The Phoblographer

The pandemic turned photographers back to film in droves. If you’re looking for the best film SLR cameras to choose from while you’re just getting into film, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve reviewed a whole lot of them over the years we’ve been around. And more importantly, the options we’re choosing in this list suit a slew of criteria. A lot of them have mechanical shutters. Some of them don’t, but then we recommend that you not spend an arm and a leg. But most importantly, we’ve done full and thorough reviews on all these cameras. Dive in with us!

The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Table of Contents

Pro Tips on Choosing the Best Film SLR for You

Pentax Spotmatic: Access to Incredible Lenses

Standout Features

Nons SL42 Mk 2: Give Your Old Lenses New Life

Standout Features

Canon EOS Elan 7: The Best Film SLR Camera for Canon EF on a Budget

Standout Features

Mamiya RB67 Pro S: An Incredibly Versatile Camera

Standout Features

MiNT SLR 670-S: Yes, It’s an SLR

Standout Features

Minolta Maxxum 7: Sony Fam, Here’s Your Best Film SLR

Standout Features

Leica R6: The Affordable Leica. No, We’re Not Kidding

Standout Features

Contax NX: The Best Film SLR with Lenses to Match

Standout Features

Pro Tips on Choosing the Best Film SLR for You

We’ve used tons of film cameras and we’ve even reviewed lots of film emulsions as well. Here are tips on choosing the best film SLR for you:

No, your mirrorless camera lenses won’t adapt to the film camera (but you could do the opposite).

Whenever possible, go for a camera with a mechanical shutter. If the battery stops working, you’ll still be able to keep shooting. This helped us choose some of the best film SLR cameras on this list. But with some mounts, it just isn’t possible.

At the moment, we’re not including anything for Nikon F mount. This mount gets insanely complicated and is worth writing a blog post in and of itself. Besides, there are so many that could make this list of the best film SLR cameras for a beginner.

When traveling, consider putting your film in a bag that will be hand checked. Don’t run it through the X-Ray machine; their strength tends to vary from airport to airport and it could damage your film.

Modern film photography is much different than it was in the past. The frame rate means nothing because film is expensive. The autofocus is nowhere as good as modern mirrorless cameras. But what’s more important is how durable these film cameras are.

Check the viewfinder and diopter. If you wear glasses, you’ll need something that lets you see clearly.

SLR stands for single lens reflex. This means that you can see what the lens sees. It’s very useful when using things like graduated ND filters.

Pentax Spotmatic: Access to Incredible Lenses

Standout Features

This Pentax has an M42 screwmount. It can adapt a ton of different lenses. But what’s more important is how big and bright the viewfinder is. I’m legally blind, and I could see through it with little struggle. Oh, plus it’s affordable.

In our review, we state:

“The Pentax Spotmatic is pretty much all metal. Considering that there are virtually zero electronics to deal with you won’t have any sort of issues with the build. If you’re one of those people who knows Sunny 16 well or can carry around a light meter on their phone and figure stuff out from there, then this is one of the most perfect cameras for you.”

Buy ...

You’ve probably heard of the Brenizer Method a lot in the past few months. And in truth, it’s a super fun method that can give you results you couldn’t have made otherwise. At least, you could’ve have done these without a medium format camera, large format camera, or wider super-fast aperture lens. In this post, we’re going to dive into posts we’ve done on the Brenizer Method over our years of publishing. We’ll showcase photographers who’ve done it, how to do it, the history, and more.

Who Is Ryan Brenizer, the “Creator” of the Brenizer Method?

Photographer Ryan Brenizer enjoyed a pretty great time rising through the ranks almost a decade ago. His business is still strong, and he more than deserves the success he’s had. For the record, he’s a wedding photographer who has been based in NYC for years. And he’s always been experimental. The Brenizer Method came about when there was an emphasis on some of his unique portraits. Years ago, he used to use long lenses with a wide-open aperture and then created panoramic portraits. Ideally, his photos would be nine images stitched together.

