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

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

But a new generation has taken over the stage: as passionate as their predecessors, they spent their early days not only growing their analog muscles, but doing so around digital bones. The result is that we now enjoy a visually strong, video savvy community that, helped by the last decade of technological developments, crafts each video with the care and talent of small film studios. It’s a good time to be a camera nerd, analog or digital, or more commonly, both.

No doubt the algorithm has already suggested some of the most prolific, long-lasting, and famous film photography YouTube channels to you. With tens of thousands of subscribers, Matt Day, Kyle MacDougall, and King JVpes are just a few of the most popular ones out there.

But there are numerous other committed YouTube analog photographers who may have flown under your algorithmic radar. This is me taking on a very authoritative voice and asserting my expertise: here are the ten best film photography YouTube channels ever created that you should absolutely be following right now.

Rewind.

Let me say that again, but with a tiny bit more of myself in it (so, more anxieties and much less confidence). Here are my very own, very personal, favorite film photography YouTube channels right now, at this moment. I just like them. I hope you will, too. Go follow them. If you want. Please. Thank you.

Analog Life (formerly Film Life Vlog)

A true analog photography amateur in the original sense of the word (love is at the roots of the word), Analog Life explores all corners of analog practice. His fantastic collection from thrift stores looks like a museum and will have you turning into a Goodwill scavenger in no time. The channel also walks viewers through the process of making photographs from A to Z: from setting up your darkroom to getting your hands into film development, from best cameras for beginners, to digital versus film. The channel has recently started to embrace its full self and move into “analog life” much beyond film: think radios, tapes, and other retro tech.

Aly’s Vintage Camera Alley

Whether you just want to look into some lesser-known shutter boxes or looking for repair advice, Aly’s Vintage Camera Alley is where you should be. The channel is only one facet of Aly’s fabulous camera reviews, cleaning, and repairing tutorials. Maybe you are here to join her in her pushing/pulling film adventures. Or you just want to tag along on a photo walk with her (and since we can’t yet come back to the actual photo walks under-appreciated in our ancient face to face life, virtual photo walks remain a nice stand-in). AVCA is also a blog in which you can read about all the above, plus snapshots of the film community through a series of detailed and personal interviews.

Joan Michel

Joan Michel’s channel offers everything that makes YouTube YouTube: the never-stop learning part and the strong hanging out part. Camera tests and film stock reviews and how-tos might get you there first. Then you’ll hang around to simply spend good virtual time with her through her vlogs: documenting her photographic journey and life, with New Jersey and New York casually existing in the background. Her Creative Juice series, in which she chats with other film photographers, is the only zoom meeting you won’t be looking forward to skip.

Talya Adams

Crashing Talya Adams’ videos of behind the scene shoots feels like a pro just handed you the pass to get backstage. Whether you are more interested in her street photography in L.A., her portraits in studio or outdoors, she takes you along with an eye on the practical and technical specifics of the moment. Her channel is very process-oriented, and following her often feels like joining an ongoing workshop. Her use of natural light for portraits is fantastic, and her camera reviews carry the energy she brings to her photography. And and and… she has a Cheap Series that no analog photographer worth their roll of film should skip.

Karin Majoka

In my (somewhat nerdy) imagination, Karin Majoka and I became pandemic lockdown friends (along with Doing Film Things and T. Hopper, listed below, who also created their channels right in time to keep me company during the end of the world). Her channel even had lockdown segments that may have played a small tiny minuscule role in reuniting me with daily film photography practice. But the confinement panic and pandemic blues are not the only reasons for her channel to remain one of my absolute favorites: the aesthetic, the humorous tone, and the casual know-how just embark you as a viewer (and yes, I will stay for yet another Leica review, who would have thought!). You might want to tag along for her photo walks across Berlin, if not for the trip, for the light lessons of street photography.

Ribsy (formerly Doing Film Things)

If film photography is a craft, Doing Film Things is your guide into that craft. While the channel does offer a great set of camera reviews, it’s the experimentation in all things pictures that makes it stand out. Filmstocks compared and expired, darkroom adventures with various potions and flares, and the actual printing of images from the bathroom corner (making images, the whole process that is, remains to me an absolute magic that we often take for granted). Beware: Doing Film Things’ detailed installing and processing from darkroom to scan will have you leave your favorite lab to sparkle your own. And don’t forget to add to your audio list The New Classic Film Photography Podcast and its refreshing guest list from all kinds of corners and backgrounds.

T. Hopper

If there is a binge-able version of YouTube film photography, this is it. I await every single video from T. Hopper with something close to the excitement of back-to-school days (the good part, excitement, I said) and a new season of my favorite T.V. shows. And that’s because her videos are both so educational and entertaining, cinematically well crafted and incredibly documented. The film stock series were great, but the later videos are something else. (Which, I suspect, is why the channel grew from 300 subscribers to 21K and counting in less than a year). Each video is a short documentary that brings her personal touch to a very well-structured approach, all timed perfectly with the right amount of archival footage. We are talking serious film photography analysis embedding here, with “early photographers you should know” brought into close kinship with cinematography and even painting.

ChrisBPhoto

With ChrisBPhoto, you’re in good hands for all things film photography, energy included. The channel has everything the analog photographer could ask for: film stock impressions (nerdy), camera reviews (very nerdy), unboxing (premium nerdy), darkroom tutorials (nerdy but crafty), and photo-walks (nerdy going social). You’ll love it because… well, I guess we just are nerds. And just in case you didn’t have enough, she is the cohost (with @timothymakeups) of the Analog Talk Podcast. I’ll definitely be staying put for more and notably for her upcoming series on getting into large format.

The Film Fellow

I recently discovered The Film Fellow thanks to an interview on AVCA. The channel started less than a year ago; he doesn’t have a lot of videos, neither a crowd of subscribers. Exactly my point: some of the best channels out there do not necessarily come with the bells and whistles of likes and frantic content uploading. The Film Fellow is anything but that: personable, casual, taking his time, his videos are nonetheless always as informative as they are relatable. I particularly like how he often pairs a particular camera’s experience with a particular film (and yes I did throw three particulars in that one sentence).

