Should I keep the lenses ??

[admin]

I have an old SLR Nikon camera ( 35 mm film ) with some lenses and other accessories

These days I am cleaning junk from around the house and thought it was time to get rid of the Nikon
It occured to me, however, that lenses maybe, just maybe, still useful with digital SLR Nikon camera. I really don’t know. So, if I buy a digital Nikon one day, those lenses may fit.

So there goes my question : should I throw the lenses with the old Nikon, or do you think they fit the digital cameras as well.

Thanks

[admin]

They will all work optically. The nikon mount hasn’t changed.

If they are autofocus lenses, they’ll work on the digital bodies, but they might be slower to focus compared to modern lenses.

And some of the newer glass is better in ways that usually don’t matter….things like in-body distortion correction….which I’m not even sure if Nikon does and is achievable in software anyway.

If they’re good lenses (f/2.8 zooms and f/2 or better primes) and/or you like them, I’d keep them. If they’re kit level lenses, the modern stuff is at least as good unless you invest in crop sensors and then move to full frame.

Also, all of the film lenses are full frame. The dx lenses are not.

sent from a device with a keyboard that hates me

[admin]

Thanks moostapha
The lenses are manually focus
I am not sure about the f number
IIRC, one is 50 mm fixed , one is wide angle zoom ( ~ 28-70 mm ) , the other is something like 50 – 200 mm
Don’t remember any other specs. They are now buried within many boxes of stuff.

BTW, how about flashes. I have two.
Will they fit in digital cameras ??

[admin]

I’m currently running with an older lens on my camera. If it slower, I haven’t really noticed it. It takes great pictures. For the flash, it should still fit. If not, don’t be in too big of a hurry to toss it. Film is making a comeback and some folks may be looking for film camera gear. You may be able to get a few bucks for it from various auction related websites. There are some photography store websites that buys old camera equipment if it of certain value.

[admin]

Don’t chuck it, put it up on the auction site, there has been a renewal of interest in old film cameras that has tripled the price in the past couple of years. Do not put old flashes on a modern digital camera before checking the voltage, they can fry the newbies with a single pop.

[admin]

Nobody asked the important question; Are you interested in photography (or do you think you will be in the near future)?

If the answer is no then granted you still should consider selling the lot instead of just pointing it towards the landfill, but as long as you are not interested in photography i would not keep the stuff around just for the sake of keeping even if it might fit on something more modern. Heck you might even have a nephew or some other kid in your neighbourhood who would love one of those ‘hip’ film cameras!

[admin]

I am interested in photography itself
Meaning : I still take photos for work, hobby, home repair projects, my kids’ education …etc.

Most of the time , I use the smart phone. Sometimes I use the smaller digital camera I have
So, it is possible at some point that I upgrade my interest in photography to DSLR camera level.
It is possible. Especially that I did have an SLR camera in the past

[admin]

Ben
Thanks for alerting me to the voltage thing in flashes.
I never thought of that

[admin]

Really ??
Could you please explain this to me
Who, how, and why ?

It is very interesting

I mean, someone can buy old cameras to sell as antique, I understand
But using them ???
You need films, and studios to process them

[admin]

Practical reasons:
1) good quality film can have an effective resolution that beats most digital cameras, at a fraction of the cost.
2) It forces you to think about each shot. you can’t go into the shoot, review, shoot, review cycle that digital can get you into, where you just keep taking photos until you find one that works, if only by sheer luck. – this can help people learn, or hone their skills.

Artistic/non-practical reasons:
1) film has it’s own aesthetic that you don’t always get with digital.
2) Shooting film has quirks, limitations and idiosyncrasies that a fair few people find fun.
3) There is something delightfully mechanical about film cameras (especially the older ones) that you just don’t get with digital.
4) Some people also enjoy the process of doing their own developing.
5) There’s a distinct fashion at the moment for old stuff in certain “cool” circles. (except of course it’s not called “old” it’s “retro” or “vintage”)

I shoot both. Usually I shoot digital when I really care about the results (because it’s easier and more practical) but I’ll shoot film just to enjoy the process of shooting.

[admin]

Quite a bit of analogue nostalgia around film cameras. Yes there is fun to be had and I must admit I really liked the process of developing and printing black and white photos. I think I’d find it equally frustrating these days because it’s massively time intensive compared with digital and digital surpassed film in pure quality terms a while back.

Film photography these days is a bit like using inkjet printers. Hardware is very cheap but the consumables are expensive. Film and developing is going up as volumes drop. I haven’t looked at prices for a while but it’s probably running at about 50c per frame for an image vs 0c on digital (ignoring initial gear outlay). Fuji just announced they will be increasing film prices by double digits %.

I still sort of regret selling my Olympus OMn SLRs to buy a Nikon DSLR a few years ago and then realise the Nikons are 10x more versatile and I take far more photos now. Just hope someone is getting enjoyment out of those old bodies which were 25 years old and working perfectly. So good and beautifully designed that Olympus echoed the in the OM-D series!

[admin]

Fine Arts classes still use them and there are effects that you can get with film that you cannot get with digital.
Batteries not required, especially with manual cameras. I’ve seen the older lenses sell for more than new lenses, not to mention not all specialized lenses are being made in new versions. I still miss my old pancake fisheye that gave me circular images

[admin]

I know I’m getting enjoyment out of a couple of old OM10 bodies.
keep looking at an OM1 as well. they really are lovely.

[admin]

I’d love for someone to invent a digital recorder gizmo that dropped into the film slot on my old Minolta.

Sent by owl post.

[admin]

Film isnt actually that expensive, and developing a film is something you can do at home and it adds to the charm! I myself love to develop b&w film because its stupendously easy. All you need is a developing tank, some good dexterity, one pitch black room (closet or toilet you can black out will do fine) and some chemicals (also cheap, especially if you don’t intend to keep the film for years and years after you scan it). In darkness get the film out of the camera and get it onto your spool (this is where the good dexterity comes in, practice first with old film to get the feeling down to an art) and put the spool into the tank. After that you can do everything in clear daylight; just add the right chemicals for your film in the right order and calmly swirl in between and time what you are doing down to the second…. once the film is developed and dried you just throw it into a negative scanner and presto; you have your pictures on the computer! If you really like to have an ‘analogue’ print of your picture you can send in your developed film to have any of the images printed as that’s something you do need quite the studio for…. Upside of this method is that you only pay for the images you actually want to have printed, so less wasted money on stuff you dont want. Or you could just send in your scans to a digital printing service for ultimate cheapness (but you lose quality there).

But really, its a fun thing to do on a Sunday afternoon and if you can find a paterson tank at goodwill for a couple bucks you are looking at film cost + chemicals (oh and you need a negative scanner ofc) so its not that expensive to get into! A roll of ilford b&w will set you back 5 bucks, chemicals even less if you buy in bulk. To me its a very calming, almost spiritual ritual to develop film.

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