35mm Cameras Full Story

Available 35mm point-and-shoot cameras

The point-and-shoot camera most often recommended by the pros is the fixed focal length (zoomless) Olympus Stylus Epic . The entire Stylus line, which earns high marks in general, has a sleek clamshell cover that protects the lens and flash when closed. Cited for excellent optics, the Stylus Epic is weatherproof and easy to use, with a range of shutter speeds (2-1/1000 second) comparable to SLRs. While this model has been discontinued, it is still available in stores. Olympus has a new inexpensive line of zoomless 35mm cameras, the Trip series, which are also compact. The Olympus Trip 600 ((*est. $30)) is a focus-free camera with automatic flash with red eye reduction, automatic film speed, automatic advance and auto-rewind. The 600 has a 28mm wide angle lens. A similar model is the Trip AF 60 (*Est. $35) which can put dates on photographs (the Trip 600 doesn't add dates). We found only a couple of short user reviews for these models, not enough to draw any major conclusions.

The Olympus Stylus Epic line has been well received over the years. The basic fixed focus Epic can still be found in a few stores, as well as on eBay, and it is clearly a more robust camera than the Trip series. The Epic camera is weatherproof with a pop-up flash instead of a fixed flash. The zoom version is the Stylus Epic 170 QD (*Est. $60) , also discontinued. It has a range of 38mm to 170mm, so you'll be able to zoom in closer to your subject. There are also several options for date imprinting. Owners rave about this camera and award it very good scores. Users praise the ease of use, the sharp picture quality and the zoom lens.

Canon no longer makes 35mm point-and-shoot film cameras. You might still find some in stores, however. The Canon Sure Shot 90u (*Est. $180) has a focal length of 38mm to 90mm. This automatic 2.3X zoom camera has five shooting modes including auto, night portrait and action. It also has a built-in flash, autofocus and a 10 second self-timer. Amazon.com users say the 90u takes great photos.

Konica Minolta stopped making film cameras in 2006, but you might still see the Konica Minolta Zoom 110 Date (*Est. $50) available. This camera is equipped with a 2.9x zoom lens. Testers say it has an excellent flash and picture quality. It has a 1000-step autofocus system, a five-mode flash and a range of shutter speeds (4 to 1/500 second). It weighs a light 6.5 ounces and has a lens focal length of 38mm to 110mm.

The Leica Minilux Zoom (*Est. $500) , an expensive enthusiasts' camera, is a top pick for a few reviewers. Leica cameras are often known for their high quality lenses. It has a high-grade zoom lens with a length of 35mm to 70mm. There is a built in flash or you can purchase a separate flash unit, and there are options for autofocus or manual focus. This very expensive camera is for the enthusiast collector crowd; entire websites are dedicated to it.