Film never really disappeared—it simply waited for people who still care about the way light feels on silver. If you’re thinking of picking up a compact 35 mm camera, this guide keeps things simple: no hype, no collector jargon—just cameras that work and age well.

Canon — understated reliability

• Autoboy Prisma / Mini / F XL — light, simple, surprisingly sharp (35 mm/32–38 mm f/3.5). Practical ergonomics, steady color, good value.

Minolta — hidden gems

• Freedom Escort (Pico / Riva Mini) — 34 mm f/3.5; the Leica Mini II in disguise.
• Capios 160A — tiny zoom, competent AF, elegant build.
• TC-1 — 28 mm f/3.5, aperture-priority, premium pricing for a reason.

Nikon — precision first

• 35Ti / 28Ti — titanium bodies, matrix metering, razor-sharp glass.
• AF600 — the “poor man’s 28Ti,” small and clear.
• L35AF — first-gen Sonnar is a classic; check condition carefully.

Olympus — small miracles

• µ (mju) / µ II — pocketable, “surgical” sharpness, age-related faults are common now.
• XA — technically a rangefinder; quiet shutter, full control, jacket-pocket size.

Pentax — honest workhorses

• Espio Mini / 928 / 24EW — practical optics, exposure compensation, useful modes; 24EW reaches a rare 24 mm wide end.

Konica — design with soul

• Big Mini BM-201 / 300 — elegant design, clean rendering.
• Hexar AF — not a pure point-and-shoot, but a benchmark: 35 mm f/2, quiet, highly capable.

Yashica & Contax — from cult to collectible

• Yashica T4 / T4 Super (T5) — Zeiss T* lens, waist-level finder, genuinely good beyond the hype.
• Contax T3 — titanium, Zeiss Sonnar 35 mm f/2.8, compact perfection (if serviced).

Fuji — quiet innovation

• Tiara II / Klasse S & W / Natura NS — sharp, bright, refined handling.
• Silvi F2.8 — true wide-angle zoom starting at 24 mm f/2.8.

Ricoh — design intelligence

• R1 — ultra-slim with a pseudo-panoramic 24 mm mode.
• GR1 series — 28 mm f/2.8, purposeful ergonomics, beloved by street shooters.

Leica — the final word

• Leica CM — 40 mm f/2.4, titanium build, Leica-made and it shows.

What you’re really buying isn’t just a camera—it’s a way to slow down and see again.