"Classic" Digital

Calculators are a good measure of technological advancement. In 1974 I received a TI SR-50 calculator. I thought I had died and gone to tech heaven. It cost $174.00.

To me a classic would be more then 25yrs old. Also it would be a camera that is still sought out by users and collectors. If my D200 was not in the landfill it would be approaching "classic" in about 10 more years at least in the age category. It's not something that people want to collect as far as I know. .

To me a classic would be more then 25yrs old. Also it would be a camera that is still sought out by users and collectors. If my D200 was not in the landfill it would be approaching "classic" in about 10 more years at least in the age category. It's not something that people want to collect as far as I know. .

 

As far as I know, classic in this sense originated with automobile (collectors) so that there was a progression: antique->classic->collectible->...

 

It seems to apply well to cameras; and I personally have 'wasted'* a lot time on early sutofocus, bridge cameras, etc.

 

I used to be pretty regularly excoriated for calling anything but the most expensive and rare cameras, classic.

 

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*Perhaps as a result of the commonly referred to "waste-level" finders?

As far as I know, classic in this sense originated with automobile (collectors) so that there was a progression: antique->classic->collectible->...

 

It seems to apply well to cameras; and I personally have 'wasted'* a lot time on early sutofocus, bridge cameras, etc.

 

I used to be pretty regularly excoriated for calling anything but the most expensive and rare cameras, classic.

 

a classic?

[ATTACH=full]1291214[/ATTACH]

early models of the Praktiiflex

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*Perhaps as a result of the commonly referred to "waste-level" finders?

 

I guess that is where I am coming from. A 66 corvette stingray is a classic and it's sought out as a collector car or an occasional driver. I have not been a collector of cars or cameras myself but I do use a 1984 Leica M6 classic as my daily camera for outdoor use. I have a new digital camera but do not see it as a desired option that anyone would want in the future.

Oh dear, more macho nonsense aboot cars in a digital camera thread.

lol. Next up ... guns!

I didn't realize I had so many "classic" bits of photography stuff around (not counting the old Leicas); Nikon f4, Olympus OM2N, lots of Yashicas, a couple of Ricohs and Pentax Spotmatics (film cameras), my Nikon D300 (I'm surprised to hear it referred to as a classic), and my HP200LX (DOS programmable, so definitely a classic). Given my age, I'm personally a "classic". I always used the "classic definition" of 25 years for cars (which my state defines for me) and 50-75 years for certain antiques. Never really thought about the "classic" definition for digital cameras, as to me it seems they haven't really met the time test, although they certainly have met the technological change tests.

Are bicycles Macho. We have a classic bicycle event in the area each year requiring a bike from 1989 or older. It's a popular and growing event.

Are bicycles Macho.

Yes. As long as they’re pink and have training wheels. :)

I didn't realize I had so many "classic" bits of photography stuff around (not counting the old Leicas); Nikon f4, Olympus OM2N, lots of Yashicas, a couple of Ricohs and Pentax Spotmatics (film cameras), my Nikon D300 (I'm surprised to hear it referred to as a classic), and my HP200LX (DOS programmable, so definitely a classic). Given my age, I'm personally a "classic". I always used the "classic definition" of 25 years for cars (which my state defines for me) and 50-75 years for certain antiques. Never really thought about the "classic" definition for digital cameras, as to me it seems they haven't really met the time test, although they certainly have met the technological change tests.

 

Good post. Thinking of it antiques must be pretty old for sure. But I suppose digital cameras should have a shorter time span to be classic as they do not last very long.

Yes. As long as they’re pink and have training wheels. :)

 

Santa gave my Granddaughter one of those just this year. She is flying about the driveway and sidewalk in great Macho style.

I recently got a D1 for about $50, which seems to be about right:

 

http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Nikon/D1.html

 

I don't have a charger for it, though. I might figure out how to charge the

battery without the official charger.

I

I don't have a charger for it, though. I might figure out how to charge the

battery without the official charger.

 

Before I had a proper charger, I charged a few using a bench power supply. I've also tried that on a few occasions(generally unsucessfully) on packs that the regular charger wouldn't charge.

 

I forget what voltage I used, but IIRC I set the PSU to constant current mode and adjusted the charging current until the voltage was a bit above the rated voltage of the pack. As the pack charged, the current would drop and the voltage rise up to a point, and then plateau. I would then adjust again, and would stop charging when the open circuit voltage was a bit higher than the rated voltage. One caveat is that you can charge too fast, which will trip the self-resetting fuse inside the pack. If that happens, wait an hour or so for the pack to cool down and it SHOULD reset and charge again, although even if a pack seems to be charging there's no real guarantee that it will actually power the camera at all, or allow more than a few shots when you put it in the camera.

