in 1964, bringing easy SLR photography to the masses. When the 7sZ launched in 1967 it was clear that the era of the LTM rangefinder was over. Just 4,000 were produced. 

Like all 7 variants the sZ features an external bayonet mount outboard of the primary central lens mount. This addition allows the fitment of Canon’s 50mm f/0.95 “Dream” lens, the brand’s fastest ever standard lens.

Though rare, these are extremely user-friendly cameras thanks to their CDS meters and reliable steel curtain shutters. If you can find one, service it and use it regularly; you won’t regret it.

Essential Lenses

Fortunately for shooters, the earlier manual focus Canon lenses tend to be relatively cheap compared to equivalent Nikon F-Mount and Pentax K-Mount lenses due to the lack of forward-compatibility with newer autofocus Canon bodies. The range of lenses in both mounts is extremely broad, covering focal lengths from 7.5mm circular fisheye to the gargantuan 1200mm telephoto.

At the lower-cost end of the scale, the 50mm f/1.4 and f/1.8 are excellent starter lenses. These were the most common kit lenses sold new with FD-mount bodies and can often be found still attached to used FD mount cameras. For most photographic situations these remain handy utility lenses. 

While the standard series of lenses offer strong performance at a reasonable price, the L lenses are the standouts of the range. Lenses like the 24mm f/1.4L, 85mm f/1.2L, 200mm f/1.8L, and 300mm f/2.8L are among the fastest and most sophisticated offered in any classic manual focus mount. Even the zoom lenses of the range, like the 24-35mm and 20-35mm f/3.5L, and the 50-300mm f/4.5L avoid the pitfalls of poor optical performance which often plague classic zoom lenses. 

FL mount lenses work with FD mount cameras, albeit solely in stop-down metering mode due to the lack of aperture control arm integrated into the lens body. Unless you really want to shoot an FL mount camera, such as a Pellix, I generally find little cause to recommend the older lenses over their FD mount descendants due to the inferior coatings and lack of open-aperture metering. 

For LTM users the story is quite different, as the broad compatibility of the mount allows shooters to pair their Canon film camera to quality lenses from any maker, including the wonderful lenses made by Leitz and Voigtlander. When choosing a Canon LTM lens, it’s typically best to find the newest variant of a given focal length as Canon continually updated their lenses. The 35mm f/2 and 50mm f/1.4 are reportedly among the best lenses for their given focal length in LTM.

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Shooting Minolta today means you carry a small torch for a fallen comrade. But deciding which camera to use and what glass to put on it can be daunting with a product line as diverse and decades-spanning as Minolta’s. Here is one Minolta fanboy’s nominations.

Best Professional Camera – a9

For as groundbreaking a company as Minolta was, its professional-grade camera bodies never achieved the unanimously high reputation enjoyed by Nikon and Canon’s top models. This divide widened further in the autofocus era — an era that ironically began when Minolta unveiled its Maxxum 7000. But that doesn’t mean its highest-end cameras weren’t as good as Canon’s or Nikons. They were just a bit odd.

That said, Minolta did create the greatest professional-grade film SLR camera of all time. The a9 (Maxxum 9, Dynax 9) goes beyond any camera made by the other big camera companies. It sweats perfection and durability.

Its spec sheet speaks for itself; a maximum shutter speed of 1/12,000 of a second, stainless steel chassis, weather-proof construction, EV range from -1 to 18, eye start, function dials rather than wheels. Most importantly, a metering system that will not be defeated by even the most inept of users.

The a9 is the Bjorn Borg of professional grade SLR cameras. It’s saturated with ability and talent, but isn’t superfluous or gaudy. It stands and delivers, doing the job better than anything else. Unfortunately like Borg, the a9 wouldn’t enjoy a long career. Released in 1999, it was only four years into its lifecycle when Minolta merged with Konica, and seven before Konica-Minolta’s photography operations were sold to Sony.

Best Enthusiasts Camera – Minolta XD and CLE

In the 1970s Minolta and Leitz teamed up in a partnership that would see the two powerhouses share patents, technology, and product development. Two cameras that resulted from this partnership would become two of Minolta’s best ever.

The XD would be the last high-grade, metal-bodied manual focus camera made by Minolta before the calendar changed to 1980 and the company switched to plastics. The XD was the first ever SLR camera equipped with aperture-priority, shutter-priority and full, metered manual mode. When it debuted in 1977, it gave the photographer a new level of creative control, ease of use, and reliability. It also had a final check metering system that would perform a second exposure reading after the shutter was engaged to ensure accurate exposures. This is the cause of what some claim to be a shutter lag, but the quietness of the XD’s shutter will have you thinking it’s a rangefinder. Leica would use the chassis of the XD as it built its R-series SLR cameras.

