Film Cameras You Should Avoid in 2024

A short list of some film cameras you may want to avoid buying in 2024 and the years to come.

Links:
New Channel:

Buy Bearbottom Shorts!

Join this channel to get access to perks:

0:00 Intro
1:05 The Most Important Advice
1:52 Avoid Craigslist
3:06 Soviet Cameras( replica cameras)
5:22 Mamiya RZ67
5:54 Fuji 645
6:52 Contax T2
8:30 Olympus Point and Shoots
9:13 Canon AE-1
10:00 Pentax K1000
10:30 End

[randallstewart]

As a senior citizen of the film camera era, I have often been asked over the years for camera recommendations, both pro and con, and I agree with the video comments in general. While agreeing that any camera where the basic functions are dependent on electronic is going to be theoretically more at risk of failure from aging than its all mechanical counterpart, the bogeyman of "but it's electronic" is these days much overplayed. My primary camera system is the Pentax 67. I have three bodies, two being 6x7 (more than 45 years old) and one 67II (more than 20 years old). I bought all used. The 67II has never been serviced. The two 6x7 were fully CLA'd and calibrated around 25 years ago. All are electronically dependent. I have never had a failure of any kind from any of them, admitting that none are heavily used. The Fuji GA is a similar situation. The fixed, prime lens versions (4) and zoom lens version are all fully electronic; all singing, all dancing as it were. The only one with a known issue is the zoom version, GA645Zi (the last camera I bought) for a poorly routed data flex cable, which can be broken by misuse of the film door hinge. (Was easily avoidable by Fuji, but was not). It's repairable, both for parts and knowledgeable labor, but that's not cheap. Of course, the easier course is avoidance: don't stretch the damn cable when you load or unload film. I tend to be watchful of the issue, and I had never heard anyone, anywhere, report an electronic failure in the other four GA models, or in the GA645Zi apart from the data cable issue. I'm sure there are some examples of failures, but not enough to make it an issue. I do not think the same can be said for the vast number of consumer point-n-shoot cameras sold in the 1980s and 90s.

[PhongJr.]

Considering the age and either the increasing need for CLA or possibility of component failure without the ability to repair, I view prices of too many cameras as being unrealistically high.
Doesn't matter if mechanical, electronic or the brand or model.
All too expensive.

[pickeliebaba]

A couple weeks ago I bought my first film camera and I couldn't be happier.
I bought a Olympus OM 2 n with a Zuiko 50mm in absolutely perfect condition for ~80€ with shipping!
Just been to Paris and took amazing pictures, love it!

[ploufbadaboum]

the system i use for years: a canon eos 500n with a pancake 40mm canon ef. The body cost like 20euros, it might break but i use one since 2 years without any problem. If it breaks, it's still less expensive than a roll of portra 400... and i found other bodies on flea market for 10 or 20 euros, so if it breaks i still have a body. and i have a body with ISO 400, one other with ISO 100, one other with b&w...
i feel the image quality with this pancake lens is as sharp as a 24x36mm could ever be.
the viewfinder is not very good, but i think this is still better than contax t2, olympus mju, etc... you can also buy any eos body from the late 90s and early 2000's, that will do the job perfectly without the anxiety of investing 1000$ or more in a camera that could break at any time.
just my 2 cents :)

[RhettAnderson]

Funny because the A-1 was the top of the A line and was too expensive at the time for me to get. Now the AE-1 is more expensive. Crazy.

The A-1 has that nifty complication in the dial when you switch between modes. One of the coolest things in a camera. Maybe matched by how the OM-2 switches between automatic and manual in the viewfinder.

[nicolasandresalvarezarangua]

The Soviet camera take is real, I was looking to buy a Zenit 122 like 3 months ago for like 30 USD, now they are selling for 100 USD, which is ridiculous.

[stephenkruft]

I have not used most of these cameras but agree with you that the AE-1 and K1000 are overpriced. I often recommend Spotmatics.

[wsgut]

One that should be on the list is the FM3a. If their metering system gets shot, there’s practically no parts available. I tried to be slick and bought one with a broken meter, and after a year taking it shop to shop, I found out that there were basically no spare parts made for it. Now I’m left with the world’s most expensive FM2.

[achaycock]

I thought that your comments were very interesting. The Canon A1 interests me greatly, but as I am fully loaded on the Pentax K (and m42 mount) I cannot justify buying into it. I agree with your comments on the K1000 as well. I have the KX which is a lovely camera and cost a fraction of the price.

[elementalview]

Craigslist?
Your experience is the polar opposite of my experience with FB Marketplace and Kijiji in Ontario. I've bought in person, and, product unseen, with me sending money by etransfer and hoping the seller ships (limited to $150). I've done on average, 1 a month for the last 3 years. Everything from $3000 for a Hasselblad, to $125 for a Minolta A-7. Never disappointed.
If you know your stuff, and you live in Ontario, you're good. I suspect this is also a Canadian thing.

