5 Cheap Analog Cameras You Must Own

The world of analog photography is a universe totally unto its own. It is very different than digital photography, there is a complete different mindset that the shooter must be in and it definitely takes getting used to. Sometimes, depending on the photographer, they may never make the adjustment. For example one huge difference (which is pretty obvious) is that you have anywhere from 8-36 exposures depending on the type of film you are using, 72 if your shooting half frame but to my knowledge thats the max. That is a huge difference between anywhere from 100-2000 shots that can be taken with a digital camera. What that means is, there is a lot less room for just taking snapshots and getting lucky that one of your 50 shots of the same subject is the right shot. With film, being that you are limited in exposures, you must compose your shot in the viewfinder, and depending if your camera has a light meter or not, you must make sure the exposure settings are correct and then shoot and hope it came out the way you want it. That leads us to huge difference number 2, no LCD screen. No way of knowing for sure that the shot you took came out right, but that is also part of the excitement of film.

Anyways to make a long story short, (because I can go on forever about this but its entirely another post) Analog photography is very different. That being said, I feel being immersed in the world of analog photography will ultimately make you a better photographer and it will be waaayyy more fulfilling and challenging than todays digital standards. I can almost guarantee that it will be the best thing you ever experimented since the first time you tried a long exposure with a tripod.

So if I convinced you to come over to the dark side, then ill give you some tips on how to get started. Here are 5 amazing cameras that you can get on the cheap, but are sure to take you to the next level in your photography adventures. Keep in mind that these are not in any particular order, they are all great values in their own way.

#1) Canon Canonet QL17 G-III

photo by: love not fear

This is probably my favorite vintage compact rangefinder from the 70’s. It is a nice small camera, very light that you could bring with you almost everywhere you go. Although not small enough to fit in your pants pockets it can certainly fit in almost any bag you have. That is a nice plus, but the real meat to this camera is its super fast 40mm lens. Said to be sharpest when shot wide open f/1.7, it makes an excellent camera for use in low light. Also it has a nice large and bright viewfinder that you will find very valuable as you begin to learn to shoot with a rangefinder camera. It also has a built in light meter and autoexposure, shutter priority, and manual mode settings. Did I also mention it is super quiet with its copal leaf shutter. They can be found on ebay right now, for anywhere between $15-$200. I would suggest going for one priced somewhere in the middle. As with all these vintage cameras a lot of them are sold as is, so ask a lot of questions and make sure it is in good condition. As we all know you get what you pay for, so be smart about it. Yes you could get lucky, but you could also get burned. I got mine for about $25 plus shipping and its been a treasure.

#2) Yashica Electro 35 GSN

Photo by: Daniel Y. Go

Another one of my favorites, this camera is a true beauty. Its a bigger camera then the canonet, and noticeably more hefty as well, but the build feels solid. That being said this 35mm rangefinder camera has plenty to offer, most importantly being its Color Yashinon DX 45mm f/1.7 lens. Which is a super fast and super sharp lens that is amazing in low light. This camera has a light meter as well, and is an automatic camera that shoots in aperture priority. It can be found on ebay from $30-$50, again avoid the extreme ends of the pricing spectrum.

#3) Olympus XA2

Photo by: Rolf F.

This camera is design ingenuity at its prime. Originally introduced in 1980 the XA2 is the younger brother of the full featured olympus XA. This little beauty with its clamshell design, is small enough to fit in your pocket, making it one of the best cameras to take with you everywhere you go. I have one of these bad boys on me at all times. Just incase! It has a sharp 35mm f/3.5 4 element Zuiko lens as opposed to the 6 element lens the XA has, but it definitely holds its own. This camera is fully automatic and uses zone focusing. It is super quiet and is excellent for candid street photography. This camera goes for anywhere between $20-$70. If your interested in the full featured pro version, the Olympus XA. You can probably find that one for a little more, usually $35-$100.

#4) Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim

Image Source: cubistliterature.vox.com

Now this is an amazing little camera. It is made completely out of plastic, even its lens. It weighs a little more than an empty coffee cup and it fits into your pocket. This is another one that I bring everywhere! So what is so special about this camera? It has an unusually wide lens at 22mm! This camera has been called the “poor mans lomo” and is probably the cheapest and widest lens you will be able to find. It is a fully automatic point and shoot camera and like I said earlier it is made out of plastic so its very flimsy, but the images you get from it are AMAZING! Keep in mind the lens is plastic and is f/11 so bright sunny days are this cameras best friend. These cameras are also very rare and hard to find on ebay. If you are lucky enough to find one you will pay about $40-$60 plus shipping which will be a relatively high since they come from other countries usually. That being said I recently found a website that makes a knockoff version of the wide and slim, and they sell it for $30! They come in white and black, and although they look great I have never tried one of theirs so I cannot comment on the quality or build. Either way its a descent option you can check them here.

#5) Polaroid SX-70

Photo by:colecionando

Last but definitely not least, my newest addition to my camera family, the polaroid SX70 Alpha 1. If film wasn’t so expensive at $20 a pack (for 10 exposures) I would shoot almost exclusively with it. The camera is pure joy to use and the images you get are amazing! The alpha 1 uses a split-image Rangefinder focus circle and focus scale and a 4-element 116mm f/8 glass lens. Overall this folding camera is a dream. I highly recommend this one over the fully automatic onestep SX70’s you might see online for cheap, even if you will pay more for the folding alpha 1. This camera runs for anywhere from $40-$200 on ebay, although I got lucky and found mine at a local shop for $20 and it works like a charm. This camera is made to take the original long discontinued polaroid artistic tz film although it can still be found on ebay and other retailers such as polapremium.com. It can also be modified to take the much more available 600 film that are used in the more modern polaroid cameras such as the sun660. The tutorial on how to modify the sx70 can be found here.. If tinkering inside your camera is not your type of thing you could also simply buy a Neutral Density filter to put over the lens of the Alpha SX70 that will compensate for the 600’s extra sensitivity to light. That can also be found at polapremium.com for $20.

In conclusion, any and all of these cameras are a good option to get your feet wet in the world of analog photography. The main key is to have fun, and challenge yourself as an artist. With that frame of mind I guarantee that your skills will improve leaps and bounds.