Ryan didn’t exactly create the Brenizer Method, but he resurrected it at a time when DSLRs were actually becoming really good to use. The panoramic portrait stitch method had been around for many years beforehand. Proliferation amongst social media made it come back again.

Which Photographers Have Done the Brenizer Method?

Because we believe in the rights of photographers, we’re citing those who have used and talked about the Brenizer Method in their work. We’ve interviewed these photographers, and you can see more of their work in our hyperlinked interviews below.

“My first two years of photography I relied very heavily on Photoshop to create my images with a lot of compositing. These days I like to get as much in camera as possible and only play around with colors. But I tend to always expand my images using the Brenizer Method as a way of controlling the whole scene. Sometimes the background itself really adds to a story and I like to think of each part of the photo like a canvas. You have to paint each part individually before it comes together as a whole.” – Sarah Loreth

Sarah doesn’t really shoot anymore these days, but her work helps to show what’s possible with the Brenizer Method. Creating an image like this is pretty much impossible to do without the Brenizer Method. And back in 2015 when we interviewed her, super-fast wide-angle lenses weren’t around.

Another way of doing it is the way Anthony Chang did it. In our interview this was said:

“I love the Brenizer method (or bokeh panorama/bokehrama) because I love shallow depth of field and I love having a wide-angle of view. Nothing more than that to be honest. I didn’t buy a F0.95 (I have the Mitakon 50mm F0.95 for those curious) lens so I can shoot at F8. I want it so I can shoot at F0.95 and get that shallow depth of field. With this method I can get unbelievably shallow depth of field with that wide field of view that would other wise be impossible. Personally I just love the aesthetic of a panoramic photo, I love that crop and framing you get with it.”

Anthony really embraces the idea of the panoramic portrait. Instead of just shooting nine photos around the subject, he goes fully into the left and right sides. It creates a cinematic look!

Also be sure to check out the work of Mark Sapps.

What Is the Brenizer Method

Essentially, think of it as a panoramic portrait method. You’re taking a bunch of photos and stitching them together in Photoshop or Capture One. You’re creating the look of a super-fast aperture wide-angle lens. In 35mm full-frame photography, it isn’t really possible. But you can create this look with medium format film straight out of the camera.

How Do You Do the Brenizer Method?

The photo above will really help you see how the Brenizer method is done. It looks like cubism, right? This photo was created back in 2014. During that year, Adobe’s panoramic stitch algorith...

“I had no idea what it would lead to,” says Aaron Parke of Camerakote about the first time he attempted to customise his beloved Spotmatic with a new coat of paint. What started as a personal project to spruce up his camera has turned into something that has gotten him a steady stream of clients. He’s not the only one doing this in recent times. I spoke to three customisation experts specialising in giving old cameras a brand new look by overhauling their exterior. The personalisation possibilities are endless once you realise what these specialists are capable of doing to turn your beloved camera into a one-of-a-kind collectable. What’s amazing is that I contacted each of the three independently, but it turns out they’re all quite well connected with one another.

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When I began growing my vintage camera collection about six years ago, one of the cameras I couldn’t easily find back then was a working Polaroid SX-70. Some months later, I stumbled upon a working one on eBay for a half-decent price. However, upon closer inspection, I realised it wasn’t in the best cosmetic condition. The leather was peeling off in many places, and a few corners needed a decent polishing. There really aren’t any stores in Dubai that could fix this, so I set about finding places online for a solution. And there it was, on the 3rd page of the google search results – DIY cutout leather for my SX-70. Two weeks and some painful yanking off of the original tarnished leather, and my SX-70 looks like it came straight out of the factory.

I doubt I’d ever attempt anything more complicated than a reskin to give my beloved cameras a new look. Instead, I’d send my cameras to any of the below-mentioned companies if I ever wanted to revamp them. They don’t just re-skin, they repair and repaint your prized camera to showroom or possibly better condition. Got a colour you have in mind for a repaint? Chances are one of them has a very creative version of it. Want to add some unique texture? They’ve got the right tools for it. And from the conversations I’ve had with them, it’s pretty clear that your camera is in safe hands. They love what they do, and the pieces they present make you wonder why camera manufacturers aren’t this imaginative when it comes to colours and finishings.

