When looking for the best 35mm film cameras around $100, you’re faced with a daunting task of searching through listings for used models packaged with different lenses and at price points that can vary greatly. We’re here to help with this list of film cameras commonly available on the vintage (used) market.
We will also look at a couple of models still in new production. We followed three rules in creating this comparison: must be generally available, must have a lens on the body, and is not a disposable.
The functionality of a 35mm film camera is simple. So the differences arise in things like automated additions, lens availability, and build quality.
You might find these cameras listed for less than $100. Some may be more depending on the accessories and lenses included.
Check the reputation of the dealer shipping the goods. That way, you’re assured you will receive a product in working condition.
Note that rather than listing the focal range and aperture values of the lens that come with the camera, we list the lens mount type. This is because used/vintage cameras may be on the market with a variety of lenses. Prices of the overall kit might exceed our limit.
Here are the best film cameras around $100 generally available on the market today.
7 Best Film Cameras Around $100
Best Overall – Fixed Focal Range: Pentax K1000
- New or Vintage: Vintage
- Viewfinder Coverage: 88%
- Shutter Speed: 1s to 1/1000s
- Lens Mount: Pentax K; K-AF and K-AF2
- Flash: Hot shoe
- Weight: 1.6 lbs.
If you don’t want to worry about batteries, buy this Pentax. The only thing you would need a battery for is running the internal light meter.
It is simple to learn to use it. That is because it only has manual controls, shutter speed, aperture value and focus (film speed is set when you load it). This has made it a favorite of photography instructors for decades.
The range of shutter speeds on this camera is 1 second to 1/1000 of a second. That provides good control in both low and high light situations.
It is often found with a fixed focal length 50mm f/2 lens. It hits the sweet spot of a ‘Nifty Fifty’ that works for many types of imaging conditions. The more modern K-AF and K-AF2 lenses will also work on this body but only in manual mode.
This model and its slightly modified successors were designed and built with durability in mind, so there are many permutations and combinations still in circulation. There are plenty of these used cameras on the market, so buyer beware when it comes to purchasing from a reliable source, as not all work as well as marketed.
If you want to learn basic photography skills at a level that forces you to practice what you understand and makes things easy with features like film winding confirmation, this Pentax is a great choice for you.
Best Overall – Zoom Focal Range: Canon EOS Rebel GII
- New or Vintage: Vintage
- Viewfinder Coverage: 90%
- Shutter Speed: 1s to 1/2000s
- Lens Mount: Canon EF
- Flash: Built-in
- Weight: .8 lbs.
If this is going to be your first 35mm film camera, the automatic settings and eleven exposure controls on this Canon will make you feel powerful from the beginning. Manual focusing is easy to understand with the range of fully automated to partial fixed settings. The camera is compatible with the extensive list of over 300 native EF lenses.
While this camera is light in weight and entry-level in design and features, it remains a wonderful choice for learning how film photography works. Its adjustable shutter speeds from 30s to 1/2000s are extensive for all shooting situations. The ISO range of 25-5000 adjusts in 1/3 stop increments, giving you plenty of light sensitivity control.
Some consumers note the product they received in used condition was barely usable, which is a possibility with any vintage camera. Users love the zoom and focus of the lens generally packaged with it, a 35-80mm. For those testing the film waters, taking a black and white or color photography class, or just wanting a film camera to use with a zoom lens, this Canon offers everything you need, qualifying it as the best overall for variable focal range on our list.
Best for Kids/Kit: Lomography Konstruktor F
- New or Vintage: New
- Viewfinder Coverage: Unknown
- Shutter Speed: 1/80s
- Lens Mount: Fixed
- Flash: Add-on
- Weight: 1.28 lbs.
If you have a child who likes to take things apart to see how they work (or an adult who’s into that), what better way to introduce them to film imaging than by building a camera for themselves. This kit produces a camera known for Lomography, a specific style of color-skewed and deliberately blurry 35mm film work. It is not designed to be a clear-focus, true to life photo system.
The fixed 50mm f/10 lens produces interesting artsy results in the sweet spot of a Nifty Fifty without any choices on aperture value. Its fully manual focusing and controls teach the user about the interplay of settings and light sensitivity. An automatic film counter reminds you about advancing to the next film frame.
Users note that while this is easy to assemble, you might need a pair of tweezers for some pieces if your fingers are larger. It needs no battery, and everything snaps or screws into place, making it a safe camera for kids who have the patience to follow instructions. If you want a unique gift for the DIYer on your shopping list, this kit is made for them.
