While not exactly forgotten by true camera nerds (many of my friends in the camera blogosphere have written reviews of this relatively hidden gem), the Nikon N2000 certainly fails to garner the kind of wide acclaim foisted upon other SLRs from the era of manual focus SLR dominance. Its popularity doesn’t come close to that of cameras like the Nikon F3, the Canon AE1 or the Pentax K1000, to pick three easy comparisons.

Which is strange, since the Nikon N2000 is better equipped than an F3, just as small as an AE1, and far more advanced than a K1000.

Why, then, don’t people squawk endlessly about it on YouTube? No idea. Don’t care. Let’s move on, so that I can get back to what I love— squawking endlessly about cameras that I like.

What is the Nikon N2000

First released in 1985, the Nikon N2000 (known as the Nikon F-301 in Japanese and European markets) is a manual focus 35mm film SLR camera using Nikon’s ubiquitous F mount lens system. As a replacement for the earlier Nikon FG, the N2000 was (and remains) a truly capable consumer-level camera with a number of surprising capabilities.

In fact, the N2000 represents a number of “firsts” in Nikon’s lineage.

It was the first Nikon camera with an integral motor drive. It was the first Nikon camera to use polycarbonate plastic extensively in its construction. It was the the first Nikon with DX-coding capability, and it was one of only four Nikon SLRs which was able to support the advanced exposure modes made possibly by Nikon’s AI-S F mount lenses (the others being the Nikon FA, the Nikon N2020, and the Nikon F4).

It’s a compact SLR, lightweight, surprisingly robust, easy-to-use and easy on the eyes. It’s powered by a common battery type (either four AAA batteries, or four AA batteries with an optional extended baseplate). It meters well, has multiple shooting modes, is equipped with one of the most versatile lens mounts in the history of photography, and can even beep at us when it’s angry.

The N2000 was, and still is, a solid, well-equipped, highly capable film camera. That said, it was short-lived.

By the mid-1980s, the autofocus era had truly arrived. Nikon was more than happy to push their manual focus past aside as AF was embraced by buyers in the lucrative entry-level market. The N2000 was quickly replaced by the far more modern and AF-equipped Nikon N4004s in 1987. (Tragic, because good lord, is that camera ugly.)

Specifications of the Nikon N2000

• Camera Type – Integral-motor 35mm single lens reflex (full frame, 24 x 36mm image area)
• Lens Mount – Nikon F mount
• Exposure Modes – Program, Program Hi (for high speed shooting), Aperture Priority, Manual
• Exposure Metering – Center weighted TTL metering, EV1 to EV19 at ISO 100 with f/1.4 lens
• Shutter – Electronic vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
• Shutter Speeds – Stepless speeds from 1 to 1/2000 second on Program, Program Hi, and Aperture Priority modes; non-stepless Manual mode speeds from 1 to 1/2000th second; Bulb mode for long exposures
• Viewfinder – Fixed eye-level pentaprism; 0.85x magnification with 50mm lens; approx. 92% frame coverage
• Focusing Screen – Fixed Nikon Type K2 with central non-shading split-image rangefinder circle, microprism collar, and matte-/Fresnal outer field; 12mm diameter reference circle denotes metering area
• Viewfinder Info – Shutter speed LED readout; Over- and under-exposure warning LED’s; Ready light when using flash
• Exposure Compensation Control – Plus or minus 2 Ev in one-third stop increments
• Film Speed Range – ISO 25 to 4000 for DX-coded film; ISO 25 to 3200 for non-DX-coded film
• Film Advance and Rewind : Automatic film advance up to 2.5 frames per second; manual rewind
• Flash Sync – 1/125 second or slower with electronic flash
• Additional Features – Frame counter, film type window in film door, audible warning alarm for multiple events, self-timer, red indicator LED, hot-shoe for flash and monitor, tripod socket, exposure lock

Using the Nikon N2000 Today

I’ve temporarily owned a dozen or more Nikon N2000s during my time as editor of this site and owner of a camera shop. I’ve shot a few examples of the same, here and there, over spans of weeks and months, and what has always struck me about the N2000 is just how quietly good it is.

But don’t confuse that with actual audible quietness. It’s not a quiet camera. It’s loud. But I don’t mind that. Like a Contax G2 or any good camera in a movie from the early 1990s, the Nikon N2000 makes all the right noises for a camera-liker like me. Its shutter chonks hard, its winder whirrs brightly, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

In the hand, the N2000 feels amazing. With its geometric grip, it balances one-handed better than something like a Nikon FE or a Canon AE1, cameras which are slippery in their gripless-ness. With a compact lens mounted, such as the 45mm Nikkor Pancake or the Nikon 50mm Series E, the camera is compact and subtle enough to be used as a travel and walkaround camera.

The camera’s F mount is capable of mounting any Nikon AI or AI-s lens. Naturally any third party lens made for the same mount will work as well. Only a few exceptions exist (see the manual for those).

The Nikon N2000’s controls rest exactly where they should, and handling the camera becomes second nature within just a few frames. By the end of the first roll of film I’m able to set shutter speed (or exposure mode), adjust exposure compensation, use the exposure lock, frame, and focus, all without ever taking my eye from the viewfinder or fumbling about with confusing dials and switches.

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The viewfinder is informative and among the brightest viewfinders I’ve ever seen in a manual focus camera. This brightness, and the ample focusing aids packed into the fixed focusing screen, make manual focus fast and easy. Additionally, the in-VF LED display does everything I want it to do.

In manual mode, the bank of LEDs on the right-hand side of the VF shows our set shutter speed as well as a flashing speed recommendation based on the camera’s meter. In Aperture Priority mode, it shows the automatically selected shutter speed based on available light and the lens’ aperture, and when using the exposure lock it displays the locked speed and recommended setting. In program mode, the camera takes care of everything and the LEDs let us know what’s happening.