Who Are These Expert Customisers? Where Did It All Start?

Marc fell in love with photography at a young age.

Shueido Camera is the company’s name, and its founder Marc discovered photography when he was in high school. He started the company soon after that, in 2003, and began by selling used camera equipment. Shueido Camera is based in Taiwan with a studio in Japan. And producing high quality, visually distinct refurbishing and painting are what they specialise in.

Shueido’s camera customisation is probably the most unique that I’ve seen. It’s not just in the different styles of paints they have. They also have some interesting methods of finishing off the bodywork. Hammertone (seen in the picture above), Brassing, and Accenting are just a few of the finishes they offer.

He used to paint cars expertly. Now, he’s moved those skills onto cameras.

“In terms of applying liquids to a solid surface, there isn’t a lot I don’t know,” says Aaron Parke confidently. “I was trained by a ‘Coach Painter’ a technician whose brush paintwork was like sheet glass. His attention to preparation details included greasing himself up for some of the higher-end jobs to avoid even a flake of skin departing from him and landing on the job.”

“I’m someone who enjoys capturing images, the process of composing and taking a photograph and believe I have a good eye. I am, however, far from what anyone would consider a professional. I am a qualified Mental Health Nurse, an Independent Prescriber and have worked in this profession for the last 18 years. Prior to this, I spent a good 20 years working in the motor tra...

I’ve had my fair share of airline baggage horror stories. I was once on an island for a week with no luggage and only a Kmart to clothe myself with because my bag had literally ripped into two pieces. (I know, it’s no Tom Hanks Castaway story, but it is true.) Since then, hard cases have always appealed to me for air travel. But, the most durable of cases typically don’t have smaller pockets for personal items or even a place to stash a laptop or tripod. That’s why the launch of Manfrotto’s new Pro Light Tough series caught my attention. The Manfrotto Pro Light Tough 55 case can pair with an add-on laptop sleeve, tripod case, or even a backpack harness system.

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The Manfrotto Pro Light Tough 55 is a hard case that’s designed to fit within the carry-on restrictions of most airlines. (As always, check before you fly.) It has a roller system and a grab handle. But, if that’s not your style, the line of add-ons can even convert it into a backpack. But, can a few add-on accessories lessen the negatives of a hard case — like the lack of extra storage and inability to carry hands-free? I tested the Manfrotto Pro Light Tough 55 with three accessories to find out.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Innovations

Tech Specs

Ergonomics

The Manfrotto Pro Light Tough Harness System

The Manfrotto Pro Light Laptop Sleeve

The Manfrotto Pro light Tough Tripod Bag

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Pre-Cubed Foam vs. Adjustable Dividers

Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long, Didn’t Read

If you want the protection of a hard case, but hate the lack of room for a laptop or tripod, the Manfrotto Pro Light Tough 55 is an excellent option. This carry-on-sized hard roller can be paired with accessories to add on a laptop, tripod, or even backpack straps. Be careful though, the accessories may put it over the carry-on dimensions.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Very durable and waterproof

Versatile, with the purchase of add-on accessories

Lots of room

Rolls smoothly

Available with dividers or cubed foam

Cons

Pricey

Handle takes two hands to unlock

Accessories push the case over the carry-on limit

Gear Used

The Manfrotto Pro Light Tough 55 comes in a few different versions: a high lid, a low lid, with cube foam, or with adjustable padded dividers. I tested the high lid version with both the foam and adjustable dividers. I also tested three different accessories with the hard case: the Pro Light Tough tripod bag, the Pro Light Tough laptop case, and the Pro Light Tough Harness System. I filled the case with two Fujifilm X-T4s, the 50mm f1 R WR, the 90mm f2 WR, the 16-80mm f4, and the Flashpoint Zoom Li-Ion flash with a transmitter. I used my 15-inch 2015 Macbook Pro in the laptop sleeve and my Manfrotto BeFree travel tripod with level locks in the tripod case.

