Canon Rebel G 35mm Camera Review with Sample Photos | Why it's a Great Travel Camera for Beginners (and Professionals too)!

May 15, 2024

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

The Canon Rebel G was the camera my mom used throughout my childhood to photograph me and my siblings. I always loved the way the photos looked, so when my mom stumbled across her old Rebel G, I begged her to give it to me. I finally took it on a trip to Wilmington, NC to test it out and it didn’t disappoint. It reminds me of my Canon Rebel K2 in a lot of ways, which makes sense because they are both 35mm Canon cameras released around the same time. The Rebel G was first released in 1996 and the K2 was released in 1999. They were both targeted towards entry-level photographers, so they are super approachable and easy to use. However, what I love about them both is that if you decide to dive deeper into all of their functions, there is SO MUCH you can do with these cameras. I also posted a YouTube video about my trip to Wilmington, NC with the Canon Rebel G, so make sure to check that out here!

MAIN FEATURES OF THE CANON REBEL G

FULL AUTO SETTING

One of the greatest features of the Canon Rebel G is that it has a full auto setting, including autofocus, which is great for photographers of any level. If you don’t feel like switching between settings or learning about aperture and shutter speed, you can just turn the main dial to the green auto setting and shoot away! This makes it a great travel film camera because you can get the fun vintage vibe of film photography without worrying about wasting money screwing up your film photos.

EF LENS MOUNT

It’s also compatible with Canon’s EF line of lenses, which really expands the options for professional photographers. Canon has a lot of incredible lenses in the EF line so you can get that beautiful sharpness of the EF lenses while shooting film. I haven’t tried this out yet with the Canon Rebel G, but it’s on my to-do list! I’ll be sure to update this blog post once I do. :)

FLASH

One of the main features I look for in a travel camera specifically is a pop-up flash. I hate carrying around external flashes. Plus, they’re big and embarrassing. I prefer to be an inconspicuous photographer so I can get those street photography shots without calling too much attention to myself. I don’t use the flash often, but if I’m traveling and I’m inside a dark restaurant or in an underground tunnel or dungeon (you never know!), then I like having the option. If you have the camera on the full auto setting, the flash will pop up whenever the camera decides the environment is a little too dark. You can also force the flash on or off, depending on your needs.

MULTIPLE EXPOSURES

This is one of my absolute favorite features of this camera. You guys know I’m always on the hunt for cameras with a multiple exposure option, and honestly, this is why I love Canon cameras so much. I run my mutiple exposure button into the ground with my cameras. In fact, I’d say I shoot more multiple exposures than single exposures. I just enjoy the challenge of creating an image that’s never been done before. They aren’t for everyone, but I’ve included a few examples below so you can get the gist. I’m obsessed, TBH. I don’t know what I’d do in life without multiple exposures!

AUTOMATIC FILM ADVANCE

This is another great feature that makes the Canon Rebel G a perfect travel camera. When I’m on the road, it’s hard to find the time to sit down and load film into my cameras. The Canon Rebel G has a motorized film advance system, so it’s incredibly easy to load the film. And once you’re finished shooting the roll, the camera will automatically wind the film back for you. So you can just pop open the back and remove the roll, pop another one in, and keep shooting!

LIGHTWEIGHT BODY

Camera weight is a huge priority for me when I’m traveling because I like to take so many cameras with me on my trips. The Rebel G is extremely light and unnoticeable. However, keep in mind that if you add on an EF lens, it will affect the weight significantly. I just have the kit lens on the camera (the 28-90mm f/3.5 lens) so it only weighs about 1 lb 8 oz.