What’s missing from the VF is an indicator to show our selected lens aperture. While this is something that becomes known by feel over time, I wouldn’t have been upset if Nikon had managed to shoehorn that feature into this otherwise perfect viewfinder.

Set to single shot, the camera advances the film one frame after each shot. Set to continuous mode, the camera fires shot after shot at a pace as fast as 2.5 frames per second. Film rewind is manual – we only must remember to slide and press the two-factor authentication that is the camera’s rewind switch, and then crank the crank like on so many earlier manual cameras.

For the way that I use film cameras (aperture priority is my preferred mode, I like manual focus and single lens reflex shooting) the N2000 is an uncomplicated hit. It just works.

The Nitpicks

But not all is perfect. The N2000 does fail me in certain ways.

To start, the On/Off switch is annoying. It’s a spring-tension collar that surrounds the shutter release button. To turn the camera on or to select our drive mode, we pull it up from its L (locked) position and rotate it to either S (single shot) or C (continuous), and the motion just doesn’t feel good, being kind of vague and cheap. This is admittedly a minor annoyance, at most, but its an annoyance that’s felt every time I have to turn the camera on or off, or change drive modes from single to continuous.

Next, the tripod socket is positioned almost at the very edge of the bottom of the camera, so that when mounted to a tripod, the whole thing kind of dangles precariously with all of its weight on one side. Another nitpick, for sure, and one that will rarely impact me or anyone else. But I’m paid to complain.

Lastly, the exposure compensation dial has an egregiously protective locking feature whereby it is impossible to adjust the exposure comp by even one increment without pressing and holding down the lock button.

My very favorite method of shooting is to shoot in aperture priority, and to rely heavily on exposure compensation control as I’m reading the scene. If the subject is backlit, for example, I like to use exposure comp, or if the metering circle of the center-weighted meter happens to be in an area that’s extra dark or extra light, I will typically notice that and compensate accordingly. But with this dial’s lock, the process becomes tedious and frustrating, so that eventually I end up attempting to achieve my exposure compensation through use of the AE lock (which is hit or miss, and even more frustrating).

Other minor grumbles include the following: There’s no depth-of-field preview; the camera won’t work without batteries; it’s made out of plastic; there’s no cable-release thread on the shutter release; there’s no mirror lock-up; there’s no shutter blind. None of these things bother me, but they might bother you.

[Above: The Nikon N2000 makes great shots with all types of lenses and in all types of light. It just works.]

Final Thoughts

We all love cameras. But the cameras we all seem to love best are the ones that surprise us with their capability and quality at an equally surprising low price. The Nikon N2000 is just such a camera. Fitted with a standard, compact Nikon lens, it’s hard to think of another manual focus camera that outperforms the N2000. Especially when we consider that a used Nikon N2000 can be bought for about $50.

However, there is one big reason that a certain type of camera-liker might not like the N2000. If you’re the kind of photo nerd who can’t abide manual focus, the N2000 is a non-starter. It’s manual focus only, and that’s the end of that.

But if the N2000 sounds just right in all ways but one. If the only thing holding you back is that nagging little lack of autofocus, worry not. Nikon made an almost identical camera, called the N2020, which is nothing less than the very excellent N2000, but with autofocus. Wow. What a time to be alive.

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And there he was, on the TV screen, all highlighter bright shirts, denim shorts and sunglasses, pulling up in a white Lamborghini Countach, firing off that famous backhand right at our freakin’ faces and telling us that yes, image is indeed everything, and we absolutely needed a new Canon EOS Rebel to capture that image.

Agassi’s brash new-kid-on-the-block visage was the perfect marketing vehicle for the new Canon EOS Rebel, itself a new thing for the consumer SLR market. Gone were the angles of the 1980s, in came the ergonomic curves of the ’90s. Canon banked upon the same idea that propelled the AE-1 to stardom; the idea that they could make technology cheaper and more easily mass-produced, seducing the consumer and youth market with auto-everything and lower prices, thereby dominating the autofocus future for years to come.

Today we see that they succeeded, unequivocally. The radical design of the Canon EOS Rebels became the de facto, even hegemonic style of both consumer and professional SLR design to this day. But the thing about time passing is just that – it passes. Things get old. Over thirty years, Agassi’s once exciting, trailblazing power-baseline style of tennis has become the standard baseline game tennis fans complain about, his bright visual style has been parroted by Nike, Adidas, and every athletic wear manufacturer over the same span of time, and Canon’s once radically new camera design is just How Cameras Look Now, I Guess. What was once innovative became commonplace; what once was a landmark became just another part of the landscape.

But is that fair to a camera so influential?

I was confronted by this question one day when I found a nearly pristine Canon EOS Rebel XS on the shelf at my neighborhood thrift store. Cameras like this would usually be placed on display behind the counter along with the other film cameras (common practice, as the thrift stores in my area have gotten wise to the film renaissance), but for some reason this was just left on the electronics shelf, priced at a paltry fifteen dollars. I figured something may have been wrong with it, but, nope – the camera’s battery compartment was clean and clear of corrosion, and the body, shutter, and 35-80mm lens showed barely any signs of usage. I took a chance and took it home, stuck a couple CR123A batteries in it, and it sprang to life. The LCD display lit up, the plastic dials still had a brand new snap to them, and the lens’s autofocus was as quick and quiet as ever.

Just like that, I had a basically new autofocus SLR and lens for the price of a roll of Cinestill 800T (need B&H affiliate link).

I was initially surprised that such a famous-in-its-day camera was left on the shelf and priced so low, but then I realized that, even to people who know, this is the least exciting, least exotic camera. For over thirty years, companies have made a million other plastic autofocus SLRs, digital or otherwise, that look and operate almost exactly as this one. Even more primitive cameras like the Canon F-1 or the Canon AE-1 command more respect and possess more individual character – even within the Canon EOS lineup, the original Rebels seem boring.