Innovations

Hard camera cases are not very hard to find. Where the innovation lies is actually with Manfrotto’s accessories. Hard cases typically don’t have space for a tripod, a laptop, or personal items. You can add that capability with the Pro Light Tough accessories, or even convert it into a backpack.

Tech Specs

Manfrotto lists the following specifications for the Pro Light Tough 55 (high lid, with foam insert):

Weight: 9.92 lbs

Internal Dimensions: 11.22 x 8.07 x 20.47 in

Camera Insert Dimensions: 10.24 x 5.51 x 19.68 in

External Dimensions: 13.78 x 8.86 x 21.65 in

Color: Black

Volume: 30 L

Tripod Connection: No

Material: Plastic

Number Of Lenses: 8

Storage For Personal Items: No

Types Of Gear: DSLR with grip, Foldable drone, Modular Camcorder, DSLR/mirrorless handheld gimbal

Type Of Bag: Roller

Water Repellent: Yes

Ergonomics

The Manfrotto Pro Light Tough 55 is a hard case designed to meet carry-on dimensions. It’s a mid-sized hard case that’s not too huge, yet still fits a good amount of gear. I had room to spare after adding two bodies, three mid-sized lenses, and a fla...

There aren’t many reviews of flashes out there. And there are even fewer reviews and sensible tutorials on how to use ring flash. But ring flash is a favorite technique of mine and I’ve used it for years. Some folks like to just blast their subjects with direct flash, but this is different. Also, ring flash and its use have evolved over the years. So we’re going to talk about how it’s different and how photographers should be using it these days.

At One Point, They Were Great for Macro Photography

The origins of ring flash start with dentists. When they had to photograph someone’s teeth, they used it along with a macro lens. That evolved into being used for macro photography. The reasoning here is that macro lights were bright and highly capable. So they gave a lot of nice, even lighting on something from the front. It stayed this way into the early 2010s. Anyone who wanted to shoot macro photos would be told to go buy a macro lens, macro flash, etc. But then things changed.

There Are Better Ways to Do Macro Photography Now

For what it’s worth, I never liked the look macro lights gave for macro photography. It lacked character and seemed incredibly sterile. It’s much better to use an off-camera flash or studio strobe with a diffusion of some sort. If you’re using an on-camera flash, just use a Rogue flashbender. We’ve got a tutorial on doing this here.

Ring Flash Is for Portrait Photography

These days, the ring flash is much better suited for portrait photography. Just think, everyone shoots selfies with a ring light LED. People geek out about it. Women and men will stop what they’re doing just to stand in front of a ring flash and shoot selfies. Let’s face it, it makes sense to use ring flash for portrait photography.

“The best part about using a ring flash is that your lighting will stand out. There’s so much of the off-camera light that’s used these days and not enough of something different. However, while most laypeople won’t understand an umbrella or a softbox, they’ll totally understand a ring light. If you talk to them about a ring flash, they’ll probably also be a bit more excited to shoot with you. Just be sure to give them breaks.” – A tutorial for new photographers

There are various options. You can spring for a dedicated ring flash (I use the Flashpoint RF-400). But there are also great items from folks like Neewer, which are versions of the Roundflash diffuser that manipulate on-camera flash lighting. Almost a decade ago, there used to be more flash modifiers on the market. But they all disappeared more or less. There was the Orbis which really needed the exposure compensation cranked up. And the Ray Flash was similar. Since then, the ring flash craze kind of died down, and brands started working on making other things instead.

Otherwise, you’d need to spend a ton of money on options from brands like Profoto. And honestly, I don’t recommend it. Some might tell you to just use an LED ring light. But there are tons of problems with LEDs and constant lights just don’t really do what strobe can do. Maybe I don’t want to shoot a portrait at ISO 1600. And maybe I also can’t see what an LED could do for me that a ring flash couldn’t!

Here are some tips:

If you’re using a flash modifier, then crank the exposure compensation up by an extra stop of light or so.

