The film camera market  is pretty wide... What degree of automatization do you require ? None, auto-exposure, auto-focus ? Fixed lens or interchangable ?

If you are open for anything, just ask older relatives for their old cameras. Basically everbody born before 1980 owned at least one. And since cameras used to be expensive and take little space, they were rarely thrown out, just faded to the back of some drawer...

Do you already own an interchangeable lens digital camera? If yes, look to see if the brand made film cameras that use either the same mount (Nikon F, Canon EF, Pentax K) or have a mount that can be easily adapted to their mirrorless cameras (Nikon Z, Canon RF). Those brands are just examples.

If you don’t, find a fully mechanical camera that works and is in your price range. Or a camera that has some automation that seems to have stood test of time.

I like Nikon so in this case I’d be looking at a Nikormat, Nikon FM or Nikon FG for a little automation. Choose a 50mm lens.

If you want autofocus, choose something like a Canon EOS Elan or a Nikon F65. Pick an autofocus lens of your choice.

I also recently got into the photography world and I also have been streaming using a webcam for years. My brother is a photographer and he suggested the Sony ZV-E10 for beginners. I got it and it has been great. I also use it now for streaming.

https://techboltreviews.blogspot.com/2024/11/your-next-camera-is-here-perfect-for.html

Try checking this website that I got from him. It has several camera models and has pros and cons for each item. Goodluck!

Any SLR that works as it should and allows you to shoot in full manual mode. Seriously, go on Facebook marketplace and whatever old Minolta, Konica, less popular Canon model you can get for $50 will do the job. Meter with a phone app light meter and learn the exposure triangle. Fail a lot. Then love it or leave it

I still really enjoy playing with disposable film cameras from time to time. good for the basics of framing, distance, and developing an eye for you style and trying out different kinds of film stock. I have reloaded a couple of them with different film if your diy in any way its a fun way to spend a weekend.

Learning how to photograph is the fun. I have only manual film cameras.

As a compact and easy to use 24x36 camera I would say Canon AE1 or Nikon FM2. My friend is starting film photography and I recommended devices that have an integrated cell to make learning easier.

Minolta srt 201/202/301/303. Minolta lenses are cheap as fuck, sharp as fuck and have good character to them

There are two ways you can go.

1. Buy something like canon eos, learn to operate it on auto, then gradually switch to manual.
2. Go nuts, buy a praktica, zenit or sth similar and learn from scratch.

Either way, it's good to keep a journal and visit a library - chances are there is some old book on film photography there.

Canon AE-1 is pretty good and inexpensive for a first film camera. It can be found almost anywhere, since so many were sold back in the days.

Imho fully manual cameras are the worst for beginners because of exposure metering. Messing with external metering interrupts your attention and mood, so at least beginner's camera should have exposure meter, and the best option is av mode. But manual lens will make the process more enjoyable then auto-focus lens. Also dslr preffered, not rangefinder, because you will see the real image and enjoying bokeh. There is a lot of mechanical cameras with metering: Spotmatic, Minolta, Olympus, Canon, Nikon, the thing is - to choose not camera but "lens style", each of them have their own character and behavior. Also some rolleiflex 3.5 would be interesting option. Dont touch soviet union shit of course, only if you want to get lomo random results with scratches on the film, blurring, lighting and doubleframes, what's actually not so bad, but not for beginners I guess.

Get a 35mm SLR, a 90's model with AF if you just want to take pictures, or 70's version with manual control if you want to learn how everything works together to get the final image.

Honestly at this point I’d say what ever you can get your hands on that’s in good condition

I'd argue there is NO such thing as a "best" film camera for a beginner. All of them are great in some ways. All of them suck in some ways. All of that is my opinion and until you have had several cameras, you won't have an opinion of your own. That's nothing bad. You just need to get there like all of us had. Get any working camera that fits into your budget and start shooting. Learn everything about it, about your lens, about the images it makes. And from that, learn your own preferences, style, vision.

I really think people tend to overcomplicate stuff in the beginning and are afraid to "waste money" or "making the wrong choice" not realizing losing money, time, effort, sleep, nerves, changing gear, re-thinking everything is basically always a part of the process.

