The Ten Best Electronic 35mm SLR’s Ever Made

When I wrote our Ten Best Mechanical SLRs Ever Made article, I almost immediately knew I had to follow it with a Ten Best Electronic SLRs Ever Made article. This was followed by a hint of excitement, which was then tempered by a big helping of dread and anxiety. We are, after all, talking about the most popular, well-known, and most diverse segment of film cameras out there. Everybody’s going to have an opinion.

So before we get started, let’s establish some ground rules. The electronic 35mm SLR category encompasses any 35mm SLR whose exposure capabilities are aided by electronics. This can range from something like the humble, aperture-priority-only Nikon EM to the autofocus-equipped, armed-with-every-mode-ever Minolta A7. That’s as varied as it gets.

It is this category’s extraordinary variety that makes this list so difficult, yet so exciting to organize. I ended up having to ask myself some rather serious questions about cameras and list-making in general. What really, and I mean really , makes a camera (or anything) great? Is it their stat sheet and groundbreaking tech, or is it the beauty of their execution of existing tech? Is it their sales figures or their historical importance? Is it what the camera is objectively, or is it how that camera made you feel?

Each camera on this list revealed to me a different answer to every one of those questions. To other shooters, other cameras may hold different answers still. This isn’t an objectively perfect Top 10 list, but these are my and I’m sticking with them. Do check my answers you'll find links to reviews of each of these cameras in the paragraphs below each.

Let’s get into it.

Nikon F3

I should start this by saying that this list isn’t intended to be sequential. Every one of these cameras are about as good at helping you make images, are as interesting, and are as worthy of your love and attention as each other. But heaven help you if you thought that I wasn’t going to put the Nikon F3 first, even symbolically.

Sure, the F3 is hyped up by literally everybody (including myself). Sure, it’s not as capable as any pro-spec autofocus SLR. Sure, it’s nearly functionally similar to nearly any bare-bones electronic SLR. And yes, the LCD display sucks and the AE lock button sometimes aggravates my carpal tunnel. I know – it’s not perfect.

But look at it, just for a second. Look upon its Italian, Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed body, with its sharp, defined lines terminating in a soft curve accented by the now-iconic Nikon red stripe. Look into the viewfinder and enjoy brightness and eye-relief beyond compare. Marvel at the accuracy and utility of its uncommon 80/20 center-weighted meter, and watch in awe as it works in immaculate concert with its aperture-priority mode. And press the shutter button and listen to its crisp chirp, feel the smooth ratchet of its perfectly-engineered, ball-bearing mounted, self lubricating advance lever, and frame the next shot with joy and inspiration in your heart. It’s not perfect, but God, it’s close.

Now, I'm only being slightly facetious. The Nikon F3 really is a beautiful, historically important, and still-relevant machine that has occupied its lofty place in camera history from the day it was released in March 1980. It was Nikon’s last professional manual focus camera, and may still even be its greatest. It enjoyed an incredible twenty year production run from 1980-2000 and remains an incredible camera even in the 2020’s, owing to its sleek lines, spartan charm, and easy usability. I recommend it to those shooters who are loyal to 35mm, the SLR genre, and good design as a whole. Even after all the hype, the Nikon F3 is still one of the best there ever was.

[Get a Nikon F3 on eBay here]

Nikon FA

I know what you’re thinking. This is a top 10 list for all electronically-controlled SLR’s, and we’re giving Nikon two spots? Is that really what we’re doing?

Yes. That is, in fact, what we’re doing.

That’s because our next camera is Nikon’s most advanced manual focus camera ever, and a camera that is likely more influential than any in their entire roster – the Nikon FA, otherwise known as the Technocamera.

The FA makes this list for two reasons – its influence, and its still-astonishing usability. For one, the FA’s emphasis on technology over pure pro-spec performance should sound familiar – it is one of the familiar plays of the “advanced amateur” camera and one that carries on to this day. Sure, the Minolta X-series and Canon A-series did this first, but the FA is arguably the genre’s greatest exponent. It blew all those other electronic manual focus cameras out of the water with its pioneering technology, matrix metering, which was the first to utilize a computer to analyze a given scene to produce a meter reading. Any doubters to the FA’s influence need not look further than their own digital camera – matrix metering (or evaluative metering) is likely the default metering mode.

Perhaps the greatest attribute of the FA is that it utilized its incredibly complicated technology just to make everything easier for any level of shooter. Shooting an FA is simplicity in manual focus form – just focus, shoot, and you’ll get a perfect image. I recommend it highly for anybody looking for just one SLR body to grow with (provided, of course, that you find one that works).

[Get a Nikon FA on eBay here]

Olympus OM-4Ti

But that’s enough of looking at this list through Nikon multi-coated glasses. If you’re tired of hearing me squawk about how cool Nikon is, how about this – there’s a camera that might be better than the both the FA and the F3, and it’s not a Nikon. It’s the Olympus OM4-Ti.

Those who remember 1983’s Olympus OM4 remember a camera that may have been the most advanced, and smallest, professional-level SLR of its day. It crammed all of Olympus’ most advanced technologies into a shock and weather-resistant chassis the size of a Leica-M camera. It featured the world’s first multi-spot meter (which could take a spot reading from eight different segments of the frame), as well as their famous off-the-film-plane style of metering, which ensured an incredible amount of metering accuracy. Whereas the FA took care of everything for the user, the OM4 gave the user ultimate control over the exposure, and to a degree arguably finer than even the Nikon F3. And similar to the F3, the OM-4 enjoyed an incredibly long production life spanning from 1987 to 2002 in its now-famous Ti form.

If we’re talking absolute endgame cameras, never mind the greatest electronic 35mm SLR’s of all time, the Olympus OM-4 ranks near the top. This is the camera that best represents Olympus’ philosophy of quality, compact design, and technological ingenuity. I heartily recommend the OM4-Ti, the titanium-clad version of this camera, as they are the easiest to find in stellar condition.

[Get an Olympus OM4 on eBay here]

Minolta XD (XD-7, XD-11)

Even though this is a list of The Greatest, I despise the GOAT (greatest of all time) debate, in any form. If I have to hear Stephen A. Smith get into a shouting match with some other weird talking head about lEbRoN jAmEs I may just lose it. Aside from the tendency of GOAT arguments to devolve into obnoxious rants made to harvest hate clicks and provoke engagement-at-all-costs, it’s that the argument often fails to take into account the limitations of the knowledge and the changing values of the time of any athlete, artist, or whoever. Bjorn Borg never had the chance to play with a graphite tennis racquet, polyester strings, and years of sports science research; Rafa Nadal never had to play with a wooden racquet, natural gut strings, and in a time where smoke breaks were a thing.

Considering this, a camera like the Minolta XD becomes even more remarkable in hindsight. Released in the olden days of 1977, the Minolta XD became the very first multimode SLR at a time when such things did not exist. I can’t stress that enough – nobody had even seen a camera that could perform both aperture and shutter priority duties with a flick of a switch until this camera came along. Just like we wouldn’t have had Kobe Bryant or LeBron James without Michael Jordan, we wouldn’t have the FA, the OM4-Ti, the Canon A-1, or practically any multi-mode camera in history without the Minolta XD. It’s that important.

Now before anybody hurls a tomato at me and accuses me of picking cameras purely on historical relevance, I will remind you that this is the Minolta freakin’ XD we’re talking about. This is, to this day, one of the finest shooting manual focus SLR’s ever made. It was perhaps the best child of the union between Minolta and Leitz (yes, that Leitz), and features the best combination of the former’s technological wizardry and the latter’s elegance in design. While not as well equipped as the later Nikon FA or Olympus OM4-Ti, the Minolta XD still holds a distinct edge in shooting layout and build quality. Its Acute Matte focusing screen is the same found in Hasselblad cameras, its controls are snappy and smooth, and if obtained in the black trim, you get a black chrome Leitz-approved finish. It is also, in my opinion, the most elegantly designed of the compact manual focus SLRs on this list. It may not be the greatest of all time, but its greatness transcends that tired moniker.