ENDLESS SHOOTING SETTINGS

One of the best things about cameras like the Canon Rebel G and the Canon Rebel K2 is that you have a million creative settings to choose from if you want to experiment. Some of the settings include: portrait, landscape, macro, sports mode and night mode. And then of course, aperture priority, shutter priority and full manual if you want to challenge yourself as a photographer. Personally, I’m an aperture priority kind of girl, so I tend to stick on that setting for the most part. There’s also red-eye reduction, a self-timer and film-rewind options. Honestly, it has pretty much every single function you can think of in a camera.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While the Canon Rebel G isn’t the fanciest camera in the land, you get a serious bang for your buck with this camera. It runs about $50-150 depending on the condition of the camera. The images aren’t the sharpest with the kit lens, but if you use a low ISO film, such as Kodak Gold 200 or Lomography Color 100 film (which I used for the photos in this post), you can kind of trick people into thinking you’ve got a super sharp lens. :) Or if you already have an EF mount Canon lens, definitely try that out! You won’t get the quality of images that you might find with a Canon AE-1 Program or Nikon FE2, but if you’re a beginner film photographer looking to learn the ropes before investing in a more expensive camera, this is a great option. Plus, both of those cameras don’t have autofocus, so I don’t typically recommend them for people who are just getting into film photography. I tend to recommend cameras like the Canon Rebel G, Canon Rebel K2 or Minolta Maxxum STsi for beginners.

If you’ve stumbled upon the Canon Rebel G in a thrift store or at a yard sale, consider yourself lucky! It’s a super fun camera and might even just become your favorite. It’s so versatile and straightforward that it’s kind of impossible to hate it. The fact that my mom was able to use it throughout my childhood without any photography knowledge, proves that. Some of the photos she took with this camera are our most treasured family photos! So yes, maybe I’m biased towards this camera just a little. :)

I’ve included sample photos below, so make sure to scroll down!

WHERE TO BUY THE CANON REBEL G:

Amazon

eBay

KEH Camera

35MM FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

If this review helped you in any way, I’d love for you to consider subscribing to my YouTube channel or signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you can get access to unreleased photographs that I don’t share anywhere else, as well as early access to my YouTube videos. And depending on which tier you choose, you can receive seasonal prints and other fun surprises!

Thanks so much for stopping by! And don’t forget to stop by my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

<3 Myles Katherine

(By using the links and/or codes above it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

(click photos to enlarge)

Review of the Pentax PC35AF-M with Sample Photos in Boston & Salem, Massachusetts

January 31, 2024

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

To be honest, I have no idea where my Pentax PC35AF-M came from. It just showed up in my camera collection one day. I think I might have picked it up in a thrift store but I’m not sure! For years, I kind of skipped over it, choosing other cameras instead when I’d pack my camera bag. Recently, I was cleaning out my office and stumbled across it again. When I opened the lens cover, I realized the lens was a 2.8F lens. It made me wonder why I hadn’t given this camera a chance yet! So I loaded it up with a roll of 35mm film and took it with me on a recent trip to Boston & Salem, Massachusetts. I even took it with me to a few fashion shoots I had in Portland, Oregon but somehow I lost that roll of film. I’m pretty devastated about that because I’ve never lost a roll of film. Maybe I’ll come across it one of these days. Or maybe I somehow shot over it and will end up with a roll of double exposures. I sure hope so!

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PENTAX PC35AF-M

The Pentax PC35AF-M is a 35mm point and shoot autofocus compact camera produced by Asahi Optical Corporation in Japan. It was originally released in 1984, which doesn’t sound that old for a vintage camera, but these days that means it’s 40 years old! In my opinion, they seem to hold up very nicely because of their solid build. The PC35AF-M was a follow-up to the original version of the camera, the Pentax PC35AF. The only difference was a motorized film-advance. The PC35AF was Pentax’s first autofocus compact camera, which is pretty amazing considering how well these little cameras have held up.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

So far, I’m pretty impressed with this camera. It doesn’t look like much but it seems to be becoming a bit of a cult classic in the camera community. It’s still relatively affordable though ($50-200) and I’d recommend scooping one up while you can. You can find them on eBay and places like Mercari. The lens is incredibly sharp for the price and it has quite a heavy, sturdy body for its size. I think this camera still flies under the radar though and I’ve heard of people picking them up in thrift stores for next to nothing. Hopefully you’ll be one of the lucky ones that finds one this way!

