Honest Camera Reviews

Best point and shoot film cameras 2023

This post will focus on a number of options go point and shoot film cameras that are available to buy new, which tend to be more nostalgic in nature.

You can also find many more advanced models available on the used market, which may be worth exploring.

There are many types of cameras that you can buy for your photography needs. The most popular type is the point-and-shoot camera. Point and shoot film cameras are a great way to get started in photography.

They are simple to use and often produce excellent results. There is also digital point and shoot cameras available if film isn’t for you.

vintage point and shoot film camera on a book

Best Point and Shoot Film Cameras

  1. Holga 120N

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Fun artistic results
  • Great for taking outdoor portraits and landscapes
Cons
  • Limited to f/8 and f/11; only suitable for outdoor shots

If you’re looking for a camera that will make your photos look like they were taken in the 80s, then this is a perfect choice. The Holga 120N has been around since 1982 and still manages to produce amazing results.

 

This little plastic camera is essential for every film photographer. It’s portable, tiny, and capable of producing high-quality images. This camera has an amazing capacity to make objects seem surreal and/or ethereal. This is one of the greatest film cameras available, and anybody can take wonderful and intriguing photos with it.

 

It can help you get out of your comfort zone with photography, forcing you to be creative as there are no settings – just focus, and exposure dials, so you can’t rely on auto-mode!

 

The Holga 120N is a toy camera, meaning you are limited in what type of shots can be captured. However, it does have an aperture size that allows for outdoor shooting with either f/8 or 11 settings making this the perfect choice if you want some creativity outside your comfort zone!

 

This camera is a great choice for outdoor photography, but it doesn’t work well indoors due to having an aperture of f/8 or 11. 

2. Kodak M35 

Pros
  • 35mm film
  • Brings back childhood memories
  • Included flash
  • Inexpensive
Cons
  • Requires 1 x AAA battery (not included)

Relive some childhood memories with this classic from Kodak. It is super easy to use, reusable, and takes 35mm film. It has a fixed-focus wide-angle lens, is powered by 1 x AAA battery (not included), and includes built-in flash.

The basic nature of this camera will help you focus on your photographic technique, and you’ll be surprised by the fun shots you can take, reflecting on fun memories once your shots are developed.

  1. Ilford Sprite 35-II

Pros
  • Great quality 35mm photos
  • Fantastic picture quality
  • Affordable and versatile
Cons
  • Requires 1 x AAA battery

This is a great ‘no frills’ camera, perfect for people experimenting with the 35mm format. It features a 31mm f/9 fixed-focus lens, with a shutter speed of 1/120s. A built-in flash enables shooting after dark, while the camera supports both color and black and white film.

This camera is a great way to get into film photography, and serves as a fantastic environmentally responsible alternative to a disposable camera. Why not pick up a couple as gifts or for guests to use at your next party?

4. YASHICA MF-1 Snapshot Art 35mm

Pros
  • Includes Yashica 400 35mm film to get you started
  • Included wrist strap
  • 1m to infinity focusing range
Cons
  • Build quality concerns expressed by some


This is another great camera to start your film journey, and includes a bonus roll of Yashica 400 35mm film and a wrist strap – all set for your first adventure. It takes great quality photos given the price, and is a joy to use.

Some have expressed issues with the camera’s film winder and its unreliability, however this view does not appear shared by all.

5. Holga 120 WPC Panoramic Pin Hole Camera

 

Pros
  • Pinhole exposure
  • Wide panoramic range
  • Truly unique shots
Cons
  • Pinhole photography not for everyone

 

This camera is quite unique, in that its pinhole exposure allows light to pass directly onto the film, creating the image without the light passing through a lens!

 

The second unique feature is a nice wide panoramic range of 120 degrees, producing some truly unique photos!

Films of multiple exposure speeds are supported, with 100 for sunshine and 400 for cloud and indoor use recommended.

 

An excellent camera for helping newcomers to focus on composition, it is a light weight and easy to use that will create some truly captivating images.