Shawnee Union

Closing where everything started: when I began to get (back and back again) into film photography in the digital world, Shawnee Union was my anchor. His camera reviews give you just the right amount to get started on that camera you just bought (or get you closer to that eBay auction that you were trying to stay away from…). He also has this assignment series that is amazing to get ideas when you have… you know, none. He hasn’t been posting on YouTube recently, which is totally fine: I wanted to throw the word “unfortunately” in there, but I am resisting since I believe we often take for granted content creators and the incredible amount of work they put into each video/article, always demanding for more to consume. Life takes each of us into different places, and there might be value in posing, exploring, or just rewatching videos/rereading articles again rather than moving on to the next thing. If Shawnee Union comes back to YouTube, it’s great; if not, it’s still great because all of his amazing work is still out there. And and and… he has a pretty fantastic website that I am just discovering now.

And some more –

Additional film photography YouTubers that I am just starting to explore and look forward to continue include Andy Perez-Caba, Jess Hobbs, Ahza, Sanlee Snaps, Zain Riza, Ejatu Shaw, S & J Analog Club, Paulie B, among others.

What are your go to analog photography YouTubers? Let us know in the comments!

This guest post was curated and written by a mysterious person known only as… M For Film.

Here is their bio!

M for filM’s journey into film photography can be best summarized in the wise words of Bilbo Baggins: “there and back again.” When she is not proposing undying love to her analog muse (or cursing it well into the afterlife), she works as an anthropologist here and there. That, too, is another thing she likes to love and curse daily. Oh well…

The post 10 Less Popular Film Photography YouTube Channels to Follow appeared first on Casual Photophile.

I wasn’t surprised to read this email (I receive similar messages weekly). People want cheap Leicas, even though Leica M film cameras cost more today than they have at any time since the “death of film.” Going back to as recently as 2014, when I launched Casual Photophile and opened my camera shop, prices for some Leica M models have tripled. Even the once-considered-lowly Leica M4-P and M4-2 each now cost over $1,000 on average (I used to buy these for $399). Twenty years ago, the Leica M6 was thought of as “the cheap Leica” and today it costs twice the price of an original M3 (a camera which is, according to the written gospel found in ancient Rockwellian tomes, “the world’s greatest 35mm camera”).

I don’t see the rise in price as a bad thing (and not because I sell cameras for a living). If we consider the trend objectively, it’s only natural that prices of film cameras should rise. Think about it from a distance and through the prism of other “unnecessary things on which people spend money.”

Prices are rising for specific and valid reasons. Especially in the cases of mechanical cameras, which most Leica Ms are, these cameras are (still) useful tools. They’re uncommonly well-made objects which have survived their original intended lifespan. They’re a finite resource, making them inherently collectible. Particular models and variants which were made in fewer quantities are even rarer, and are now bought specifically for their rarity. A new generation of photographer (buyer) has entered the market, and noticed the unique quality of these old cameras. Add to all of this that they’re simply beautiful objects that draw the eye and the hand – equal parts science, engineering, and art – and it’s easy to see why prices are up.

But just because they’re expensive, that doesn’t mean that they’re overpriced.

I’ve said this elsewhere – some popular professional camera likers see the rise in film camera prices and say that it’s all built on undeserved hype. I couldn’t disagree more. While extrinsic prices for certain poorly-made, unreliable, or otherwise undeserved film cameras are unjustly outstripping their intrinsic value (hello, Mju II), the prices of classic, collectible, or exceptional film cameras are not inflated artificially. On the other hand, prices for well-made, reliable, and capable old cameras are now exactly where they should have been all along. Leicas aren’t over-valued today – they were under-valued for two decades, and we got used to it. (The same can be said for other film cameras – the Nikon F3, Canon’s EOS 1, Hasselblads.)

While this meandering preamble around extrinsic versus intrinsic value and the free market as it pertains to sixty-year-old film cameras answers the first part of the two-part question first posed by my hospitalized friend’s email as it appears in the opening paragraph of this article – “Why are Leicas so expensive?” – it does little to answer the second part of that question. And this is the important one – “Where can I get one cheap?”

The answer is simple. You can’t. Leicas cost a lot and you ain’t getting one cheap. The days of finding an M6 for $300 are long gone and they’re not coming back.

Furthermore, complaining about the price of Leicas is like screaming at a rain cloud – you can do it, but buddy, you’re still gonna get wet. Here’s some good news; there are a lot of alternatives to the Leica M, and I’ve got ’em locked and loaded like glistening brass bullets in this magnum revolver hand cannon I call “my brain.” (On balance, I’ve also called my brain “a big bowl of tepid oatmeal.”)

Anyway. That’s enough of whatever that was – without any more of my nonsense, here are five (or six, or seven, I’ve not decided how many yet, and I’m not coming back to edit this sentence later) alternatives to the Leica M.

The Criteria

I’ll outline here the criteria which cameras must meet to find themselves upon this illustrious list of mine. For any camera to be included it must –

• Be all mechanical. 
• Offer some degree of exposure control.
• Be capable of mounting lenses interchangeably.
• Be a rangefinder.
• Be a quality camera with great lenses. 
• Be affordable in comparison to the premium-priced Leica M series (for me, that means that each camera must cost about half of what a Leica M costs).

Some of these selections were decided upon after conversation with my fellow CP writers. If comparing any one of these cameras to the hyperbolically lauded Leica M series offends you, be sure to histrionically yell/type at us in the comments.

Let the listicle begin.

Canon 7 and Canon 7s

Every time that a Canon rangefinder camera from the 1950s and 1960s comes through my shop, I’m stunned by the quality of the things. After seven years of this being my full time job, it shouldn’t surprise me anymore, but it still does. And the last time a Canon 7 came through, I was once again deeply struck. I echoed what Timothy Lebedin said in his article on the Canon 7 – “How the hell is this thing so cheap?”

The Canon 7 is a camera that perfectly meets all of the criteria which I mentioned for inclusion in this list. It is an all-mechanical, manually controlled, 35mm film rangefinder camera with a Leica Thread Mount lens mount, and (in a one-up on the pre-M5 Leicas) a built-in light meter. It’s a smooth shooting, high-quality, reliable and effective camera, and it can make beautiful images (again, see our writeup).