The XD is all class and sophistication. It’s superbly built with compact size and technical precision. If you could only buy one camera from this list, the XD should be the frontrunner. 

Unless you prefer rangefinders. If that’s the case, then the camera for you is undoubtably the Minolta CLE. Another product of the partnership with Leitz, the CLE was Minolta’s vision of what a “Compact Leica Electronic” camera should be. It uses Leica’s M mount, and its large viewfinder is equipped with frame lines for 28mm, 40mm, and 90mm lenses (a series of lenses in these focal lengths was made by Minolta, their M Rokkors, and they are phenomenal). It operates in full manual and aperture-priority modes and uses an advanced through-the-lens and off-the-film flash and exposure system that Leica cameras wouldn’t match in effectiveness until more than two decades later. And it’s all packed into a compact and beautifully minimal design.

The CLE was good enough for James to claim he would take it over any of Leica’s M cameras. I’m quite sure that I would have been expelled from CP had this camera not made the list. Fortunately, the CLE deserves to be here on its own merits.

Best Entry Level Camera – X-570

There’s a case to be made that for those starting out, a bare-bones, purely mechanical body like the SRT-101 would be the way to go. That’s what I started out with, along with thousands of other new shooters. But if you’re unfamiliar with photography, or maybe someone considering adding film to a digital repertoire, I can think of no better camera to help bridge the gap than the X-570.

As the successor to the hugely popular X-700, the X-570 debuted in 1983 and quickly established itself as Minolta’s sleeper camera. It has the bare bones you would expect, such as a shutter range from 1/1000 to 1 second in manual mode, ISO range from 12 to 3200 and a depth-of-field preview. It has a more sophisticated viewfinder than the X-700 and a dual exposure lock and self timer button. 

It does lack the Program mode found on the X-700. Some might say that feature is a must for an entry-level camera, but I would argue that it’s a crutch to entry-level photographers. The camera’s aperture priority mode is both more practical and more instructive for those dipping their toes in film photography. The X-570 provides enough of a learning curve to budding photophiles to grow their interest while also allowing for full creative control when they’re ready for it.

Best Collectors Camera – Minolta XK

If you’re someone that collects Minoltas it’s hard not to covet the XK. As Nikon and Canon vied to have the best professional system in the early seventies, Minolta jumped into the race with it’s own “full choice system.” Unlike their competitors, Minolta’s system boasted aperture-priority and a solid state electronic shutter. It also had six interchangeable viewfinders, 11 focusing screens, and manual shutter speeds from 1/2000 of a second to as slow as 16 seconds.

It’s admittedly strange to choose a pro-spec camera as a collectors item. You wouldn’t see Nikon’s F3 or Canon’s F-1 on too many serious collectors’ lists. That’s because both of those cameras were as commercially successful as they were well built. The XK was extremely well built, and was                   pioneering as Minolta cameras typically are, but they just didn’t sell. Call it a case of the misappropriation of marketing funds if you like (or chalk it up to the lack of a motor drive and a rather high price-point), but the XK didn’t catch on with professionals.

Manual focus fans would have this as Minolta’s must-have professional camera, but they would be wrong. The XK is a great camera, but who would choose it for paid professional work over something like the a9? 

Collectors can rest assured of the XK’s potential for endless spending. Minolta went absolutely hog wild with stuff you could attach to this camera. A vast ocean of viewfinders, focusing screens, detachable hot shoes, and even a diopter checker will be more than enough to keep completists busy (and poor) for years to come.

Essential Lenses

Picking essential glass from Minolta’s lineup is even harder than choosing camera bodies. The brand was among the only lens makers in the world to own their own glass factory and make their own glass. This lineage continues today, as some of Minolta’s AF lenses continue to be made by Sony for their A mount cameras.

For those on a tight budget, the 45mm f/2 Rokkor-X pancake lens produces images well above its price tag, with high contrast, brilliant color, and razor sharpness. And the value proposition with this lens can’t be overstated. Many Minolta bodies come with a 45mm f/2 fitted as a kit lens, and sold individually I’ve seen them listed for as little as $15.

Going wider, both the 28mm f/2.8 MC Rokkor-X and 35mm f/2.8 Rokkor-X are both outstanding options. The 35mm lens specifically performs better than any $50 lens should. It’s also been shown to perform better than Minolta’s faster and more expensive 35mm lenses.

The 50mm f/1.4 MD can go toe-to-toe with any standard lens ever made. With seven elements in six groups, it has terrific resolution and contrast across the f-stop range. A hefty boy, weighing in at 235g, it’s a balanced, sturdy lens that blurs lines between craftsmanship and art. It’s the first Minolta lens you should have and it’s good enough to be the only one you need; the Alpha and Omega of any Minolta lens collection.

