The Best Point and Shoots under $500 | Compact 35mm film cameras that don't cost a ridiculous amount "Which point and shoot should I buy"
If you've been shooting film for a while, you've likely noticed the insane rise in film camera prices over the past few years (or even the past 20 years). As a basic concept of supply and demand, this makes sense—cameras get older, rarer, and more expensive. But it still hurts to see a 35mm point-and-shoot film camera that was once $20 at the thrift store now selling for $1,800 online. It can be especially discouraging when you're trying to get into shooting film and all you find are old forums from 2009 with people saying, "Just buy a Contax T3."
Luckily, there are plenty of great point-and-shoot film cameras under $500 that take incredible photos. If you disagree with this list or have a strong opinion about a point-and-shoot camera you love that I didn’t include, tell me about it! I love talking cameras. You can message us on Instagram @heartbreakercameras.
Many of these are featured in my store, along with other great finds. Check it out! Can't decide what camera to get? Shop Here
Anyway, here’s the list, roughly ordered from cheaper to more expensive:
Don’t want to read all this? Here’s the list summarized:
Action Zoom 90 - (50-150)
Olympus Stylus Series (100-150)
Nikon L35AF (200-400)
Nikon One Touch (189-300)
Leica Mini Zoom (400-500)
Minolta Action Zoom 90
If you've used this camera before, you’ll know why it’s on here. It’s easy, simple, and lightweight—just the basics of what you need in a point-and-shoot. It features a decent zoom lens, a large enough viewfinder to avoid squinting, an easy process to load and rewind film, and a strong flash. While the lens and build aren’t remarkable, the camera isn’t trying to be anything it’s not. It’s an easy pocket camera, and for that, it’s perfect. Rarely does it run into technical problems or break, even with some wear and tear.
PROS:
- Ease of use
- Durability
- Compact zoom
- Multiple night modes
Cons:
- Indoor photos don’t expose as well
- Lens is average
Cost: $50–$140. You can find a beat-up one on eBay for $30–$50 or a better condition one with new light seals for $100–$150.
Olympus Stylus Series (Olympus Infinity Stylus)
The Olympus Infinity Stylus deserves its spot on the list even just for its on/off mechanism—it’s so satisfying! Beyond that, it takes surprisingly good photos. I recently shot some expired film with one, and the focusing and flash strength really impressed me. These cameras are a relic of the mass-marketed '90s point-and-shoot era. Unfortunately, they’re not as common anymore.
The flash is one of the camera’s standout features, offering impressive results even in low light. While the lens is fine (not exceptional), the overall auto-exposure and focusing abilities are remarkable.
PROS:
- Ease of use
- Strong flash
- Date mode (which always works)
- Better auto-exposure
Cons:
- Electrical components tend to fail
Cost: $150–$250 in good condition with working light seals
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Nikon L35AF (1 or 2) "Pikaichi"
It’s hard to call this my favorite point-and-shoot, but it’s a close contender. Some of my all-time favorite photos have come from this camera. The crisp lens, paired with a strong flash, produces stunning results. Prices on these shot up in recent years but have started to calm down. Even at $400–$500, I thought it was worth it, though opinions vary. Here's some photos from it, from expired film
It's just hard to find such a crisp lens attached to a strong flash from a point and shoot. It was built to be compact black box attached to a fast lens, and they delivered on that perfectly. You can get the same basic lens capacity in the 400iso version, the 1000iso version and then the later series of the came camera (L35AF2) Nikon "One Touch." I might just be partial because this is the camera that got me into film, but I think a camera like this is WHY I got into film.
PROS:
- Sleek design
- Amazing flash
- Crisp, fast lens
- 1000 ISO capability
Cons:
- Finicky design: light seals wear out, battery doors break, front cracks
- 1000 ISO version is rarer and more expensive
Cost: $250–$500 in good condition with working light seals.
Nikon One Touch (L35AF2)
This camera is underrated. Although it lacks some features of the original L35AF, it’s more durable and consistent. It still delivers great-quality photos at a cheaper price point.
It is the same lens as the L35AF but removed the backlight and some smaller internal features.
Leica Mini Zoom
This choice is contentious for me personally, mainly because I don’t love how it looks. Compared to models like the Nikon, Contax TVS, or Ricoh GR1, the Leica Mini falls short aesthetically. But it still takes amazing photos.
The Leica Mini Zoom is designed for quick, easy, and high-quality photography. Its light metering is spot-on, the zoom is smooth, and the shutter and flash are responsive.
Physically it is durable and can take a beating, nothing breaking easily, no batter compartment falling apart. It is a tad bulky but still easy to throw in a jacket pocket or a purse.
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Thats my list, would love to hear your guys opinions! Point & Shoots comes down to a lot of personal preference. It's fun to see what the different ones do, I like to take out new ones every few months and see the differences. Check out our listings for point and shoots.