What’s most arresting about the Canon 7, however, is what I alluded to earlier – it is unbelievably inexpensive. You could buy ten Canon 7s for the price of one Leica M6. Astonishing. When buying a Canon 7, make sure it’s in good shape and sold guaranteed to work. If you buy the original 7, don’t expect the light meter to work or be accurate unless it’s stated to be so – Selenium meters fail over time.

The later models, known as the Canon 7s and Canon 7s Type II, swapped the Selenium meter for a CdS battery-powered meter. These meters are more likely to work today. This of course means that prices for the 7s are notably higher than for the original Canon 7. That said, a mint Canon 7s will still cost a quarter the price of most Leica Ms.

You can buy a Canon 7 here

Nikon SP (Nikon S2 for Budget Buyers)

When I started my own business full-time and bought a house, I decided to treat myself to a “forever camera.” Wow, what self-indulgent nonsense. That self-deprecation out of the way, what camera did I choose? A Nikon SP 2005 Limited Edition. And while that specific camera is not the camera that I’m including on this list as a viable alternative to the Leica M (because the 2005 SP is too expensive to meet my criteria), I am including the original Nikon SP.

The Nikon SP of 1957 is the most advanced rangefinder camera that Nikon ever made, and in many ways it’s one of the greatest cameras of all time. It’s a relatively compact, all-mechanical, fully-manual 35mm film rangefinder camera with an incredible viewfinder, precise and luxurious build quality, and a full suite of astonishingly gorgeous Nikon lenses made to fit its S-mount lens mount.

This camera really is all about the lenses. The Nikkor 35mm F/1.8 is legendary. The 105mm F/2.5 was born on this system (and would later go on to be one of the most popular portrait lenses of the manual focus era). The classic 50mm F/1.4 renders stunning images for laughably little money.

And that last point – price – is a good one to mention. The Nikon SP can be bought with the Nikkor 50/1.4 for a few hundred dollars less than it costs to buy a body-only Leica M3. If you’re a budget buyer, get the Nikon S2. It does a lot of what the SP does, but cuts cost by having a much simpler viewfinder.

Buy a Nikon SP here

Konica Hexar RF

With the Konica Hexar RF, we’re sort of scratching at the ceiling of my criteria, for two reasons. First, the Hexar RF is pretty expensive, and again because it’s an electronically operated camera (rather than fully mechanical). But, it squeaks in just under the acceptable limit on price, and it finds its place here on the list because it’s a damned impressive camera in every way.

The Konica Hexar RF is a gorgeously-made 35mm film rangefinder camera that’s most directly comparable to Leica’s M7, Leica’s only M series camera with automated exposure modes (aperture priority). Konica’s camera offers the same aperture-priority mode, plus essentially everything else we get with the far pricier M7. It’s got manual exposure, manual focus, a big, bright viewfinder and excellent rangefinder, frame lines of the usual focal lengths from 28mm to 135mm, generous “outside the frame” viewfinder coverage (with .60x magnification), and a solidly built chassis with fine exterior details. It even uses the same mount (although Konica called theirs the “KM Mount” and never referred to Leica when discussing which lenses would work on the Hexar).

In typical Japanese manufacturer fashion, Konica even outdid Leica in a number of ways (sound familiar, Minolta CLE fans?). The Hexar RF is about the same size and weight as a Leica M3, and yet it manages to maintain these dimensions and heft while adding motorized film advance and rewind. And while some purists will sneer at motorized film and its reliance on batteries, I’m no such purist. I’m too old to be wasting my life rewinding film, and I just repaired a Pokémon Stadium 2 Nintendo 64 cartridge with nothing but a soldering iron and a piece of speaker wire. How hard can it be to repair a Hexar?

Buy a Konica Hexar RF here

Voigltander Bessa R and Bessa R2

While the build quality of the Voigtlander Bessa R comes up short of Leica standards (the Bessa R uses polycarbonate plastic top and bottom plates), its excellence in all other areas lands it on this list. Introduced in the year 2000 by Cosina in Japan as part of the relaunch of the Voigtlander name, the Bessa R is a whole lot of rangefinder camera for very little money.

It’s a simple, all-mechanical, fully manual camera with through-the-lens metering, user-selectable frame lines (35/90mm, 50mm, 75mm), and the Leica Thread Mount capable of mounting any LTM lens.

The Voigtlander Bessa R2, released two years later in 2002, replaced the Bessa R’s Leica Thread Mount for the more modern Leica M mount, and swapped the plastic top and bottom plates for more robust magnesium alloy. For these reasons, the Bessa R2 is the more desirable model, however the price for the better machine will naturally be higher. Buyers can expect to pay about $499 for the Bessa R, while the R2 will cost closer to $800 (bodies only). Remember, these prices are still significantly less than a Leica.

We reviewed the Voigltander Bessa R here

Buy a Bessa R2 here

Minolta 35 Model IIB

Probably the most unusual addition to this list, the Minolta 35 Model IIB is not a camera that many people know about, nor is it one that anyone would typically recommend as an alternative to the Leica M series.

The first Minolta 35 released way back in 1947. At that time it was among the best rangefinder cameras in the world, and in fact featured many advancements over contemporary Leica cameras. These include a combined rangefinder/viewfinder system, self-timer, an integrated film take-up spool and hinged film door which made loading a faster and easier process than with Leica’s machines.

The Minolta 35 Model IIB released in 1958, and is the best Minolta 35 variant ever made, with superior convenience features (such as a lever style film advance mechanism), as well as numerous technical improvements. These include a larger magnification viewfinder, full frame image area (all previous Minolta 35s shot slightly smaller than the 24×36 standard), and an improved effective rangefinder base of 32mm (admittedly sub-Leica standard).

The Minolta 35 Model IIB accepts all Leica Thread Mount lenses. But the real magic is when we use Minolta’s own “Super Rokkors,” a succinct lineup of incredible performing LTM lenses.

