Top 5 Affordable Cameras for Beginner Film Photographers | Best 35mm, 120 and Polaroid Cameras for Beginners, Amateur and Professional Photographers

January 5, 2024

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

5 Cameras for Beginner Film Photographers

I’ve tried out a LOT of cameras over the years. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve met a camera that I didn’t like. However, there are a few that tend to make it into my camera bag more often than others. I’m always looking for cameras that are capable of meeting all of my personal needs as a photographer. Every photographer is different, but for me those personal needs are: simplicity, multiple exposures and lightweight body. I travel quite a bit and I hate carrying around a super heavy camera bag. I’ve learned to fill my bag with cameras that are light and small, instead of gigantic and heavy. I’m always jealous of those photographers that just have one camera in their bag with an assortment of lenses. MUST BE NICE. I just like to have options and I like to allow myself creativity in as many ways as possible. I’m just not a minimalist, as much as I wish I was! I wanted to share the top 5 cameras that tend to make it into my camera bag more often than not. All of these cameras are GREAT for beginners because they offer a TON of different features but are also all very simple to use. Not to mention, they’re affordable, collectible and fun!

HOLGA GCFN 120 CAMERA

You guys KNOW I’m obsessed with the Holga. I believe that every photographer should have one of these on their shelf and try it out at some point. To me, it’s a great way to begin understanding photography from a very basic level. It’s reminiscent of an older time, but has that cute, quirky style and is still being produced today. Sadly, it’s only being produced in the solid black color today, but you can find the fun, colorful ones on eBay. It’s essentially a pinhole camera, but with a few more features and easier controls. I love this camera so much that I’ve dedicated an entire blog post and YouTube video to it. This is the camera that always makes it into my camera bag no matter what. If I’m walking around town with only one camera, it’s this one. There is a 35mm version of this camera too (I just recently made a YouTube video about it!) but I prefer the 120 version. 120 film is slowly dying (for some reason!) so as a photographer, I beg of you to continue supporting 120 film. The negatives are much larger than 35mm which allows you much more detail and capability for printing. KEEP 120 FILM ALIVE!

CAMERA:

Amazon

B&H Photo

eBay! (for more fun colors)

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

Lomography 400 120 film

Kodak Portra 160 120 film

Kodak Portra 400 120 film

#CommissionsEarned

MINOLTA MAXXUM STSI

The Minolta Maxxum STsi is actually a newer camera to my collection but it has moved up to the top VERY quickly. It just has every single feature I like in a 35 mm film camera. A zoom lens, autofocus, panorama mode, multiple exposure mode, lightweight body, flash and auto setting. This is a PERFECT choice for any beginner 35mm film photographer. I have the AF 28-85mm 3.5-4.5 Zoom lens, which I purchased separately from the kit lens. This lens is a little bit sharper and better quality than the kit lens. Also, this camera is SUPER affordable and makes a great gift. I’m truly in love with mine and it’s my number one choice now for traveling when I’m grabbing my 35mm cameras. You can read more about this camera in my blog post here!

I purchased the body ($18) and the AF 28-85mm 3.5-4.5 Zoom lens ($25) separately, both on eBay. Browse through the available options here for the body or here for the lens!

WHERE TO BUY

Etsy

Amazon

eBay.

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

Kodak Gold 200 35mm film

Kodak Portra 160 35mm film

Lomography 100 35mm film

#CommissionsEarned

NIKON FE2 OR FE

This is probably the most expensive camera on this list but if you’re looking for a tad bit nicer camera with an amazing lens, I recommend the Nikon FE2 or FE. These are on-par with the Canon AE-1 Program (which is also an incredible camera but doesn’t have a multiple exposure feature). I went into Blue Moon Camera in Portland, Oregon one day, asking if they had the Pentax K1000 or Canon AE-1. However, after chatting with the sales associate for a while, we decided the Nikon FE2 would be more my speed. I absolutely need a multiple exposure feature and I prefer to have an aperture-priority setting as well, especially when shooting weddings. The Nikon FE2 met all of my requirements. However, it is manual focus which takes some getting used to. Once you get the hang of it though, the photographs are incredibly sharp and beautiful, with a lovely bokeh blur and crispness that you won’t get with cheaper cameras like the Minolta Maxxum I mentioned above. The Nikon FE2 is more on the professional side and is really a collector’s item. It’s a beautiful camera with that classic old-school look to it. You can’t go wrong with this camera. I’ll never ever get rid of mine. I have a YouTube video and full blog post about this camera too!

CAMERA:

Purchase a Nikon FE2 on Amazon!

Purchase a Nikon FE2 on KEH Camer a!

