Four Decades of Film: The Cameras I’ve Loved and Let Go
Over the last 40 years, I’ve bought, used, loved (and sometimes not loved) a small museum’s worth of film cameras. Some were fleeting flirtations, others long-term companions. A few I never quite bonded with, while others were simply overshadowed by better fits. This post is a meandering look back at the film cameras I’ve owned, and those that are still very much part of my photography life.
The Ones That Came and Went
There’s a certain romance in trying different cameras, feeling the weight of history in your hands, discovering quirks, falling for a viewfinder or a shutter sound. But not all of them stuck.
Leica R4 and R-E – These were beautifully built, solid pieces of precision engineering, as you’d expect from Leica. But a few things kept them from becoming keepers. First, the cost of Leica R-mount lenses was hard to justify for a non-professional photographer. While the quality was undeniable, it always felt like you were paying a premium for glass you could never quite stretch to complete a system around. Second, the very slight but noticeable delay on the shutter button was frustrating. That moment’s hesitation between intention and execution broke the connection for me.
Nikon F801, F100, and F5 – Rugged, reliable, and packed with features. The F5 in particular felt like the pinnacle of professional 35mm SLR design. But autofocus (AF) never suited my working style. I’ve always preferred to focus manually and work more deliberately. These cameras were clinically good, but they didn’t stir the soul.
Canon EOS 10, 50e, and EOS 3 – Technological marvels, all of them, with the EOS 3 still widely respected for good reason. But again, autofocus and automation got in the way of the experience for me. I wanted to feel like I was making the photograph, not the camera. The 50e’s eye control was clever, and the 10 was a decent mid-tier body, but none had staying power in my collection.
Minolta 7000i and X-700 – The X-700 is a camera that many love, and it certainly has its charms. The 7000i, on the other hand, was one of those early autofocus SLRs that never quite got it right. In both cases, I found myself missing that spark of joy I get from a camera that simply feels right.
Contax RTS, 139, and RX – The Contax RX was arguably one of the best cameras I’ve owned. A joy to use, with a fantastic viewfinder and a solid, refined feel. Zeiss lenses made for gorgeous images, but they also came with a price tag. As much as I admired the system, practicality won out. Still, I think of that RX often. It had soul.
Chinon CM-5 – My first SLR. No one forgets their first. It was simple, reliable, and opened the door to everything that followed. Nothing fancy, but it did what I needed it to do and taught me how to photograph.
In the end, most of these cameras left because I didn’t connect with them, or more specifically, because autofocus and automation pulled me away from the deliberate, manual process I love. Some simply didn’t float my boat. No bad feelings, just not the right fit.
The Ones That Stayed (For Now)
These days, my film photography centres around the cameras that feel most natural in hand, tools that get out of the way and let me make pictures on instinct and feel.
Olympus OM-1 – I now own four of these. Not by design exactly, it’s just that every time one crossed my path in good condition, I couldn’t say no. They’re that good. Lightweight, quiet, and incredibly intuitive to use, the OM-1 is about as perfect as a manual SLR can get. I also own an OM-2SP, which has its strengths, spot metering and aperture priority among them, but it doesn’t quite match the purity and satisfaction of the original OM-1.
The OM-1 viewfinders are excellent, offering around 97% coverage and a bright, uncluttered view. But I do sometimes find the magnification a little high, especially when shooting at 50mm. I don’t always want to feel like I’m inside the scene, I prefer a bit of visual distance. That said, shooting with a 28mm lens on the OM-1 is a blessing. The high magnification actually helps with focusing wide angles, and the combination feels beautifully balanced in use.
Nikon F3 – A legend for good reason. If the OM-1 is elegance, the F3 is authority. Built to last, beautifully laid out, and with one of the best viewfinders I’ve ever looked through. Of all the cameras I’ve owned, the viewfinder of the F3HP is the best for me. It offers 100% field of view with a sensible, natural magnification—ideal for composing accurately without feeling overwhelmed. It’s a camera I trust completely, and one I always come back to.
Also hanging around the collection are a few cameras on the cusp of being moved on, not because they aren’t excellent, but because the OM-1s and F3 have made everything else feel a bit redundant.
Minolta SRT-101s (a chrome and black version) Beautifully made and a joy to hold, but rarely chosen when I head out the door.
Pentax Super A – A gem in its own right, but again, the OM-1s get all the love. The viewfinder is nice, and its marginally smaller than the OM1, but those buttons are a turn off and it has a loud shutter which is never a good thing.
Canon EOS RT – A fascinating concept with its fixed pellicle mirror. It’s probably the only AF Canon I still like using, but it hasn’t carved out a permanent place.
Lenses That Deserve a Mention
Among the bits of gear that continue to impress me are some of the Tamron SP lenses, particularly the 24–48mm f/3.5–3.8. It’s compact, sharp, and well built. But it needs its original hood. Without it, the lens is very prone to flare. With the hood on, though, it delivers beautiful results, especially on the OM-1 or F3.
Keeping It Simple
In recent years, as much as I still love cameras, my priority has shifted firmly toward the image. I’m less interested in features and more focused on the process. What I need now is a tool that simply gets the job done, something reliable, mechanical, and instinctive.
A manual focus camera that doesn’t get in the way, paired with a handful of quality prime lenses, is all I really need. I don’t even mind if the light meter doesn’t work. If a camera helps me stay present in the moment and make the picture I want, that’s more than enough. So the F3 and an OM1 it is for now.
…and dont get me started on my 35mm compacts and my two vintage 120 film cameras…but thats another blog for another time.