FEATURES

If you’re a fan of compact, easy-to-use 35mm point and shoot cameras, this one definitely won’t disappoint. The shutter button makes a strangely satisfying electronic sound and the photos are quite sharp for the price point of this camera. The autofocus system is different than others when it comes to point and shoots, in that you have a bit more control over the subject distance. If you partially depress the shutter button, it shows you in the viewfinder which subject distance it’s choosing. If you decide to change subjects, you can remove your finger from the shutter and redepress the button for the new focusing distance.

I love that is has a pop-up flash. There’s a fun little red button on the side that you pull down and the flash just shoots right up! It gives you a bit more control over the flash, rather than it just popping up on its own when you’re in a low light situation like some other point and shoots. When I was in Boston, I’d bring this camera out with me every night. Since it had a flash and a 2.8F lens, it does pretty well in most lighting conditions and makes a fun nighttime camera.

This camera also has a self-timer, a back-light feature, an ISO switch and automatic film advance. The battery compartment tends to pop open but I just make sure to tape it and I don’t have any problems. It just takes two AA batteries which is super nice. It’s such a pain when I pick up a camera that takes some weird, hard-to-find battery.

The only downside for me, personally, is that there is no multiple exposure feature. There is a rewind switch on the bottom of the camera though, so you could always rewind the film and shoot over it for that effect. I just prefer to have a built-in multiple exposure option.

SIZE & WEIGHT

This camera is great as a grab-and-go or for street photography. It’s somewhat inconspicuous, though maybe a bit too large to fit in a pants pocket. I had no trouble fitting it in my coat pocket, but it does leave a hefty and questionable lump! To me though, this camera is small because I’m used to dragging around giant cameras. It’s surprisingly heavy for it’s size, 12.2 ounces. The older version of the camera, the PC35-AF, weighs a little less though because it doesn’t have that motorized film advance.

ISSUES & FAULTS

Overall, I haven’t noticed anything terribly faulty with it. I did have an issue with the most recent roll of film I shot with it, though. For some reason, I was having trouble getting the film to wind back all the way after I was done with the roll, so when I opened the back I ended up light-leaking a few images. It doesn’t really bother me because I love light leaked photos, but I do want to figure out what happened. I plan on paying more attention the next time I use the camera so I can fix it!

As I mentioned previously, the fact that it doesn’t have a multiple exposure option is an issue for me, but that’s not a dealbreaker for everyone.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you come across a Pentax PC35AF-M, definitely don’t leave it behind. With such a sharp lens, this makes a great addition to any camera collection. Plus, the fact that it is so sturdy and substantial leads me to believe that these little cameras will last quite a while. Not to mention that it comes with a built-in springloaded lens cover that helps to protect that 2.8 lens. I haven’t experiemented with the back light feature yet, but I think it’s really going to come in handy if I ever remember to use it!

WHERE TO BUY

eBay

KEH Camera

Poshmark

Here are a few of my favorite film options:

I’m going to think twice before leaving this camera behind now. I like to keep at least one 35mm point and shoot camera in my bag at all times and I think it’s going to be fighting in the battle with my Contax T2, to be honest. My Contax isn’t always the most reliable. Plus, if I lose it while I’m traveling I’m out quite a substantial amount of money. Luckily, the Pentax PC35AF-M is affordable and more easily replaced.

I’ve shared a few of my favorite images from this camera so far, but I’ll be sure to add more to this post as I use it more!

Thanks so much for stopping by! And don’t forget to stop by my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

<3 Myles Katherine

SAMPLE PHOTOS (click to enlarge):

Nikon FE2 Review with Sample Photos | Nikon FE2 vs. Pentax K1000 | The Best 35 mm Camera for Beautiful Multiple Exposures

February 19, 2023

(This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.)