It’s not a common camera, so it may be a bit hard to find one. But if you can find a nice Model IIB (and there are always a few on eBay) you should buy it. There are few “sleepers” out there these days, cameras which are truly excellent but undiscovered. The Minolta 35 Model IIB may be one of those – it’s a compact, solid, and beautifully-built classic camera made of metal and glass, and today (with an amazing lens) it costs half as much as a Leica (body only).

Buy a Minolta 35 Model IIB here

Got a great rangefinder to compete with the Leicas that we left off this list? Let us and our readers know about it in the comments. You can see more affordable rangefinder cameras here and here, and some uncommon rangefinder cameras here! (Damn, we write a lot.)

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The post Leica M Film Cameras Too Expensive? Here are Five Alternatives appeared first on Casual Photophile.

Against this backdrop many Japanese photographers would emerge to document the profound changes in their nation with bare, raw realism. Others pushed the boundaries of long held societal norms and taboos.

I’ve taken on the daunting task of picking just five photographers from this long period. These five Shōwa era masters of light exemplify the blistering pace of life that was challenging the very foundations of the nation. They propelled Japanese photography down new pathways.

Daido Moriyama (1938-    )

For me, photography is not a means by which to create beautiful art, but a unique way of encountering genuine reality. – Daido Moriyama

After serving as an assistant to the influential photographer, Eikoh Hosoe, Daido Moriyama would seek to interpret reality with a camera in his own distinctive style. Now referred to as the Godfather of Japanese street photography, Daido Moriyama’s work is characterized by dark, gritty, moody, images that attack traditional conventions of composition, focus and form. Uncompromisingly unpolished and raw, his style was best showcased in his book, Farewell Photography (Sashin yo Sayonara) published in 1972.  His photographs mirrored his personal desire to break free from the confines of a highly structured society and commercial photography.

Still active, he has gone on to produce well over one hundred photography books and has had gallery showings all over the world. He has made the Shibuya district of Tokyo the primary location for his street photography, and his work has influenced a generation of street photographers worldwide.

Nobuyoshi Araki (1940-)

Only artist without talent try to shock people. – Nobuyoshi Arak

A career that has spanned more than five decades, Nobuyoshi Araki, is one of Japan’s (and the world’s) most prolific photographers – he has produced over five hundred photography books. To some, he is a genius, to others a pariah. A complex and nuanced artist, his portfolio includes eroticism, still lifes, landscapes, celebrity portraits and intimate voyeuristic pictures of his personal life.

Controversial and provocative, his erotic depictions of bound women featuring the form of Japanese rope binding called kinbaku-bi has been labeled as misogynistic and pornographic by some critiques. While others hail it as cutting-edge fine art.

Themes of life and death permeate much of his work. Sentimental Journey and later Sentimental Journey/Winter Journey is perhaps his most poignant and celebrated series of images. He visually chronicles his honeymoon, marriage, and the subsequent death from ovarian cancer of his wife, Yoko. Sentimental Journey exemplifies the duality of the man and his work.

Toyoko Tokiwa  (1930 – )

Toyoko Tokiwa picked up a camera at a time when men dominated photography in a highly patriarchal society. Her early subject matter focused on the lives of the prostitutes in the red-light district, and their interactions with the American military in Yokohama. 

Driven partially by her disdain for prostitution and her initial animosity towards the US military because of the loss of her father in an American bombing raid, her candid pictures in her photography book Dangerous Fruitless Flowers (Kiken na Adabana) captures the sorrow and joy of these marginalized women.

Her lens also documented the scores of women joining the workforce to help reshape Japan. Her camera was a sympathetic instrument used to give testament to the lives of numerous Japanese women suddenly thrust into finding their place in post-war Japan.  

Ken Domon (1909 – 1990)

If it is not realistic, it is not photography. – Ken Domon

Ken Domon is called the master of Japanese realism. He is widely known for his unflinching photographs of the survivors of Hiroshima which he documented twelve years after the bomb was dropped. For many Japanese, his jarring photos of the deformities, burns and mangled bodies due to the atomic bomb blast and the aftereffects of radiation were too unsettling. He was heavily criticized in many corners of the country at the time. However, he was not a detached observer of the subjects of his camera, stating in an interview that the plight of many of his subjects would bring him to tears.

A series of strokes would eventually confine him to a wheelchair and his photography ventured more into a spiritual and a cultural direction. He would spend the remainder of his life photographing Buddhist temples and statues around his cherished land . This culminated in his major work of several decades entitled, Old Temple Pilgrimage ( Koji junrei) 

He would donate all 70,000 pieces of his life’s work to his hometown of Sakata in Yamagata prefecture. There, in 1983, a museum was established and dedicated solely to him and his photography.

Akira Sato (1930 – 2002)

While a student of Economics at Yokohama National University, Sato would become obsessed with the images of Western fashion and photographic magazines. Soon after graduation, he became a freelance photographer. Within a few years, he would specialize in fashion photography. In time, he became one of Japan’s most influential fashion photographers of the 1960s and ’70s. His photos were often published in SO-EN, Japan’s oldest and leading women’s fashion magazine.

His style is described as sophisticated and avant-garde, known for his edgy and stylistic close up black and white portraits of models. He blended fashion, portraiture, East and West into his own distinctive look. He would later utilize color, photographing models during his visits to Europe. His most notable collection of work is entitled, Woman, published in 1971.

Throughout the Shōwa period, Japan was a nation in transition. It was trying to hold to its long-held traditions while attempting to purge painful memories of its past, all while forging ahead to an uncertain future. These photographers (and many more not listed here) were witness to their country’s most tumultuous history. In this chaotic cauldron of creativity they would document, experiment and push the frontiers of photography, adding their own unique perspectives. They have gone on to influence countless photographers in their native land and now the rest of the world.

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The post Five Masters of Light from Japan’s Shōwa Era appeared first on Casual Photophile.

These bare-bones, all-manual cameras can bring seasoned vets to their knees and make professional photographers out of simple snap shooters. If used correctly and creatively, the humble mechanical SLR rewards like no other. Not only do they provide greater control over the fundamentals of photography, they give users access to some of photography’s legendary lenses.

Some of the greatest classic cameras of all time have been mechanical SLRs. As such, any fan of vintage cameras should know how to shoot one – and maybe own a couple. With this in mind, I’ve compiled a master list of ten cameras which I feel best represent the genre “Mechanical Camera.”