But when we look at the design of the EOS Rebel line (especially this Canon EOS Rebel XS) in the context of the early ’90s, we find a radical departure from traditional camera design, and a remarkably well-executed exercise in extreme utilitarianism.

The design sensibilities of the previous decades aren’t just evolved or avoided. They’re jettisoned entirely. Canon’s EOS cameras instead maximize ergonomics and ease-of-use. The hand grip dominates the camera, while sleek lines curve around the control panel, pentaprism, and lens surround, flowing with no definitive stopping point. While these concepts weren’t new, they found themselves pushed to their conceptual extreme, making a totally new blobby kind of camera design to ring in the ’90s, the same philosophy that produced rotund machines like the 1990’s Ford Taurus and the Sega Genesis controller. But unlike those two, this camera seems to have escaped its associations with the era – it seems like it could’ve been made in the 2000s just as easily as it could’ve been made in the early 1990s. Even more curious, the design does not elicit the “timeless” moniker from camera geeks the way a Nikon F2 or a Leica M-series camera does, though it arguably shares a more direct relationship with modern cameras than either of those two. For however radical, important, and influential these early AF cameras were and are, they seem to now just be a part of the wallpaper of 21st century living.

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1990s autofocus SLRs like the Canon EOS Rebel XS present many contradictions. Perhaps a bigger contradiction is one that James already handled in his paean for the so-called “Dorky AF SLR.” I’ll paraphrase – though indeed dorky, these AF SLRs from the ’90s represent the peak of 35mm SLR technology, and are the best pure user film cameras out there at any level. The EOS Rebel XS is much the same; it was marketed squarely at consumers, but offered an astonishingly comprehensive set of features which in the past could only have been found scattered across multiple cameras.

It has an electronically-controlled shutter with a range from half a second to 1/2000th of a second, full TTL flash metering, standard evaluative (Matrix) metering with a center-weighted AE lock override, auto film winding, one-shot autofocus, AI servo autofocus, and manual focus override, and full PASM exposure selection with specialized portrait, sports, close-up, and landscape modes. It even features a built-in flash for use in a pinch, a programmable multiple exposure mode, and a separate aperture priority mode that prioritizes deep depth of field. I know there’s a lot to be said for all-manual everything, manual focus cameras (and I will be the first to defend them), but almost every major technological advancement in photography up until 1990 is present in a Canon EOS Rebel, and for cheap. That’s incredibly hard to argue against.

It is then no wonder that Canon sold boatloads of these cameras. It adhered to the simple math that Canon previously used to sell the Canon AE-1, AE-1 Program, and Canon A-1  – make the most features available for the least amount of money (¥89000 with the 35-80mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, ¥59000 body only). The substitution of a mirror box instead of a full pentaprism, and the wholesale replacement of metal with plastic made it cheaper and lighter, making these technologies accessible to casual shooters as well as improving Canon’s bottom line. This is anathema to shooters who demand mechanical quality, but such was the deal Canon made to remain the rulers of consumer photography.

The experience of shooting an old EOS Rebel XS is one that is shockingly modern and simple. The full shooting experience is as follows: load some film and the camera will automatically roll out the entire film into the take up spool and wind it backwards with every shot. Pick a shooting mode, and watch the relevant adjustable values show up on the LCD screen. Pick either an aperture or shutter speed value using the single multipurpose dial (or not, if the camera is on a programmed auto-exposure setting) and look through the viewfinder, which provides a full LCD readout of the settings, plus a light meter display. Then half press the shutter button to focus, compose, and shoot until the roll’s done, at which point the film will have already rolled itself back into the canister.

The EOS Rebel XS’s design emphasis on extreme utilitarianism works – it’s ludicrously simple to shoot. Every immediately essential function of the camera of the Rebel XS lies perfectly under each finger and is accessible with the press of one distinct button or dial setting, with secondary functions (of which there are only a couple) accessible with two movements, maximum.

If AE lock is needed, just press the AE lock button. If the flash is needed, press the flash button. If the self timer is needed, press the self timer button. And if exposure compensation is needed, hold down the exposure comp button and select a value with the dial. The camera can be set to take the reins yet does not lock the shooter into a programmed auto-exposure mode – everything can be overridden, and overridden easily (even, to my surprise, the ISO setting). This shooting interface makes sense to me, even as a staunch supporter of mechanical dials and buttons. It keeps me feeling connected and in complete control, which is something that I can’t say for later automated 35mm AF SLRs.

The ingenuity and novelty of the EOS Rebel XS did, however, come at some price. The auto-everything, purely utilitarian design discarded the tactility and outright romance of the manual focus cameras of before, a move that again alienated purists and collectors. What’s more, this design philosophy eventually birthed the multi-purpose button, the practice of menu diving, and the endless fiddling with settings that drives digital SLR and mirrorless shooters crazy, and makes them seek comparatively simple and primitive mechanical film cameras as refuge. I suspect it is this quality that keeps the prices of these cameras low, and their cultural cachet being near nonexistent regardless of their actual performance.

However, the irony of the Canon EOS Rebel XS is that while it offers a modern user interface, its age ensures it is not as overwhelming to use as a modern machine. Even though the shooting interface is modern, this camera was still released in 1993 — time hadn’t yet given camera companies the opportunity to *ahem* transform these cameras into the feature-bloated, inscrutable, aesthetically anonymous cameras we’ve come to know as DSLRs in the 21st century. There are no menus, no hidden technologies that take over, no display hieroglyphics to decode before you take the shot. It is as raw and direct as one can get in this genre of camera, and a breath of fresh air.

But even if the Canon EOS Rebel XS was a total chore to shoot, it still would be worth its ludicrously low price simply because it mounts the full range of Canon EF mount lenses. The camera came with a perfectly versatile Canon EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 kit lens, but really comes into its own with Canon’s professional lenses.