Best Point-and-Shoot: Olympus Stylus Epic Zoom 170
- New or Vintage: Vintage
- Viewfinder Coverage: Unknown
- Shutter Speed: Automatic
- Lens Mount: Fixed
- Flash: Built-in
- Weight: 1.0 lbs.
This Olympus Epic model is made in many versions, with the number in the model name designating the zoom of the lens. For our list, the 170 is terrific because it captures the range from wide to medium tele (38-170mm) with ease. The lens cover slides open, rather than auto-opening, making it instantly and always available for images.
This camera is fully automatic in its settings, so all you do is point it and press the shutter release button. The camera does the rest, including advancing the film (something that can be overlooked in the spur of the photo moment). It is fully weather-sealed, too, so rainy days won’t be a problem.
Users note that generally, they find these cameras have survived their used and sometimes abused conditions surprisingly well. Be mindful of the number in the model you’re buying, since you might have a different variable focal range or fixed focus lens on your buying choice. For an ultra-light point & shoot film camera you want to slide in your pocket and have ready to take film images on the spot, this Olympus and its siblings deliver solid choices.
Best Fully Manual: Nikon FM10 with 35-70mm Lens
- New or Vintage: New
- Viewfinder Coverage: 92%
- Shutter Speed: 1s to 1/2000s
- Lens Mount: Nikon F
- Flash: Hot shoe
- Weight: 2.25 lbs.
You can find this Nikon as both new and vintage models on primary and secondary markets. Some claim the older ones have a better build and are more reliable, though there’s no verification for that. As Nikon is now concentrating on digital cameras, it is likely that we’ll see this turn into a vintage-only model in the future.
This camera makes the list because its features are fully manual. In the 35mm world, that’s a real plus when you’re learning the craft of photography. Note that it is regularly sold in a kit with this 35-70mm f/3.5-4.8 zoom (general purpose) lens as well as a 70-210mm f/4.5-5.6 zoom tele.
Reviewers note this camera is the bottom of the Nikon line, citing issues such as a lack of lens options (despite being an F mount), lack of features, and deliberately old technology. It also lacks the durability one associates with Nikon. However, it is repeatedly called a great beginner’s camera for its all-manual features, and for that reason, it’s an offering to consider for a first camera.
Best for Beginners: Canon AE-1
- New or Vintage: Vintage
- Viewfinder Coverage: 96%
- Shutter Speed: 2s to 1/1000s
- Lens Mount: Canon FD
- Flash: Hot shoe
- Weight: 1.9 lbs.
For the eight years Canon offered this new model on the market, it broke sales records with over a million units sold overall. Its durability means that many are still available in great working condition, along with a slew of fixed interchangeable Canon lenses. The 50mm f/1.8, a fast Nifty Fifty partner, is the common way you’ll see it sold.
Photogs regarded the AE-1 as being the first camera with a built-in microprocessor, making it unique in the automatic film world of the time. This means you move from full manual to three automatic settings with the flick of a dial. It helps you learn how to make each shot count through its various combinations of shutter speed, aperture and light.
It is important to buy this vintage model from a reputable dealer that has fully tested and guarantees the working order of the camera. Users have had problems with the microprocessor that cannot be repaired by a local camera shop. For the beginner who wants to make the move forward to automatic and perhaps digital someday, this Canon provides the step up for your camera bag in the learning process.
Best Budget: Minolta 7000
- New or Vintage: Vintage
- Viewfinder Coverage: 94%
- Shutter Speed: 30s to 1/2000s
- Lens Mount: Minolta A
- Flash: Hot shoe
- Weight: 2.3 lbs.
This Minolta won praise at its introduction as the first autofocus SLR. The autofocus sensors and drive are located inside the camera body, allowing its lenses to be smaller, less expensive, and more compact. It comes with older metal bodies (a bit pricier) or newer ones made of plastic.
Usually found matched with a super-fast 35-70mm f/1.4 zoom lens, it was a professional’s camera choice from the get-go. One reason was the customizable ISO, aperture and shutter speed options. Settings range from full manual to full auto and aperture and shutter priorities in between, and the autofocusing system is known to be even faster than today’s DSLRs.
Users note that the autofocusing system takes a little getting used to, in part because it relies on something with horizontal or vertical texture to sharpen its perspective. Because it is motorized, it makes some noise, but not much more than other auto cameras of the period. Lens choices expanded into the affordable Sony Alpha mount as well as the Minolta A, making it a good-for-the-budget choice on our list with plenty of lens options.
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