Purchase a Nikon FE2 on eBay!

LENS:

50mm f/1.4 AF Nikkor

35-70mm f/3.3 AF Nikkor (more affordable zoom lens)

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

Kodak Gold 200 35mm film

Kodak Portra 160 35mm

Lomography 100 35mm film

#CommissionsEarned

POLAROID 600 CAMERA

While I believe that every photographer should have a Holga, I also equally believe that every photographer should have a Polaroid camera. After a long and arduous process, the Polaroid brand is finally back up and running, producing new cameras and film. Thank the heavens above! Personally, I have the Polaroid One-Step 600 and Polaroid Impulse. Both of these are incredibly easy to use, sturdy and super cute on the shelf. I was lucky enough to receive them as heirlooms from my family members but you can still find vintage versions of the One-Step and Impulse on Amazon, eBay and KEH Camera. Or, if you prefer new cameras, Polaroid has recently released the Polaroid Now and Polaroid Go cameras. Everyone loves a Polaroid. They’re instantly gratifying, have beautiful color tones and are just plain fun to have at a party or event. I always bring a Polaroid camera with me to every shoot. It’s nice to have a physical print from each shoot as a keepsake. Check out my YouTube video from our trip to Japan where I took photos with the Polaroid One-Step 600! Or you can check out my blog post to see tons of sample photos I’ve taken with this camera over the years.

CAMERA:

Purchase a Polaroid One-Step 600 on Amazon!

Purchase a Polaroid One-Step 600 on eBay!

Purchase a Polaroid One-Step 600 on KEH Camera !

Purchase a Polaroid Now or Polaroid Go!

FILM:

Purchase 600 film on Amazon!

CANON REBEL K2

The Canon Rebel K2 is another affordable 35mm film camera that I always recommend when friends and family ask me what camera they should get before they go on a big trip. This was my very first 35mm film camera and definitely holds a special place in my heart. There’s not really anything super duper special about this camera, but it just happens to meet all of my personal requirements for a travel camera. It weighs next to nothing, has a flash, zoom lens, multiple exposure setting, autofocus, aperture priority, shutter priority, and full auto setting. It’s not the sharpest camera in the world, but there’s a certain nostalgia that the photos seem to have, especially when shooting in black and white. I took this camera with me on my first trip to Paris, and I’m still obsessed with the photos I took on that trip. I even recreated those photos on a recent trip to Paris and made a YouTube video about it! I also have a how-to YouTube video and blog post about this camera too, with tons of sample photos. The Canon Rebel G is incredibly similar to this camera too, if you’re not able to find a Canon Rebel K2.

CAMERA:

Purchase a Canon Rebel K2 on eBay!

Purchase a Canon Rebel K2 on Amazon!

Purchase a Canon Rebel K2 on KEH Camera!

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

Neopan Acros 100 35mm B&W film

Kodak Gold 200 35mm film

Lomography 100 35mm film

#CommissionsEarned

If you’re on the hunt for more camera options for beginners, check out my other blog post, Top 10 Best 35 mm Cameras for Beginners or 15 Best Digital Cameras for Beginners Under $1500.

If you found this post helpful or if you’d like to see more of my work, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing. Find out more here!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to leave questions and comments below. And don’t forget to stop by my B&H storefront or Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

Have a great day!
<3 Myles Katherine

10 Perfect Gift Ideas for Film Photographers from a Photographer's POV

November 23, 2023

Film photography can be a bit of a niche thing and not everyone knows what kind of film or gifts to buy for the photographer in their life. Every year, I end up sending a list of links to my friends and family members with very specific kinds of film and camera gear that I want. Otherwise, no one has any idea what to get me! I’m here to help you find that perfect gift for the film photographer in your life. These are all things that I want too, so *hint hint*, if you’re a friend looking for a gift for me, any of these will do. :) :) Here are 10 Perfect Gift Ideas for Film Photographers from a Photographer's POV!

1. HOLGA GCFN OR HOLGA 135BC

If you follow my work, you know the Holga GCFN is my all-time favorite film camera. It’s a 120 film camera and is super affordable, quirky and fun to try out. Every photographer should have one of these, in my opinion. Even if they don’t end up using it, it looks cute on a shelf! It’s a great way to start learning film photography too because it’s easy to use, hard to break and exciting to experiment with. It’s known as a “toy” camera because it’s made of plastic and the photos have a very specific vignette to them, giving the images a surreal and moody atmosphere. I’m obsessed with the Holga camera, which is why I made this blog post and this YouTube video about it. :) The Holga comes in a ton of different colors, which is also why it makes a great camera to collect. I’m currently working on owning one of every color and so far I have about 10 different ones! The colorful ones are more likely to be found on eBay, bought from a secondhand seller. Currently, only the classic black style is being produced, which you can find brand new on Amazon or B&H Photo. Hopefully, one day they’ll start producing the colorful ones again and they’ll be a bit easier to find. If your photographer friend prefers to shoot 35 mm film, there is a super cute 35mm version of a Holga that you can find in different colors on eBay or Etsy. I have a blog post and YouTube video about that version too! It’s just the 120 version that is currently only available in black if you prefer a brand new camera. And there are other versions of the camera, I just prefer the GCFN version because it has a glass lens, as opposed to a plastic lens, which I find to be a bit sharper.

