My Favorite Film Camera

And it's under $250

Say hello to my favorite film camera — the CanonAE1. This is the first camera I started on when I was getting into film, and I still use it today. It’s great for beginners as well as seasoned shooters.

Hopefully by the end of this newsletter, I can convince you that you don’t need an expensive, fancy-dancy camera to take great photos on film.

Why I like it:

• Easy to use. There are no surprises with this camera. The features are simple and easy to understand. There are no fancy bells and whistles— it’s a camera that does exactly what you would expect. Nothing more. Nothing less.

• Durable. I don’t have a camera case/bag for this one— I’ll usually toss it in my purse, backpack, or bottom of the stroller and I’ve never had any issues. It’s built like a tank.

• Easy to find second-hand. Canon manufactured a lot of these cameras when they were in production, which makes them relatively easy to find today.

• Relatively inexpensive. You can find a used camera body, in excellent condition, for less than $250

• Versatile. Because of it’s ability to photograph in manual mode, this camera is great for low-light situations as well as natural daylight. I love it for detail shots, portraits, and landscape images (a.k.a everything). Keep scrolling to see for yourself ;)

Here are some images taken with a Canon AE1…

I have a 50mm, F/1.8 lens on my camera, and the level of detail I’m able to capture on this lens blows my mind! For context, you can find this lens in great condition for less than $150. (Don’t worry, I’ve got your back… I’ve provided links later on).

Here are a few detail shots…

It’s also great for photographing people.

Here are a couple of my favorite images, captured by my husband…

Lastly, I love it for landscapes…

If you’re in the market for a CanonAE1, here are some links to consider:

• This camera body, in excellent condition for $220-$259

• This 50mm lens, F/1.8 for $124-$141

• This 50mm lens, F/1.4 for $180

Learn more: If you are just getting started in the film world, or if you already shoot film but aren’t loving the way your scans are turning out, may I suggest my Fundamentals to Film Photography e-course.