Canon’s L lenses are quite literally the industry standard (and have been for over thirty years) and can be mounted natively onto the humble EOS Rebel XS. The prospect of 50mm f/1.2L, the 24mm f/1.4L, the gargantuan 400mm f/2.8L, and more is a tantalizing (and slightly hilarious) one, and also points us to a key characteristic of these consumer EOS Rebel film bodies – they’re a ridiculously cheap way to access full frame in the EOS system, and can function as a second film body to full-frame DSLR’s. At prices consistently under $60 ($15 in my case – got lucky), it’s a no-brainer.

There are, however, three real drawbacks to the Canon EOS Rebel XS. The first is its construction which, as mentioned before, is nearly completely plastic. This is less of a big deal considering the low prices of these bodies, but still concerning if the camera is being used in rough environments and situations. As with any camera, try to find a good example and roll with it, and try to find a backup too. They’re cheap and plentiful.

The second is the quality of the autofocus. While the EOS Rebel XS does offer AI servo autofocus (which enables subject tracking) and a so-called wide AF zone (which enables a wider range of autofocus), this still is a very primitive AF system. Being from 1993 and being a consumer model, this early AF system hunts quite often and can miss focus if the shooter isn’t paying attention. It should be noted that I did miss a few frames with this initially, but got used to it as I got acclimated to the camera itself. Even though this camera bears a striking resemblance to newer AF cameras, prospective shooters should not expect the acrobatics of newer AF SLRs or DSLRs.

The third drawback is a little more subjective, but ultimately points to what I think makes this camera important to shoot today. For all the technology crammed into it, for however new it was at the time, this camera is almost disturbingly normal. Not unremarkable, not ugly, not inconsequential, but just… normal. Compared to other cameras, the big boys of the segment, the Canon EOS-1v, Nikon’s F6, the Minolta A9’s of the world, or even the Nikon N90s or later Canon Elan 7s, there’s just not much that makes this camera stand out, even though its design laid the foundation of consumer autofocus SLRs for decades to come.

But after pondering it for a while, one thing stands out about this EOS Rebel XS. Oddly enough, that thing (person, rather) is… Andre Agassi.

The marketing admittedly worked on me – I can’t look at the EOS Rebel logo without thinking about him and that ad campaign (which, for different reasons, actually affected Agassi himself). Agassi’s hard-hitting, power baseline style was once radical and new, but by the time his career ended, it had become the de facto style, and was even decried by some as “ruining the game.” Yet, when we look back at the actual highlights of Agassi in his prime we can see why everybody started to play like him. Look closer and we see, with every perfectly struck backhand winner, with every impossible return off the Sampras serve, that nobody was able to do it quite like Agassi. He moved the game forward.

The Canon EOS Rebel XS and the rest of the early autofocus SLRs could and should be considered along those lines. The EOS Rebel was revolutionary in its day, and today remains maybe one of the best and most influential consumer camera lines ever made, no matter what reputation time foists upon it. I don’t know what the future holds in the world of film photography, but it would be interesting to see these SLRs in the hands of shooters just as often as we see the Nikon F3 or Leica M6. It would only be fitting – after all, the man who to whom this camera was inextricably tied eventually grew up, shed his image-obsessed reputation, and made a comeback on his own terms.

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Earlier this year, a year which I’ve described as my Year of Large Format, I decided to take a break to shoot some 35mm. It was during this brief interlude that I discovered a camera that seems overlooked by most film shooters today, the Minolta XE7.

The Minolta XE7 is a machine that was quite a bit ahead of its contemporaries when it was released. It even offered features that weren’t found on the pro SLRs of the day, the mighty Nikon F2 included.

Allow me to set the stage.

It’s the early 1970s. Nikon rests firmly atop the pro photography landscape. Olympus has just released the OM-1, a miniature full frame SLR that forever changes the design pursuits of all Japanese camera makers; smaller is better! And the race to create ever-more electronic cameras is on.

Minolta forms a partnership with Leitz and the two begin developing cameras with their shared knowledge and design ethos, eventually resulting in some well- known and highly regarded cameras, such as the CL, the Leica R3 through R7, and more.

But the very first camera born from this partnership is the Minolta XE7. And it’s among the first in the world to offer aperture-priority semi-auto exposure.

Design

The Minolta XE7’s design is pure. The camera is made with only one thing in mind – making great photographs.

There’s no style for style’s sake here. It’s minimalism, top to bottom, and this is not only visually satisfying but satisfying from an operating perspective as well. Everything on the camera is placed very strategically. This creates an intuitive feeling while out in the field exposing frames.

The top plate has a shutter release button and a shutter speed dial, both placed where they’re supposed to be placed. The film rewind lever actuates with a smoothness that’s unbeaten in 35mm SLRs. The aperture is controlled by the aperture ring on the lens, the depth of field may be previewed with a simple lever on the front, and there’s a self-timer and, notably, multiple exposure lever as well.

If this sounds simple, it’s because it is. But it’s also perfect for just getting down to the business of taking pictures.

Now for everyone’s favorite topic – the internal workings of a 35mm SLR.

Minolta certainly benefited from having Leica’s partnership – the XE7 is proof of that. Leica, known for their flagship M line of rangefinders, are known for their precise moving parts, smooth operation, and for having possibly the faintest shutter sound of any system. In the case of the XE7, the hint of Leica’s satisfying click that is synonymous with their mechanical quality can be experienced.

The metering system implemented in the camera is similarly brilliant. Two overlapping CdS photocells occupy the prism, which means that the camera can accurately meter even in high contrast situations.

The viewfinder is a wonderful place to view your composition. The meter reading is displayed through a match needle system that we use to either manually set exposure or down shift the camera into aperture priority.

Two small windows are available in the viewfinder that display aperture and shutter speed, although you will only see a red “A” in aperture priority.

In Comparison to the Nikon EL2

I mentioned earlier that I’m a Nikon fan. Naturally, my time with and opinion of the XE7 is colored by my experience. For this reason, I’d like to compare the XE7 with Nikon’s EL2 specifically, since the EL2 was the direct competitor to the XE7.

