3 issues to bear in mind when taking pictures on movie, plus one of the best cameras to shoot with

There’s something inherently tactile and emotional about movie. There’s a purpose award-winning movies like Anora and TV reveals like Severance nonetheless get shot on movie regardless of how costly and limiting it may be. It may be the identical purpose I, and lots of of my coworkers, love our movie cameras.

It’s greater than only a “look” — taking pictures movie in a world the place digital cameras and smartphones exist is all about ardour, feeling and a spotlight to element, says Quintavius Oliver, an award-winning photographer and digital purchaser for Keh Digital camera.

However figuring out the place to start out, particularly in case you’ve solely ever taken images in your cellphone, could be intimidating. I spoke with photographers and business consultants about learn how to get began with movie pictures, and examined a dozen movie cameras over the past two years.

SKIP AHEAD One of the best new movie cameras | One of the best used movie cameras | One of the best 35mm movies | Movie digital camera equipment we love | Tips on how to begin taking pictures movie | Why belief NBC Choose?

How we picked one of the best movie cameras

There isn’t any such factor as a “finest” movie digital camera: it actually will depend on what you prefer to shoot and the way you need your images to feel and look. Nonetheless, there’s a purpose some fashions are extra widespread than others — they strike an ideal stability between value, options, reliability and extra.

We mixed our expertise looking for movie cameras with recommendation from digital camera retail consultants to select our favourite fashions primarily based on the next standards:

• Really feel: An important factor is how a digital camera feels in your fingers. “All that issues is that what you’re holding evokes you to exit and create,” says Oliver. I attempted a dozen movie cameras earlier than touchdown on my favorites for this actual purpose.
• Worth: Movie cameras can value wherever between $60 and $6000. You don’t have to spend 1000’s to make photograph, says Oliver. That’s why practically all of our suggestions value lower than $500.
• Controls: Older movie cameras power you to decelerate and make an image, not take one. Newer movie cameras might have extra automated options like autofocus, auto publicity and extra. What you favor is as much as you — that’s why we included cameras starting from lifeless easy to high-tech.
• Mild metering: A light-weight meter is usually built-in to your movie digital camera, and lets your digital camera let you know whether or not the scene you’re pointing at will create an publicity that’s too vibrant (overexposed), too darkish (underexposed) or simply proper. That is a vital device for figuring out when to regulate your digital camera’s settings to let in kind of gentle for a scene. Practically all of our picks have a lightweight meter built-in.

Should you discover phrases like publicity, aperture and shutter pace complicated, you possibly can be taught extra about them and different pictures phrases at websites like MasterClass, Adobe and Youtube.

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One of the best new movie cameras in 2025

There are fewer decisions of latest movie cameras than there are previous ones. Most new movie cameras in the marketplace in the present day are disposable or reusable point-and-shoots. Whereas these cameras could be enjoyable (and we embody one under) they’re akin to dipping your toe into an olympic-sized swimming pool. Fortunately, a handful of extra strong new movie cameras have been launched up to now few years, giving consumers extra choices.

Greatest total: Pentax 17

NBC Choose editorial initiatives supervisor Rebecca Rodriguez and I really like the Pentax 17. We used it for about two months after the model loaned us one to check out. It deftly mixes new and classic options to create a taking pictures expertise that’s each beginner-friendly and creatively fulfilling.

Inexperienced persons can put the digital camera in Auto mode, level and shoot: the lens is sharp and detailed, and can seize nice scenes. However the Pentax 17 additionally has a stunning quantity of guide management for a point-and-shoot digital camera: publicity compensation, a number of taking pictures modes, zone focusing and indicator lights for issues like flash and underexposure, to call a couple of. Capturing exterior of Auto mode takes a little bit getting used to, however I acquired the hold of it after only some pictures.

The digital camera is a half-frame digital camera, which suggests a couple of issues. Like a smartphone, holding it usually shoots vertical images whereas rotating it sideways adjustments to a horizontal view. The digital camera can take 72 images per roll of movie — common 35mm movie cameras get 36 pictures. The half-frame means every photograph has barely much less element and backbone, however in case you are primarily taking a look at images in your cellphone or sharing them through social media, it’s exhausting to note the distinction.

