Other 35mm Cameras While AF 35mm SLRs are the most popular models among serious photographers, there are other types of 35mm cameras. Manual-focus 35mm SLRs are still around (with more than a dozen currently in production), a handful of 35mm rangefinder models have their dedicated following, Olympus' IS-series ZLRs feature SLR viewing and built-in zoom lenses, and the compact point-and-shoot 35mm cameras are the best selling models in the format, despite the inroads of digital in the point-and-shoot market. In terms of features and performance, in a given price range, an AF SLR can do anything a manual-focus SLR can do, and provides autofocusing when you want it. So for most folks, an AF SLR is the way to go. One advantage the manual-focus models is that they have focusing screens that are easier to use for manual focusing. Another advantage of many is that they have mechanical rather than electronic shutters, and thus you can continue to shoot, with access to all shutter speeds, even if the battery dies (although you do lose the exposure meter if the battery conks out). Today's 35mm rangefinder cameras essentially consist of Leica's legendary M-series (most currently, the MP, M7 TTL and M6 TTL), Hasselblad's XPan II dual-format panoramic model, Konica's Hexar RF, the Contax G2, the low-cost Voigtlander Bessa series, and Nikon's retro S3 collector's model. Rangefinder cameras are smooth and quiet (no SLR mirror that has to flip up out of the light path during exposure) and easier to focus in dim light, especially with slower lenses; but rangefinders suffer from parallax (what the viewfinder sees and what the lens sees aren't exactly the same—this limits the range of focal lengths that can be accommodated, and makes close-up framing tricky). Compact 35mm point-and-shoot models come in two basic varieties: single-focal length and zoom. The zoom models are the most popular, because of their ability to change focal length (generally from moderately wide-angle to short telephoto). But the point-and-shoot market is leaning toward digital these days. While there's not room here to detail all the camera models, here's a representative sampling. Hasselblad XPan II Introduced in 1999, Hasselblad's XPan rangefinder camera features dual-format capability, producing standard 24x36mm images and panoramic 24x65mm images on standard 35mm film rolls. You can shoot any shot in either format merely by flicking a lever, switching back and forth as desired until you fill the roll. Three interchangeable lenses are available: 30mm f/5.6 superwide-angle, 45mm f/4 "normal," and 90mm f/4 telephoto. The new II version includes a viewfinder display of shutter speed and exposure info, a large LCD menu display, a self-timer delay, multi-exposure capability, rear-sync flash and improved lens shades for the 45mm and 90mm lenses. Street price is $1840 for the body. Leica MP The latest member of Leica's line of legendary rangefinder cameras, the MP features a quiet and vibration-free mechanical focal-plane shutter with battery-free speeds from one second to 1/1000 (plus B), the high-precision rangefinder system that graces all Leica M rangefinder models, with automatic parallax compensation; TTL metering, manual control of exposure and film speeds, flash connection via dedicated hot-shoe or PC terminal, manual film advance via thumb lever (an optional motor drive is available), a diecast aluminum body with brass top and baseplate, and more. Street price is $2595. Nikon FM3A Nikon's venerable FM2 enjoyed a two-decade span as a popular model with photographers who appreciated a solid, reliable manual SLR, and like to control all aspects of shooting. The FM3A retains its predecessor's fine features—including battery-free operation, mechanical shutter speeds from one second to 1/4000 (plus B), flash sync up to 1/250, solid metal construction, interchangeable focusing screens, depth of-field preview, multiple-exposure capability and simple direct-dial operation—and adds aperture-priority AE, TTL flash capability, auto-DX as well as manual film-speed setting, and a film-ID window in the back. It accepts most Nikkor lenses, auto and manual focus, except IX and G types (which lack aperture rings) and old non-AI lenses (the FM3A doesn't have a meter-coupling-lever release button). Street price is around $600. Olympus IS Series Olympus introduced its first IS-series ZLR (zoom-lens reflex), the IS-1, back in 1990. Today the lineup consists of the IS-5 (street price around $300) with 28–140mm f/4.9–6.9 ED (for Extra-low Dispersion) zoom lens, and the IS-50 QD (street price around $250) with 28–120mm f/4.9–6.8 ED zoom. Other notable features of the family include accurate phase-detection autofocusing (predictive in Stop Action mode), powerful built-in pop-up Intelligent Vari-Power Twin Flash system with sync at shutter speeds up to 1/2000 for excellent exposures from macro to normal shooting distances (the system even detects fluorescent light and fires the flash to automatically balance color), built-in motor drive (for automatic threading, advance and rewind), a variety of exposure modes (program AE, subject programs and aperture-priority AE, plus shutter-priority AE and metered manual in the IS-5), fuzzy logic ESP metering plus center-weighted average and spot metering, built-in viewfinder eyepiece adjustment (–2 to +1 diopters), quartz date imprinting, very simple operation, and more. The ergonomic shape almost forces you to hold the camera in the steadiest way possible. While the IS-series cameras are self-contained, Olympus does offer some accessories, including tele and wide-angle converters, a remote control and an even more powerful accessory flash unit. Pentax ZX-M Budget-minded folks who want a modern 35mm SLR camera but without autofocusing will love the Pentax ZX-M (although the ZX-60, with autofocusing, can be had for the same $150 street price). While the ZX-M's focusing is manual, it offers program, shutter- and aperture-priority AE along with manual exposure control. Other features include 2 fps advance, shutter speeds from 30 seconds to 1/2000, (non-TTL) hot-shoe for dedicated Pentax accessory flash units, auto-DX and manual film-speed setting, TTL 2-segment metering, and more. AF Compact 35mm Cameras You can choose among well over 100 AF compact 35mm cameras today, from basic to "connoisseur." Here's a sampling of these popular point-and-shoot models, across the range. Canon Sure Shot Z155 Featuring a 37–155mm f/4.8–11.7 power-zoom lens in a tiny 4.4x2.3x1.9-inch, 7.9-ounce metallic body, the Sure Shot Z155 offers lots of features, including fully automatic operation with a handy Best Shot Dial, passive three-point AiAF plus center-point AF, built-in multimode autoflash, dioptric viewfinder eyepiece correction, a personal setting that lets you create and save a unique group of settings to use whenever you want them, and lots more. Street price is under $200. Contax T3 This sleek, simple and tiny (4.1x2.5x1.2 inches, 8.2 ounces) gem is a 35mm lens-shutter model that sports a supersharp Carl Zeiss T* Sonnar 35mm f/2.8 lens. Other features include passive five-point AF down to 1.1 feet (with focus-assist light) plus manual focusing, programmed and aperture-priority AE, five-mode built-in flash plus the ability to accept an external flash unit, and more. The T3 even has seven Custom Functions, which allow you to select film-leader in or out after rewind, lens extension and exposure compensation hold times, exposure compensation steps (1/3 or 1/2 EV), and various focus functions. The titanium body shell is available in chrome or black finish. Street price is about $700. Fujifilm Discovery Zoom Date 1300 With a wide-ranging 28–130mm f/5.8–11.5 power-zoom lens and a street price of around $210, the Discovery Zoom Date 1300 offers a good combo of versatility and value. Features include a very compact (4.2x2.4x1.6-inch, 6.4-ounce) metallic body, red-eye-reducing Digital-Programmed autoflash, sequential self-timer, infrared remote control, passive autofocusing and more. Konica Lexio 70 This very tiny 35mm zoom compact measures just 4.3x2.3x1.3 inches and 6.3 ounces, yet incorporates a 28–70mm f/3.4–7.9 power-zoom lens, viewfinder dioptric adjustment from +2 to –2, a red-eye-reducing autoflash unit, Night-view Portrait mode, close-up capability down to 14 inches, infinity mode, +1.5EV