Ring flash is meant to give a sparkle in the eye, even lighting overall, and the full-blast look on someone directly. But still, it’s all about the poses.

Traditional photography would scoff at the look ring flash gives. But in truth, it does everything you want much easier.

We’ve got more tutorials on using a Ring flash right here.

A Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 will look and feel fantastic strapped around you.

Bags like the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 and others have just become better for photographers over the years. Though I’m still partial to a backpack instead of a messenger, this update feels just a bit special. Arguably, the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 is for photographers. But in use, one could say that it’s for content creators and journalists. Messenger bags over the years have evolved a lot, and the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 shows evidence of that. The internals were updated to give photographers who shoot with mirrorless systems a bit more organization. Further, you can shove a laptop in this bag along with pretty much every tool you’d possibly need. If you’re the type to go for hot shoe flashes, there’s room for that. But if you tote along a Profoto B10 the way I do, you’ll have a bit more trouble. We’ve taken the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 with us on planes, on trips, on commutes, to meetings, and everywhere. We’re very impressed.

However, this is more of a bag for a content creator than a photographer.

Editor’s Note: In a previous version of this article, we said that this bag was made from canvas. It is not, but it surely feels like it!

Pros and Cons

Pros

Weather sealed

Beautiful

Leather and Sage FibreNyte

Expandable pockets

Incredibly comfortable

Can pack a whole lot of gear, laptop, cords, and more.

Very well built

Cons

Nothing really to be honest

Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 Technical Specifications

External dimensions (W x D x H) W430 x D140 x H280mm (Height excluding handle: 240mm) Internal dimensions (W x D x H)(inside removable padded insert) W340 x D80 x H210mmPadded insert is flexible so ‘D’ measurement can expand to 100mm at the bottom of the bag and (up to) 160mm at the top. Capacity 6 liters Weight 1.2kg (including removable shoulder sling) Pockets 3 Front dump pockets x 2 (W x D x H) 130-170mm x 40-60mm x 200mm, 1-1.25 litres capacity Rear zipped pocket (W x H) 320mm x 180mm Detachable, adjustable shoulder sling Length – can be adjusted between 94cm and 164cm approx. Width – 38mm; Weight – 0.16kg

Ergonomics

The Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 is a bag that looks pretty compact. And in truth, it’s really not excessively large. But it’s capable of carrying a lot of stuff. It also doesn’t necessarily look like a camera bag. Instead, it just looks like a beautiful bag.

We’ll start our tour of the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 with the leather straps. These allow you to get into the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020. There’s a buckle and top metal knobs. To accommodate more gear, just adjust the buckle.

Undo the top flap, and you’ll be treated to these pockets. They’re quite large and can carry a whole ton of stuff for when you travel.

Oh yeah, these pockets are expandable. There are buttons on each that let them hold more gear or make the entire bag’s profile smaller. These are great!

Get to the inside, and you’ll see the removable divider system. There is a top flap that contains all the gear inside of the rest of the divider case. In the case is padding that can be adjusted and moved all around.

The back of the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 has a zipper for stuff like cables, documents, and other smaller profile things. I’ve stuffed Macbook Pro cables in here.

Before we forget, you can put your laptop inside the main compartment of the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 too! A 13-inch laptop slides into the back just fine.

Last, there is the top handle that lets you carry the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 like a briefcase. It’s sturdy and can be really convenient when your chest/shoulders need a break.

Build Quality

We took the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 through rain, airports, subways, cabs, and several different environments. It survived everything, and it kept our gear safe. I’m most satisfied that it kept my laptop secure and the various camera systems that I was testing safe too. Part of this is due to how you have to open up the bag. This is not a bag...

Every now and again, we make mistakes. And with some of the reviews we’ve done on Billingham camera bags, we got the materials wrong. The Phoblographer, for 12 years, has really done the most extensive review coverage of the camera bag world. Indeed, lots of folks tell us we honestly have the best. So, we take these very seriously. We invite you to take a look below and see what updates we’ve made.