In addition to the few paragraphs on each model included on this list, we’ve also written extensive reviews of each of these cameras. You’ll find links to those reviews within each of the brief descriptions below. Click through to learn more about your favorite models on the list, and if you’d like to see every camera we’ve ever reviewed, well, here’s that index page.

Let’s get into it.

Nikon F2

We’ll start off with a classic, the Nikon F2. In my review of the Nikon F2 I called it The Standard of mechanical SLRs. And I still say so – it’s a near perfect camera. From every angle, it shines. As an everyday shooter it provides an easy, comfortable, and luxurious shooting experience while also providing reliability unmatched by pretty much every other camera ever made. Its specs (especially with the added DP-12 finder) are more than enough for the demands of any shooter, and its modularity and nearly endless lens and accessory roster means it can be configured for any situation imaginable. And as a piece of history it still reigns supreme as Nikon’s finest creation, and the camera that established once and for all Nikon’s dominance of the pro SLR market in the 1970s.

The only real caveat to the Nikon F2 is its size and weight. It’s a big camera for the 35mm format, and one must be willing to make it the centerpiece of their shooting setup. If that seems like too much an ask, read on. But if you want the very best with no compromises, the F2 really is the only choice…

[Get a Nikon F2 on eBay here]

Leicaflex SL2

…that is, unless you’re a lover of the Red Dot. Leica has always hung their hats on their legendary Leica M series rangefinder cameras, and their SLRs are more-or-less seen by many as amusing sideshows. But this is Leica we’re talking about – their fanatical dedication to quality and blatant disregard for expense means that even their mistakes are spectacular. Nowhere is this more obvious than it is in the Leicaflex SL2.

If you’re a fan of luxury, elegance, and simplicity, the Leicaflex SL2 is the mechanical SLR to get. What the camera lacks in modularity and features it more than makes up for in the quality of each and every component, the cleanliness of its design, and consummate mechanical excellence. Interchangeable prisms? Don’t need ‘em. Bonkers top shutter speeds? Who cares. Affordability? Whatever. Leica spared no expense in making the Leicaflex SL2 (and actually sold it at a loss), so it makes sense that it appeals to hardcore camera nerds who prize quality and prestige above all else.

But as great as the Leicaflex SL2 is, its R system lenses arguably steal the show. Among these lenses are the famous Leica-specific names of Summicron, Summilux, Elmarit, Telyt. Hell, even Angénieux made a zoom lens for the R-system. Any of these lenses will deliver some of the highest quality images you’ll see on 35mm film and make the SL2 worth the admittedly hefty price of admission.

[Get a Leicaflex SL2 on eBay here]

Pentax Spotmatic

Pentax has long been one of the site’s favorite brands for, well, everything, and happens to be extremely strong in the 35mm mechanical SLR category. The MX, K1000, and SV rank among some of our most personally beloved cameras. But for a list like this, the Pentax representative has to be the Spotmatic, especially for novice shooters.

Admittedly, the Spotmatic is the least glamorous of the Pentax SLRs. Its build quality and design are a step below the fine elegance of the SV, and it is technologically more primitive than even the bare-bones K1000 due to its lack of open aperture metering and its slow M42 screw mount. But it’s precisely these things that make the Spotmatic so great. The chunkier design makes it a little easier to operate in the hand, the exclusive stop-down metering always shows the shooter the effects of exposure on the final image, and the older M42 screw mount means access to perhaps the best (if not the most varied) library of vintage lenses out there, including Carl Zeiss Jena, Schneider Kreuznach, and perhaps the best of them all, Pentax’s own Super Takumar line.

For shooters who have never touched a 35mm SLR before, the Spotmatic is their best option. Its limitations work to teach one nearly all they need to know about 35mm photography and photography in general. And if that Spotmatic happens to come with an eight-element Pentax Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4, that shooter will likely be set for life.

[Get a Pentax Spotmatic on eBay here]

Minolta SRT-102/303

For reasons unbeknownst to me, the Minolta SRT series always seems to get left in the lurch when it comes to the mechanical SLR discussion. This is the camera series that bestowed open-aperture metering to the masses, gave us our first taste of matrix metering with Minolta’s patented CLC System, and, in my opinion, comes closest to the feeling of shooting an M series camera in SLR form.

Did I really just write that last thing? Hell yeah I did, cause it’s true.

Sure, it’s bulkier and louder than the M camera (it’s also, you know, an SLR), but when it comes to feel and optics, the SRT series reminds me most of my M2 (save for just one other camera). The control layout is nearly exactly the same, the advance lever is just as buttery (looking at you, Olympus OM-1), and the optics are some of the finest in 35mm photography. Any doubters to Minolta’s optical and manufacturing prowess can take it up with Annie Leibovitz, W. Eugene Smith, and, well, Leica themselves. Minolta knew what they were doing, and should never have been underestimated – not then, not now, not ever.

The SRT-102 (or 303 for our European friends) gets my pick here, as it’s the best of the SRT series, with a feature set roughly similar to the Pentax Spotmatic and K1000. Optically, it delivers equally well owing to its fantastic roster of Rokkor lenses, which features perhaps the finest 50mm lens ever made, the Rokkor 50mm f/1.4. 

[Get a Minolta SRT on eBay here]

Olympus OM-1

This list wouldn’t be worth anything if we didn’t mention the OG of the compact 35mm SLR’s, the mighty Olympus OM-1. Along with the Nikon F2, the OM-1 stands as one of 35mm’s most classic cameras, and is arguably even more influential considering it foregrounded the compact SLR revolution of the 1970s. And even though we can see the effect the OM-1 had on the industry in dozens of other cameras, none have quite been able to match the original.

The OM-1 is one of the many tiny masterpieces designed by Olympus head designer Yoshihisa Maitani. Seeking out the most compact 35mm SLR design possible, he and his team worked over many years to shrink their camera down to its smallest possible dimensions. What they ended up with was an impossibly small but eminently capable camera, equipped with one of the most awe-inspiring viewfinders in 35mm photography.