I’ve had my Nikon FE2 for almost 10 years now and I LOVE it. It was my first “nice” 35 mm camera. Up until the day that I purchased it, I’d been using cheap 35 mm cameras and making it through just fine. However, I was ready for sharper, more expensive-looking film photos with beautiful bokeh and background blur. I wanted my images to look as sharp and high quality as my digital photos from my 5D Mark II but BETTER, with a filmy vibe that couldn’t be achieved with a digital camera. I headed to Blue Moon Camera in Portland, Oregon with the intention of buying a Pentax K1000 upon recommendation from a friend. I didn’t know much about the camera and was going into it somewhat blindly. After chatting with the sales associate though, I quickly realized that the Nikon FE2 was better suited for me and my personal photography needs. The Pentax K1000 didn’t have a multiple exposure feature, so I immediately knew it wasn’t for me. You can sort of “trick” the K1000 into creating a double exposure, but I wanted it to be easy and quick, as I’m often at weddings and don’t have time to guess or mess with rewind buttons. And I’ve learned over the years that I NEED a reliable multiple exposure feature with every camera that I buy. Also, The Nikon Nikkor lenses are known for being SUPER sharp, which was something else I was looking for. AND, most importantly, the Nikon FE2 has Aperture Priority. The Pentax K1000 is a manual-only camera. As a wedding photographer, Aperture Priority is a NECESSITY. I’m honestly SO glad I chose the Nikon FE2 over the K1000 because I think I’ve gotten way more use out of it than I would have with the K1000. It’s just more “me”. I think that’s such an important part of the process when you’re searching for a new camera - don’t get stuck in the idea of one specific camera because it might not be the right one for you. I’m glad I stayed open-minded and went with the one that Blue Moon Camera was recommending.

The Nikon FE2 is a 35 mm film single lens reflex (SLR) camera and was originally manufactured in Japan from 1983 to 1987. It’s super sturdy and well-made, but not too bulky or inconvenient. It’s the perfect travel size, in my opinion, AND it has that beautiful classic film camera look to it. The shutter is extremely satisfying and I love pulling the film advance lever in-between shots. To create a multiple exposure, there is a tiny little lever sitting in front of the main film advance lever. You slide that lever over to the right and hold it while advancing the larger film advance lever. Basically, instead of the film advancing to the next frame, it stays on the same one so you can shoot over it. You can do this as many times as you want on the same frame! It’s super easy, which is why I love this camera so much!

The Nikon FE2 uses F-mount lenses and I personally have the 50mm f/1.4 AF Nikkor lens. It’s important to keep in mind that the lens is technically newer than the camera so the AF feature does NOT work. The lens will be fully manual when attached and will not have any autofocus features. While this is a bummer, most cameras from this time period were fully manual. It’s also part of the fun! I’m not going to lie, manual focusing can be a pain sometimes and takes some getting used to, but the results are WORTH IT.

I have a video on my YouTube channel, Cameras & Cats, about the Nikon FE2 too, so make sure to check that out below! I’ve also included some of my favorite images I’ve taken over the years with the Nikon FE2. I hope you love this camera as much as I do!

You can find links to the camera, as well as my personal film recommendations below!

CAMERA:

Purchase a Nikon FE2 on Amazon!

Purchase a Nikon FE2 on eBay!

Purchase a Nikon FE2 on KEH Camera!

LENS:

50mm f/1.4 AF Nikkor on Amazon

50mm f/1.4 AF Nikkor on KEH Camera

35-70mm f/3.3 AF Nikkor (more affordable zoom lens)

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS:

Kodak Gold 200 35mm film

Kodak Portra 160 35mm

Lomography 100 35mm film

If you found this post helpful or if you’d like to see more of my work, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing. Find out more here!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

<3 Myles Katherine