When 35hunter began, I was deeply embedded in shooting film. But since May 2017, I haven’t shot a single frame.
The last two and half years that’s defined my digital-only era, has almost entirely been one of experimentation with cheaper, older digital cameras that are rarely given a second glance by those in the most popular camera club in the world, and as a further bonus, are generally amazingly affordable.
To organise these adventures in a more logical way, there’s a dedicated page here, devoted to reviews and thoughts around specific digital classics.
Hope you check it out and enjoy – Digital Classics. The link is also always available in the menu at the top right of any page.
Which are your favourite digital classics?
Please let us know in the comments below (and don’t forget to tick the “Notify me of new comments via email” box to follow the conversation).
Thanks for looking.
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35hunter 
The Fujifilm X10 – what an amazing extension of your arm to handle. ‘Everything in it’s place and a place for everything’ – perfect controls and form factor. Yes there are quirks and the body is big for the sensor size nowadays, but it’s always been a joy to use, it’s the only camera I take out to just tinker with when Not shooting anything. Keep it in EXR mode 90% of the time and you’re onto a winner (or even better just reduce the resolution to 6mp in the settings and that forces the hdr/low light goodies on permanently).
Gorpalm, is the X10 one of the fixed lens Fujis, or interchangeable? I’ve looked at the former a few times as an option, and perhaps one day I’ll try one. Sounds like you love yours!
Yep gorgeous fixed lens, 28-112mm equiv, f2.0-2.8, sensor size is about half that of a 1″ sensor, or 40% bigger than the 1/1.7″ sensors that went into premium/enthusiast compacts before the 1″ came along. Printed out up to A3 with it, tack sharp lens.
Sounds good Gorplam, I would like to try a Fuji at some point, I have good experiences with the couple of FujiFilms I have used.
I haven’t decided yet. A month ago I would have said the Panasonic GF-1, which really grew on me. But I’ve been shooting it alongside a Fujifilm X-Pro, and the pictures from the Fuji are just a lot better. There is also a problem with Panasonic lenses which is seldom talked about, if you damage one outside of the warranty period, you just throw it in the trash. No repair is possible here or in Canada, I don’t know about elsewhere. And the good lenses are far from cheap.
Ah the GF-1, the camera I adore on paper but somehow struggle to love in the hand!
The only original lens I had was the compact 12-32mm which performed pretty well, but is very plasticky, and, as I found it when it dropped about 30cm on to a concrete path, very fragile!
I guess if you are a professional and can write off equipment as it breaks, it would make sense, but for a hobby photographer this could be an expensive problem. In my experience any equipment that gets used in the field has issues now and again.
Yes, I imagine a professional would say the longevity of gear is a major consideration, if they’re shooting thousands of images a week, not like us amateurs!
Why you switched from film? And do you plan going analog again? I am long term OMD EM10 user (now with cracked display).
Just read your older posts explaining your film-digital move. No need to reply…
Ok thanks Pavel. Yeh I’ve always shot digital too, and reached the point where I was enjoying 90% the same experience as with film (especially with older DSLRs and the same lens I used on film) for a fraction of the ongoing cost. Film just wasn’t viable for me any more.
I’ve had a Panasonic Micro Four Thirds body, but nothing similar on the Olympus front. The newest Oly I’ve had I think is a C4040 Zoom from 2001!
Like my daily cam Oly C-750, very sharp lens, 10x zoom and uses AA. I agree totally in “reviving” old cams. Despite smartphone cams, I prefer real cams, although in dark, smartphone seem unavoidable. One factor in my search is I prefer lens profile embedded in darktable since it makes the lens distortion so easy (e.g. canon A-series…) Now looking for a smaller compact and cheap! LOL!!
Ah, I had the C4040 Zoom, a predecessor I assume!
How small are you looking for? I think you can’t really go wrong with the Canon IXUS range…
See my thoughts on the IXUS 870IS and IXUS i –
https://35hunter.blog/2019/02/02/one-month-one-camera-january-2019-iii-summary/
https://35hunter.blog/2019/06/23/a-mighty-punch-with-tiny-fists-canon-digital-ixus-i-versus-sony-cyber-shot-dsc-l1/
Both of these are not AA batteries, pain to get one’s with charger and batteries, since many batteries are too old… C-750 style is much different than C-4040, I had both but prefer C-750.
Ok. I had a low end FujiFilm which had AAA batteries I believe, and I’m sure I’ve had an old Lumix that was AA or AAA. On the bigger side, my FujiFilm S7000 takes AAs and really punches above its (6MP) weight in my view, but is the size of a small DSLR. And my two favourite old Pentax DSLRs, the K100D and K-m are both AA powered.
Some of the old Lumix definitely run on AAs –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC-LC43
https://www.dpreview.com/products/panasonic/compacts/panasonic_dmclz3/specifications
If you like the Ixus 870IS, what are your thoughts on the 115HS, which is pretty much the updated version of the former? The cmos sensor and processing in the latter works a treat in lower light, day time it’s straight down the middle. Lots of personalisation modes, and the menu is worth reading, there’s even AEL through some button pushing – Try it, it’s even cheaper than the 870 online!
Our daughter has a slightly later Canon IXUS, which I’m pretty sure is the exact one you mention. Ah yes I just checked the EXIF on some shots of hers I have saved. She was given it free by a relative who had upgraded earlier this year, and I set it up for her. It was very similar to the 870 in use, ie simple, reliable, and very compact.
I haven’t used it enough myself to make a direct comparison image wise, I wonder what difference the CMOS sensor would make over the CCD, I generally prefer the look of CCD.
I had panasonic older AA cam and was good, but those days I was a snap shooter. Will have to look around.
I know you thought yours was too heavy Dan, but mine is the K10D… it has that Pentax CCD look that the Km has, but since I shoot mostly manual lenses with it, I need to have that bright larger viewfinder…
Chris, yeh for M42 lenses I’ve pretty much given up with the K100D and K-m, as it’s just too much fiddling about to get consistent results. Lately I’ve used my K30 with Live View. But for K mount lenses (I have A, F and DA series) the K100D and K-m are great, even when I’m manually focusing.
You’re right I loved the K10D, and the K-m has the same sensor, just in a much smaller and lighter package. It has all the functions I need, and once I’d accepted that APS-C DSLR viewfinders are still not great even with the (I think) 95% 0.95x K10D, then one slightly less good (0.85x, but 96%) on the K-m (and K100D) was easy to adapt to.
My classic go to is my Nikon D40. I’ve made 16×24 inkjet prints from this baby that are flawless. It’s a small but mighty dSLR.
I think that’s from the same era as my Pentax K100D. There were a number of excellent little DSLRs around that time, before they became overly complex and silly with MegaPixels!
Can’t beat the ease of use with these. The megapixel war was ridiculous. I’ve made 32×40 canvas prints with the D40 also. Who needs 40mp? Not me 😂
Ha, sometimes I don’t even need 4MP! ; )
Well I suppose it could depend on usage of images but yeah we live in a bigger is batter world.