35mm Cameras: Reviews

Updated February 2008

We consulted a dozen sources, including user reviews to find the best film cameras - though there are few models on the market. At the time of this update, Olympus and Leica were just about the last manufacturers standing. Experts now recommend upgrading to digital cameras.

FONT
PRINT

Compare All

Basic 35mm film camera

Olympus Trip 600

(*est. $30) Learn More

Olympus is one of the few companies still making 35mm point-and-shoot film cameras. The inexpensive Olympus Trip 600 is lightweight and compact. It doesn't have a zoom or many other features. Rather, it's just a step… expandabove a disposable camera. One nice aspect is its wide 28mm lens, which is wide enough for nice looking landscape shots, or for fitting a large group of people into the frame. collapse

See Our Full Review

Expert & User Review Sources:

Amazon.com: Very few of the 35mm cameras reviewed here are still on the market; the Olympus Trip 600 has one five-star review.

Epinions.com: Epinions is a good place to find user reviews for film cameras, which are rarely rated.

Better quality 35mm point-and-shoot camera

Olympus Stylus Epic

(*est. $100) Compare Prices

Although it's no longer being manufactured, the Olympus Stylus Epic was one of the best rated point-and-shoot film cameras. It's weatherproof body and solid construction separates it from the Olympus Trip 600. The Epic… expandalso has a self-timer a feature that is missing on the Trip. However, a basic digital camera costs only about $25 more. collapse

See Our Full Review

Expert & User Review Sources:

Popular Photography: Popular Photography editors (as of 2004) say the Olympus Stylus Epic is still an exceptional bargain, and one of the sharpest cameras on the market.

Good Housekeeping: Good Housekeeping recommends seven point-and-shoot cameras "for ease of use and high-quality photos at reasonable prices." For 35mm cameras, the top pick is the Olympus Stylus Epic Zoom 80 CF.

Photo.net: Photo maven Philip Greenspun has good things to say about the Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer, the Olympus Stylus Epic and the Ricoh GR1.

Ken Rockwell: On his site, professional photographer Ken Rockwell calls the Olympus Stylus Epic a "pro's secret."

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Buy from
Amazon