[Get a Minolta XD on eBay here]

Canon A-1

While the Minolta XD came sprinting out of the gates first in the photographic technological arms race of the late 70’s, there was a rival following close behind. It was clad in all black enamel, cut a Darth Vader-esque figure, and packed one key technology that the XD was too timid to give an official name to - programmed auto-exposure. It’s Canon’s finest creation from their manual focus FD mount days, the Canon A-1.

More than most other cameras of its ilk, the Canon A-1 is emblematic of the hyper-technological advanced amateur segment. It’s covered in the technology of the day, most importantly becoming the first camera to feature shutter priority, aperture priority, manual override, AND programmed autoexposure in one body (note: the rival Minolta XD does technically have a program mode, but it’s not as explicitly stated as it is on the A-1). The feature list goes on longer than Too $hort's music career, and includes an exposure lock, an exposure compensation dial, an extended range of manually selectable shutter speeds from 2 to 30 seconds, a viewfinder shutter, double exposure capability, and discrete dials for each shooting mode. Yes, this may contribute to a cluttered control interface, but it’s a small price to pay when the entire photographic world is just a switch away.

I can practically hear the furious keystrokes of Canon AE-1 owners in the comment section. Why the A-1 over the obviously more important AE-1? It’s simple – it’s a better camera. The A-1 does everything the AE-1 and AE-1 Program can do. It also does more, does it better, and most importantly, does it cheaper.

[Get a Canon A1 on eBay here]

Canon AE-1

But even all that said, I can’t in good conscience leave the Canon AE-1 out. It’s the VW Bug, the Coca-Cola, the Fender Stratocaster of electronic SLR’s. It’s also the reason the consumer-focused electronic SLR segment even exists.

Just like we did with the Minolta XD, we have to consider what the photographic world was like before the AE-1. Before it, the amateur SLR market consisted of bulky bare bones cameras that were often simplified versions of their professional counterparts. Although these were often very good cameras in their own right, they painted the entire SLR format as something reserved only for professionals, while amateurs were largely better off with fixed lens rangefinders or viewfinder cameras.

The introduction of the automated Canon AE-1 in 1976 completely shattered the popular preconception of what an SLR should be. It was small, lightweight, and due to its groundbreaking microprocessor-powered shutter priority mode, incredibly easy to shoot – in short, the opposite of what an SLR was. It sold like no other SLR before it, eventually selling 5.7 million units worldwide. The AE-1 proved so popular that it opened up an entirely new consumer-focused amateur SLR segment in the market, and paved the way for every automated SLR to come afterwards.

Though I will always pick the more fully featured A-1 over the AE-1 and the later AE-1 Program from a shooter’s perspective (and have actually spoken ill of said cameras in an infamous article), I will admit there is a certain charm to shooting an AE-1. It’s practically a rite of passage as a beginner; millions of shooters experienced SLR photography for the first time through its viewfinder. It isn’t the best camera on this list, but it’s certainly the most important, and is still a fine shooter for any class of photographer.

[Get a Canon AE1 on eBay here]

Pentax LX

James once called the Pentax LX “The Best Professional 35mm Camera.” I remember holding my Nikon F3 kind of like how this lady holds Kevin Hart. I later realized I didn’t do this out of skepticism; I did it because it was probably true.

Fitting for the Pentax design ethos, the Pentax LX is maybe the most unassuming of the pro-spec electronic SLRs of the day (this is, of course, the same company that gave us the Wonder Bread of cameras, the Pentax K1000). But similarly befitting of Pentax, it is the near flawless execution of the LX’s build and the thoughtfulness of its design that gives it its power.

In abbreviated terms (for the long form review, click here) the Pentax LX is what you’d get if you shrunk a Nikon F3, a Canon F-1 New, or a Minolta XK down to the size of an Olympus OM-series camera while somehow sacrificing none of those camera’s features. It features nine interchangeable viewfinders, ten different focusing screens, motor drive capabilities, and a TTL OTF metering system which controls a stellar aperture priority mode. While managing this, the LX still managed to surpass its competitors by adding a mechanical backup across five different shutter speeds, and by being uncommonly well sealed against the elements, making it shock and water resistant to a degree those other cameras would envy. No other pro-spec SLR, manual focus or autofocus, can lay claim to this kind of a spec sheet.

Best of all, it’s an incredibly user-friendly camera. Its small size and thoughtful control layout makes it perhaps the most ergonomically friendly camera to shoot on this list. And if you can find one, prepare to enjoy the best Pentax SLR body ever made.

[Get a Pentax LX on eBay here]

Leica R5

A few months ago, the Casual Photophile writers’ chat had a small debate about what their subjective perfect camera would be. I chimed in with, “Black Minolta XD with an exposure lock would be pretty near-perfect” James quickly reminded me that that camera already exists, only that it isn’t a Minolta XD. It’s the Leica R5.

The Leica R5 is often reductively considered a German Minolta XD on the juice, which is true to some degree. The R5 itself is based on the R4, Leica’s version of the Minolta XD, which was itself born out of a particularly interesting collaboration between Leica and Minolta, which you can read about here. The R4 took the XD and added an incredible metering system which, in aperture priority mode, can utilize both spot and center weighted metering, and officially added both an AE lock (in selective spot metering mode) and a program mode (!!). The R5 expounded on this by adding a wider shutter speed range (15s - 1/2000th of a second), TTL flash metering, and an even fancier program mode with a shift capability.\

Where the XD excelled in innovation and layout, the R5 excels in sheer build quality, shooting experience, and lens roster, and that’s saying something considering what I just wrote about the XD a few paragraphs before this. The R5 equipped with a 50mm Summicron is pure luxury in electronic 35mm SLR form, with every action streamlined, smooth, and of the very highest quality. You can’t expect less from a company like Leica.

[Get a Leica R5 on eBay here]

Contax RTS III

The camera which takes the penultimate spot on this list is, admittedly, my pick of the bunch. As much as I love my old faithful Nikon F3 and all of my Nikkor lenses, I have to give it up for the last great SLR of the manual focus age (barring the Nikon FM3a), the Contax RTS III.

The Contax RTS III is the platonic ideal of the manual focus electronic 35mm SLR segment. Released in 1990, it was one of the last of its kind due the mass shift towards autofocus SLRs. With the manual focus SLR’s last gasp, Contax perfected the form, bestowing their already beautiful RTS series of cameras with every piece of tech they could muster. The camera featured an incredible 32 - 1/8000th of a second shutter, an integrated motor drive that maxed out at 5 FPS, and a freakin’ vacuum film pressure plate for maximum film flatness (seriously, who does that??). Combine this with access to the entire roster of Zeiss C/Y mount lenses and it’s hard to think of a pound-for-pound more impressive SLR system.

Historically, the Contax RTS III can be seen as a swan song for the thirty odd years manual focus SLRs ruled the world. It combines the ease-of-use, flexibility, and raw capability of the later autofocus SLR’s with the elegant, concise control layout of old school manual focus cameras, and wraps it all up in the impeccable lines Contax is known for. For the manual focus faithful as well as Zeiss fanatics, it is the ultimate electronic SLR.

[Get a Contax RTS III on eBay here]

Canon EOS-1v

Seasoned readers of the site will likely have noticed our omission of autofocus 35mm SLR’s, a class of cameras objectively more capable than any on this list. This is intentional – I believe judging cameras purely on raw capability is just as shallow as judging athletes purely on final trophy count. Ichiro Suzuki, who maybe the greatest hitter to ever play baseball, never won a World Series and yet occupies a space among the legends. In the same way, I don’t think that cameras can simply be reduced to their picture-taking ability – there’s something more to them that we love.