With the XE7, Minolta was aiming for the prosumer market a little earlier in the decade than Nikon. Where the XE7 was released in 1974, Nikon released the EL2 in 1977 (coincidentally 1977 was the final year of production for the XE7).

Both machines are neck and neck, and the differences between the two end up being minor.

The Minolta has the more simplistic on and off switch, but the Nikon has two on and off switches, letting the user choose which one will save from unwanted exposures. Both cameras use match needle systems in the viewfinders as well as having a 1/90th second shutter speed when battery power depletes.

Aperture priority, self-timer, and superb build quality are all things the Minolta and the Nikon share.

They’re both well-built, robust, heavy, and classically styled.

Both cameras offer an incredible lineup of lenses (Nikon’s Nikkors and Minolta’s Rokkors), the only real difference being that Minolta lenses may be a bit less expensive on the used market.

Both cameras slotted into their respective lineups just below the professional offerings. Nikon’s EL2 sat below the F2, while Minolta XE7 sat below their big, honkin’ XK.

Heck, even both cameras are named similarly – two letters and a number!

Is the Minolta XE7 Worth It?

The short answer to this question is unequivocally, yes. The Minolta XE7 without a doubt is worth every penny.

The Nikon EL2 was my first Nikon film camera, after which I was completely sold on Nikon’s build quality as well as Nikkor glass. When the XE7 clicked into my life, it failed to knock me over with the shooting experience, solely because the Nikon EL2 had already done that.

The camera that inspired me to document more everyday with amazing features such as aperture-priority AE, a match needle in the viewfinder, a bright focusing prism, and a shutter sound that brings a smile to all those within an earshot is the camera that Nikon only made for a single year. It was the EL2. But it just as easily could have been the XE7, if only I’d experienced the Minolta first.

Final Thoughts

James raved about the Minolta XE7 when Casual Photophile was in its infancy – and for good reason. The build quality, the robustness of the camera, the almost too-easy-to-operate metering system were all highly praised in James’ review. While he makes some great points, and while I agree with some of them whole-heartedly, the Minolta XE7 arrived in my life just a bit too late. When I feel the need to shoot 35mm, I’ll reach for my Nikon every time.

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I’ve used many of the Nikon pro series bodies over the years and the F5 holds its own against all of them. In fact, this was the first of the modern professional bodies, and the same basic styling exists in the most current pro DSLRs. Nikon got this design right and it has held up over time. The Nikon F5’s heft feels right, the grip is deep, yet comfortable, the switches and dials all seem to be in the perfect spot, and the viewfinder is clear and bright. Everything about the F5 just feels good.

Specifications of the Nikon F5

From the very first load of film it was clear to me that the F5 is a camera made for serious, professional use. It’s meant to be loaded fast, shot fast, and rewound fast. The film leader is pulled from left to right and is loosely placed in the area marked by Nikon’s designers. Once the film back closes, the camera’s automation takes over, and in the blink of an eye the film is spooled and ready to shoot. With the right battery pack and settings it can shoot 8 frames per second and can rewind a roll of 36 exposures in approximately 4 seconds. Staggering numbers for a camera made almost 30 years ago.

When shooting this camera for the first time, I was immediately aware of the focus speed and torque.  I have several AF and AF-D lenses that require the F5’s screw mount auto-focus motor to focus.  When you half depress the shutter button and activate the focus motor, the torque generated will cause the body to heel over if you don’t have a firm grip.  It’s very powerful and focuses screw drive lenses faster than any camera I’ve used in the past.

Auto-focus is not just fast, it’s also accurate. Nikon used a new Multi-Cam 1300 auto-focus system for the F5. It’s basically a 5 point AF system that covers the center area of the cameras viewfinder. It has 3 modes, Manual, AF-Single Servo and AF-Continuous Servo. On top of that you can select one of five auto-focus points individually or all at once in Dynamic AF Mode. Compared to modern DSLR and mirror-less auto-focus systems, this seems rudimentary, but it’s a very competent auto-focus system.

Metering is another positive for this camera. It incorporates a 3D Color Matrix system which uses a 1005 pixel RGB sensor to measure color, brightness, and contrast within a scene. Using 3 metering modes, Matrix, Center Weighted and Spot, there are plenty of options to meter a scene correctly. Using the camera’s custom function settings, we can change the size of the center weighted area to suit the photo or photographer’s specific needs. It also rotates the spot metering area to match whichever auto-focus point we’ve selected.

The F5 includes the same shutter and shooting mode settings of most Nikon pro bodies. Single Frame, Continuous Low, Continuous High and Continuous Silent are all present. Shooting modes include the acronymic PASM; Programmed Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual.

Lens Compatibility

One of the best attributes of the F5 is its F-Mount lens compatibility.

Nikon has maintained general functionality of a single lens mount for their SLR and DSLR cameras since 1959, the ubiquitous F Mount. And the F5 continues this trend. It can mount all AI, AI-S, AI-K, AF-D, AF-G, AF-S and VR F Mount lenses, versatility that’s truly remarkable. We can even mount and use the 24mm, 45mm and 85mm PCE tilt shift lenses. What this means is that F5 users have a massive amount of lenses to choose from, which means it’s possible to find any focal length, any speed, and style lens at an acceptable price point.

Unfortunately it won’t control the current AF-P or newest E lenses.

Shop eBay for a used Nikon F5!

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My Long Term Experiences with the Nikon F5

I briefly mentioned some of the things I love about this camera. The handling is very satisfying and something every film lover should experience at least once in their lives. The buttons and dials seem to be in exactly the right place for all shooting situations. It has two shutter buttons, one on top for normal shooting, and one on the built-in grip for portrait orientation. Each shutter button incorporates locking switches to prevent accidental shutter releases (which happens to the best of us). The shooting modes and auto-focus modes are all easily accessible. The metering switch is very conveniently placed on the viewfinder housing for quick access. And there’s even a built-in viewfinder shade for long exposures. This camera is obviously well-thought-out and it shows.