Some photographers, quite transparently, wouldn’t bat an eye at this update, but we take this seriously. And I’m penning a specific news post on it because it happened across a category of camera bags. This all started when we published our Billingham Hadley Large Pro review. We mistakenly said that the materials were canvas. Reviewer Brittany Smith and I both agreed that it was made from similar materials as the Hadley Pro 2020. To that end, we concluded that it was canvas as we have reviewed a lot of camera bags. Indeed, if you didn’t know any better, it’s likely you would also say they’re made from canvas and leather. But, we were wrong about this and a few other products.

Our Billingham rep got in touch with us to offer a correction. Truth be told, even they admitted it’s confusing. To the touch, Billingham bags feel like canvas and leather. They even look like it. But not all of them are canvas. It reminds me almost of what Canon did years ago with the Canon AE-1. Lots of folks think that camera is made of metal, but it’s actually plastic that’s designed to look and feel like metal.

Here’s what our rep said:

Our Sage is always FibreNyte. Navy, Grey and Burgundy is always Canvas. Black and Khaki can either be Canvas or FibreNyte. Sorry I know it’s confusing!

Looking at the bags that you have reviewed for us:

Mini Eventer – Black FibreNyteHadley One – Navy CanvasHadley Small Pro – Grey CanvasHadley Pro 2020 – Sage FibreNyteAVEA End Pockets – Khaki Canvas35 Rucksack – Black CanvasF1.4 – Black FibreNyte

And there you have it! You’re probably wondering why we didn’t just check the materials to begin with when doing our reviews? Well, it’s because, for years, we were just that sure of it. Others might’ve checked because they’re so new and don’t have the vast database of camera bag reviews we have. Literally, we have over 172 camera bag reviews. To put this into more perspective, I’d like you to think about the differences and similarities in the following situations;

Beef vs buffalo vs yak meat: If you didn’t know any better, you could easily say Buffalo is probably grass fed beef. To that end, you could say Yak is a buttery form of beef. But if you weren’t told the difference, you’d probably blame it all on the seasonings and way it was cooked. Meanwhile, the stark difference between beef and lamb shoulder is synonamous with canvas and nylon.

Single Malt Whiskey vs Indian Dessert Whiskey vs Bourbon: Some single malt whiskeys taste like a bourbon. Some Indian whiskies taste like a bourbon as well. And if you had to do a blind taste test, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Let’s not even get into wine. I’m not sure how many people would be able to tell the difference between a Cabernet and a Malbec just by taste.

Kitten fur vs rabbit fur: In most blind situations, I doubt most folks would be able to tell the difference between well groomed kitten fur vs rabbit fur. It isn’t as stark a difference as say cashmere vs wool.

For the record as well, this really only applies to three reviews we’ve done. Billingham has some canvas bags for sure. But the two are incredibly difficult to tell apart.

Your new camera isn’t just meant for capturing scenes. The reason you get it instead of a phone is to get a lot more out of its capabilities. So we’re rounding up a bunch of things you should try with your brand new camera. Have you considered multiple exposure modes? What about a less crunchy HDR mode? And can your phone do long exposures with as much efficiency? Give some of these a try!

Multiple Exposure Mode

The multiple exposure mode on your camera can do so many cool things. It allows for more creative options with your camera than simply capturing things. You’ll add layers. Plus, it can be a fun challenge. At the moment, most cameras have a multiple exposure mode in them except for Sony and Leica cameras. There are various ways of doing them too. There’s Additive, darks priority, lights priority, and average. Plus you figure out how many images you want to work with by experimenting. Some systems even give you an overlay to, so you’ll get an idea of what you’re creating.

Go give it a try!

Using Long Exposures to Capture Movement

Timelapse mode is very fun and so is video. But there’s huge potential with long exposures. Lots of photographers try to go for the fastest exposure possible to freeze the motion in front of them. But why not exaggerate the movement? If you’re photographing a dancer, maybe try a slow shutter speed and second curtain flash. Shooting street photography? Why not stay in one spot and shoot a long exposure of people passing by?

Do something different!