With all that in mind, it might be surprising to pick the Canon EOS-1v as the representative for the roided-up autofocus SLR segment. It is not the statistical leader of the segment (that would be the Minolta A9), nor is it a personal favorite (that would be the Nikon F6). I do, however, think the EOS-1v is the epitome of the genre, has the best professional pedigree, and represents a culmination of technology in film photography as well as an important link to the digital future. The feature list is mind-boggling, so I’ll just list some of the greatest hits: 45-point autofocus, a shutter speed range from 30 seconds to 1/8000th of a second, 21-zone evaluative (matrix) metering, an 8.5% partial meter, 2.4% spot meter capable of multi-spot metering , and a centerweighted meter, and a 3 FPS motor drive, among other features. It was rugged and reliable, ergonomically near-perfect and distinctly modern in its design (it’s basically a 35mm Canon EOS-1D), and subsequently a favorite of professional photographers in the twilight of the film era.

The EOS-1v makes this list not only because of its capabilities, but because it is a camera that represents the link between the film and digital eras. The proof lies in two things – its design and its lens mount. The design of the EOS-1v foregrounded every modern Canon DSLR, and can be seen almost unchanged in cameras like the 5D Mk II and 1D. For my Nikonians out there, I’m sorry to say that history shows that Canon’s EF mount surpassed the F mount in the transition from film to digital. The EOS system became the de facto professional standard, with the “L” series of lenses becoming legendary in the modern era. Professionals who have already built up a formidable arsenal of EOS lenses can use Canon EOS-1v as a virtual 1:1 film version of Canon’s DSLR offerings, making it the most sensible choice for working professionals still interested in shooting 35mm. If it is pure performance you’re after, this is the camera to get.

[Get a Canon EOS 1v on eBay here]

Well, that’s the list. If you have another favorite mechanical SLR, let us know about it in the comments below.

You can find many classic SLR cameras in our shop, F Stop Cameras

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[ Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates atB&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post The Ten Best Electronic 35mm SLR's Ever Made appeared first on Casual Photophile.

#35mmfilm #camerareviews #canon #contax #filmcameras #germancameras #japanesecamerasandlenses #leica #minolta #nikon #olympus #pentax #slrcameras #topfives

10 Less Popular Film Photography YouTube Channels to Follow

A decade ago, the film camera YouTube scene was mainly occupied by uncle-figures. To them, a message of love: thank you for holding the fort at a time when film stocks and film cameras were being discontinued and abandoned by the minute. In those days, it took stamina, stubbornness, and a sense of resistance to keep any analog community alive, virtual or not.

But a new generation has taken over the stage: as passionate as their predecessors, they spent their early days not only growing their analog muscles, but doing so around digital bones. The result is that we now enjoy a visually strong, video savvy community that, helped by the last decade of technological developments, crafts each video with the care and talent of small film studios. It's a good time to be a camera nerd, analog or digital, or more commonly, both.

No doubt the algorithm has already suggested some of the most prolific, long-lasting, and famous film photography YouTube channels to you. With tens of thousands of subscribers, Matt Day, Kyle MacDougall, and King JVpes are just a few of the most popular ones out there.

But there are numerous other committed YouTube analog photographers who may have flown under your algorithmic radar. This is me taking on a very authoritative voice and asserting my expertise: here are the ten best film photography YouTube channels ever created that you should absolutely be following right now.

Rewind.

Let me say that again, but with a tiny bit more of myself in it (so, more anxieties and much less confidence). Here are my very own, very personal, favorite film photography YouTube channels right now, at this moment. I just like them. I hope you will, too. Go follow them. If you want. Please. Thank you.

Analog Life (formerly Film Life Vlog)

A true analog photography amateur in the original sense of the word ( love is at the roots of the word), Analog Life explores all corners of analog practice. His fantastic collection from thrift stores looks like a museum and will have you turning into a Goodwill scavenger in no time. The channel also walks viewers through the process of making photographs from A to Z: from setting up your darkroom to getting your hands into film development, from best cameras for beginners, to digital versus film. The channel has recently started to embrace its full self and move into "analog life" much beyond film: think radios, tapes, and other retro tech.

Aly's Vintage Camera Alley

Whether you just want to look into some lesser-known shutter boxes or looking for repair advice, Aly's Vintage Camera Alley is where you should be. The channel is only one facet of Aly's fabulous camera reviews, cleaning, and repairing tutorials. Maybe you are here to join her in her pushing/pulling film adventures. Or you just want to tag along on a photo walk with her (and since we can’t yet come back to the actual photo walks under-appreciated in our ancient face to face life, virtual photo walks remain a nice stand-in). AVCA is also a blog in which you can read about all the above, plus snapshots of the film community through a series of detailed and personal interviews.

Joan Michel

Joan Michel's channel offers everything that makes YouTube YouTube: the never-stop learning part and the strong hanging out part. Camera tests and film stock reviews and how-tos might get you there first. Then you'll hang around to simply spend good virtual time with her through her vlogs: documenting her photographic journey and life, with New Jersey and New York casually existing in the background. Her Creative Juice series, in which she chats with other film photographers, is the only zoom meeting you won't be looking forward to skip.

Talya Adams

Crashing Talya Adams' videos of behind the scene shoots feels like a pro just handed you the pass to get backstage. Whether you are more interested in her street photography in L.A., her portraits in studio or outdoors, she takes you along with an eye on the practical and technical specifics of the moment. Her channel is very process-oriented, and following her often feels like joining an ongoing workshop. Her use of natural light for portraits is fantastic, and her camera reviews carry the energy she brings to her photography. And and and… she has a Cheap Series that no analog photographer worth their roll of film should skip.

Karin Majoka

In my (somewhat nerdy) imagination, Karin Majoka and I became pandemic lockdown friends (along with Doing Film Things and T. Hopper, listed below, who also created their channels right in time to keep me company during the end of the world). Her channel even had lockdown segments that may have played a small tiny minuscule role in reuniting me with daily film photography practice. But the confinement panic and pandemic blues are not the only reasons for her channel to remain one of my absolute favorites: the aesthetic, the humorous tone, and the casual know-how just embark you as a viewer (and yes, I will stay for yet another Leica review, who would have thought!). You might want to tag along for her photo walks across Berlin, if not for the trip, for the light lessons of street photography.

Ribsy (formerly Doing Film Things)

If film photography is a craft, Doing Film Things is your guide into that craft. While the channel does offer a great set of camera reviews, it's the experimentation in all things pictures that makes it stand out. Filmstocks compared and expired, darkroom adventures with various potions and flares, and the actual printing of images from the bathroom corner (making images, the whole process that is, remains to me an absolute magic that we often take for granted). Beware: Doing Film Things' detailed installing and processing from darkroom to scan will have you leave your favorite lab to sparkle your own. And don't forget to add to your audio list The New Classic Film Photography Podcast and its refreshing guest list from all kinds of corners and backgrounds.

T. Hopper

If there is a binge-able version of YouTube film photography, this is it. I await every single video from T. Hopper with something close to the excitement of back-to-school days (the good part, excitement, I said) and a new season of my favorite T.V. shows. And that's because her videos are both so educational and entertaining, cinematically well crafted and incredibly documented. The film stock series were great, but the later videos are something else. (Which, I suspect, is why the channel grew from 300 subscribers to 21K and counting in less than a year). Each video is a short documentary that brings her personal touch to a very well-structured approach, all timed perfectly with the right amount of archival footage. We are talking serious film photography analysis embedding here, with "early photographers you should know" brought into close kinship with cinematography and even painting.

ChrisBPhoto

With ChrisBPhoto, you're in good hands for all things film photography, energy included. The channel has everything the analog photographer could ask for: film stock impressions (nerdy), camera reviews (very nerdy), unboxing (premium nerdy), darkroom tutorials (nerdy but crafty), and photo-walks (nerdy going social). You'll love it because… well, I guess we just are nerds. And just in case you didn't have enough, she is the cohost (with @timothymakeups) of the Analog Talk Podcast. I'll definitely be staying put for more and notably for her upcoming series on getting into large format.

