[skierd]

The article linked in this post Interesting article about film in 2017 - PentaxForums.com

got me thinking... where are the modern film cameras?

Is there still a market for a manual focus, manual advance SLR? If so... which mount? Nikon F or Pentax K/m42, given their long compatibility history, seem to be solid bets. Or would be easier/smarter to go electric with EOS?

What about point and shoots? I'd love to see an updated Olympus XA personally, it's a great travel camera that's easy to use. ILC rangefinders are still available if you have Leica or Voigtlander money at least...

What would you want to see?

(mods, feel free to move this if there's a more appropriate section)

[Swift1]

The article linked in this post Interesting article about film in 2017 - PentaxForums.com

got me thinking... where are the modern film cameras?

Is there still a market for a manual focus, manual advance SLR? If so... which mount? Nikon F or Pentax K/m42, given their long compatibility history, seem to be solid bets. Or would be easier/smarter to go electric with EOS?

What about point and shoots? I'd love to see an updated Olympus XA personally, it's a great travel camera that's easy to use. ILC rangefinders are still available if you have Leica or Voigtlander money at least...

What would you want to see?

(mods, feel free to move this if there's a more appropriate section)

Until recently there were a number of modern film cameras being made, and there are still 4 or 5.
Cosina Voigtlander was making the Voigtlander Bessa line of rangefinders, as well as the Nikon FM10. I believe they stopped production last year.
I think (but I'm not certain) Nikon is still making the F6 in limited numbers.
Leica is making the MP, and M-A (possibly a few other M variants?)
Fuji is making the GF670/Voigtlander Bessa III, and was making the Klasse W and Klasse S. I don't think the Klasse cameras are still being made. Fuji was also making the Natura cameras.
I think Hasselblad stopped production of all film cameras...
Whoever currently owns Rollei is making a current Rolleiflex 2.8, as well as possibly (?) the Hy6.
Lomo makes a range of film cameras from toy to 120 P&S.
Arsat might still be making the Kiev 88?

[mohb]

Nikon still make one and until recently(?) Vivitar made a K mount one

[Alex645]

Because of the used film camera market, it is not profitable for anyone other than perhaps Lomography to make new cameras.

I believe Nikon has stayed in the game with the high end ultimate 35mm FSLR, the F6, and the entry-level all manual FM10, to add relevancy to using their lenses and staying within their system.
As noted by others, Leica and Voigtlander have cornered the rangefinder market, while Nikon with FSLRs, and Fujifilm with MF.

I would love to see a quality all manual basic like the K1000 or FM3n produced again, as well as a more affordable F6 like the F100. But as long as the used market has enough inventory and prices stay low, there is little incentive for anyone to go this direction unless they are a kickstarter with some sort of universal mount with adapters. What is also problematic are the vanishing labs, although I know at high schools and universities, film has rebounded and dark rooms have been returning since 2010.

[stevebrot]

You can still buy Leica, Nikon, and Voigtlander (Cosina) 35mm cameras new, though the Voigtlander rangefinder line is reportedly out of production. Medium and large format film camera production is still alive and well, though fairly expensive. Holga and Lomography stuff is still widely available too as are various Cosina CT-1 SLR derivatives (e.g. Vivitar models).

Film Cameras | B&H Photo Video

It was not that long ago that one could still get NOS Pentax film cameras in Asia, but I believe those days are past.


Steve

[brewmaster15]

Theres still many great Film camera's available used as well.. Pentax Pz1p's going for as little as $40-$60. Really when you think of it a camera like the PZ1p or the Mz-s really are amazing pieces of Equipment in their own right. I'm sure if Pentax still made them they could be improved but really are elegant beasts as they are, and have far more tech then they really ever needed. And theres still and incredible amount of rock solid manual cameras as well.

I guess what I am saying is, there so many inexpensive great Film camera's out there still that I bet its hard for a company to really make money producing one. I still have 3 Pz1p's in storage myself, as well as many others.

Al

[mohb]

The Vivitar 3800 was selling for about $200 when they stopped making them a couple of years ago, difficult to compete against the ebay used market/

[photoptimist]

The article linked in this post Interesting article about film in 2017 - PentaxForums.com

got me thinking... where are the modern film cameras?

Is there still a market for a manual focus, manual advance SLR? If so... which mount? Nikon F or Pentax K/m42, given their long compatibility history, seem to be solid bets. Or would be easier/smarter to go electric with EOS?