Weight: 0.63 lbs. (290g) | Focus: guide (zone) | Modes: auto, program, flash, bulb | Constructed-in flash: sure | Shutter pace: 4-1/350 sec. | ISO: 50-3,200 | Battery: one 3V CR2

Greatest finances: Kodak H35N

What we like

• Aggressive value
• Colourful and pocketable
• Constructed-in flash and star filter

One thing to notice

• Indoor images are sometimes darkish
• Restricted management

Anybody who finds pictures, not to mention movie pictures, intimidating can relaxation simple utilizing the Kodak H35N. It’s a step up from a disposable digital camera however doesn’t break the bank, and doesn’t require you to do a lot besides level and shoot.

It has a built-in flash that additionally comes with a begin filter, which principally makes sure reflections and factors of sunshine seem like huge, dramatic flares.

One thing to notice is that the lens isn’t very vibrant and the flash isn’t very sturdy — I took loads of pictures that ended up darkish and underexposed. One option to stop this problem is through the use of movie with an ISO of 400 or above (extra on movie right here).

Weight: 0.24 lbs. (110g) | Focus: mounted | Modes: n/a, bulb | Constructed-in flash: sure | Shutter pace: 1/100 sec., | ISO: n/a | Battery: one AAA

One of the best used movie cameras in 2025

There are a whole bunch of unimaginable used movie cameras in the marketplace in the present day. Workforce NBC Choose nearly completely retailers used — we usually use movie cameras from the Fifties, Seventies and Nineteen Nineties with out problem.

Shopping for used is usually a little extra difficult than procuring new. If you’re a first-time purchaser, I like to recommend procuring at a longtime retailer like Keh and Used Photograph Professional — each have clear shopping for, promoting, return and guarantee insurance policies. Simply ensure that to purchase a digital camera in good situation, and never one listed as “for elements”, “for restore” or “inoperable”.

I’ve additionally had nice experiences on marketplaces like Ebay, although I like to recommend you learn our eBay shopping for information for tips about learn how to discover one of the best merchandise from respected sellers.

Workers decide: Nikon FM

What we like

• Dependable, mechanical design
• Plenty of lens choices
• Timeless and classy

One thing to notice

• A little bit of a studying curve

Rodriguez has used this digital camera for about seven years. It initially belonged to her father, who purchased it within the late Seventies. Rodriguez introduced it to a digital camera store for a deep clear, and it has labored flawlessly ever since. She nearly all the time makes use of it with a small, wide-angle Nikon lens connected.

Like many cameras of the Seventies, the Nikon FM is a really guide digital camera: there are not any computerized modes of any variety, only a easy gentle meter that tells you in case your settings are too vibrant, too darkish or simply proper.

However that guide, mechanical design is why Rodriguez loves this digital camera, and why it nonetheless works properly practically 50 years after it was initially launched. “I really like having the ability to arrange each facet of my shot from shutter pace to aperture to focus with out the digital camera doing it for me,” says Rodriguez.

Launched in: 1977 | Weight: 1.3 lbs. (590g) | Focus: guide | Modes: guide, bulb | Constructed-in flash: no | Shutter pace: 1-1/1000 sec. | ISO: 12-3200 | Battery: two LR44/A76

My decide: Nikon F100

What we like

• Fashionable, comfy design
• Extremely versatile
• Many computerized modes

I’ve examined a dozen movie cameras — the Nikon F100 is by far probably the most succesful. It lets me management focus, aperture and shutter pace way more exactly than different movie cameras I’ve examined, which means I nearly by no means take a photograph that’s unintentionally blurry, too darkish or too vibrant. Plus it has auto and guide focus, and in guide focus mode, it has a spotlight affirmation indicator gentle.

The F100 can be surprisingly simple to make use of. Its trendy form and design makes it extremely comfy to carry, even one-handed, for an entire day of taking pictures. Plus its auto-focus and auto-exposure modes make it simple to move to a pal for them to take photograph too. I pair mine with this small and light-weight Nikon autofocus lens that’s out there new or used.

Launched in: 1999 | Weight: 1.73 lbs. (785g) | Focus: auto, guide | Modes: auto, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, guide, bulb | Constructed-in flash: no | Shutter pace: 30-1/8000 sec. | ISO: 6-6400 | Battery: 4 AAs

Professional decide: Pentax K1000

What we like

• Broadly out there
• Straightforward to restore and repair

One thing to notice

• A little bit of a studying curve

The Pentax K1000 is the movie digital camera for studying pictures. It was, and infrequently nonetheless is, the digital camera loaned to college students taking an introductory movie pictures course. It was the identical digital camera that Rodriguez used to be taught pictures. It additionally comes advisable by Mark Steinberg, the senior technologist at B&H Photograph & Video.