Shooting Minolta’s autofocus line of lenses can do double duty for some shooters, as they’re compatible with all Sony A-mount DSLRs. While they get less street cred than their manual focus Rokkor siblings, these are excellent lenses in their own right. Excellent is just one word to describe the 100mm f/2.8 Macro. James used a different descriptor when he called it perfect. Not only does this lens get close to the action, providing macro photos at 1:1 magnification, it’s also an excellent portrait lens. 

There are no shortage of options for the photographer with deeper pockets. The manual focus 85mm f/2 MD Rokkor-X has incredible sharpness and resistance to flare that makes it ideal for outdoor portraits. And if you seek the holy grail — Minolta’s pièce de résistance — grab the 135mm f/2 MD. With stunning contrast wide open, remarkable performance at all corners even at f/2 and with a 1.3 meter minimum focusing distance, this lens makes other telephotos blush. With a price tag hovering around $1,400 it will make some photographers blush as well. 

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First up in the series is Nikon, covered by who else but our resident Nikon fanboy Josh Solomon. Enjoy.

If you’ve chosen Nikon, congratulations. You’ve chosen one of the most illustrious brands in photography, renowned worldwide for their simple, rugged designs and incredible build and image quality. You’ve also chosen a brand with a frighteningly deep camera and lens roster with lots of confusing nomenclature and esoterica. Again, congratulations, I guess.

Jumping into the complicated world of Nikon can be intimidating for newcomers owing to a staggering amount of information. But have no fear – this dedicated Nikon fanboy’s got your back. Here is the best of the best from the brand.

Best Professional Camera – F6

Nikon’s bread-and-butter has always been their professional grade F-series of cameras, a line of cameras which can rightly be considered the hardest of hardcore cameras. Every single one of these cameras are suitable for the hardcore professional, but if there is one that stands out from the rest, it’s Nikon’s current F-series model, the F6.

This choice may ruffle the feathers of the Nikon faithful (who are no doubt reprimanding me in the comments for not choosing a vintage manual focus F or F2), but if we’re talking about an out-and-out film shooter for paid work, there isn’t a better choice in the Nikon lineup. It’s the most streamlined, most advanced, and most up-to-date iteration of the F-series and provides quite literally everything a working 35mm film photographer could ever need. It’s got quick autofocus, is compatible with all modern Nikon AF lenses as well as vintage manual focus lenses, and has that legendary F-series ruggedness as well. There are more features, but to list them all would be a fool’s errand, doubly so considering we’ve written a full review on the camera here.

Sure, it doesn’t have the same historical charm or vintage look of the older F-series cameras, but if you need to grab a perfect shot in a hurry the F6 will get it for you every single time.

Best Enthusiast Camera – FM3a or Nikonos V

For those of us who are merely enthusiasts and don’t need all the bells and whistles of a true professional camera, the field of Nikon film cameras opens up considerably. History buffs and purists will no doubt enjoy the older F and F2 cameras while more casual amateur shooters will equally enjoy the F3, FM-series, and FA, but if there’s a camera that rises above the rest in terms of functionality and all-out cool, it has to be the Nikon FM3a.

The FM3a combines everything great about Nikon SLR’s into one beautiful package. It’s built upon the acclaimed FM-style compact SLR chassis, but improves upon its predecessors in a few key ways. It’s the only 35mm SLR with a hybrid mechanical/electronic shutter which offers aperture-priority autoexposure as well as a full functionality at every shutter speed when the batteries die. The FM3a also retains the FM2’s absurdly quick 1/4000th of a second mechanical shutter, Nikon’s classic 60/40 center weighted metering pattern, and adds Nikon’s super bright K3 focusing screen. Even amongst purists the FM3a is a revered machine, and it would behoove any Nikon shooter to own one.

I could end the discussion there, but i’d be missing a huge part of the Nikon lineup – the underwater-ready Nikonos system. No Nikon system is complete without an underwater-ready Nikonos and for regular shooters, the Nikonos V is about as good as it gets. It’s weatherproof, waterproof, and shock-proof, and is criminally easy to shoot. Combine that with the superb W-Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 and you’ve got the world’s toughest point-and-shoot camera.

Best Beginner’s Camera – FG

Nikon never had a firm grip on the novice market (and still doesn’t), but nevertheless their consumer cameras were nothing to sneeze at. The Nikkorex and Nikkormat series represented the company’s early attempts at a consumer SLR during the 1960s and ’70s, and the compact FM series was meant to carry on and improve that line. However, it wasn’t until the introduction of the truly tiny EM that Nikon finally had a horse in the beginner photographer race.