The camera itself utilizes 8 AA Alkaline or Ni-NH batteries that insert into the grip. Having the ability to use new batteries means we don’t have to fuss with obscure or antiquated rechargeable battery types. Many photographers in the past reported their F5’s consumed batteries quite rapidly, but this has not been my experience. It is rumored that Nikon fixed the battery drain issue early on in the production run, and my model is a later serial number. This perhaps lends some credibility to the anecdote.

My first few rolls were shot using AF-D lenses which focused perfectly. At this point I was very curious to learn how it acted with modern auto-focus lenses. My main concern was focus accuracy on lenses like my 14-24mm G, 70-200mm VRII, 85mm G, etc. I set up a simple test pattern and rotated through my lenses to check for focus accuracy. Inspecting the film afterwards, many of them focused perfectly, even wide open, but some didn’t until after F4-5.6 depending on the lens. Unlike DSLRs, the F5 does not have auto-focus fine tune. You have to do similar tests on your own lenses to ensure focus accuracy so you don’t miss a shot when it counts.

Another advantage of this camera is the accessories.  It has a removable viewfinder which can be swapped out for a waist level view finder, a magnification finder, a high point action finder, or the included multi finder.  In addition, there’s a series of swap-able focusing screens that can be used.  I own the normal type EC-B screen and a type L manual focus split prism screen.  The prism screen is really helpful when shooting with manual lenses, or for ensuring focus accuracy with modern autofocus lenses in manual mode.  The F5 also uses the same 10 pin connector as many of the modern Nikon DSLR’s and works perfectly with my MC-30 remote cable.  There are a great deal of accessories available for this camera.

I’ve owned this camera for years now, and it’s the best film camera that I’ve used to date. It does everything I ask of it and more. It’s very reliable, extremely durable, and just a joy to operate. I’ve shot portraits, candids, landscapes, events and even a wedding with this camera. It’s done a fine job with all of them.

The ability to close the view finder eyepiece and attach my MC-30 cable release is really handy for long exposures. The 1/250^th flash sync speed is awesome when shooting studio portraits with strobes, and it works perfectly with my SB-800 speed lights in manual or TTL mode. The custom settings are also very helpful and the camera can be tailored to suit specific needs. Even finer points, like the auto-rewind function when I’ve finished a roll and the exposure adjustment for different focusing screens, are really advantageous. There’s simply a lot to like about this camera.

[Sample shots made with the F5, various lenses and various film. This sort of camera can make any type of image. Good luck!]

Some of the quirks I’ve noticed with the F5 are minor and easy to work around. The first thing I noticed was the camera in matrix metering mode tends to expose a little on the dark side in certain scenes. I find I get better results using center weighted or spot metering to make sure the camera is seeing things more accurately. Another issue I noticed was the camera ignores the AF/M switches on some of my AF-S lenses. I learned this the hard way in MUP mode and wasted a few shots before realizing I had to use the on camera switch to deactivate the auto-focus. Not a big deal to overcome but something to be mindful of.

The final complaint I would have, although minor, is the custom menu settings. There are a lot of numbered settings and the menu can be a little confusing to navigate, especially in the field. As a result, I keep a copy of the custom settings and a complete instruction manual on my phone to use as a reference if needed. The common complaints associated with this camera, weight, size, small auto-focus area, don’t bother me in the slightest. I come to expect those things from older gear.

All in all, this is a great camera. If you’re a Nikon fan, or just a fan of awesome film cameras in general, I recommend getting one. If you already have one and you aren’t using it, dust it off and go out shooting. These cameras were designed to be well-used and I plan on using mine until it dies, hopefully a very long time from now.

Buy your own Nikon F5 on eBay here

Nikon F4 versus Nikon F5 and the Camera as a Tool

A guest post from a friend of the site pits the Nikon F4 against the Nikon F5, and questions whether cameras are only tools, or something more.

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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 Nikon F5 Long Term User Review appeared first on Casual Photophile.

On the other hand, it has Rolleiflex written on it. Which means it’s heavy and big. It’s clunky and clumsy. It’s limited to all manual mode. And we could buy a better Japanese camera for less.

All of that is true. Don’t argue. Rollei fan or not, accept it. Rollei’s are great, but by nearly every metric, the Japanese cameras are better.

But that’s not to say that shooting the Rolleiflex SL35M is an unpleasant experience, or that buying one is foolish, or that owning one isn’t a joy. The Rollei SL35M is a lovely camera with plenty of upside, and I just ended a week of shooting one happy to have had the experience.

Origin of the Rollei SL35M

Despite a gentleman’s agreement between the founders of Hasselblad and Rollei that precluded each brand from manufacturing the core product of the other (Hasselblad focused on SLRs while Rollei concentrated on TLRs), Rollei did eventually branch out to create more camera types.

They made medium format SLRs to compete (somewhat ineffectually) with Hasselblad, 16mm compact cameras (for spies?), and a well-loved compact for 35mm film (easily the most successful of their non-TLR designs). Beginning in the 1970s and continuing into the ‘90s, they even made a range of 35mm SLRs.

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While none of the cameras outside of their TLR lineup ever really caught fire, in the commercial sense, they weren’t bad cameras. Rollei simply struggled to keep up with the extremely successful, efficient, and well-funded Japanese camera companies. And it was no different with the SL35 series.

Beginning with Nikon’s F in 1959, amateur and professional photographers alike had spent a decade flocking to the SLR camera by the time Rollei got involved. Their first 35mm SLR, the Rolleiflex SL35, was introduced in 1970, quite late in the competition. With this camera Rollei intended to offer high end Rollei-engineering to the fastest-growing group of customers in photography.

The SL35 was an all-mechanical, full manual camera with a new Rollei bayonet lens mount and a cloth focal plane shutter. The shutter was capable of speeds up to 1/1000^th of a second, and it featured a through-the-lens light meter with a match-needle display in the fixed viewfinder.