A Custom JPEG Profile

There’s nothing wrong with shooting RAW and JPEG, but sometimes you don’t need to shoot RAW. It’s nice to have those files just in case. But, if all you’re doing are minor edits in Lightroom or Capture one, you might as well set it up in-camera to begin with. Why spend the extra time in front of a computer when you can instead spend it shooting more. When you’re done, just beam the images to your phone.

With systems like Fujifilm’s, you can use customized presets. The folks at Fuji X Weekly have a lot of great ones.

Take Off Exposure Preview/Live View Setting Effect

Cameras come with exposure preview and live view setting effect on by default. Take it off. Believe it or not, it will affect so much of the performance. The darker your scene is, the less light will hit the sensor. It’s like walking outside at night wearing sunglasses or walking into a dark bar with sunglasses. Does it make sense? No. If you take the setting off, your camera will be able to focus faster in low light. We’ve seen this on our review tests.

That doesn’t mean exposure preview isn’t useful. It’s super useful. But what’s often better is just knowing how to look at a scene and estimate the exposure.

Use the In-Camera HDR Mode

This isn’t done enough, but it can be really useful. Your camera has the ability to shoot in an HDR mode of some sort. Some folks say it limits what’s possible in post-production or it isn’t as good as editing later on. But that can also depend on how you expose and meter the scene. What I’ve seen, for example, is that Fujifilm sensors render more in the highlights than Sony sensors, while Sony definitely brings more out of the shadows.

I didn’t read the rumors of the Leica M11 purposely before I went into the meeting with Leica. To that end, I was genuinely surprised as to what I saw and experienced. For one week, I had personal play-time with the Leica M11. And overall, this has to be the best Leica M digital camera yet. The company gave us a ton of versatility while also giving us the Leica M9’s colors back. It’s almost the perfect M-camera. But even better, you’ll be very happy staring at the colors.

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Editor’s Note: This statement is from Leica: “All images were shot using a pre-production camera, so may not fully represent final image quality.” We were told that pretty much everything else is final.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Innovations

Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Focusing

Metering

Image Quality

JPEG Quality

RAW File Versatility

High ISO Output

Extra Image Samples

Edited

Unedited

Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long, Didn’t Read

The Leica M11 is a fantastic camera that’s basically three cameras in one. Shooting at 60MP gets you tons of details. At 36MP you’ll get a balance of details and high dynamic range. At 18MP, you’ll get a small RAW file and lots of dynamic range. It also feels great in the hand. But it’s also time for Leica to think about true weather sealing, building in an EVF, and a new style of viewfinder.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Leica M9’s colors have returned!

Extended dynamic range as the megapixels go down– Aluminum version and Brass version.– Brass version has some nice heft to it– Maybe it’s just that my unit isn’t busted but the viewfinder is wonderful– New Leica Fotos update– Integrated USB port for charging and all other applications like tethering– I’m assuming this is the Sony a7r IV’s sensor, which is fine because the autofocus on that camera annoyed me. And Leica is giving this the M9’s color, so I honestly can’t complain. – If you have a lens that won’t resolve this sensor then you can use the lower megapixel options. This is also the best camera I’ve used with the 7Artisans 50mm f1.1. At the highest resolution, this lens can resolve the sensor.– Editing the files even feels like Slide film!– Capture One does a slightly better job of editing the RAW files for dynamic range while Lightroom gets better colors; at least that’s the case for the pre-production firmware version we’ve tested.

Cons

$8,999

I don’t know how I feel about the removal of the traditional bottom plate.

In Adobe Lightroom, the dynamic range isn’t all that great at high ISOs. If you shoot like you’re shooting slide film, this is just fine. But I can see how folks will think this is traditionally a “con” vs a “pro.”

You lose a lot of dynamic range at high ISOs and 60MP settings. All of it comes back in droves at the lower megapixel settings

Sunny 16 metering is a tad wonky.