The EM was a simple aperture-priority camera aimed at consumers who wanted a small, cheap, yet capable camera which could mount those sweet, sweet F-mount lenses. The EM succeeded, and could be considered Nikon’s first true entry into the consumer camera arena. However, it is not the EM that gets my pick as the best Nikon for novices, but its successor, the Nikon FG.

The FG took the tiny EM chassis and stuffed it with a boatload of automation in a bid to catch up with the EM’s more fully fledged contemporaries like the Canon AE-1 Program. The new FG featured fully-automatic programmed autoexposure mode and manual override in addition to an aperture-priority mode, exposure compensation, an FM2-derived LED metering display, and TTL flash metering.

The FG gets my nod for Nikon’s greatest consumer camera because it’s relatively cheap and commonplace, can do nearly anything a novice shooter (and even an advanced shooter) will ask of it, and mounts some of 35mm photography’s greatest lenses. It’s a wonderful jumping off point for any aspiring shooter to build their Nikon system upon, and for some could be the only Nikon SLR they’d ever need.

Image provided by Bellamy Hunt, Japan Camera Hunter, and published here with permission.

Best Collector’s Camera – SP 2005 w/ W-Nikkor C 3.5cm f/1.8

Of Nikon’s many collectible cameras, none are more collectible than the company’s rangefinder cameras. Before Nikon’s rise to international fame with the Nikon F SLR, the company cut their teeth making rangefinder cameras throughout the 1950’s. The last, and greatest, iteration of these rangefinders is the Nikon SP, Nikon’s most technologically advanced rangefinder and a favorite of hardcore photojournalists. 

But it is not the original SP that i’ll pick for Nikon’s most collectible camera, but rather the remake, the SP 2005. During Nikon’s wave of nostalgia that produced the mentioned Nikon FM3a, Nikon decided to revive their last two rangefinder cameras, the S3 in 2000 and the SP in 2005. This was no easy task – the original dies had been lost to time and Nikon had to create them from scratch. The years of painstaking effort paid off – the two cameras currently stand as the company’s most beautiful creations, as well as two of the rarest with only eight thousand of the S3 2000 made and the twenty-five hundred of the SP 2005 made. While the S3 2000 is a fine camera in its own right, I will give the edge to the SP 2005 for its added rarity. 

The SP 2005 and S3 2000 also come with two of Nikon’s finest lenses, the W-Nikkor C 3.5cm f/1.8 and “Millennium” Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4, respectively. These two lenses are both recreations of ultra-rare Nikon rangefinder lens designs, improved even further with Nikon’s 21st century multicoatings.

For Nikon to have made brand new versions of long-dead cameras and lenses is an astonishing feat, and one that deserves preservation on the shelves of all dedicated camera collectors, and a place in the hands of a few responsible shooters.

Essential lenses

The Nikon lens roster is the largest in all of photography and chock full of classic lenses, but in the interest of keeping this list light and tight we’ll pick just three of the brand’s most well-loved lenses.

This first lens may strike some as an odd choice. The Nikkor-H 50mm f/2 is a rather nondescript, cheap lens in the Nikkor roster. But don’t let looks and price deceive you; the Nikkor-H 50mm f/2 is quite possibly Nikon’s finest fifty.

The humble Nikkor-H quietly but consistently outshines many of its contemporaries in flat-field performance, corner-to-corner sharpness, and wide-open sharpness, contrast, and color rendition. Its visual signature is a throwback to the early days of subtle, controlled contrast and fine detail rendering. Wide-open images from the lens show a gentle character, as details become smoothed out, contrast lowers just a tiny bit, and bokeh blossoms into something beautiful.

The second lens is possibly Nikon’s most famous lens and a favorite at CP – the Nikkor 105mm f/2.5. It brings incredible subject isolation, bokeh, and amazing sharpness that’s nearly unmatched in both vintage and modern lenses, making it a superb portrait lens as well as a great walk-around short telephoto lens. Pre-AI examples will adhere to the classic Zeiss Sonnar-derived formula while AI and AI-S versions will employ an updated Double-Gauss/Xenotar-style formula but, truth be told, every single iteration of this lens is a stunner capable of making amazing images.

The third and final lens is the wide-angle Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AIS. Out of the many stellar wide-angles in the Nikkor lineup, this is the one to have. The AI-S version improves upon its predecessors by adding in Nikon’s Close Range Correction (CRC) system, pulling in its minimum focusing distance to an intimate 0.2m (0.7 ft). The 28mm f/2.8 AI-S also enjoys a reputation for being Nikon’s sharpest wide-angle lens, making it an easy choice to fill in the final slot of a basic Nikkor SLR lens kit.

Got any more suggestions for the budding Nikonian? Let us hear about it in the comments.

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