Real camera nerds would read that last paragraph and say, “Alright. Decent specs.” Unfortunately, I left out a key detail.

The SL35’s TTL light meter was outdated the moment the camera launched, because the light meter only registered a reading when the lens aperture was closed. Even in 1970, this was old tech. Japanese SLRs had long before established wide-open aperture light metering as the baseline methodology of any decent SLR.

Four years later Rollei updated the camera to include wide-open aperture metering. The new model also added a built-in accessory shoe. This new camera was called the Rollei SL350. Today, the SL350 is far less common than other models in the SL line, and is therefore more expensive.

Rollei finally had a 35mm SLR with the features that people expected. And then Rollei’s SLR lineup went through some big changes.

The domination of the camera industry by the Japanese companies didn’t only impact Rollei. Other German camera makers were feeling similar pressure.

In 1972, the German company Zeiss Ikon AG Stuttgart succumbed, and the brand decided to end camera production to focus on lens manufacturing (for which they were world-renowned). As a part of this liquidation, Zeiss’ brand names (of which Voigtlander was one), their designs, factories, and research were sold or transferred to other entities.

The Voigtlander brand name and some of Zeiss designs were acquired at this time by Rollei. This acquisition included the latest of Zeiss’ 35mm SLR designs, a camera called the SL706. Rollei planned to take this camera and introduce it as a new model using the Voigtlander name. Rollei also intended to continue production of their own 35mm SLRs, the SL35 and the SL350.

But there was a problem. The camera inherited from Zeiss used the Universal Screw Mount, or M42, lens system. Rollei’s SL35 and SL350, on the other hand, used Rollei’s own bayonet mount lens system (known as the QBM). Maintaining production of both lines of cameras meant that Rollei would need to produce their lenses under two mount systems. As a small player in a big market, this made little sense, so Rollei made the decision to end their own camera in favor of Zeiss’ design, but to preserve their bayonet lens mount.

In 1976, production of Rollei’s SL35 and SL350 was ended, and the former Zeiss camera was adopted and developed to use the Rollei QBM bayonet lenses. This new camera would be released under the Voigtlander name as the VSL1, and under Rollei’s own name as the Rolleiflex SL35M.

In that same year, Rollei also released the Voigtlander VSL2 Automatic and the SL35ME, which added automatic exposure through the aperture-priority methodology.

In 1978, A final SL camera called the Voigtlander VSL 3-E and the Rolleiflex SL35 would add a new electronic shutter and LED indicators in the viewfinder, to replace the earlier cameras’ match-needle display. This camera could also use an external winder and motor drive.

In 1981, Rollei went bankrupt, and their SL line ended while they focused on other products.

Specifications of the Rollei SL35M

• Camera Type : 35mm Film, 24x36mm image area (full frame)
  
• Exposure Modes : Manual Only
• Metering : Through the lens metering with CdS cells, Center-weighted full-field measurement
• Viewfinder : Penta-prism, instant return mirror. Focusing screen with diagonal focus indicator, micro-prism ring, and ground glass Fresnel lens
• Viewfinder Information : Aperture indicator, metering range limit indicator, light meter needle
• Lens Mount : Rollei QBM (Quick Bayonet Mount)
• Shutter : Horizontally moving cloth focal plane
• Shutter speeds : Bulb, 1 – 1/1000 seconds
• Flash Mount : X and FP switch-over flash sync at 1/40 of a second for center contact and cable contact
• Weight : 895 grams (with 50mm F/1.8 lens)

Using the Rollei SL35M Today

The Rollei SL35M is nothing more than a basic camera from the 1970s. It has the same specs as dozens of other models from Minolta, Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Mamiya, Ricoh, Olympus, and others. There’s nothing here that can’t be found elsewhere, except maybe that QBM lens mount. And that’s nothing too special.

The controls are quintessential “classic camera” fare. Shutter speed is controlled via a dial on the top. It’s positioned next to the shutter release and thumb lever for film advance. There’s a rewind knob opposite and an ISO selector beneath that. On the front we find a self-timer lever, lens release button, and a depth-of-field preview plunger for manually closing the lens aperture. The back has a film frame counter, a hinged film compartment door, and a viewfinder to look through. The bottom is where the battery goes, there’s a tripod socket, and there’s a button to press when rewinding the film.

If you’re the kind of photo geek who’s used a classic 1970s 35mm SLR, you’ll acclimate to the Rollei within literal seconds. If you’re new to film, this is an easy camera with which to learn.

Though basic, things at least feel excellent. The dials and knobs and levers all function beautifully. True to Rollei standards, everything actuates with mechanical surety. There’s significant resistance in the film transport as we cock the advance lever, and the mirror and shutter fire definitively when we press the shutter release.

The viewfinder is nice and bright. It’s contained within a fixed penta-prism and shows a focusing screen with a focusing micro-prism band in the center surrounding a diagonally oriented split image rangefinder patch, which interestingly splits into three sections and not the usual two. The light meter needle is positioned on the right-hand side, and swings well when the exposure parameters are within its field of register. The top of the VF shows the currently selected lens aperture, while the selected shutter speed is not displayed.

Throughout my time with the Rollei there were no surprises. Film loading was fine, and normal. The viewfinder worked beautifully. There’s nothing tricky about the lens mount. Film advance and firing were standard, though it does vibrate with mirror slap, making longer exposures a bit shakier than I’ve found with other cameras. The light meter works well enough.

I never used the self-timer because, frankly, the less time I spend in front of a camera the better. And I never used the depth-of-field preview because I don’t need to preview depth-of-field. I tested these functions, and they worked as one would expect, but they didn’t factor in my picture-making.

The Lenses

With any interchangeable lens camera system, like this Rollei, it’s arguable that the lenses are more important than the camera. I believe that to be true, anyway.