What about point and shoots? I'd love to see an updated Olympus XA personally, it's a great travel camera that's easy to use. ILC rangefinders are still available if you have Leica or Voigtlander money at least...

What would you want to see?

(mods, feel free to move this if there's a more appropriate section)

Hmmm... I'm trying to imagine what could really make a "modern" film camera:

* "modern" exposure automation (spot/center/green/program/scene modes + bracketing)
* "modern" AF (high point count, AF point selection control, tracking, catch-in-focus, focus bracketing)
* "Modern" shutter control (various "priority" modes, delay settings, IR trigger, timelapse, etc.)
* EXIF (imprinted in the sprocket margins)
* GPS (coordinates imprinted in the film sprocket margins)
* WiFi tethering (remote control of all camera features)

[pathdoc]

I suspect Pentax K would be the best bet for an all-manual camera. Nikon's F mount has a longer pedigree as a bayonet mount and more glass, but there is the non-AI, AI, AIS split to be catered for (how far back do you want the camera body to be compatible?), whereas apart from the small number of FA-J lenses and possibly the ME-F lens, I don't think there was a single film-era Pentax lens that won't work on a K-1000.

If you go with M42, which standard do you accept? Preset? Super Takumar-type auto stopdown? Or do you go all-out for the open-metering SMC Takumar level of technology or the Fujinon EBC (knowing that the latter will cause infinity focus issues with Pentax)?

There are reasons why Ricoh and Chinon went with the K mount, and I think those remain valid today.

Of course if what you are looking for is a level of sophistication akin to a P30T rather than a K1000, then we are into electronic aperture signalling etc, and the argument changes.

[stevebrot]

Hmmm... I'm trying to imagine what could really make a "modern" film camera:

In SLRs that would be the Nikon F6, which is widely considered to be the pinnacle of 35mm SLR design and still available new. Similar offerings from Pentax (MZ-S), Canon, and Konica-Minolta, while they were still being made, come close.

As far as manual focus 35mm SLR, my vote would go to the Nikon FM2N or FM3A or Pentax LX.


Steve

[redrockcoulee]

Holga ceased production last year and destroyed their manufacturing equipment prior to anyone knowing they stopped producing. It could be reverse engineered just like the Diana F+ was from the original Diana F. I think the latest Hasselblad H series body can accept film backs after several models that would not.

For now film camera manufacturing seems to be the domain of field large format cameras and a large variety of pinhole cameras. I for one would not buy a brand new film camera as even the cheapest made modern 35mm would be more expensive than many used medium format ones in good condition.


If Pentax was to make one I would think based on the last digital one or the MZ-S would maybe make the most sense but I do not think there is currently a business case to be made for them to make one.

[boriscleto]

As far as manual focus 35mm SLR, my vote would go to the Nikon FM2N or FM3A or Pentax LX.


Steve

Yes. We just need someone to make some new seal kits for the LX...

[monochrome]

In SLRs that would be the Nikon F6, which is widely considered to be the pinnacle of 35mm SLR design and still available new. Similar offerings from Pentax (MZ-S), Canon, and Konica-Minolta, while they were still being made, come close.

As far as manual focus 35mm SLR, my vote would go to the Nikon FM2N or FM3A or Pentax LX.


Steve

I would add Contax S2 ($400-$500 with everything) in the fully manual camp, and Contax RX or RTSII ($225) for the electronic, automatic shooter to the list.

Plus, you use Carl Zeiss T* C/Y lenses with them.

[leekil]

Holga ceased production last year and destroyed their manufacturing equipment prior to anyone knowing they stopped producing. It could be reverse engineered just like the Diana F+ was from the original Diana F.

Not sure you need to reverse-engineer the Holga; it's pretty simple to design a camera of that level from scratch, and probably improve on it in the process.

There's this new instant camera; not sure if I saw it on here originally or elsewhere:

Jollylook is the First Cardboard Folding Instant Film Camera

[Marcus Rowland]

I buy and sell a lot of used photographic equipment. This Sunday I went to a car boot sale (US equivalent is swap meet) and got three very nice 35mm SLRs, all with AF zoom lenses, a Pentax MZ-7 and two Minoltas (whose lenses can be used on Sony digital cameras) and three other manual lenses, for a total of £35. And to be honest I expect to make my money almost entirely on the lenses. Typically I end up selling the bodies for three to five pounds, unless they're something unusually good. With good 35mm bodies readily available that cheaply, I think it would be suicide for any company to launch an all-new film SLR, unless there was something very special about it.