Best Film Cameras You Can Buy Today (New and Classic)
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Film is expensive now. A roll of color film plus developing can run you more than a nice lunch, and you won’t know if your shots worked for a week. People are buying film cameras anyway, in huge numbers. Turns out not seeing the photo right away is kind of the point.
The good news is you’ve got real choices again. A few years ago “new film camera” meant a disposable. Now there are proper new cameras from Pentax and Lomography alongside cheap, fun point-and-shoots and the old classics.
New or Used?
This is the big decision. New cameras come with a warranty and a shutter that definitely fires. Used cameras get you better lenses and metal bodies for less money, but a 45-year-old camera might need new light seals or a meter repair.
My take: if you’re just starting, buy new and cheap, or buy used from a dealer who tests the gear. Don’t gamble on an untested eBay listing for your first camera.
The Best Film Cameras You Can Buy Today
1. Pentax 17
Best for: Best new film camera overall
The first all-new film camera from a major brand in about two decades, and it shows. It shoots half frame, so a 36-exposure roll gives you 72 photos, which takes a real bite out of that film cost. Solid build, nice lens, manual film advance lever. It feels like a camera from 1979 that somebody fixed all the annoying parts on.
It isn’t cheap. It’s also the one I’d tell a friend to buy.
2. Lomography Lomo MC-A
Best for: Best new camera with autofocus
Autofocus, manual control options and a proper metal-feeling body. If the Pentax 17’s zone focusing sounds like homework, this is the alternative.
3. Kodak Ektar H35N
Best for: Best cheap half-frame camera
A light, plastic half-frame camera that doubles your shots per roll and costs about as much as a couple rolls of film. Fixed focus, simple controls. It’s a fun party and travel camera.
4. Kodak Snapic A1
Best for: Best point-and-shoot for beginners
A simple 35mm point-and-shoot with automatic exposure and a built-in flash. Load it, shoot it, get it developed. That’s it, and that’s the appeal.
5. Fujifilm Instax Mini 12
Best for: Best instant camera
Not technically the same thing, I know. But if what you really want is film’s look and the fun of a physical photo, an Instax gives you a print in about 90 seconds. Kids and adults both love it.
6. Canon AE-1 Program
Best for: Best classic SLR
The camera most people picture when they hear “film camera.” It’s a 70s and 80s icon with a huge range of cheap lenses. Buy one from a dealer that tests it or sells renewed units, and add a fresh battery before you assume it’s broken.
Don’t Forget the Film
Kodak Gold 200 and Kodak UltraMax 400 are the easy starter picks for color. For black and white, Ilford HP5 Plus is forgiving and looks great. Buy a few rolls at once since prices keep creeping up.
If you want the history behind the classics, check out our film camera timeline.
FAQ
What’s the best film camera for a beginner?
The Kodak Snapic A1 or Ektar H35N if you want cheap and simple. The Pentax 17 if you want a camera you’ll keep using for years.
Is film photography expensive?
Yes, more than it used to be. Half-frame cameras like the Pentax 17 and Ektar H35N help by doubling the shots on every roll.
Where can I get film developed?
Many local camera shops still develop film, and mail-in labs process rolls and send you scans online.
Is a used Canon AE-1 still worth buying?
Yes, if it’s tested. Check that the shutter doesn’t squeak and the light meter works with a fresh battery.
What film should I start with?
Kodak Gold 200 for sunny days, Kodak UltraMax 400 for mixed light, and Ilford HP5 Plus for black and white.