The Film Fellow

I recently discovered The Film Fellow thanks to an interview on AVCA. The channel started less than a year ago; he doesn't have a lot of videos, neither a crowd of subscribers. Exactly my point: some of the best channels out there do not necessarily come with the bells and whistles of likes and frantic content uploading. The Film Fellow is anything but that: personable, casual, taking his time, his videos are nonetheless always as informative as they are relatable. I particularly like how he often pairs a particular camera's experience with a particular film (and yes I did throw three particular s in that one sentence).

Shawnee Union

Closing where everything started: when I began to get (back and back again) into film photography in the digital world, Shawnee Union was my anchor. His camera reviews give you just the right amount to get started on that camera you just bought (or get you closer to that eBay auction that you were trying to stay away from…). He also has this assignment series that is amazing to get ideas when you have… you know, none. He hasn't been posting on YouTube recently, which is totally fine: I wanted to throw the word "unfortunately" in there, but I am resisting since I believe we often take for granted content creators and the incredible amount of work they put into each video/article, always demanding for more to consume. Life takes each of us into different places, and there might be value in posing, exploring, or just rewatching videos/rereading articles again rather than moving on to the next thing. If Shawnee Union comes back to YouTube, it's great; if not, it's still great because all of his amazing work is still out there. And and and… he has a pretty fantastic website that I am just discovering now.

And some more -

Additional film photography YouTubers that I am just starting to explore and look forward to continue include Andy Perez-Caba, Jess Hobbs, Ahza, Sanlee Snaps, Zain Riza, Ejatu Shaw, S & J Analog Club, Paulie B, among others.

What are your go to analog photography YouTubers? Let us know in the comments!

This guest post was curated and written by a mysterious person known only as… M For Film.

Here is their bio!

M for filM’s journey into film photography can be best summarized in the wise words of Bilbo Baggins: “there and back again.” When she is not proposing undying love to her analog muse (or cursing it well into the afterlife), she works as an anthropologist here and there. That, too, is another thing she likes to love and curse daily. Oh well…

Follow Casual Photophile on Facebook and Instagram

[ Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates atB&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post 10 Less Popular Film Photography YouTube Channels to Follow appeared first on Casual Photophile.

#filmcameras #topfives #video

10 Less Popular Film Photography YouTube Channels to Follow

A decade ago, the film camera YouTube scene was mainly occupied by uncle-figures. To them, a message of love: thank you for holding the fort at a time when film stocks and film cameras were being discontinued and abandoned by the minute. In those days, it took stamina, stubbornness, and a sense of resistance to keep any analog community alive, virtual or not.

But a new generation has taken over the stage: as passionate as their predecessors, they spent their early days not only growing their analog muscles, but doing so around digital bones. The result is that we now enjoy a visually strong, video savvy community that, helped by the last decade of technological developments, crafts each video with the care and talent of small film studios. It's a good time to be a camera nerd, analog or digital, or more commonly, both.

No doubt the algorithm has already suggested some of the most prolific, long-lasting, and famous film photography YouTube channels to you. With tens of thousands of subscribers, Matt Day, Kyle MacDougall, and King JVpes are just a few of the most popular ones out there.

But there are numerous other committed YouTube analog photographers who may have flown under your algorithmic radar. This is me taking on a very authoritative voice and asserting my expertise: here are the ten best film photography YouTube channels ever created that you should absolutely be following right now.

Rewind.

Let me say that again, but with a tiny bit more of myself in it (so, more anxieties and much less confidence). Here are my very own, very personal, favorite film photography YouTube channels right now, at this moment. I just like them. I hope you will, too. Go follow them. If you want. Please. Thank you.

Analog Life (formerly Film Life Vlog)

A true analog photography amateur in the original sense of the word ( love is at the roots of the word), Analog Life explores all corners of analog practice. His fantastic collection from thrift stores looks like a museum and will have you turning into a Goodwill scavenger in no time. The channel also walks viewers through the process of making photographs from A to Z: from setting up your darkroom to getting your hands into film development, from best cameras for beginners, to digital versus film. The channel has recently started to embrace its full self and move into "analog life" much beyond film: think radios, tapes, and other retro tech.

Aly's Vintage Camera Alley

Whether you just want to look into some lesser-known shutter boxes or looking for repair advice, Aly's Vintage Camera Alley is where you should be. The channel is only one facet of Aly's fabulous camera reviews, cleaning, and repairing tutorials. Maybe you are here to join her in her pushing/pulling film adventures. Or you just want to tag along on a photo walk with her (and since we can’t yet come back to the actual photo walks under-appreciated in our ancient face to face life, virtual photo walks remain a nice stand-in). AVCA is also a blog in which you can read about all the above, plus snapshots of the film community through a series of detailed and personal interviews.

Joan Michel

Joan Michel's channel offers everything that makes YouTube YouTube: the never-stop learning part and the strong hanging out part. Camera tests and film stock reviews and how-tos might get you there first. Then you'll hang around to simply spend good virtual time with her through her vlogs: documenting her photographic journey and life, with New Jersey and New York casually existing in the background. Her Creative Juice series, in which she chats with other film photographers, is the only zoom meeting you won't be looking forward to skip.

Talya Adams

Crashing Talya Adams' videos of behind the scene shoots feels like a pro just handed you the pass to get backstage. Whether you are more interested in her street photography in L.A., her portraits in studio or outdoors, she takes you along with an eye on the practical and technical specifics of the moment. Her channel is very process-oriented, and following her often feels like joining an ongoing workshop. Her use of natural light for portraits is fantastic, and her camera reviews carry the energy she brings to her photography. And and and… she has a Cheap Series that no analog photographer worth their roll of film should skip.

Karin Majoka

In my (somewhat nerdy) imagination, Karin Majoka and I became pandemic lockdown friends (along with Doing Film Things and T. Hopper, listed below, who also created their channels right in time to keep me company during the end of the world). Her channel even had lockdown segments that may have played a small tiny minuscule role in reuniting me with daily film photography practice. But the confinement panic and pandemic blues are not the only reasons for her channel to remain one of my absolute favorites: the aesthetic, the humorous tone, and the casual know-how just embark you as a viewer (and yes, I will stay for yet another Leica review, who would have thought!). You might want to tag along for her photo walks across Berlin, if not for the trip, for the light lessons of street photography.

Ribsy (formerly Doing Film Things)

If film photography is a craft, Doing Film Things is your guide into that craft. While the channel does offer a great set of camera reviews, it's the experimentation in all things pictures that makes it stand out. Filmstocks compared and expired, darkroom adventures with various potions and flares, and the actual printing of images from the bathroom corner (making images, the whole process that is, remains to me an absolute magic that we often take for granted). Beware: Doing Film Things' detailed installing and processing from darkroom to scan will have you leave your favorite lab to sparkle your own. And don't forget to add to your audio list The New Classic Film Photography Podcast and its refreshing guest list from all kinds of corners and backgrounds.

T. Hopper

If there is a binge-able version of YouTube film photography, this is it. I await every single video from T. Hopper with something close to the excitement of back-to-school days (the good part, excitement, I said) and a new season of my favorite T.V. shows. And that's because her videos are both so educational and entertaining, cinematically well crafted and incredibly documented. The film stock series were great, but the later videos are something else. (Which, I suspect, is why the channel grew from 300 subscribers to 21K and counting in less than a year). Each video is a short documentary that brings her personal touch to a very well-structured approach, all timed perfectly with the right amount of archival footage. We are talking serious film photography analysis embedding here, with "early photographers you should know" brought into close kinship with cinematography and even painting.