WHERE TO BUY:

Holga 120 GCFN Camera (takes 120 film)

Amazon
B&H Photo
eBay (more fun, colorful options are available on eBay than elsewhere)

Holga 135BC (takes 35 mm film)

eBay
Etsy

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

2. PROFESSIONAL AND UNIQUE FILMS TO TRY

This might seen obvious, but sometimes as a gift-giver, you might have no idea what film to buy for the photographer in your life. If you’re looking to impress, you can never go wrong with Kodak Portra 160 (available in 120 or 35mm) or Kodak Portra 400 (available in 120 or 35mm). It’s quite pricey but is known as one of the best and most accurate color films out there. I hardly ever buy it for myself because of the price, which is why it would make a great gift. Trust me, they won’t be disappointed! If you’re looking for a more affordable, normal film, Kodak Gold 200 is always great too (also available in 120 and 35 mm)! If you’d prefer to buy a more unique and fun film, I’d recommend Lomography LomoChrome Purple (120 or 35mm) or Turquoise (120 or 35mm). These are exactly what they sound like - a purple film and a turquoise film. Not all photographers are down to experiment with these kind of colors but personally, I love them! I’m always looking for ways to make my photos more unique. You can also check out my blog post about some of my favorite color 35 mm films here or black and white films here if you’re interested in reading more!

WHERE TO BUY:

Kodak Portra 160:
120 film on Amazon
35mm film on B&H Photo

Kodak Portra 400:
120 film on B&H Photo
35mm film on Amazon

Kodak Gold 200:
120 film on B&H Photo
35 mm film on Amazon

Lomography LomoChrome Purple:
120 on B&H Photo
35mm on B&H Photo

Lomography LomoChrome Turquoise:
120 on B&H Photo
35mm on B&H Photo

NEOPAN ACROS 100 120 II - Black and White
B&H Photo
Adorama

NEOPAN ACROS 100 35mm II - Black and White
B&H Photo
Adorama

3. POLAROID CAMERA

Another camera that every photographers should try out at some point! I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t love a polaroid. And while those Instax mini’s are cute and great, there’s something classically special about the standard, old school polaroid. For a while, the Polaroid brand was dead and gone. But a company called The Impossible Project began producing film to work with vintage polaroid cameras. It wasn’t the most reliable film at first, but they eventually procured the rights to the Polaroid brand and now produce consistent, beautiful film that works perfectly with vintage polaroid cameras. They also make brand new polaroid cameras, like the, which are also fun and would make an incredible gift! There’s nothing like an instant photograph. it’s a great way to capture moment with friends and families, especially during the holidays! You can scoop up vintage ones on Amazon ( I prefer the classic Polaroid One-Step 600 camera) or Polaroid’s new cameras like the Polaroid Go or Polaroid Now, on Polaroid.com. Plus, they have TONS of other gift ideas on their site, including Bluetooth speakers, camera straps, frames and film styles. They always have great Black Friday / Cyber Monday deals too!

WHERE TO BUY:

Vintage Polaroid One-Step 600 Camera:
Amazon
KEH Camera
eBay

New Polaroid Cameras:
Polaroid Go on Amazon
Polaroid Now on Amazon
Polaroid Now on Polaroid.com

4. RING LIGHT

If your photographer friend has a small studio or likes to take portraits, a ring light is a great gift. I always have a ring light set up in my studio because it’s the perfect amount of light for a perfectly exposed polaroid portrait. They’re a great fill light but can also be used for a million other purposes. If your photographer friend shoots models, it’s great for a makeup artist to use while getting ready for the shoot. The Neewer 19-inch ring light that I have has temperature adjustment, an iPhone selfie holder and brightness control. It’s extremely easy to use and automatically makes every photo look amazing. It’s great for TikTokers too!