exposure compensation, self-timer, battery-saving circuitry and more. Street price is around $150. Leica C1 Zoom Within the C1's stylish and rugged aluminum body (with lightly rubber-armored top and bottom) you'll find a razor-sharp Leica Vario-Elmar 38–105mm f/4–10.5 aspherical zoom lens, active infrared autofocusing, built-in data-recording function, built-in flash and point-and-shoot simplicity with manual overrides. Street price is around $400. Minolta Zoom 160C Date This new simple model features a 37.5–160mm f/5.4–12.4 power-zoom lens with 5-point external passive AF that makes shooting off-center subjects easy, programmed AE with 3-segment metering, built-in autoflash with red-eye reduction, continuous shooting at 2.2 fps, self-timer, optional remote control, a real-image zoom viewfinder, tiny (4.4x2.4x1.8 inches, 6.7 ounces) size, and more. Street price is around $170. Nikon Lite-Touch ZOOM 150 ED/QD Nikon's new Lite-Touch Zoom 150ED/QD features a stylish silver-and-gold body, wide-area passive AF, a 38–150mm f/5.4–12 Nikon zoom lens with Nikon ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass technology to minimize chromatic aberration, pop-up autoflash with red-eye reduction, built-in quartz date back, panorama-format mode and more. It measures 4.6x2.4x1.8 inches and weighs 7 ounces. Street price is around $200. Olympus Stylus Epic Zoom 170 Deluxe Featuring great looks and a 38–170mm f/4.8–13 power-zoom lens, the Stylus Epic Zoom 170 Deluxe offers passive and active AF (active for close subjects, passive for distant ones), a sleek, weatherproof design with champagne gold finish, auto-color-balancing multi-mode intelligent flash with red-eye reduction, mid-roll-switchable panoramic-format mode and quartz date capability, and a finder that dims briefly when an exposure is made to confirm firing. Dimensions are 4.8x2.6x2.0 inches and 9.7 ounces. Street price is around $270. There's also a standard QD model, without the gold finish, the panorama mode and the visual-confirmation finder. Pentax IQZoom 115V With a street price of around $100 and a 38–115mm f/4.3–12.2 power-zoom lens, the IQZoom 115V is a good take-anywhere camera. Features include extremely simple operation, active infrared autofocusing down to 2.6 feet, programmed automatic exposure control, built-in red-eye-reducing multimode flash, compact size (4.7x2.8x1.9 inches, 8.5 ounces), a slow-shutter mode for sunsets and night shots (down to two seconds), an actual-image zoom viewfinder, and more. Rollei Prego 140 Zoom QD This sharp-looking model from Rollei has lots going for it, including a really sharp Rollei VarioApogon 38–140mm f/4.6–12.2 HFT power-zoom lens, multi-beam and spot AF from two feet to infinity, continuous shooting mode, interval (time-lapse) capability, panorama-format mode, very attractive and compact (4.9x2.5x1.7-inch, 9.9-ounce) metal body, single and double self-timer, multi-mode red-eye-reducing flash, shutter speeds from 1/3–1/400, viewfinder diopter adjustment, date and title imprinting, snap mode for quick shooting, IR release capability, real-image zoom viewfinder, LCD panel and much more. Street price is around $210. Samsung Evoca 170 NEO QD The top model in Samsung's top line of 35mm lens-shutter cameras, the Evoca 170 Neo QD gets its name from its 38–170mm Schneider-Kreuznach Varioplan power-zoom lens. Hot features include passive multi-autofocusing, auto-intelligent flash, continuous shooting, interval shooting, multi-exposure capability, switchable cropped panorama mode, time and caption imprinting, viewfinder dioptric adjustment and a lot more. Street price is about $200. Yashica T4 Zoom Yashica has updated the popular T4 compact with a zoom lens to create the T4 Zoom. The tiny (4.5x2.5x1.6-inch, 6.8-ounce) camera features Carl Zeiss T* Vario Tessar 28–70mm f/4.5–8 zoom lens,passive 5-point AF down to 1.6 feet at all focal lengths, programmed AE with manual exposure compensation, a real-image zoom viewfinder with built-in diopter correction from –3 to +1, built-in autoflash with red-eye reduction, a built-in date back with LCD display and quartz clock, an aluminum front cover, and a remote control. Street price is $199.95.