Pentax K1000
All-manual mechanical SLR that forces you to learn exposure fundamentals. Built like a tank, dead simple to operate and cheaper than therapy for teaching yourself photography.
Nikon F3
Professional build quality without the Leica tax. Aperture priority keeps it accessible, the viewfinder is bright and clear and you inherit the entire Nikon F-mount lens catalog—decades of affordable glass at every price point.
Canon EOS-1V
The last and best autofocus film SLR Canon ever made. Professional-grade speed with 10fps motor drive, eye-controlled focus and flawless metering. If you shoot Canon digital, your EF lenses will work seamlessly.
Olympus Stylus Epic
Sharp 35mm f/2.8 lens in a truly pocketable body. Weather-sealed, reliable auto-everything and produces results that embarrass cameras three times its size. The cult following exists for a reason.
Konica Hexar AF
Silent autofocus with a 35mm f/2 Hexanon lens that punches above its weight. Near-silent leaf shutter makes it perfect for street work and you get premium optics without collector prices.
Contax T2
Zeiss 38mm f/2.8 Sonnar delivers clinical sharpness, titanium body feels like jewelry and it's the status symbol of film's resurgence (for better or for worse). You're paying as much for the flex as the photos but the hype isn't entirely unearned.
Canon Canonet QL17 GIII
Fixed 40mm f/1.7 lens is sharp enough to make you forget it's not interchangeable. The rangefinder patch is bright and easy to focus. Aperture priority or full manual depending on your mood. Built well but cheap enough that you won't cry if you drop it.
Voigtländer Bessa R2A
Interchangeable Leica M-mount lenses without the Leica price tag. The 1:1 viewfinder makes composing faster than squinting through magnified frames. Modern manufacturing means it won't need a CLA every couple years. Get access to the entire M-mount ecosystem for a fraction of what a used Leica body costs.
Leica M6
Whisper-quiet shutter, legendary M-mount glass and precision engineering that will outlive you. Worth it if you shoot enough to justify the investment, pure masochism if you don't.
Kodak Ektar H35
Half-frame plastic that shoots 72 exposures per roll and costs less than a decent dinner. Fixed focus, single shutter speed and a flash you'll probably never use. It's deliberately limited, unapologetically cheap and that's exactly the point. Perfect for shooting without thinking.
Agfa AG603000
Reloadable disposable that splits the difference between commitment and convenience. Pre-wound 35mm film, built-in flash and a lens sharp enough to surprise you. It's the camera for people who want the disposable aesthetic without the disposable waste (assuming you can find the film cartridges).
Pentax 17
Brand new half-frame with zone focusing, manual control and a fixed 25mm lens that's sharper than it needs to be. Pentax's first film camera in two decades proves someone's still paying attention. You're buying into a reboot but at least it's a thoughtful one with reasonable pricing.