Jason Schneider

Don’t look now, but film is making a comeback! The reason why is that it’s still a great way to capture distinctive images that express your personal vision.

The performance parameters of today’s cameras are flat-out astonishing. Many current entry-level and middle-tier D-SLRs provide image sensors with resolutions ranging from 12-18 megapixels (MP), burst rates of 5-7 fps, and full 1080p HD video capability. Sophisticated digital point-and-shoots are not far behind, with 10-14MP sensors, 720p or 1080p HD video, and respectable burst rates in the 3-5 fps range. Needless to say, pro and prosumer D-SLRs often exceed even these incredible specs, with sensors in the 20-25MP range, blistering burst rates up to 10 fps, deep buffers, and phenomenally rapid image processing software. Not surprisingly, flash memory manufacturers have responded with a veritable explosion of high-capacity, high-speed memory cards with incredible write speeds and an array of enhancements aimed at increasing reliability and security.

I confess to being a cantankerous old coot who cut his photographic eyeteeth deep in the analog era.

I’ve been collecting cameras for (ahem) well over half a century. But unlike many of my fellow film camera fanatics, I actually use these things to make pictures, which is a lot more fun. That’s why all the cameras on my 10 Favorites list below are prime, high-performance user-collectibles capable of outstanding image quality that can give those digital upstarts a run for the money. Yes, shooting film is a lot less convenient, and more expensive than shooting digital, but if you enjoy being a contrarian, iconoclast or outlier, being a Film Dinosaur is a great way to go.