Just like the Nikon FM, the Pentax K1000 is a guide digital camera. The digital camera’s gentle meter will point out in case your settings are too vibrant or too darkish and that’s about it — all the pieces else is as much as you. You need to manually focus, twist shutter pace and aperture dials and wind the movie ahead after each shot.

The Pentax K1000 was produced for over twenty years from 1976 by means of 1997. It’s a easy digital camera that’s broadly out there and straightforward to service and restore, says Oliver.

Launched in: 1976 | Weight: 1.36 lbs. (620g) | Focus: guide | Modes: guide, bulb | Constructed-in flash: no | Shutter pace: 1-1/1000 sec. | ISO: 20-3200 | Battery: one SR44

Price range decide: Canon EOS Insurgent 2000

What we like

• Low value level
• Superior computerized modes
• Very light-weight

This was the digital camera I took my first movie images with, and stays a lesser-known however very succesful finances possibility. It has a number of auto-focus and auto-exposure modes, making it simple for a newbie to check out with out studying a lot about pictures. A dial on the highest switches between computerized modes, and even has little icons like a head, a mountain and a flower to point portrait, panorama and close-up photograph modes.

Paired with an inexpensive Canon autofocus zoom lens, this can be a digital camera nearly anybody can decide up and take images with.

Launched in: 1999 | Weight: 0.73 lbs. (335g) | Focus: auto, guide | Modes: auto, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, guide, bulb | Constructed-in flash: sure | Shutter pace: 3-1/2000 sec. | ISO: 25-6400 | Battery: two 3V CR2s

Editors’ decide: Leica M2

What we like

• Very dependable
• Distinctive lenses
• Quiet to make use of

One thing to notice

• Very costly
• Steep studying curve

Leica is a little bit of an it model — it makes highly-regarded (and very talked-about) cameras that normally value upwards of $6000. NBC Choose commerce editor Jordan Bowman purchased this a lot older mannequin used from Keh, and has been taking pictures with it for about six months. It’s exceedingly easy, dependable and quiet to make use of.

However the primary draw is the lenses — Leica cameras are suitable with among the sharpest, most detailed classic digital camera lenses. Bowman makes use of a wide-angle Voigtlander lens that renders scenes with exact element and vivid colour.

Not like each different digital camera on our checklist, this digital camera doesn’t have a built-in gentle meter. To compensate for this, Bowman slots a Keks gentle meter on prime of the digital camera to get details about his publicity.

Launched in: 1957 | Weight: 1.23 lbs. (560g) | Focus: guide | Modes: guide, bulb | Constructed-in flash: no | Shutter pace: 1-1/1000 sec. | ISO: n/a | Battery: none

One of the best 35mm movies

Your movie is arguably extra vital than your digital camera — it largely decides the tone, texture, colour and really feel of all of your photos.

There are dozens of movies to select from, however crucial factor to know earlier than procuring is ISO. ISO is a quantity that signifies how delicate the movie is to gentle: the upper the quantity, the extra delicate. Which means that a excessive ISO movie (Kodak Portra 800) will deal with low-light conditions way more simply than a low ISO movie (Kodak T-Max 100). Low ISO movies can have much less grain and finer element than excessive ISO movie, however might require lengthy publicity occasions that necessitate a tripod.

In our expertise, a versatile, all-purpose ISO inexperienced persons ought to begin with is ISO 400. Most of our advisable movies under are ISO 400 or larger.

Oliver recommends spending weeks and even months taking pictures with one movie earlier than bouncing round to completely different choices — you’ll be taught a stable basis about how movie behaves in numerous environments.

Greatest black & white movie for inexperienced persons: Ilford HP5 Plus 400

What we like

• Nice for inexperienced persons
• Aggressive value
• Timeless look

When Oliver taught pictures, he had all his college students begin with a 400 ISO black and white movie, whichever was out there. “The explanation I recommend 400 ISO B&W is due to its tolerance for errors,” says Oliver. “You’ll be able to underexpose or overexpose and the movies are so forgiving that you just’ll nonetheless find yourself with usable outcomes.”

Ilford HP5 Plus is a 400 ISO black and white film-favorite among the many NBC Choose workforce. It has a timeless look with refined distinction and noticeable grain. It’s broadly out there in most digital camera shops, and is without doubt one of the extra inexpensive choices in the marketplace.

Greatest colour movie for inexperienced persons: Kodak Ultramax 400

What we like

• Aggressive value
• Nice for inexperienced persons
• Punchy, vibrant colours

One thing to notice

• Colours too saturated for some

This movie delivers vibrant, punchy colours in nearly any setting. It is usually one of many solely ISO 400 colour movies that prices lower than $10 — options like Kodak Portra 400 and Cinestill 400D value a whooping $15 by comparability. I take advantage of Ultramax 400 when I’m going to be in a colourful setting like a botanical backyard in spring or a country hike in fall.