Whatever you do stay away from old point and shoot cameras, get you a strudy SLR, I recommend MINOLTA SRT series, I purchased an SRT101 for 35 bucks its a fully mechanical lil tank witha great lens, also Olympus OM1, Vivitar v3800n was my very 1st film camera as a student back in 2003 and I still have, nice camera as well. Good luck in your journey and whatever you get keep it loaded and take it everywhere.

A lot of ppl are saying to get canon but i started out with a minolta xg1 and its amazing. Very simple to use and a cheaper alternative to the canon ae-1

Canon EOS Rebel G. $20 on eBay for the camera body. Wide variety of lenses available that you can continue to use on a better camera.

Olympus OM2.

Just getting into film and using a Pentax Spotmatic SP, it’s very fun, but if you want any electronic features aside from the light meter, you’re gonna have to look elsewhere

Why not get a decent SLR and properly learn photography - take any course or just learn from youtube?
Why waste film, your money and your time by frustration on these compromises?

Olympus point and shoots were the standard setter in their day. I'd try out the Stylus 80 model.

So you want a point and shoot? Just check out any thrift shop or Goodwill and see what's available for $10 or less. You might be surprised.

My first film camera was a Canon F I picked up at a monthly film camera show (pre COVID). There are a lot of great places online to pick up film cameras at great prices.

If you want something you won’t outgrow, go for a nikon FM2 with a 50mm lens. Look for secondhand shops in your area and it usually around 100usd. It will last you a lifetime and the metering is beginner-friendly.

I would recommend Asahi Spotmatic, Praktica MTL5B for SLR

Get an autofocus SLR. Everyone wants the old all-manual ones, so the AF ones are cheaper. Any Minolta Maxxum/Dynax would be a good place to start. Some go for like $25-50 with a lens. The old Canon Rebels would also be good, as would similar Nikon & Pentax models.

Canon A-1 (AE-1 Program, AE-1 as an option)

Nikon FE

Tbh if you want something affordable, being flexible will be your friend. Check antique sources such as eBay, fbm, or local classifieds. People being told to 'Buy an AE-1 it's a good beginner SLR' have not been lied to, but the advice is so common the price of these are now silly, and thus it has become bad advice. However if you could still pay a 'fair' price for one, it would still be a good buy.

imo a simple SLR is absolutely the best option for a beginner but ymmv, as one woman's simple is another man's overwhelming. Some ideas of how much you actively want to have to work on getting the shot will help, but you'll generally choose to trade off between something more manual where you're responsible for any mistakes, and something more automated which focuses and controls exposure with less input/control from you.

I’m mainly a digital photographer but I recently bought my first film camera and it’s a Nikon FE. If you’re confident shooting manual you won’t have any problems with an slr. For me it was kinda just a “you get what you get” situation cause I found it really hard to find a good condition 35mm analog that didn’t break the bank. Depending on the condition of the camera you might have to get an external light meter and just check for fungus in the lens and make sure the shutter is working before you buy anything

Do you already have a dslr?

No film camera gives me greater joy than the Olympus Trip 35.

You can get a SLR and lens for $150. There are plenty of options, a lot of folks start with an Ae-1 . If you go with the more modern bodies, you’ll spend more, and I’m not sure what benefit of that is, at this point.

If you like the film experience you may go medium format, if you don’t like it You’ll want to sell the gear. Easier to move cheaper gear than the more expensive kits.

Shameless plug: I have a pretty good starter set for sale if interested (Minolta x570/35mm f2.8)

Probably the Yashica or VR35. The iwami is a toy camera

Yashica would give you the better options, unless you really need a weak flash.

Looks like the Kodak VR35 has a 4-element Tessar-type lens and should be capable of very decent results, which a couple of reviews I just found confirm. If it's working, it will be easy to start with.

The Yashica is a manual focus rangefinder, which makes it a bit more complicated to use, but it's also more flexible and you have more control and an excellent lens. I think it has a circuit that can cope with modern batteries of slightly different voltage to the old mercury batteries it was designed for, so if it's working it would be another good choice.

When making your choice always consider which one Gary Oak will pick after you

Yashica for the image quality, Kodak for the ease of use.