Gear Used

We tested the Leica M11 with the:

7Artistans 50mm f1.1

Funleader Contax 35mm f2

Leica 35mm f2 Summicron-M

Innovations

This is the first camera with an internal 64GB storage that acts as a second SD card. But more than that, this is a camera that gets more dynamic range the lower the megapixels go. Otherwise, this is just a Leica M through and through. We’re not sure if this is the Sony a7r IV’s sensor, and Leica won’t say where the sensor came from. But we can attest that they’ve actually done something to make it stand out.

Tech Specs

60MP BSI CMOS Full Frame Sensor

Maestro II processor

4.5 fps shooting

Aluminum (530 grams with battery) or brass body (640 grams with battery) option

ISO 64 to 6400 on the ISO dial

Silver or Black

Special IR + UV filter cut and placed onto the sensor, it’s incredibly thin

2.3MP LCD screen on the back

64GB of internal storage memory

Single SD card slot

USB-C charging

3GB of buffer memory

At lower resolutions, the dynamic range increases from 14 stop to 15 stops

Multi-field metering

Erg...

Everyone loves going to the beach, right? The sunshine, the sand, and the good vibes; who doesn’t enjoy that type of atmosphere? For photographers, the beach is an ideal spot for making cool photographs. That’s why you see so many portrait and lifestyle shoots shot on the beach. But for candid photography, things become complicated. There are certain ethics one has to abide by, and I’ll cover them in this article.

The Ethics of Beach Photography

As someone with a background in street photography, I veer closer to “anything goes” than “don’t photograph strangers without consent.” Of course, street photography has its own set of ethics, which I stand by and respect. But for the most part, candid photographers couldn’t make the type of images they do if they stopped and asked every stranger if it’s okay make a photograph.

Most beaches are public spaces. So, depending on what country you’re in, the likelihood is you have the legal right to make photographs. But people behave differently on the beach. They do things they would never do in city streets (like walk around half-naked). Bearing that in mind, below are some things I wouldn’t do (and some things I would) when making candid photographs on the beach.

Don’t Get Too Close When Shooting Beach Photography

Street and documentary photography, and photojournalism involve getting into the heart of the action. Photographers get extremely close to their subjects in the hope of capturing some form of emotion and narrative. I don’t think it’s wise to do that when shooting beach photography. People often go to the beach to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. They want to relax and disconnect. Having a stranger candidly making photographs of them will make them uneasy. It can ruin their ambiance and make them feel uncomfortable. That’s not good, especially considering it’s likely they’re on vacation.

Avoid Nudity When Doing Beach Photography

Some people, whether it’s at a nude beach or not, like to get naked when they’re on the sand. They feel liberated or don’t want those dreaded tan lines. Whatever the reason, public space or not, don’t photograph them. Even if you have good intentions, don’t do it. It comes across as creepy any way you try to look at it, and it could land you in a lot of trouble. I think that’s especially true if it’s a child. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with photographing children, but if they’re nude, stay away from it. And that goes for both female and male photographers. The reality is, right or wrong, it’s going to look worse if you’re a man, so save yourself the hassle.

Ask Permission to Shoot Beach Photography

The whole point of candid photography is that it’s unplanned, unauthorized, and unpredictable. So, naturally, asking people permission to photograph them goes against all of that. But beach towns are often tight-knit communities. Keeping that in mind, people will quickly understand you’re a photographer and what your intentions are if you communicate with them.

If you see a group messing around on the beach, say, “Hey, I’m a photographer. Can I spend some time with your group? Let me make some images of you, and I can send them to you.” If they agree, they’ll eventually forget your presence and stop playing up for the camera. Eventually, you can make some candid beach photography, which no doubt they’ll appreciate.

What Do the People Think?

Something I find interesting about ethics is that it’s made by photographers instead of the people photographers impact. Above are three ethics I live by, based on what I think is important to be a good person and a respectful photographer. But what do the people think? After all, they’re the ones impacted most by our actions.

I’m currently in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. It’s a beautiful beach town, a little removed from modern infrastructure, and full of photo opportunities. I spoke to some beachgoers and asked what their take is on beach photography.

I spoke to Mitch, an entrepreneur from Colorad...