Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Best Picks Entertainment Technology Magazines Why subscribe? The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From$12.99View MacBook Air M4 iPad Air M3 Nintendo Switch 2 Best mattress Wordle Today Cameras & Photography I’ve seen the future of film photography — 3 next-gen gadgets I'm excited about By Nikita Achanta published 10 March 2025 A very bright future ahead When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide) I'm a big fan of analog photography, having recently tested film cameras like the Kodak Ektar H35 and the Lomography Lomomatic 110. In the last few years, film photography has seen a welcome resurgence, with people populating their social feeds with imperfect photos taken on these nifty little cameras. And if you're a film enthusiast, you'll be very happy to know that this art form isn't dead — far from it actually, as I saw at The Photography & Video Show in London this weekend. This year, the trade show, which is attended by tens of thousands of enthusiasts and pros (and produced by Future Publishing, the parent company of Tom's Guide), put great emphasis on the important of film photography. You may like I tried 5 next-level cameras, from the Sigma BF to a cutting-edge drone — here's why they made me rethink photography We’re in the golden age of instant cameras — here are 5 that prove instant photography is evolving Several brands creating film or manufacturing film cameras were in attending, such as Ilford Photo, Pentax, Analogue Wonderland, and others. Having attended a couple of talks by experts and gone hands-on with some gear, I've seen the future of film photography — and it is oh-so-bright. A portable photo lab?! (Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide) Who would have thought we'd see portable photo labs someday, eh? It's difficult to set up a dark room or photo lab at your house or rental, but what if you bought a device that's compact and lets you scan negatives at home? That's what Finnish brand Valoi is doing. It has created the easy35 and easy120 (pictured) which, essentially, use aluminum tubes to clip onto your macro lens. So if you already own one of the best mirrorless cameras and partake in film photography, Valoi's scanners could be an asset worth investing in. I saw both the easy35 and easy120 in action at The Photography & Video Show, and I don't think there's an easier or quicker way of scanning negatives. Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. A Valoi representative told me that he gets through a roll (36 exposures) in under five minutes. He then uses software like FilmLab or Negative Lab Pro to convert the negs into positives. Making film development easy is what Valoi seems to be good at, and I love that anyone can pick up one of these nifty gadgets and get scanning. If you live in a remote area with no access to a photo lab, the easy120 or the easy35 seem to be the way to go. This truly is the future of film processing. Autofocus systems in film cameras (Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide) Focusing with film cameras is usually hit-or-miss — trust me, I've unintentionally wasted a lot of film. The best cameras today are equipped with rapid autofocus systems that ensure you never miss a shot. Now, film cameras have gotten a taste of that tech too, with cameras like the Rollei 35AF boasting precise focusing. This camera, that I spent an hour with at the show, is equipped with LiDAR technology that enables precise focusing from 70cm up to infinity. In practice, you should be able to point the camera at your subject, half-press the shutter button for it to lock on, and snap a pic. It's also got the most advanced lens I've seen so far in a film camera. A top-notch five element glass lens means you capture sharper photos with a touch of 90s nostalgia. And you get manual control over shutter speed and aperture too, and having an autofocus system to rely on takes the guesswork out of the equation. Having spoken to the passionate people at the JFR Film stand and spent time with the Rollei 35AF, I predict big things for this little camera. Hopefully, it won't be long until I can get my hands on it for proper testing. Half the frame, double the fun Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide) (Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide) Half-frame film cameras are perhaps my favorite kind of film cameras. These use just half a frame to shoot a photo, essentially doubling the shot count. For example, if you're using a roll of 36 exposures, one roll will yield 72 negatives. And if you ask me, I believe half-frame cameras, like the Pentax 17, are the future. More shots for less money? Yes please. The Pentax 17 was a popular camera at the show this year. Every time I walked by the stand, there were several people crowding the camera. Lucky for me, though, I have a test unit on hand as I'm typing this article (full review coming soon). The Pentax 17 has a fixed-focus lens with several focus zones for portraits, landscapes and macro shots. You can adjust the shutter speed, aperture and even the ISO, and the dedicated bokeh mode is lovely for capturing shots with creamy backgrounds. Most reusable film cameras don't give you manual control over the settings, and I'm pleased that cameras like the Pentax 17 and the Rollei 35AF do, especially for those who like to experiment with their photography. Manual film cameras are well on their way to becoming the norm. Everyone's getting involved (Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide) The idea for this article arose from a talk I attended about the future of film photography, hosted by Harman Technology's Sales & Marketing Director Giles Branthwaite. He discussed how more and more young people are getting into film photography, and used stats to backup the fact that more people are getting 35mm film developed, and how businesses have seen a rise in film sales. All of the facts combined pointed to one thing: film photography is far from dead and new life has been breathed into it, thanks to the gadgets I mentioned. And these are just a handful of analog gadgets available today. At the rate technology is developing, we'll get even more portable photo labs and smarter film cameras with advanced autofocus systems. Who knows what 2026 may hold? For now, I've seen the future of analog, and it has me more excited than ever for what's to come. More from Tom's Guide I tried 5 next-level cameras, from the Sigma BF to a cutting-edge drone — here's why they made me rethink photography I just tried the one camera I’m most excited to test this year — and yes, it’s the Sigma BF 7 movies and shows new on Netflix this week — "The Electric State," "Adolescence" and more Nikita Achanta Social Links Navigation Staff Writer, Reviews Nikita is a Staff Writer on the Reviews team at Tom's Guide. She's a lifelong gaming and photography enthusiast, always on the lookout for the latest tech. Having worked as a Sub Editor and Writer for Canon EMEA, she has interviewed photographers from all over the world and working in different genres. When she’s not working, Nikita can usually be found sinking hours into RPGs on her PS5, flying a drone (she's a licensed drone pilot), at a concert, or watching F1. Her work has appeared in several publications including Motor Sport Magazine, NME, Marriott Bonvoy, The Independent, and Metro. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. 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