Despite this importance, when writing about an interchangeable lens camera it’s almost irrelevant to talk about specific lenses, since I’ve not used every lens for the system, and since every lens performs differently. That said, when reviewing interchangeable lens cameras, I always touch upon the range of available lenses and upon any obvious strengths or weaknesses in the line. So, briefly, let’s do that.

Rollei’s SL35M uses, as mentioned, Rollei’s QBM lens mount. This means that any QBM mount lens will naturally mount to the camera. However, it should be noted that lenses made for the earlier SL35 and SL350 will only meter in stop-down metering mode, which means that photographers using older lenses on the newer SL35M will have to use the camera’s depth-of-field preview lever to achieve an accurate meter reading.

That detail noted, the range of available lenses for the QBM system is full. Most of the lenses were made by Carl Zeiss, but there are also a range of Schneider lenses, as well as Rollei lenses.

The range of available Carl Zeiss prime lenses begins with a 15mm Distagon and climbs right up to a 1000mm Tele-Tessar. Spattered throughout are specialty lenses with fast apertures (the 35mm F/1.4 Distagon, the 50mm F/1.4 Planar, and the 85mm F/1.4 Planar), fisheye lenses (a 16mm F/2.8 F-Distagon), and mirror lenses (both a 500mm and 1000mm Mirotar).

Outside of Zeiss primes we fine Schneider primes in 35mm, 50mm, 135mm focal lengths, and two perspective control shift lenses in the 35mm PC Curtagon and 28mm PC Super Angulon.

Rollei offered their own prime lens range as well, starting with a 14mm fisheye and reaching up to a 500mm mirror lens. In addition, Rollei produced two macro lenses for their QBM, as well as a full range of zoom lenses, starting with a 28-80mm zoom and progressing up to a maximum zoom embodied in their 50-250mm lens.

All told, there are approximately fifty QBM lenses available from these three manufacturers, more than enough to satisfy the needs of film shooters today.

I repeat, I’ve not used every lens in this system. I doubt anyone has. However I wouldn’t hesitate to measure these lenses up against their era-correct equivalent competitors. I have faith in Zeiss and Schneider and Rollei to make glass equal to Nikon, Canon, Leica, etc.

[Sample images from some expired film (why do I keep doing this to myself?). Your results will be better and varied, depending on which lens you use.]

What I Learned Shooting My Vacation on (Expired) Film

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A Few Words on Singapore

I’ve noticed over the years (and specifically noticed again while researching the SL series of cameras) that many other camera likers who like cameras enough to make their job writing or talking about them have at times poo-pooed the Rollei SL35M and other Rollei models for the sin of having not been manufactured in Rollei’s glorious motherland of Germany. Which is correct. The SL35M and the cameras that came after it weren’t made in Germany. They were made in Singapore.

Does this bother me?

I’ve never been to Germany. I’ve never been to Singapore. I wasn’t even born when Rollei went bankrupt in 1981. I have no idea what the conditions in those countries are today, nor what they were when the camera was made, nor how the factories were run, nor how dedicated the staff of each factory was to the creation of a good product.

In a lifetime of labor, however, I’ve noticed that most people employed at a good job tend, in order to keep that job, to do the best job that they can. I assume that the jobs within Rollei factories regardless of their geographical location, Germany or Singapore, were considered good jobs by those who held them. Consequently I suspect that the people making Rollei cameras did a good job making them, regardless of where they were on the planet and regardless of whether they were named Franz or Wei.

I’d caution against listening to anyone’s opinion on the topic of products of the same design by the same manufacturer made in Country A versus Country B, unless they can tell you the name of the man or woman in both country’s factories who swept the floors on Wednesdays and what the lunch canteen served on Fridays.

The unfortunate habit of hobbyists in many hobbies to fawn over one country’s workforce while maligning another country’s workforce is simply soft-core jingoism.

My Made in Singapore Rollei works great.

Closing Thoughts and Should You Buy?

If you’ve reached this point in the article, you’re one of two types of camera nerd; the Thinkers, and the Lovers.

The Thinkers will be people who like cameras, but only buy the best, or only buy the cameras that help them achieve their goals in photography. Thinkers will have read the piece, appreciated the history, enjoyed the photos of a camera that they’ll never own, left a nice comment about my excellent writing (right?) and moved on with their lives.

The Lovers are different. And there’s an easy way to tell if you’re one of them.

Did you feel a flutter in your chest when you saw the picture of the Rollei at the head of this article? Did you feel an unyielding urge to hold one? Have you already opened additional browser tabs? Is one of them eBay? Did you already search for an SL35M, just to see the price? Did you already check your account balance? Did you, in fact, already buy one?

If you answered any of those questions in the affirmative, you’re a Lover. You love cameras and you want them all, even if the one you want isn’t necessarily better than the ones you’ve got.

So, should you buy a Rollei SL35M?

If you’re a Thinker, if you care about taking pictures more than you care about owning beautiful cameras, then you should not buy one. There are much better cameras than the Rollei. More important, there are much better cameras that cost much less than the Rollei. Any Japanese SLR, for example, from almost any decade. Any $40 Canon EOS. Any Nikon N series, or Nikon F series. Any Minolta SLR. The list could go on for decades (and in fact, it did, long after Rollei stopped making SLs).

But if you’re a Lover, well, you’ve already checked eBay and homed in on the one that’s meant to be. So, go for it. Buy it. The Rollei SL35M is a beautiful camera and a wonderful creation. It’s well made, makes all the right noises, is fun to use, and makes great pictures. You’ll love it as much as you love every other camera in your collection. Which is, a lot.

Buy your own Rollei SL35M on eBay

Buy a camera from our shop F Stop Cameras

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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 Rollei Rolleiflex SL35M Film Camera Review appeared first on Casual Photophile.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Surviving 2020 with an Olympus Pen FT

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

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

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

Get your own Olympus Pen FT on eBay here

Buy a camera in our shop F Stop Cameras

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