SLR Cameras Reviews

Consumer Reports hasn't reviewed 35mm SLR cameras since 1993, and Popular Photography no longer publishes its annual comparison review. Film still has devoted users, however, and we found excellent recent reviews of 35mm SLR cameras at Photo.net and Shutterbug.net. Bill Katzenstein's excellent head-to-head comparison of the Canon, Nikon, and Leica flagship models has been updated as recently as 2007. Detailed single-product reviews at Popular Photography and other camera sites are still very useful, and owners are still actively rating and reviewing film SLR cameras at an impressive number of sites.

Pentax and Minolta have stopped making film cameras, though there's still an active market for used cameras and their K-mount lenses are still considered excellent buys. Vivitar and Cosina-Voigtlander continue to offer budget 35mm SLR cameras for these lenses, with the Vivitar V3800N (*est. $160 with zoom lens) the least expensive way to learn manual film photography.

Reviews also continue to recommend Canon and Nikon 35mm SLR cameras for most users, however, since there's a wide choice of fine lenses to rent, as well as to buy new or used. Many of the lenses also fit Canon or Nikon digital SLR cameras. If you already own a Canon or Nikon digital SLR and want to add a film SLR camera body to use the same lenses, you've already chosen your brand.  ... Continued

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

The flagship models, the Nikon F6 and Canon EOS 1V, are evenly matched in reviews. At lower price points, Canon EOS has the edge but the Nikon FM10 still gets good marks.