OM-1 owners are notoriously loyal to this camera and system, and with good reason. It still reigns as the most compact 35mm SLR system, with a body that weighs only 510 grams (18 ounces) and high-quality lenses that can *actually* fit into average sized pockets. Its viewfinder puts the best DSLR viewfinders and EVFs to shame with its size and brightness, and its operation is still as easy, concise, and revolutionary as it was the day it rolled out. If size is your main concern and you love incredible design, there’s no better choice on the list than the Olympus OM-1.

[Get an Olympus OM1 on eBay here]

Topcon RE Super

The Topcon RE Super is a classic case of “if you know, you know.” The Topcon name has mostly been lost to time, but those who remember it, remember a camera that once challenged the great Nikon F. The Topcon lost that battle, but boy did it put up one hell of a fight.

The RE Super is, in terms of build quality, one of the finest pieces of photographic equipment I’ve ever used. It is pure luxury in 35mm SLR form, featuring a smoothness and sureness to every operation that most manufacturers only dream of. It’s hard to think of any camera that is its equal – only the Leica M-series and Leicaflex SL2 come close, and even then I feel the RE Super bests those two in a few categories. The RE Super’s Topcor lenses are cult classics as well and can hang with the era’s very best, despite the inherent limitations of its Exakta-derived mount.

[Editor’s Note – I wanted to lead this article with a picture that people would find interesting, so I decided to create another of my exploded views of a camera found on this list. I had a nonfunctional Topcon RE Super sitting on the shelf in the shop, so I chose it without much thought. After disassembling the camera screw by screw, I felt compelled to write this note to simply reiterate Josh’s point that the RE Super is one of the finest-made mechanical cameras of its era. It’s a beautiful machine, impressively over-built, and I think it should get more credit in classic camera-liking circles. – James]

Topcon as a camera brand suffered from mismanagement, which left the RE Super wallowing in the wake of its competitors. But the RE Super is still one of 35mm’s finest, and handsomely rewards the shooter willing to go off the beaten path.

[Get a Topcon RE Super on eBay here]

Canon F-1

Those of the FD mount persuasion will no doubt be familiar with Canon’s electronic wizardry of the 1970s and 1980s through amateur-focused cameras like the Canon AE-1 Program and A-1. Curious then that their flagship pro-spec camera, the Canon F-1, would be a bare-bones mechanical camera, made to compete with the Nikon F-series.

Now, I’m not a Canon guy. I do think their cameras are a bit Toyota Corolla-like in design and function. But I’ll be damned, the Canon F-1 is actually incredible. It just goes. Its feature set isn’t the most impressive, and the build quality falls just short of its competitors, but it shines when you actually use the thing. The control layout is intuitive, and even features a handy combination self-timer and depth of field preview lever. Like other pro-spec cameras of the era, the F-1 is a modular system camera and features a huge lineup of lenses and accessories, enabling shooters to tailor the camera to their needs (Fellow writer Chris optimized his F-1 for shooting motorsport with the sports finder). But compared to its competitors, the whole F-1 system is inexpensive, which encourages shooters of any budget to shoot these cameras hard.

The F-1 is great with any and every lens in the FD lineup. My favorite? The Canon 200mm f/2.8. It’s dirt cheap, quick, and gorgeous, just as FD lenses should be. If there’s still any doubt as to this combo’s quality, I can say that it’s the setup I used for my favorite photo. The proof is in the pudding.

[Get a Canon F1 on eBay here]

Leica R6.2

Now we come to a rather interesting camera in the mechanical SLR canon, the Leica R6.2. The original R6 was released in 1988, a bizarre year for any kind of mechanical camera to be introduced. The auto-focus revolution three years prior sent the bell tolling for the electro-mechanical manual focus SLR, and virtually put the mechanical SLR six feet under. So what did Leica do? They stuck to their guns, doubled down, and released a second mechanical SLR, the R6.2, in 1992. Overly idealistic? Maybe. Quixotic? Most definitely.

The R6.2 is one of Leica’s many attempts at preserving their older, mechanically informed way of life. The R6 retained the chassis of the previous electro-mechanical R5 but switched its circuit boards with gears and levers, and put a good old mechanical shutter at the heart of it all, whose maximum speed was increased to 1/2000th of a second for the R6.2. There are a few modern accoutrements that make the R6.2 more attractive than its predecessors (namely the Leicaflex SL2), such as a switchable metering pattern from center-weighted average to spot metering, TTL flash metering, and *gasp* mirror lock-up, but otherwise it’s another dead simple, well-made mechanical camera.

Put this way, the R6.2 seems like Leica’s weirdly specific, aimless exercise in nostalgia. But let’s not kid ourselves, owning and using mechanical film camera today is an exercise in nostalgia too, which kind of makes the R6.2 perfect for the job. Modern film shooters will appreciate this camera; it’s not overly anachronistic, it’s built uncommonly well with a few really cool features, and lest we forget, it’s a freaking Leica that mounts Leica R lenses. If you’re going into battle against the relentless march of technological advancement, might as well arm yourself with a good-looking R6.2 and charge forth.

[Get a Leica R6/R6.2 on eBay here]

Contax S2

On the other side of Germany, the folks at Contax were experiencing their own nostalgia trip in 1992. It had been sixty years since the re-introduction of Contax as a brand, and the company decided to commemorate the occasion with, you guessed it, a mechanical SLR – the Contax S2.

The S2 was Contax’s take on what a modern mechanical SLR could and should be, sporting a decidedly vintage silver-on-black paint job while packing the camera with a 1/4000th of a second maximum shutter speed, a 1/250th of a second flash sync, interchangeable focusing screens, switchable diopters, and, curiously, a spot meter. It was Contax’s last ode to its days of pro-spec dominance, made to counterbalance their top-of-the-line electro-mechanical SLRs like the Contax RTS.

The S2 is, above all, a purist’s Contax. Zeiss fanatics and Contax/Yashica devotees in general revere this camera, as it gives them a rare mechanical option that actually says “Contax” on it (sorry Yashica FX-3). It’s a rarer bird than most of the cameras on this list, but is a must-have for those who live the Zeiss life.