ChrisBPhoto

With ChrisBPhoto, you're in good hands for all things film photography, energy included. The channel has everything the analog photographer could ask for: film stock impressions (nerdy), camera reviews (very nerdy), unboxing (premium nerdy), darkroom tutorials (nerdy but crafty), and photo-walks (nerdy going social). You'll love it because… well, I guess we just are nerds. And just in case you didn't have enough, she is the cohost (with @timothymakeups) of the Analog Talk Podcast. I'll definitely be staying put for more and notably for her upcoming series on getting into large format.

The Film Fellow

I recently discovered The Film Fellow thanks to an interview on AVCA. The channel started less than a year ago; he doesn't have a lot of videos, neither a crowd of subscribers. Exactly my point: some of the best channels out there do not necessarily come with the bells and whistles of likes and frantic content uploading. The Film Fellow is anything but that: personable, casual, taking his time, his videos are nonetheless always as informative as they are relatable. I particularly like how he often pairs a particular camera's experience with a particular film (and yes I did throw three particular s in that one sentence).

Shawnee Union

Closing where everything started: when I began to get (back and back again) into film photography in the digital world, Shawnee Union was my anchor. His camera reviews give you just the right amount to get started on that camera you just bought (or get you closer to that eBay auction that you were trying to stay away from…). He also has this assignment series that is amazing to get ideas when you have… you know, none. He hasn't been posting on YouTube recently, which is totally fine: I wanted to throw the word "unfortunately" in there, but I am resisting since I believe we often take for granted content creators and the incredible amount of work they put into each video/article, always demanding for more to consume. Life takes each of us into different places, and there might be value in posing, exploring, or just rewatching videos/rereading articles again rather than moving on to the next thing. If Shawnee Union comes back to YouTube, it's great; if not, it's still great because all of his amazing work is still out there. And and and… he has a pretty fantastic website that I am just discovering now.

And some more -

Additional film photography YouTubers that I am just starting to explore and look forward to continue include Andy Perez-Caba, Jess Hobbs, Ahza, Sanlee Snaps, Zain Riza, Ejatu Shaw, S & J Analog Club, Paulie B, among others.

What are your go to analog photography YouTubers? Let us know in the comments!

This guest post was curated and written by a mysterious person known only as… M For Film.

Here is their bio!

M for filM’s journey into film photography can be best summarized in the wise words of Bilbo Baggins: “there and back again.” When she is not proposing undying love to her analog muse (or cursing it well into the afterlife), she works as an anthropologist here and there. That, too, is another thing she likes to love and curse daily. Oh well…

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[ Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates atB&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post 10 Less Popular Film Photography YouTube Channels to Follow appeared first on Casual Photophile.

#filmcameras #topfives #video

Leica M Film Cameras Too Expensive? Here are Five Alternatives

After being away from the film game for a few years, a friend of mine decided to buy himself a Leica M series film camera. When he saw the high prices that these cameras now command, he passed out and hit his head on his walnut desktop. From the hospital bed where he spent his concussed convalescence, he wrote me an email which echoed a common question - " Why are Leicas so expensive now, and where can I get one cheap? "

I wasn't surprised to read this email (I receive similar messages weekly). People want cheap Leicas, even though Leica M film cameras cost more today than they have at any time since the "death of film." Going back to as recently as 2014, when I launched Casual Photophile and opened my camera shop, prices for some Leica M models have tripled. Even the once-considered-lowly Leica M4-P and M4-2 each now cost over $1,000 on average (I used to buy these for $399). Twenty years ago, the Leica M6 was thought of as "the cheap Leica" and today it costs twice the price of an original M3 (a camera which is, according to the written gospel found in ancient Rockwellian tomes, "the world's greatest 35mm camera").

I don't see the rise in price as a bad thing (and not because I sell cameras for a living). If we consider the trend objectively, it's only natural that prices of film cameras should rise. Think about it from a distance and through the prism of other "unnecessary things on which people spend money."

Prices are rising for specific and valid reasons. Especially in the cases of mechanical cameras, which most Leica Ms are, these cameras are (still) useful tools. They're uncommonly well-made objects which have survived their original intended lifespan. They're a finite resource, making them inherently collectible. Particular models and variants which were made in fewer quantities are even rarer, and are now bought specifically for their rarity. A new generation of photographer (buyer) has entered the market, and noticed the unique quality of these old cameras. Add to all of this that they're simply beautiful objects that draw the eye and the hand - equal parts science, engineering, and art - and it's easy to see why prices are up.

But just because they're expensive, that doesn't mean that they're overpriced.

I've said this elsewhere - some popular professional camera likers see the rise in film camera prices and say that it's all built on undeserved hype. I couldn't disagree more. While extrinsic prices for certain poorly-made, unreliable, or otherwise undeserved film cameras are unjustly outstripping their intrinsic value (hello, Mju II), the prices of classic, collectible, or exceptional film cameras are not inflated artificially. On the other hand, prices for well-made, reliable, and capable old cameras are now exactly where they should have been all along. Leicas aren't over-valued today - they were under-valued for two decades, and we got used to it. (The same can be said for other film cameras - the Nikon F3, Canon's EOS 1, Hasselblads.)

While this meandering preamble around extrinsic versus intrinsic value and the free market as it pertains to sixty-year-old film cameras answers the first part of the two-part question first posed by my hospitalized friend's email as it appears in the opening paragraph of this article - " Why are Leicas so expensive? " - it does little to answer the second part of that question. And this is the important one - " Where can I get one cheap? "

The answer is simple. You can't. Leicas cost a lot and you ain't getting one cheap. The days of finding an M6 for $300 are long gone and they're not coming back.

Furthermore, complaining about the price of Leicas is like screaming at a rain cloud - you can do it, but buddy, you're still gonna get wet. Here's some good news; there are a lot of alternatives to the Leica M, and I've got 'em locked and loaded like glistening brass bullets in this magnum revolver hand cannon I call "my brain." (On balance, I've also called my brain "a big bowl of tepid oatmeal.")

Anyway. That's enough of whatever that was - without any more of my nonsense, here are five (or six, or seven, I've not decided how many yet, and I'm not coming back to edit this sentence later) alternatives to the Leica M.

The Criteria

I'll outline here the criteria which cameras must meet to find themselves upon this illustrious list of mine. For any camera to be included it must -

• Be all mechanical.
• Offer some degree of exposure control.
• Be capable of mounting lenses interchangeably.
• Be a rangefinder.
• Be a quality camera with great lenses.
• Be affordable in comparison to the premium-priced Leica M series (for me, that means that each camera must cost about half of what a Leica M costs).

Some of these selections were decided upon after conversation with my fellow CP writers. If comparing any one of these cameras to the hyperbolically lauded Leica M series offends you, be sure to histrionically yell/type at us in the comments.

Let the listicle begin.

Canon 7 and Canon 7s

Every time that a Canon rangefinder camera from the 1950s and 1960s comes through my shop, I'm stunned by the quality of the things. After seven years of this being my full time job, it shouldn't surprise me anymore, but it still does. And the last time a Canon 7 came through, I was once again deeply struck. I echoed what Timothy Lebedin said in his article on the Canon 7 - "How the hell is this thing so cheap?"

The Canon 7 is a camera that perfectly meets all of the criteria which I mentioned for inclusion in this list. It is an all-mechanical, manually controlled, 35mm film rangefinder camera with a Leica Thread Mount lens mount, and (in a one-up on the pre-M5 Leicas) a built-in light meter. It's a smooth shooting, high-quality, reliable and effective camera, and it can make beautiful images (again, see our writeup).

What's most arresting about the Canon 7, however, is what I alluded to earlier - it is unbelievably inexpensive. You could buy ten Canon 7s for the price of one Leica M6. Astonishing. When buying a Canon 7, make sure it's in good shape and sold guaranteed to work. If you buy the original 7, don't expect the light meter to work or be accurate unless it's stated to be so - Selenium meters fail over time.