[bigshooter]

I fully agree that desired utility is the biggest deciding factor. To offer full disclosure, I also have an obscene collection of cameras that I have aquired to shoot and have had to service many og them. Some I might love a little more if they were more reliable and easier to service. I think I really enjoy the cameras that produce images that I find compelling, medium format really checks that box for me, Mamiya 645 pro TL offers really nice SLR or waste level shooting experience, Mamiya C22 with 80mm f2.8 is a fantastic TLR I love to shoot, the Yashicamat EM is another. I am a really big fan of Pentax cameras and glass and have a bunch of K mount and M42 cameras. I also really enjoy Canon and Minolta. I agree with the AE-1 being a very reliable and decent camera for beginners, I do like the A1 and AE-1P but there are problems I am sure you know, that can make these a bit disappointing for those buying used. Like the beautiful Canon EF that I purchased that has a shutter issue, I'm not complaining about the 85mm f1.8 that I got with it but the first shutter curtain doe not latch when advancing the film lever and it just drops, the second curtain fires and so the cameras sound like it works untill you open the back to see it operating, now I am digressing, that happens a lot when I start talking about cameras. This is a really big toppic that you could do a 3 hour podcast on and still not touch on everything. Still great subject for a video.

[taylrsandrs]

keep it going! Love these thoughts. Ive always been an advocate of the Canon AV-1 instead of the A1 but im biased :)

[mvonwalter]

All luxury point and shoots have flex cables that go to the lens leaf shutter and those things bend and bend and bend and one day they just break. Contax T2/T3/TVS, Nikon 28/35Ti, Minilux, all of 'em. There are a handful of dedicated technicians that will work on them but the waitlists are long. Heck, even my Leica III took six months to get back.

Mechanical cameras can jam and break too. I've seen actuator arms that have the slightest bend to them totally stop a camera from working. Plenty of them have been serviced with the wrong lubricants so things seize up. I have had the "virtually indestructible" Nikon FM jam on me and the "problematic 40 year old electronic" Nikon FG out -shoot it.

[antnguyen]

It's time for film, I mean rangefinder! I've dabbled in film for the last 5 years, and by dabble, I've shot well over 300 rolls (mostly bulk rolled b/w) and the rangefinder experience one I've been lusting over for since year 1. Straight up, though, I don't have Leica money, but I also don't want to buy something I know I would want to upgrade from like the canonet ql17 (which seems like a great camera, but a lot of people upgrade from it). I've shot a lot of film, I know I enjoy shooting and will continue to do so, so I'm looking for a solid rangefinder camera. So here's the question: Minolta CLE? Have you seen many Minolta CLE's bite the dust because of the reasons you've listed? Production was during 1980-1985 so they'd be ~45-50 years old now at this point, but it just checks all the boxes for me: "mid-range" in terms of cost, interchangeable m-mount so it can grow with me as my pocket book does, meter, aperture priority, and most importantly, compact/lightweight. I'm a dad so it needs to go in the chest sling along with the wipes and snacks. I know there's the Leica CL, but many features of that camera is just inferior to the CLE, aside from the one winning feature, a completely mechanical shutter. There are tons of other great choices but then they get a bit too heavy for a daily carry or have fixed lenses. TL;DR the Minolta CLE is a ticking time bomb, but have you seen them often die? Could you recommend an alternative in it's class?

[CMCSenior]

Been looking at the Canon FTb-n to add to my Canon collection… and pros or cons?

[jkarlsonsrv]

Lately I've been scouring the ebay auctions for lesser known 80s point and shoots because a lot of them have decently fast prime lenses and are very cheap. (Under $50 a lot of times) I just got a Sears M35 (rebtanded Ricoh AF5) for $15 shipped.

[olleinsulander]

Speaking of the Kiev shutter speed adjusting, would you advice not to change shutterspeed on a TLR after cocking the shutter?

[chriswills]

Ricoh GR1, a superb lens on the most unreliable camera I have ever had.

[julianferrer]

thinking about getting a contax s2 in a mint/almost brand new condition from a collector.
i already own a rts II and a 50 and a 28 and have been loving it so far.
my question is would you recommend it? i hear the metering can be kinda off too, in-camera. would love your thoughts, . thanks

[_Sim]

Canon A1 has the same dependence on electronics doesn’t it? Mine seems to work ok, I’m still testing, except the shutter / aperture readout indicates settings that would way overexpose. It’s strange though, because shots in auto seem correctly exposed. Going to do some more testing with ektachrome so there’s less room for doubt.