This is a slick-looking book, so I'm rounding up to a 3 based on buy-ability in the shop. The cover and images are crisp and give off the "collectible" vibe, so it's best suited as a coffee table book. It has old school "Urban Outfitters" book vibes. Despite being a visual treat, the content is lacking. I'm not sure who it's really for, and most camera people would be better with a real reference book. Beginners will need a lot more help than this book offers. And advanced photographers will not be impressed with one photo and the information provided. This feels like blog content.

Good introduction into the film camera world for those who have spent more time in the digital world. Each entry is precise and informative, yet simple enough for any newcomer in the field to not feel overwhelmed.

This is a great book for photography lovers. It goes over different brands of cameras and tells a bit about each. I loved reading about all the cameras, some lenses associated with them and the history. Towards the end it goes over films and development of films and future of film cameras. This will also be a good book for people that collect cameras as well. Thanks Net Galley!

Must have for any camera collector, especially film camera collectors! I have a regular canon but have always wanted a film camera so this was an interesting read! Not something I need a whole book for but I'd love to browse this to figure out which film camera I will want to buy when the time comes!

I was disappointed in this book. It offers almost no information and that which is there is often incomplete. For one of many examples, the Fuji GW690 is covered as it should be but no mention that there are five versions (that I can remember) with price differentials. Nor are the variations described.

There’s little here but peanut shell sized generalized descriptions of a few cameras. I won’t quibble with the selection in general. By that I mean all mentioned are collectible but since this has got to be a book for the beginner who is considering a camera collecting hobby, mentioning cameras that cost from dear to astronomical is wildly out of place. Very few if any collectors starting out will be collecting any Hasselblad, Canon Hansa or a Leica M series with lens.

There is zero talk about condition which controls price and collector/user enjoyment. The price guide on each camera is low, intermediate, high and very high without definitions. Worse, much worse, there’s no guide at all about building a collection. Collections aren’t garbage heaps but curated groups which can be brand, year range, type (rangefinder, SLR) or use (landscape, studio) and so forth.

Even worse, these cameras are useful but there’s no help getting started with the different tech assuming a new collector has some photographic experience using digital P&S or DSLR machines. Moving to a film rangefinder from a digital P&S (point and shoot) or phone without guidance guarantees failure and disgust.

Much of the enjoyment of film is developing and printing. The latter may be beyond most beginners’ scope but B&W film processing is simple. Most people homes can accommodate it. There is summary mention of that, at least.

This is a developing field. While film photography had a big sag as digital came on, it’s resurging to the point that some film has been difficult to source due to low production capacity. Using film, you must learn to see photographically and cannot fix all that much in post as today’s digital spray and pray shooters so often do. All that is missing from this book. It verges on useless.

There are Web sites and discussion boards where a beginner is better off starting out.

Lately film cameras have been making a comeback and Film Camera Zen is an informative resource with beautiful photos accompanying descriptions of both new and retro cameras. From the easy to find and affordable to those unattainable holy grail cameras. I myself have been looking into getting back into the hobby and it can be pretty daunting choosing a camera to shoot with. This guide gives the history along with the pros and cons of each camera as well as user and camera skill level which is just perfect. Once you’re done reading the author also has a YouTube channel you can plunge into as well.

This would make a nice coffee table book or gift for a camera enthusiast. Also a great jumping off point to start your search for a film camera to suit your needs.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Chronicle Books. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love cameras. I'm always on the hunt for the next best camera for my aesthetic. And they all are different. Film Camera Zen is a compendium of cameras that are not just visually stunning product pics but detailed information about the camera. It's a great guide for photographers searching for a vintage or contemporary camera to add to their collection. From the novice to expert, this book will be a great table book to share with others.

Nice description of different models of film cameras. Good reference guide with lovely pictures. If I needed a film camera I feel this guide would be valuable.

What an interesting and educational read! The author, Bellamy Hunt (aka Japan Camera Hunter, JCH) has scoured the planet seeking out hundreds of makes and models of cameras and given them a test run. In this book, he showcases many of his favorites, providing insightful technical feedback and fun historical facts for each.

Whether your a professional photographer, a budding shutterbug or a discerning gadget gearhead, if you love cameras, you'll love this book!

Film Camera Zen is a beautiful book full of interesting information. If you have ever owned a film camera, use a film camera or are just wanting to learn about the cameras out there, this book will have something to interest you. The photography is fabulous (obviously!) and even though some of the information is technical camera talk it is well written and interesting.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think I had higher hopes for this book at the start of reading it. It reads more like a Buzzfeed 'listicle'. While the photos of the cameras and some of the information were interesting to take in, most of my time spent reading was wondering when I would get to the end of the book. 2🌟

Picked this book from NetGalley because I’ve been a photographer (primarily film) for 20 years and I was interested in hearing what someone similar would have to say. I really enjoyed the author’s take on all this great gear! How fun to see some of my own cameras in the pages of this book. If you’re interested in learning about some great vintage and classic photography gear, this is definitely your starting point. I love the great high level overviews!

Film Camera Zen
Bellamy Hunt

I have been an avid film photographer and film camera collector from before the first digital camera came out. While digital has taken over photography in general, film has survived in a certain niche market, and has seen somewhat of a resurgence with Gen Z onward. For me, film photography, processing and printing is Zen. Which is why I totally agree with the book’s title.

As to the book itself, it is 192 pages, half of which are equipment photos, with a good representation of film cameras, mostly 35mm, with some medium format representatives, arranged alphabetically. There is one luscious photo on the left hand page to satisfy the gear fetishist, and a short blurb on the right hand page with a very cursory description of the camera model.

At the end of the book, there is a page or two on film choices (including the author’s own brand). Brief general information on film processing and scanning. Finally a “tour” of the author’s online business selling used film cameras and accessories, including, as mentioned, his own Japan Camera Hunter (JCH) film.

My thoughts:
While I do appreciate every effort to keep the film camera hobby (for it is just that, a hobby, in this day and age), the information contained is very brief and superficial. I do not see that there is any specific information in this book that cannot be gleaned online, from certain comprehensive film camera dedicated websites and fora that have been around for years, with free access to the reader. And since most film camera buying is, out of necessity, conducted over the internet, the person who will be considering this book likely already knows more than what is contained in it.

Also, since the author has his own website selling used camera equipment, one cannot avoid feeling that this catalog is a marketing tool for the author. As such, it might be more apt to just attach a downloadable pdf attached to his website/store?

My appreciation to NetGalley and to the author/publisher for providing an ARC for review. This is an original, unbiased, independent review.

I am a professional videographer but want a film camera for my photograph hobby. I am used to using Sony cameras and Canon lenses, but I love the opinion to look at all different types of cameras (even ones I have never heard of). I love the picture of each camera provided, but I would have liked to see more photos taken by the camera itself, like scenics. I like the description but I do wish it was a little more condensed. Still, a great guide to film cameras.