The later models, known as the Canon 7s and Canon 7s Type II, swapped the Selenium meter for a CdS battery-powered meter. These meters are more likely to work today. This of course means that prices for the 7s are notably higher than for the original Canon 7. That said, a mint Canon 7s will still cost a quarter the price of most Leica Ms.

You can buy a Canon 7 here

Nikon SP (Nikon S2 for Budget Buyers)

When I started my own business full-time and bought a house, I decided to treat myself to a "forever camera." Wow, what self-indulgent nonsense. That self-deprecation out of the way, what camera did I choose? A Nikon SP 2005 Limited Edition. And while that specific camera is not the camera that I'm including on this list as a viable alternative to the Leica M (because the 2005 SP is too expensive to meet my criteria), I am including the original Nikon SP.

The Nikon SP of 1957 is the most advanced rangefinder camera that Nikon ever made, and in many ways it's one of the greatest cameras of all time. It's a relatively compact, all-mechanical, fully-manual 35mm film rangefinder camera with an incredible viewfinder, precise and luxurious build quality, and a full suite of astonishingly gorgeous Nikon lenses made to fit its S-mount lens mount.

This camera really is all about the lenses. The Nikkor 35mm F/1.8 is legendary. The 105mm F/2.5 was born on this system (and would later go on to be one of the most popular portrait lenses of the manual focus era). The classic 50mm F/1.4 renders stunning images for laughably little money.

And that last point - price - is a good one to mention. The Nikon SP can be bought with the Nikkor 50/1.4 for a few hundred dollars less than it costs to buy a body-only Leica M3. If you're a budget buyer, get the Nikon S2. It does a lot of what the SP does, but cuts cost by having a much simpler viewfinder.

Buy a Nikon SP here

Konica Hexar RF

With the Konica Hexar RF, we're sort of scratching at the ceiling of my criteria, for two reasons. First, the Hexar RF is pretty expensive, and again because it's an electronically operated camera (rather than fully mechanical). But, it squeaks in just under the acceptable limit on price, and it finds its place here on the list because it's a damned impressive camera in every way.

The Konica Hexar RF is a gorgeously-made 35mm film rangefinder camera that's most directly comparable to Leica's M7, Leica's only M series camera with automated exposure modes (aperture priority). Konica's camera offers the same aperture-priority mode, plus essentially everything else we get with the far pricier M7. It's got manual exposure, manual focus, a big, bright viewfinder and excellent rangefinder, frame lines of the usual focal lengths from 28mm to 135mm, generous "outside the frame" viewfinder coverage (with .60x magnification), and a solidly built chassis with fine exterior details. It even uses the same mount (although Konica called theirs the "KM Mount" and never referred to Leica when discussing which lenses would work on the Hexar).

In typical Japanese manufacturer fashion, Konica even outdid Leica in a number of ways (sound familiar, Minolta CLE fans?). The Hexar RF is about the same size and weight as a Leica M3, and yet it manages to maintain these dimensions and heft while adding motorized film advance and rewind. And while some purists will sneer at motorized film and its reliance on batteries, I'm no such purist. I'm too old to be wasting my life rewinding film, and I just repaired a Pokémon Stadium 2 Nintendo 64 cartridge with nothing but a soldering iron and a piece of speaker wire. How hard can it be to repair a Hexar?

Buy a Konica Hexar RF here

Voigltander Bessa R and Bessa R2

While the build quality of the Voigtlander Bessa R comes up short of Leica standards (the Bessa R uses polycarbonate plastic top and bottom plates), its excellence in all other areas lands it on this list. Introduced in the year 2000 by Cosina in Japan as part of the relaunch of the Voigtlander name, the Bessa R is a whole lot of rangefinder camera for very little money.

It's a simple, all-mechanical, fully manual camera with through-the-lens metering, user-selectable frame lines (35/90mm, 50mm, 75mm), and the Leica Thread Mount capable of mounting any LTM lens.

The Voigtlander Bessa R2, released two years later in 2002, replaced the Bessa R's Leica Thread Mount for the more modern Leica M mount, and swapped the plastic top and bottom plates for more robust magnesium alloy. For these reasons, the Bessa R2 is the more desirable model, however the price for the better machine will naturally be higher. Buyers can expect to pay about $499 for the Bessa R, while the R2 will cost closer to $800 (bodies only). Remember, these prices are still significantly less than a Leica.

We reviewed the Voigltander Bessa R here

Buy a Bessa R2 here

Minolta 35 Model IIB

Probably the most unusual addition to this list, the Minolta 35 Model IIB is not a camera that many people know about, nor is it one that anyone would typically recommend as an alternative to the Leica M series.

The first Minolta 35 released way back in 1947. At that time it was among the best rangefinder cameras in the world, and in fact featured many advancements over contemporary Leica cameras. These include a combined rangefinder/viewfinder system, self-timer, an integrated film take-up spool and hinged film door which made loading a faster and easier process than with Leica's machines.

The Minolta 35 Model IIB released in 1958, and is the best Minolta 35 variant ever made, with superior convenience features (such as a lever style film advance mechanism), as well as numerous technical improvements. These include a larger magnification viewfinder, full frame image area (all previous Minolta 35s shot slightly smaller than the 24×36 standard), and an improved effective rangefinder base of 32mm (admittedly sub-Leica standard).

The Minolta 35 Model IIB accepts all Leica Thread Mount lenses. But the real magic is when we use Minolta's own "Super Rokkors," a succinct lineup of incredible performing LTM lenses.

It's not a common camera, so it may be a bit hard to find one. But if you can find a nice Model IIB (and there are always a few on eBay) you should buy it. There are few "sleepers" out there these days, cameras which are truly excellent but undiscovered. The Minolta 35 Model IIB may be one of those - it's a compact, solid, and beautifully-built classic camera made of metal and glass, and today (with an amazing lens) it costs half as much as a Leica (body only).

Buy a Minolta 35 Model IIB here

Got a great rangefinder to compete with the Leicas that we left off this list? Let us and our readers know about it in the comments. You can see more affordable rangefinder cameras here and here , and some uncommon rangefinder cameras here! (Damn, we write a lot.)

Follow Casual Photophile on Facebook and Instagram

[ Some of the links in this article will direct users to our affiliates atB&H Photo, Amazon, and eBay. By purchasing anything using these links, Casual Photophile may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. This helps Casual Photophile produce the content we produce. Many thanks for your support.]

The post Leica M Film Cameras Too Expensive? Here are Five Alternatives appeared first on Casual Photophile.

#canon #filmcamera #japanesecameras #konica #leica #minolta #nikon #rangefinder #topfives #voigtlander

Leica M Film Cameras Too Expensive? Here are Five Alternatives

After being away from the film game for a few years, a friend of mine decided to buy himself a Leica M series film camera. When he saw the high prices that these cameras now command, he passed out and hit his head on his walnut desktop. From the hospital bed where he spent his concussed convalescence, he wrote me an email which echoed a common question - " Why are Leicas so expensive now, and where can I get one cheap? "

I wasn't surprised to read this email (I receive similar messages weekly). People want cheap Leicas, even though Leica M film cameras cost more today than they have at any time since the "death of film." Going back to as recently as 2014, when I launched Casual Photophile and opened my camera shop, prices for some Leica M models have tripled. Even the once-considered-lowly Leica M4-P and M4-2 each now cost over $1,000 on average (I used to buy these for $399). Twenty years ago, the Leica M6 was thought of as "the cheap Leica" and today it costs twice the price of an original M3 (a camera which is, according to the written gospel found in ancient Rockwellian tomes, "the world's greatest 35mm camera").

I don't see the rise in price as a bad thing (and not because I sell cameras for a living). If we consider the trend objectively, it's only natural that prices of film cameras should rise. Think about it from a distance and through the prism of other "unnecessary things on which people spend money."