[Get a Contax S2 on eBay here]

Nikon FM3a

And now we come to what I think is the ultimate mechanical camera on this list, and the only true hybrid mechanical/electro-mechanical camera out there – the Nikon FM3a.

The FM3a was born out of the same spirit of nostalgia as 1988’s Leica R6 and 1992’s Contax S2. But the FM3a’s birthdate in 2001 adds a poignancy to its creation; not only had the mechanical, manual focus SLR already bit the dust, but film photography itself was already on its way out the door. Even though they still held strong with their autofocus offerings, Nikon wanted one last go at developing the perfect mechanical SLR. What they ended up producing was not only a love letter to their past cameras, but a manifestation of their most advanced, idealized form.

For this new camera, Nikon revived their well-loved FM-series chassis, recalling the glory days of the FM and FE-series cameras of the late 1970s. But then they did something incredible – they combined both the FM and FE, and successfully created a hybrid mechanical/electro-mechanical shutter, with all speeds available mechanically. This, along with a bevy of newer features (DX coding, max speed of 1/4000th of a second, TTL flash metering) pushed the mechanical SLR form to its absolute limit. To this day, the FM3a remains Nikon’s most advanced manual focus SLR, a fitting commemoration to Nikon’s dominance over the mechanical 35mm SLR market.

I’d love to recommend the FM3a to anybody and everybody, but its rarity and subsequent collectibility means that there’s a hefty price tag attached to it. Still, if you’re a diehard Nikonian looking for the ultimate manual focus Nikon film camera, the Nikon FM3a is the only choice. 

[Get a Nikon FM3a on eBay here]

Other Formats

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention at least a couple of other mechanical SLRs from the other many formats which make up film photography, so we’ll highlight a few below. There are many, but these are the ones that get us going. If you have a favorite, please post it in the comments below!

MEDIUM FORMAT – Hasselblad 500 C/M

First up, medium format. The medium format mechanical SLR genre is saturated with great cameras, but they all more or less refer back to the granddaddy of them all, the Hasselblad 500 series.

Along with cameras like the Nikon F and Leica M3, the Hasselblad 500 defined the design of its entire category from the outset. The interchangeable finders, interchangeable film backs, leaf shutters, and overall form factor has been imitated by nearly every subsequent medium format SLR, simply because it works so damn well. The design offers a ludicrous amount of flexibility in a comparatively tiny package, making it suitable for nearly any kind of photo.

But even still, no camera comes close to the original. The Hasselblad silhouette is one of film photography’s most recognizable, and evocative of old-school photography studios which long featured a Hasselblad as their centerpiece. Using one is a treat for the eyes, ears, and hands, and it behooves any medium format shooter to try one at least once. We recommend the Hasselblad 500 C/M, the most long lived iteration of the 500 series, but any of the 500 series will do.

[Get a Hasselblad 500 C/M on eBay here]

INSTANT FILM – Polaroid SX-70

Next up is instant photography, and there’s really only one choice here – the Polaroid SX-70. James wrote extensively on the SX-70’s history and capabilities, but here’s the brief rundown – the SX-70 is a foldable instant format SLR famously introduced in 1972 when Edwin Land pulled one out of his blazer and fired off five instant photos (a la Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry) in just a few seconds. The SLR format enabled accurate framing and focus, exposure was adjustable through an exposure compensation dial, and its foldability enabled it to be taken anywhere. In the context of instant photography, this was game-changing, but in the context of photography and design, the camera might as well have come from Mars. Nothing else looked like it, and nobody’s ever tried to imitate it. It’s one of film photography’s few truly singular creations, and a classic tech marvel.

Prospective shooters should know that everything that applies to modern instant photography applies doubly to the SX-70. The film is expensive and a cut below the original Polaroid formula, and the cameras themselves often need refurbishing before heavy usage. Fortunately, the folks at Brooklyn Film Camera specialize in the repair, restoration, and usage of these wonderful cameras, and can hook you up if you feel moved by the spirit of the SX-70.

[Get a Polaroid SX70 SLR on eBay here]

HALF FRAME – Olympus Pen FT

And finally, my favorite camera on the list, the half-frame Olympus Pen FT. Like the OM-1, this is a Maitani-designed camera, which inevitably means ingenious design and a small form factor. Every one of his cameras carries this signature, but I find its greatest expression in the Pen FT.

Everything about this camera is a subversion of what we’ve come to expect from a mechanical SLR. The mirror goes sideways instead of up and down, the shutter goes around in a circle instead of from side-to-side, and the viewfinder is vertically oriented instead of horizontally oriented. And unlike the bulky, loud, and heavy pro-spec SLRs of the day, the Pen FT is small, quiet, and unobtrusive, even smaller than the famously compact Leicas from which Maitani drew inspiration for the Pen. It marries the capability and flexibility of an SLR to the form factor of a rangefinder, while also doubling the amount of exposures available to the photographer.

It was wonderful when new, and it’s wonderful today. The Pen FT is arguably one of the best values in film photography. If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to shoot 35mm without sacrificing the functionality of a full-fledged mechanical 35mm SLR system, the Pen FT is the way to go. A single roll of 36 exposure film can stretch on for what seems like forever, and the images are still tack sharp for most shooters’ needs. 

[Get an Olympus Pen FT on eBay here]

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

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The post The Ten Best Mechanical 35mm Film SLRs Ever Made appeared first on Casual Photophile.

A new company will be established to continue development and production of Olympus-made technology. Whether or not this new company will produce cameras and lenses for consumer markets is unsure. But it seems that after 84 years of creating excellent cameras and lenses for photographers all over the world, Olympus as we know it is no more.

For Olympus fans, and we have plenty of those on the CP staff and amongst CP readers, this is bitter news. Since the 1950s, Olympus has been synonymous with beautiful, masterfully-engineered compact cameras.

In the film era, incredible advancements were made by Olympus’ designers. The most famous of all, engineering genius Yoshihisa Maitani, was responsible for not only excellent camera designs in the ultra compact half-frame Pen series and the impossibly small OM SLRs, but indeed he and Olympus can be cited as a driving force within the industry at large. Maitani’s and Olympus’ innovative designs continually pushed the industry forward toward a future that offered greater technological capability in ever-smaller cameras.