WHERE TO BUY:

Neewer 19-inch Ring Light on Amazon

Neewer 18-inch Ring Light on B&H Photo

5. SSD DRIVE

My husband recently bought a Crucial X6 1 TB portable SSD to use for his work but I ended up stealing it from him because it’s so amazing! For years, I’ve used normal external hard drives and have had issues with them disconnecting from my computer, breaking or just not showing up when I plug them in. An SSD, or solid state drive, doesn’t have any of those mechanical disks inside that are so easy to break with the traditional hard drives. Plus, the one I have is super small, easy to travel with and has tons of storage space. These are incredibly handy for dropping files onto them after a shoot, especially if you’re traveling and worried about losing your files. They’re super fast, shock-resistant and reliable. Photographers can never have too much storage space, especially if they shoot video or scan their own film in high resolution. Those files can take up tons of space and this is the perfect solution for that and is much easier than those desktop hard drives that are huge and unsafe to move around.

WHERE TO BUY:

The Latest Crucial Portable SSD on B&H Photo

6. ONA BACKPACK OR BAG

ONA is a stylish and long lasting brand of camera bags and backpacks. I’ve had two different ones over the years and I’ve loved them both dearly. They are extremely well-made and the quality is top notch. Any photographer would/should be stoked to receive one of these! I started off with the Monterey style but ultimately switched to the Clifton style because it had space for more cameras. I shoot with a LOT of different film cameras and I typically travel with at least 5 cameras in my backpack at any given time. The inside dividers are adjustable so you can change them to fit all of your weird quirky camera shapes. I also love that they have a refurbish program that I plan on taking advantage of soon. I’ve had my current Ona backpack for at least 10 years and it’s probably about time for a little TLC. For $50 you can send it in and they’ll repair and treat the leather or canvas to make it look brand new! It’s definitely on my Christmas list to myself this year to send mine in and get that done. :) I’m hoping to scoop up one of the shoulder bags one of these days too!

WHERE TO BUY:

ONA Camps Bay Backpack
ONA The Clifton Camera Backpack

ONA Backpacks on B&H Photo

7. FILM SCANNER

I’ve had my Epson V750 for over 10 years and have definitely run it into the ground. A nice film scanner will save you thousands of dollars in the long run. I scan all of my own film so I never have to pay a film processing company to do it for me. Plus, I get full control over how my images turn out. I can color adjust before or after scanning, depending on my preference, and I can scan in incredible high resolution to make gigantic prints. These scanners last forever. The newest version is the Epson Perfection V850 Pro Photo Scanner. They aren’t cheap but you have to think about it as a long term investment. Scanning film after I get it back from processing is one of the most satisfying and fun parts of my job as a photographer. It’s also just fun to learn the process and to have that control that allows you to fully make your photos your own.

If you’d prefer a film scanner that’s less expensive and much smaller, you can try the Kodak Slide N Scan Digital Film Scanner or Kodak SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scanner.

WHERE TO BUY:

Epson Perfection V850 Pro on Amazon

USED Epson Perfection V750 Pro on eBay

Epson Perfection V850 Pro on Amazon

8. FUN FILTERS & PRISMS

If you’re looking for something that is quirky, lighthearted and not too expensive, you can always get them an interesting filter or prism to use to create unique photos. I love getting weird with my photos and trying out new techniques. I’ll shoot through empty plastic bottles and clear plastic sandwich bags to create a different atmosphere with my images, but a prism or rainbow filter would probably be a bit more of an exciting gift to open! You could go for the NEEWER 58mm Kaleidoscope Prism Lens Filter or the KOGJAERS Prism Glasses 79mm Handheld Kaleidoscope Prism. These would make great stocking stuffers too!

WHERE TO BUY:

NEEWER 58mm Kaleidoscope Prism Lens Filter on Amazon
KOGJAERS Prism Glasses 79mm Handheld Kaleidoscope Prism on Amazon

9. STORAGE BINDERS FOR NEGATIVES

Storage binders for loose negatives are a great gift too. These are a necessity in my life. I’ve filled quite a few of these over the years. If the photographer in your life tends to leave their film negatives strewn across their house, this is a great way to help them organize them and keep them safe. Make sure to get the sleeves too (available for 120 film or 35 mm). I label all of my binders and negatives and finally have a good system down. Plus, the negative sleeves that go inside are archival quality and will keep the negatives safe for many years to come!

WHERE TO BUY:

Storage Binder on Amazon
Besfile Archival Binder with Rings on B&H Photo
Archival 120 Size Negative Pages on Amazon
Archival 120 Size Negative Pages on B&H Photo
Archival 35mm Size Negative Pages on Amazon
Archival 35mm Size Negative Pages on B&H Photo

10. GIFT CARDS!

When all else fails, an Amazon gift card is always great because you can find the majority of film styles and cameras on Amazon. KEH camera is another great idea because they sell used camera gear. The majority of film cameras are vintage and used, and KEH Camera has a great system of checking and rating the quality of used cameras and lenses. I’ve ordered quite a few cameras over the years from KEH and have always had a great experience. If you know that your photographer friend prefers B&H Photo, you can always pick up a gift card there too!