Prices are rising for specific and valid reasons. Especially in the cases of mechanical cameras, which most Leica Ms are, these cameras are (still) useful tools. They're uncommonly well-made objects which have survived their original intended lifespan. They're a finite resource, making them inherently collectible. Particular models and variants which were made in fewer quantities are even rarer, and are now bought specifically for their rarity. A new generation of photographer (buyer) has entered the market, and noticed the unique quality of these old cameras. Add to all of this that they're simply beautiful objects that draw the eye and the hand - equal parts science, engineering, and art - and it's easy to see why prices are up.

But just because they're expensive, that doesn't mean that they're overpriced.

I've said this elsewhere - some popular professional camera likers see the rise in film camera prices and say that it's all built on undeserved hype. I couldn't disagree more. While extrinsic prices for certain poorly-made, unreliable, or otherwise undeserved film cameras are unjustly outstripping their intrinsic value (hello, Mju II), the prices of classic, collectible, or exceptional film cameras are not inflated artificially. On the other hand, prices for well-made, reliable, and capable old cameras are now exactly where they should have been all along. Leicas aren't over-valued today - they were under-valued for two decades, and we got used to it. (The same can be said for other film cameras - the Nikon F3, Canon's EOS 1, Hasselblads.)

While this meandering preamble around extrinsic versus intrinsic value and the free market as it pertains to sixty-year-old film cameras answers the first part of the two-part question first posed by my hospitalized friend's email as it appears in the opening paragraph of this article - " Why are Leicas so expensive? " - it does little to answer the second part of that question. And this is the important one - " Where can I get one cheap? "

The answer is simple. You can't. Leicas cost a lot and you ain't getting one cheap. The days of finding an M6 for $300 are long gone and they're not coming back.

Furthermore, complaining about the price of Leicas is like screaming at a rain cloud - you can do it, but buddy, you're still gonna get wet. Here's some good news; there are a lot of alternatives to the Leica M, and I've got 'em locked and loaded like glistening brass bullets in this magnum revolver hand cannon I call "my brain." (On balance, I've also called my brain "a big bowl of tepid oatmeal.")

Anyway. That's enough of whatever that was - without any more of my nonsense, here are five (or six, or seven, I've not decided how many yet, and I'm not coming back to edit this sentence later) alternatives to the Leica M.

The Criteria

I'll outline here the criteria which cameras must meet to find themselves upon this illustrious list of mine. For any camera to be included it must -

• Be all mechanical.
• Offer some degree of exposure control.
• Be capable of mounting lenses interchangeably.
• Be a rangefinder.
• Be a quality camera with great lenses.
• Be affordable in comparison to the premium-priced Leica M series (for me, that means that each camera must cost about half of what a Leica M costs).

Some of these selections were decided upon after conversation with my fellow CP writers. If comparing any one of these cameras to the hyperbolically lauded Leica M series offends you, be sure to histrionically yell/type at us in the comments.

Let the listicle begin.

Canon 7 and Canon 7s

Every time that a Canon rangefinder camera from the 1950s and 1960s comes through my shop, I'm stunned by the quality of the things. After six years it shouldn't surprise me anymore, but it still does. And the last time a Canon 7 came through, I was once again deeply struck. I echoed what Timothy Lebedin said in his article on the thing - "How the hell is this thing so cheap?"

The Canon 7 is a camera that perfectly meets all of the criteria which I mentioned for inclusion in this list. It is an all-mechanical, manually controlled, 35mm film rangefinder camera with a Leica Thread Mount lens mount, and (in a one-up on the pre-M5 Leicas) a built-in light meter. It's a smooth shooting, high-quality, reliable and effective camera, and it can make beautiful images (again, see our writeup).

What's most arresting about the Canon 7, however, is what I alluded to earlier - it is unbelievably inexpensive. You could buy ten Canon 7s for the price of one Leica M6. Astonishing. When buying a Canon 7, make sure it's in good shape and sold guaranteed to work. If you buy the original 7, don't expect the light meter to work or be accurate unless it's stated to be so - Selenium meters fail over time.

The later models, known as the Canon 7s and Canon 7s Type II, swapped the Selenium meter for a CdS battery-powered meter. These meters are more likely to work today. This of course means that prices for the 7s are notably higher than for the original Canon 7. That said, a mint Canon 7s will still cost a quarter the price of most Leica Ms.

You can buy a Canon 7 here

Nikon SP (Nikon S2 for Budget Buyers)

When I started my own business full-time and bought a house, I decided to treat myself to a "forever camera." Wow, what self-indulgent nonsense. That self-deprecation out of the way, what camera did I choose? A Nikon SP 2005 Limited Edition. And while that specific camera is not the camera that I'm including on this list as a viable alternative to the Leica M (because the 2005 SP is too expensive to meet my criteria), I am including the original Nikon SP.

The Nikon SP of 1957 is the most advanced rangefinder camera that Nikon ever made, and in many ways it's one of the greatest cameras of all time. It's a relatively compact, all-mechanical, fully-manual 35mm film rangefinder camera with an incredible viewfinder, precise and luxurious build quality, and a full suite of astonishingly gorgeous Nikon lenses made to fit its S-mount lens mount.

This camera really is all about the lenses. The Nikkor 35mm F/1.8 is legendary. The 105mm F/2.5 was born on this system (and would later go on to be one of the most popular portrait lenses of the manual focus era). The classic 50mm F/1.4 renders stunning images for laughably little money.

And that last point - price - is a good one to mention. The Nikon SP can be bought with the Nikkor 50/1.4 for a few hundred dollars less than it costs to buy a body-only Leica M3. If you're a budget buyer, get the Nikon S2. It does a lot of what the SP does, but cuts cost by having a much simpler viewfinder.

Buy a Nikon SP here

Konica Hexar RF

With the Konica Hexar RF, we're sort of scratching at the ceiling of my criteria, for two reasons. First, the Hexar RF is pretty expensive, and again because it's an electronically operated camera (rather than fully mechanical). But, it squeaks in just under the acceptable limit on price, and it finds its place here on the list because it's a damned impressive camera in every way.

The Konica Hexar RF is a gorgeously-made 35mm film rangefinder camera that's most directly comparable to Leica's M7, Leica's only M series camera with automated exposure modes (aperture priority). Konica's camera offers the same aperture-priority mode, plus essentially everything else we get with the far pricier M7. It's got manual exposure, manual focus, a big, bright viewfinder and excellent rangefinder, frame lines of the usual focal lengths from 28mm to 135mm, generous "outside the frame" viewfinder coverage (with .60x magnification), and a solidly built chassis with fine exterior details. It even uses the same mount (although Konica called theirs the "KM Mount" and never referred to Leica when discussing which lenses would work on the Hexar).

In typical Japanese manufacturer fashion, Konica even outdid Leica in a number of ways (sound familiar, Minolta CLE fans?). The Hexar RF is about the same size and weight as a Leica M3, and yet it manages to maintain these dimensions and heft while adding motorized film advance and rewind. And while some purists will sneer at motorized film and its reliance on batteries, I'm no such purist. I'm too old to be wasting my life rewinding film, and I just repaired a Pokémon Stadium 2 Nintendo 64 cartridge with nothing but a soldering iron and a piece of speaker wire. How hard can it be to repair a Hexar?

Buy a Konica Hexar RF here

Voigltander Bessa R and Bessa R2

While the build quality of the Voigtlander Bessa R comes up short of Leica standards (the Bessa R uses polycarbonate plastic top and bottom plates), its excellence in all other areas lands it on this list. Introduced in the year 2000 by Cosina in Japan as part of the relaunch of the Voigtlander name, the Bessa R is a whole lot of rangefinder camera for very little money.