Olympus’ ethos of compact capability can’t be matched by any other brand. The original Pen; the revolutionary Pen F, a half-frame SLR; the OM series; the smallest 35mm rangefinder ever made, the XA; the high-selling Mju and Mju II. The list is nearly endless, in fact.

Olympus’ history is marked by outstanding achievements. Let’s take a moment and revisit our favorite Olympus innovators, cameras, and lenses through the prism of the articles we’ve written over the last six years.

Please enjoy.

Yoshihisa Maitani – the Man Who Made Olympus

We start our list in the logical place – our retrospective on Yoshihisa Maitani. With information sourced directly from contacts within Olympus, I was able to put together a history of “the man who made Olympus” that aptly shows Maitani’s importance and impact on the company, and on the world of photography. His lasting influence spanned fifty years. Read the article here.

High Design Compacts – the Olympus O Product and Olympus Ecru

Designed by Naoki Sakai, the Olympus O Product and Olympus Ecru were stunningly beautiful compact cameras dripping with personality and eccentric style. With a retro-future aesthetic, the O Product looked like no other camera on the market when it was made, and today it’s just as arresting. The Ecru follows a different aesthetic, though it’s no less surprising and whimsical. They even made pretty good photos when I shot them back in 2018. Our articles on each delves into the “why” and “what” of these high design machines, machines that only Olympus would dare to make. Read about the O Product here, and the Ecru here.

Olympus OM Series Camera Reviews

Olympus’ most impressive SLR series, the OM, needs little introduction. In a time when 35mm SLR cameras were large, heavy, and complicated, Maitani and his design team at Olympus created an impossibly small SLR to revolutionize the industry. Large controls, an impressively massive viewfinder, a full suite of exemplary lenses, and simplicity of design marked Olympus’ entry to the world of highly capable SLRs. Up until yesterday, in fact, Olympus’ premier digital cameras were known as OMs. Read about the OM-1 here, the OM-2 here, and the OM-4 here.

Maitani’s Masterpiece – the Olympus XA Rangefinder

In the mid-1970s, Olympus wanted to create the perfect camera. And by Maitani’s definition, the perfect camera was one that anybody could take anywhere, one that was easy to use, one that could take excellent photos and allow a high degree of creative control (sounds like the smartphones which have now killed Olympus, eh?). To that end, Maitani and his team developed the Olympus XA, the smallest 35mm film rangefinder camera ever made. What’s most stunning about the XA isn’t its size, which is amazing, but the fact that within that tiny body is packed an aperture-priority auto-exposure system, a true rangefinder manual focusing mechanism, and a legendary lens. Josh loved it in his balanced, hype-free review, and I can’t find anything to disagree with myself. Read it here.

Olympus XA4 Macro Review

A wide-angle variant of the Olympus XA, the XA4 Macro is a camera worthy of its own spot on any film photographer’s must-have list. It retains the amazingly compact form factor of its predecessor, but adds a wider angle lens (28mm opposed to 35mm) and a useful macro focusing mode. Charlotte’s excellent review has all the details.

The Soccer Mom Special – Olympus Mju II Review

I reviewed the Olympus Mju II, the quintessential “hipster camera” (whatever that means). I’m not the biggest point and shoot fan, but I came away impressed by this little pocket camera. It once again adheres closely to Maitani’s and Olympus’ design ethos, that a camera should be tiny, easy to use, and fitted with an excellent lens. The Mju II is all of that, even at the slightly elevated prices that they’re selling for today. Read all about it here.

Olympus Mju Review

Josh spent some time shooting the predecessor to the famed Mju II, the original Mju. He describes the camera in that text – “it’s not hard to see why this camera and its siblings became the darlings of point-and-shoot camera culture. For one, it’s simple – no more than three buttons populate its top. Its front face features naught but Olympus’ signature sliding door, which pulls double-duty as a lens cover and an on-off switch, a feature pioneered by the Olympus XA, a camera that shares the Mju’s legendary reputation. That’s about it for complications. And just like the XA series, it’s incredibly small.” Read the full review here.

Olympus 35 SP – the Spot-meter Rangefinder

What makes the Olympus 35 SP so great? Opening the manual, Olympus congratulates us on owning “the finest rangefinder 35mm camera available today” and promises that if we read the instruction manual thoroughly and carefully, our efforts “will be amply rewarded.” Marketing hype aside, the 35 SP was (and remains even fifty years later) the only 35mm rangefinder with the combination of spot-metering, center-weighted metering, and spot metering in automatic exposure mode. How useful is this feature? In his review, Cory makes the case.

Olympus’ Final 40mm Rangefinder

In the 1970s, 40mm fixed lens rangefinders were all the rage. Every company made one. But Olympus may have made the best of them all. And in his review of the Olympus 35 RD, Dustin examines the final model in the lineup and the last and rarest 40mm fixed lens rangefinder that Olympus ever made. Read about it here.

An Exceptional (and Rare) 40mm Zuiko Lens

In the early 1980s, traditional SLR camera sales began to decline as more advanced electronic SLRs, point and shoots, and the like began to whet consumers’ appetites. In order to ensure buyers remained interested in their OM line, Maitani made a push to develop ever smaller and better lenses. The smallest and best, was the Olympus Zuiko 40mm F/2.

Designed to fit his exacting standards and personal photographic taste, after years of effort the smallest Zuiko became a reality in 1984. Sadly, the market didn’t respond well and production on the lens is rumored to be limited to just 10,000 units. It was discontinued in 1994, and today it’s a legendary rare lens. Read all about it here.

Our Favorite Olympuses – We Pick the Essentials

As we’ve done for many brands in photographic history, the writers and I sat down one day and hashed out our favorite Olympus cameras. We picked the essentials in SLRs, compacts, rangefinders, lenses, and more. I even made sure to mention the ultra rare Pen W, a camera made for just months. See the whole Olympus Essentials article here.

Got a story about your love for Olympus? A favorite Olympus camera? Let us hear it in the comments below.

Want an Olympus camera that we didn’t mention?

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[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 As Olympus Exits the Camera Business, Let’s Look at Our Favorite Olympus Articles appeared first on Casual Photophile.