Film prices keep going up, point-and-shoot hype refuses to die, and every week someone DMs asking: “What’s the best film camera under $500?” Good news: there are still plenty of gems that haven’t hit celebrity-tax levels. Here are five cameras we love at Brooklyn Film Camera: reliable, fun, affordable, and capable of making images way better than their price tag suggests.
1. Pentax Espio 80
The Espio 80 is compact, lightweight, and great for everyday carry.
The Espio line is full of sleepers, but the Espio 80 is especially great for beginners and casual shooters. It’s compact, lightweight, and fast enough for everyday carry. The zoom goes from 35 - 80mm, giving a super solid range in such a small pocketable camera. It even has a macro mode for extreme closeups!
Sharp Pentax lens with surprisingly good contrast. Reliable autofocus. Built-in flash that’s actually flattering.
Weather-resistant and rugged, ideal for street shooting or a pool day.
The Canon WP-1 is way more capable than it has any right to be. Designed as a splash-proof point-and-shoot, it’s ideal for street shooting, beach days, and anything where you don’t want to baby your gear. The surprisingly sharp 32mm f/3.5 lens and near-infrared autofocus make it a serious contender.
WP-1 Sample Gallery
Shot on WP-1
Why It’s Great
Lens32mm f/3.5 fixed lens
DurabilityWeather-resistant and rugged
FocusNear-infrared autofocus (can focus through glass)
ErgonomicsOversized viewfinder and controls
What Kind of Shooter It’s For: Anyone with a chaotic lifestyle, clumsy hands, or friends who like to push you into pools. The perfect "don't-care" camera.
Quiet operation and solid lens performance across the zoom range.
Zoom point-and-shoots get a bad reputation—but Minolta made some of the best in the game. The Freedom Zoom series gives you flexibility, great color reproduction, and that warm Minolta rendering everyone loves. It’s affordable and great for travel and casual documentary work.
Freedom Zoom Sample Gallery
Shot on Freedom Zoom
Why It’s Great
LensZoom lens with solid performance
Image QualityGreat color reproduction/Minolta rendering
CostAffordable—often under $150
OperationQuiet and versatile
What Kind of Shooter It’s For: People who want versatility without breaking the bank. Underrated for portraits thanks to the longer focal lengths.
The tiny XA-2 is perfect for street photographers and travelers.
The XA-2 is the simpler, zone-focus sibling of the iconic XA rangefinder. It’s quick, tiny, silent, and somehow still affordable despite its cult status. It fits in literally any pocket and features the beautiful Zuiko lens and a fast, intuitive zone-focus system.
XA-2 Sample Gallery
Shot on XA-2
Why It’s Great
LensSharp Zuiko lens
Form FactorFits in literally any pocket (tiny!)
FocusFast, intuitive zone-focus system
PerformanceGreat low-light performance
What Kind of Shooter It’s For: Street photographers, travelers, and anyone who wants a camera that disappears until the exact second you need it.
Classic 70s/80s experience with substantial feel and signature Minolta glass.
The Hi-Matic family is broad, and gives you a more 70s/80s experience with your point and shoot. These cameras combine classic rangefinder vibes with Minolta’s signature glass and metering. With a manual film advance, the Hi-Matic falls in closer to our vintage SLRs like the AE-1 or K1000, while still giving the simplicity of a point and shoot.
Hi-Matic Sample Gallery
Shot on Hi-Matic
Why It’s Great
LensSharp, contrasty Minolta lenses
ControlManual film advance and focus options
BuildCompact but substantial feel
UsageExcellent for learning manual focus techniques
What Kind of Shooter It’s For: Anyone wanting to step up into more intentional photography without diving into full SLR bulk.
You can do to any of these cameras what the Kardashians did to the T2. You just gotta get out there and start shooting. The differences in image quality between all of these isn’t going to be super noticeable.
When choosing a point and shoot like this, it really is worth considering which one is going to get you excited to get out and take photos.
“It’s imperfect, goofy, and kind of amazing.”
All these cameras are in stock now at Brooklyn Film Camera, so come by and try them out, see which one speaks to you!
Ready to start shooting? Shop our refurbished, warrantied selection today.
Top 5 Film Cameras Under $500 (That Are Actually Worth Buying)
Reliable, fun, and capable point-and-shoots that haven't hit celebrity-tax levels—yet.
Film prices keep going up, point-and-shoot hype refuses to die, and every week someone DMs asking: “What’s the best film camera under $500?” Good news: there are still plenty of gems that haven’t hit celebrity-tax levels. Here are five cameras we love at Brooklyn Film Camera: reliable, fun, affordable, and capable of making images way better than their price tag suggests.
1. Pentax Espio 80
The Espio line is full of sleepers, but the Espio 80 is especially great for beginners and casual shooters. It’s compact, lightweight, and fast enough for everyday carry. The zoom goes from 35 - 80mm, giving a super solid range in such a small pocketable camera. It even has a macro mode for extreme closeups!
Why It’s Great
What Kind of Shooter It’s For: People who want something effortless, dependable, and not precious. A great camera to always have in your bag.
2. Canon WP-1
The Canon WP-1 is way more capable than it has any right to be. Designed as a splash-proof point-and-shoot, it’s ideal for street shooting, beach days, and anything where you don’t want to baby your gear. The surprisingly sharp 32mm f/3.5 lens and near-infrared autofocus make it a serious contender.
WP-1 Sample Gallery
Why It’s Great
What Kind of Shooter It’s For: Anyone with a chaotic lifestyle, clumsy hands, or friends who like to push you into pools. The perfect "don't-care" camera.
3. Minolta Freedom Zoom
Zoom point-and-shoots get a bad reputation—but Minolta made some of the best in the game. The Freedom Zoom series gives you flexibility, great color reproduction, and that warm Minolta rendering everyone loves. It’s affordable and great for travel and casual documentary work.
Freedom Zoom Sample Gallery
Why It’s Great
What Kind of Shooter It’s For: People who want versatility without breaking the bank. Underrated for portraits thanks to the longer focal lengths.
4. Olympus XA-2
The XA-2 is the simpler, zone-focus sibling of the iconic XA rangefinder. It’s quick, tiny, silent, and somehow still affordable despite its cult status. It fits in literally any pocket and features the beautiful Zuiko lens and a fast, intuitive zone-focus system.
XA-2 Sample Gallery
Why It’s Great
What Kind of Shooter It’s For: Street photographers, travelers, and anyone who wants a camera that disappears until the exact second you need it.
5. Minolta Hi-Matic
The Hi-Matic family is broad, and gives you a more 70s/80s experience with your point and shoot. These cameras combine classic rangefinder vibes with Minolta’s signature glass and metering. With a manual film advance, the Hi-Matic falls in closer to our vintage SLRs like the AE-1 or K1000, while still giving the simplicity of a point and shoot.
Hi-Matic Sample Gallery
Why It’s Great
What Kind of Shooter It’s For: Anyone wanting to step up into more intentional photography without diving into full SLR bulk.
Final Thoughts
You can do to any of these cameras what the Kardashians did to the T2. You just gotta get out there and start shooting. The differences in image quality between all of these isn’t going to be super noticeable.
When choosing a point and shoot like this, it really is worth considering which one is going to get you excited to get out and take photos.
All these cameras are in stock now at Brooklyn Film Camera, so come by and try them out, see which one speaks to you!
Ready to start shooting? Shop our refurbished, warrantied selection today.
Shop All Cameras