Want to pick up film photography? You’ll probably be looking at point-and-shoot cameras thanks to their ease of use, compact size and affordable price. (Not sure if a point-and-shoot is for you? Check out the different types of film cameras available!) However, if you’re new to film photography, you might not know what to expect when buying a film camera in Singapore—where to look for the best products, how much you should expect to pay, and how to avoid being sold a faulty product or getting ripped off.
This guide will prepare you with everything you’ll need for your point-and-shoot shopping adventure!
Camera Prices
There are point-and-shoot cameras available for photographers at any price point.
The Basic Cameras
The most basic point-and-shoot cameras usually start around $80 (though it’s very possible to find slightly cheaper ones at $60 or $70). Beware of any camera that’s too cheap to be true—it can be anything from broken to having been heavily used and about to break at any moment.
The More Advanced Cameras
More advanced point-and-shoot cameras are usually priced in the $100 to $200 range, so if you’re looking for a camera with more features, you can expect to pay slightly more.
The Expensive Cameras
Finally, the most expensive point-and-shoot cameras can be anywhere around $500 or even more. These cameras are usually rare models, pieces in mint condition, or premium models from higher-end brands like Contax and Leica (the Contax T2 costs around $2,000!). Hyped up and trendy cameras (See: the Olympus Mju II) can also cost more than similarly-performing counterparts; however, if you’re just starting out, don’t worry about these expensive cameras—the basic and intermediate models are more than adequate for everyday shooting needs.
Physical vs Online Stores
Film cameras are available on a variety of platforms, both online and in real life.
Physical Stores
Physical stores usually sell their cameras at slightly higher prices because of overhead and to account for quality checks and stock curation. Additionally, some physical stores only carry higher-end models—as such, you can expect to pay slightly more per camera and to not find cheap models when you visit a physical store.
However, physical stores often guarantee better quality (With old mechanical items like film cameras, the outside body may look fine to the untrained eye but have significant wear and tear inside). Some stores even offer warranties or guarantees, for example giving 30 days to shoot a roll of film and check that the camera is in good working condition, offering repairs or even refunds if there are any issues.
Finally, physical stores (especially older and long-standing ones in malls like Peninsula Plaza) are often run by experienced, knowledgeable and helpful staff. They can provide you invaluable advice on what camera is likely to suit your needs, help you avoid poor-quality cameras, and most importantly are transparent about the quality and reliability of their stock.
The Camera Workshop
A personal favourite store of mine is The Camera Workshop at Peninsula Shopping Centre—they assess and repair film cameras, so you can trust they know their stuff. The staff are also very friendly and will give you honest advice, which is very helpful considering how many stores give a biased view of their cameras’ features to encourage you to buy them.
They sell cameras too, though mostly manual cameras like SLRs and rangefinders instead of point-and-shoots. The last time I visited, the variety of point-and-shoot cameras they carry are mostly higher-end models, although they did have a few cheaper ones on sale.
Online Stores
When purchasing film cameras online, you can find most of the sellers on Instagram or Carousell. Instagram stores tend to be newer businesses that popped up when film photography became trendy; as such, many of them cater to new and casual film photographers. This is reflected in the type of cameras they sell—their point-and-shoot cameras are very affordable and usually only cost the base price of $80, however not all their cameras are from reputable brands and the condition of their cameras vary greatly.
Carousell is also home to many newer businesses that popped up because of the film trend, but many sellers are also film enthusiasts that care greatly about your experience with film! They’re willing to hold conversations about their cameras and give advice based on what model is likely to suit your needs, instead of what would make them the most profit. As film photographers themselves I’ve also noticed they tend to sell cameras that are in pretty decent shape—if any are in poor condition, it’s usually clearly declared and fairly reflected in the price.
This level of care is something you won’t get from businesses that buy and sell film cameras in bulk; due to the large quantity of cameras they go through, the quality checks performed can be extremely rudimentary. Some pieces may have only been briefly examined for hardware defects (broken flash, etc.) and not given a closer look or tested with a roll of film. This is why their cameras are often sold in “as-is” condition, and you’ll probably see “no refunds or exchanges” all over these businesses’ listings.
So where should I buy from?
Physical stores are definitely a safe (albeit slightly more expensive) option for getting your hands on a high quality camera. However, if you’re looking for a cheaper option, online stores are definitely a viable option—you just have to do more research on the seller and the item you’re getting. You can check out our guide on film camera features so you know what to look out for!
Be wary of poor quality cameras and don’t be afraid to ask sellers any questions you may have. There’s always more to a camera than meets the eye such as how much it’s been used or any quirks in its performance, and a seller that has thoroughly examined their camera should be able to help you out!
As much as you may want to hunt for the one perfect camera, don’t be afraid to simply purchase a decent one and try it. All film cameras are different, and even if it sounds perfect on paper, it might not suit you as well in real life. The best way to find out more about film cameras is to try it out for yourself, so just get your hands dirty and get started!
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