Greatest for portraits: Kodak Portra 400

What we like

• Delicate, heat colours and tones
• Glorious for portraits
• Wonderful grain

This is without doubt one of the hottest colour movies, typically solely out there in packs of 5, not particular person rolls. It renders photos with life like element, fantastic grain and delicate colours which might be well-suited to individuals and portraits. It’s dear, so we deal with it much less as an on a regular basis movie and extra as an “occasion” movie — reserved for once we’re occurring a world journey or visiting household for the vacations.

Greatest for evening pictures: Cinestill 800T

What we like

• Placing halation
• Cool-tone colour stability
• Excessive ISO

All of our suggestions thus far have been movies made for taking pictures throughout daylight. Cinestill 800T, in contrast, thrives at evening, below synthetic gentle. Pictures with synthetic gentle towards the evening sky are inclined to create sturdy halation — a blooming reddish or orangish halo that expands well-beyond the bounds of the sunshine itself. Sturdy halation and funky colour stability make images on Cinestill 800T look very distinct

Workers favourite: Kodak Gold 200

What we like

• Heat, summery colour tones
• Wonderful, refined grain

One thing to notice

• Greatest in a sunny setting

Throughout the summer season months, you’ll see Bowman and I loading our movie cameras with Kodak Gold 200. To us, it’s the epitome of a summer season movie — it renders scenes with heat, brown-gold tones that evoke the sensation of a trip or California street journey.

In comparison with our different suggestions, it has a decrease ISO of 200, which means it’s finest suited to sunnier, outside pictures.

Movie digital camera equipment we love

Equipment like a digital camera strap or flash aren’t sometimes included when shopping for a used digital camera. I’ve listed a few of our favourite digital camera equipment above.

Tips on how to begin taking pictures movie

Even with all the best digital camera gear, it may well nonetheless be intimidating to start out taking pictures movie. You’ve got a restricted quantity of pictures per roll, and it’s a must to assume much more about your shot within the second in comparison with utilizing one thing like your smartphone.

Be affected person

Be affected person with your self and the second. Movie cameras power you to decelerate and be a little bit extra deliberate and introspective earlier than you click on the shutter button. With a smartphone, you’re taking an image, however with a movie digital camera, you’re making it, says Steinberg.

Don’t overthink it

Your first roll of movie (and even first 5) might not come out the way in which you anticipate. That is normally not due to your gear, however your pictures expertise. “Simply keep in mind that errors occur and that’s how we be taught,” says Oliver. “Be affected person with your self and belief your gear.”

Have enjoyable

One purpose I really like taking pictures movie is that it forces me to note: discover the way in which the sunshine is touchdown on somebody’s face at a restaurant, the way in which one constructing appears misplaced from the remaining, the way in which strangers stroll quick or sluggish or hunched or tall. Holding my movie digital camera makes me discover any and all the pieces round me, and being that in-the-moment makes me really feel extra current.

“On the finish of the day, a digital camera is only a field that lets gentle in,” says Oliver. “What issues is in case you had been current and whether or not or not you truly made the image.”

Meet our consultants

At NBC Choose, we work with consultants who’ve specialised information and authority primarily based on related coaching and/or expertise. We additionally take steps to make sure all skilled recommendation and proposals are made independently and with out undisclosed monetary conflicts of curiosity.

• Quintavius Oliver is an award-winning photographer whose work is showcased in numerous galleries and museums. He brings his deep inventive imaginative and prescient and technical experience to his position as a Digital Purchaser for KEH Digital camera. (Keh Digital camera sells a whole bunch of cameras — Oliver doesn’t have affiliations with any particular person digital camera model).
• Mark Steinberg is the senior technologist at B&H Photograph & Video. He has many years of expertise in digital camera and digital gross sales. (B&H Photograph sells a whole bunch of cameras — Steinberg doesn’t have affiliations with any particular person digital camera model).

Why belief NBC Choose?

I’m a reporter at NBC Choose who covers expertise and health together with latest tales on smartwatches, trainers, point-and-shoot cameras and extra. I’ve tried completely different widespread movie cameras for years. For this piece, I spoke with pictures and retail consultants to raised perceive movie cameras and the present market. I additionally spoke with NBC Choose staffers about their expertise utilizing movie cameras.