Amazon Gifts Cards

B&H Photo Video Gift Cards

KEH Camera Gift Cards

BONUS IDEA:

I’ve been using Smugmug as my online gallery/storage system for over 12 years. I upload my photos directly from Lightroom and keep all of my photos organized in galleries by year, photo shoot, location or film type. I honestly don’t know what I would do without Smugmug. I send gallery links to all of my clients through smugmug and from there, they can download the photos in high-res, order prints and gifts and share the links with others! Not to mention, the smugmug app keeps my photos accessible at all times, and even backs up the photos and videos on my phone! It’s an amazing online storage service and is super affordable for what you get, in my opinion. You can sign up for a free 14-day trial here!

I hope these ideas help you in your search for the perfect gift! As a full-time photographer, I would be thrilled with any of these gifts and I really think the photographer in your life will love them too!

Have a happy holiday season! And don’t forget to stop by my B&H storefront or Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

#commissionsearned

<3 Myles

Neopan Acros 100 I vs. Neopan Acros 100 II Sample photos in Paris, France | The Best 35 mm & 120 Black and White Film

October 13, 2023

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

When I first started getting into photography in college, Neopan Acros 100 was one of the black and white films that my teacher recommended. Over the years, I tried out a ton of other black and white films, but there was always something special about Neopan Acros 100. It had such beautiful contrast, extreme sharpness, detail in the shadows and a true blackness that I always look for in black and white film. When I discovered that they were discontinuing it in 2018, I was devastated. I had taken Neopan Acros 100 with me all over the world; Paris, England, Scotland and all over the United States. It had become my go-to black and white film. I was super grateful though when Fujifilm announced that they’d be releasing a new version of the film in 2020, Neopan Acros 100 II. They have it available in 35 mm and 120, thankfully! These days, I’ve almost entirely switched to color film, but I finally decided to try it out and see if it lived up to the original version. I was planning a trip to Paris last year and decided it would be fun to re-enact my camera set-up from my first trip to Paris back in 2010 when I used the original Neopan Acros 100. I packed up my Canon Rebel K2 and Holga GCFN and a few rolls of Neopan Acros 100 II and even visited Versailles again, twelve years later, to test out the new version of the film using the same camera and location. I even made a YouTube video about our trip to Versailles and my thoughts on Neopan Acros 100 I vs. II, so make sure to give it a watch! :) I’ve included examples at the bottom of this post with Neopan Across 100 version I and then Neopan Acros 100 version II, in both 35 mm and 120 formats. I also took a roll of 120 Neopan Across 100 II to Kauai in 2022, so you’ll see a few Holga photos from our trip there too. :)

THOUGHTS ON NEOPAN ACROS I vs. NEOPAN ACROS II

I’m definitely thrilled that Fujfilm brought back a newer version of the Neopan Acros 100 film, but I’ll forever miss the original version. While the contrast and tones of the new version are beautiful and remind me of the original version, I find that there is some loss of detail in the shadows and highlights. It just doesn’t seem to perform as well in low light. I used to be able to pull more detail during scanning while still getting those dark blacks and bright whites. But still, it remains one of my favorite black and white films, with great sharpness and that classic black and white film vibe. There’s something so special about the tones, bringing nostalgia and a timelessness to the images that I find hard to replicate with other black and white films.

I still particularly love using Neopan Across 100 with the Holga, especially if I’m in a bright environment. I still haven’t found a film as sharp as Neopan Acros. I’m able to blow up my images on a massive scale, even when I take the images with a camera that isn’t that great. It’s really an incredible film, whether you use the new version or the old one.

WHERE TO BUY NEOPAN ACROS 100 FILM

NEOPAN ACROS 100 35mm II (new version)

Adorama

B&H Photo

eBay

NEOPAN ACROS 100 120 II (new version)

B&H Photo

Adorama

eBay

If you’re interested in trying out the original version, just know that it can get a bit pricey since it was discontinued. But you can still find it on eBay, just always make sure you’re buying from a reputable seller with good ratings!

NEOPAN ACROS 100 35mm I (original version)

eBay

NEOPAN ACROS 100 120 I (original version)

eBay

Feel free to leave any questions or comments below! Thanks so much for stopping by! And don’t forget to stop by my B&H storefront or Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

<3 Myles Katherine

(By using the links and/or codes above it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)