It's a simple, all-mechanical, fully manual camera with through-the-lens metering, user-selectable frame lines (35/90mm, 50mm, 75mm), and the Leica Thread Mount capable of mounting any LTM lens.

The Voigtlander Bessa R2, released two years later in 2002, replaced the Bessa R's Leica Thread Mount for the more modern Leica M mount, and swapped the plastic top and bottom plates for more robust magnesium alloy. For these reasons, the Bessa R2 is the more desirable model, however the price for the better machine will naturally be higher. Buyers can expect to pay about $499 for the Bessa R, while the R2 will cost closer to $800 (bodies only). Remember, these prices are still significantly less than a Leica.

We reviewed the Voigltander Bessa R here

Buy a Bessa R2 here

Minolta 35 Model IIB

Probably the most unusual addition to this list, the Minolta 35 Model IIB is not a camera that many people know about, nor is it one that anyone would typically recommend as an alternative to the Leica M series.

The first Minolta 35 released way back in 1947. At that time it was among the best rangefinder cameras in the world, and in fact featured many advancements over contemporary Leica cameras. These include a combined rangefinder/viewfinder system, self-timer, an integrated film take-up spool and hinged film door which made loading a faster and easier process than with Leica's machines.

The Minolta 35 Model IIB released in 1958, and is the best Minolta 35 variant ever made, with superior convenience features (such as a lever style film advance mechanism), as well as numerous technical improvements. These include a larger magnification viewfinder, full frame image area (all previous Minolta 35s shot slightly smaller than the 24×36 standard), and an improved effective rangefinder base of 32mm (admittedly sub-Leica standard).

The Minolta 35 Model IIB accepts all Leica Thread Mount lenses. But the real magic is when we use Minolta's own "Super Rokkors," a succinct lineup of incredible performing LTM lenses.

It's not a common camera, so it may be a bit hard to find one. But if you can find a nice Model IIB (and there are always a few on eBay) you should buy it. There are few "sleepers" out there these days, cameras which are truly excellent but undiscovered. The Minolta 35 Model IIB may be one of those - it's a compact, solid, and beautifully-built classic camera made of metal and glass, and today (with an amazing lens) it costs half as much as a Leica (body only).

Buy a Minolta 35 Model IIB here

Got a great rangefinder to compete with the Leicas that we left off this list? Let us and our readers know about it in the comments. You can see more affordable rangefinder cameras here and here , and some uncommon rangefinder cameras here! (Damn, we write a lot.)

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Five Masters of Light from Japan’s Shōwa Era

The Japanese Shōwa period, coinciding with the reign of Emperor Hirohito from 1926 to 1989, is noted as one of Japan’s most tumultuous and transformative eras. Over these many decades Japan went from a militaristic empire to a conquered, occupied nation - one that had experienced first-hand the horrors of atomic warfare. After WWII, it crawled out of the embers of defeat to metamorphose into a liberal democracy and an economic powerhouse. This rebirth opened Japan to a deluge of foreign ideas and influences.

Against this backdrop many Japanese photographers would emerge to document the profound changes in their nation with bare, raw realism. Others pushed the boundaries of long held societal norms and taboos.

I've taken on the daunting task of picking just five photographers from this long period. These five Shōwa era masters of light exemplify the blistering pace of life that was challenging the very foundations of the nation. They propelled Japanese photography down new pathways.

Daido Moriyama (1938- )

For me, photography is not a means by which to create beautiful art, but a unique way of encountering genuine reality. - Daido Moriyama

After serving as an assistant to the influential photographer, Eikoh Hosoe, Daido Moriyama would seek to interpret reality with a camera in his own distinctive style. Now referred to as the Godfather of Japanese street photography , Daido Moriyama’s work is characterized by dark, gritty, moody, images that attack traditional conventions of composition, focus and form. Uncompromisingly unpolished and raw, his style was best showcased in his book, Farewell Photography ( Sashin yo Sayonara ) published in 1972. His photographs mirrored his personal desire to break free from the confines of a highly structured society and commercial photography.

Still active, he has gone on to produce well over one hundred photography books and has had gallery showings all over the world. He has made the Shibuya district of Tokyo the primary location for his street photography, and his work has influenced a generation of street photographers worldwide.

Nobuyoshi Araki (1940-)

Only artist without talent try to shock people. - Nobuyoshi Arak

A career that has spanned more than five decades, Nobuyoshi Araki, is one of Japan's (and the world's) most prolific photographers - he has produced over five hundred photography books. To some, he is a genius, to others a pariah. A complex and nuanced artist, his portfolio includes eroticism, still lifes, landscapes, celebrity portraits and intimate voyeuristic pictures of his personal life.

Controversial and provocative, his erotic depictions of bound women featuring the form of Japanese rope binding called kinbaku-bi has been labeled as misogynistic and pornographic by some critiques. While others hail it as cutting-edge fine art.

Themes of life and death permeate much of his work. Sentimental Journey and later Sentimental Journey/Winter Journey is perhaps his most poignant and celebrated series of images. He visually chronicles his honeymoon, marriage, and the subsequent death from ovarian cancer of his wife, Yoko. Sentimental Journey exemplifies the duality of the man and his work.

Toyoko Tokiwa (1930 - )

Toyoko Tokiwa picked up a camera at a time when men dominated photography in a highly patriarchal society. Her early subject matter focused on the lives of the prostitutes in the red-light district, and their interactions with the American military in Yokohama.

Driven partially by her disdain for prostitution and her initial animosity towards the US military because of the loss of her father in an American bombing raid, her candid pictures in her photography book Dangerous Fruitless Flowers ( Kiken na Adabana) captures the sorrow and joy of these marginalized women.

Her lens also documented the scores of women joining the workforce to help reshape Japan. Her camera was a sympathetic instrument used to give testament to the lives of numerous Japanese women suddenly thrust into finding their place in post-war Japan .

Ken Domon (1909 – 1990)

If it is not realistic, it is not photography. - Ken Domon

Ken Domon is called the master of Japanese realism. He is widely known for his unflinching photographs of the survivors of Hiroshima which he documented twelve years after the bomb was dropped. For many Japanese, his jarring photos of the deformities, burns and mangled bodies due to the atomic bomb blast and the aftereffects of radiation were too unsettling. He was heavily criticized in many corners of the country at the time. However, he was not a detached observer of the subjects of his camera, stating in an interview that the plight of many of his subjects would bring him to tears.

A series of strokes would eventually confine him to a wheelchair and his photography ventured more into a spiritual and a cultural direction. He would spend the remainder of his life photographing Buddhist temples and statues around his cherished land . This culminated in his major work of several decades entitled, Old Temple Pilgrimage ( Koji junrei)

He would donate all 70,000 pieces of his life’s work to his hometown of Sakata in Yamagata prefecture. There, in 1983, a museum was established and dedicated solely to him and his photography.

Akira Sato (1930 – 2002)

While a student of Economics at Yokohama National University, Sato would become obsessed with the images of Western fashion and photographic magazines. Soon after graduation, he became a freelance photographer. Within a few years, he would specialize in fashion photography. In time, he became one of Japan’s most influential fashion photographers of the 1960s and '70s. His photos were often published in SO-EN , Japan’s oldest and leading women's fashion magazine.

His style is described as sophisticated and avant-garde, known for his edgy and stylistic close up black and white portraits of models. He blended fashion, portraiture, East and West into his own distinctive look. He would later utilize color, photographing models during his visits to Europe. His most notable collection of work is entitled, Woman, published in 1971.

Throughout the Shōwa period, Japan was a nation in transition. It was trying to hold to its long-held traditions while attempting to purge painful memories of its past, all while forging ahead to an uncertain future. These photographers (and many more not listed here) were witness to their country’s most tumultuous history. In this chaotic cauldron of creativity they would document, experiment and push the frontiers of photography, adding their own unique perspectives. They have gone on to influence countless photographers in their native land and now the rest of the world.

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