 

Charging them with a proper charger isn't exactly straight forward either. The charger has a "condition" button, which will discharge it completely before charging. I use it on batteries from unknown sources, and as soon as the performance of a previously good pack starts dropping.

 

Also, read the charger instructions carefully. It tells you to charge until the the green light comes on, then unplug the battery, let it cool for a certain amount of time, and then charge AGAIN until the green light comes on. I forget how long it says to cool-I generally will just pull a pack off, charge the next one, and then when that one is done will put the previous back on.

 

Finally, if you find yourself asking "how?" when you try to do something like capture RAW files, it's worth reading the manual or asking here. The D1 in a lot of ways still operates like an F5 or F100, and there are a LOT of custom functions that are set the same way they are on those cameras. Remember also that cards over 2gb ARE usable in the camera if you format them in-camera(although you still get I think only 3gb), but I don't trust cards formatted this way. I find 512mb or 1gb to be a nice "sweet spot" for the early Nikons, and that will still hold a lot of 2mp RAW files. I still don't find it overly cramped even on 6mp cameras like the D1x and D100.

Yes I will probably charge it with a bench supply, as you say.

 

Tradition for NiCd (which I understand this is not) is 0.1C (one tenth of the amp-hour rating) for about 14 hours.

 

I believe there is a similar value for NiMH.

 

The more complicated charging values are when you are in a rush, including, as I understand it,

checking the temperature of the cells.

 

I am more used to NiCd, which tend to short out when they fail, and then not charge.

 

The fix for that, is to put a current pulse through the individual cell, usually from a

big capacitor, that will burn off the part that is shorting. That might also work on NiMH.

 

It seems that there are people who take out the insides, and replace them with Li ion cells, but more

obvious to me, is to put in replacement NiMH cells. (With solder tabs.) I might try that.

 

I have some 1GB and 2GB cards, when I get to that point.

I forget what I did-I think maybe .2C was how it worked out, and charging took a couple of hours. The normal charging time with the Nikon charger(which admittedly I didn't have when I was first experimenting) is somewhere around 2-3h, although charging that fast MAY also explain the instructions to let it cool and then charge again. Of course the charger does have four pins rather than two-I wonder if the other two connect to a thermocouple or some other charge state monitoring circuit.

 

Li-Ion without the extra charging circuitry scares me-I don't know that I'd want to do it. I've yet to brave cracking open a D1 battery-they look to me like they should contain 6x AA sized cells, but at the same time they have to be packed in there pretty tightly.

The Li-ion instructions include how to take it apart, and it does have a PC board with a thermistor and more electronics.

I forget any details about which pins do what.

 

Yes, I believe 6xAA cells sounds right. I have NiCd AA cells (with tabs) that I have used in

other old devices, such as calculators, but I believe the D1 uses NiMH.

 

The Li-ion chargers don't use the original charger, but add a jack and connect to an external charger.

 

I did rebuild a NiCd battery pack for a Black & Decker drill which I really like, and didn't work

anymore. They were squeezed in tight, and I had to work carefully so that all would fit.

Some articles say 0.05C if you don't detect the end of charging, and even then not to keep them continuously charged.

 

I recently replaced some AAA NiMH in cordless phones, though I don't know how they do the charging.

So far they work fine, though.

After my back got too stiff for a 10 speed, I found an old Raleigh 3 speed at a yard sale which I used for another 20 years (until my balance gave out). Best bike ever.

Now a younger friend is enjoying it. And a 10 year old cat from the shelter which has been living with us for 5years. Best cat ever.

For no good reason except I feel like it:

this is from April of 2004, when most of the digital cameras were NOT "Full-frame".

 

This is my idea of another digital classic.

Yes. The Leica M10-D (as the latest incarnation) is an instant modern classic

I think I'll agree as far as it goes, and it's the most elegant professional camera on the market. But will people be using it in ten years? I won't pretend that I know that answer. But the M9 is still used today (although TBH I probably wouldn't use one over an M10).

it's the most elegant professional camera on the market

It may be elegant, but it is as "professional", as my wife's Prada bag:)

Leica left professional market long time ago and moved to luxury department where your pay for "experience", just like Sunday driver.

Edited April 25, 2019 by Nick D.

I've yet to brave cracking open a D1 battery-they look to me like they should contain 6x AA sized cells, but at the same time they have to be packed in there pretty tightly.

 

Actually, the cells are 4/5 the length of AA cells. I was able to find these on the big auction site (search for "4/5 AA") and rebuilt my last remaining EN-4 a couple of months ago. I think I damaged one of the new cells trying (unsuccessfully) to solder a tab to it and my battery is dead again after only a few charge cycles. It may be just the one cell that is dead but I haven't gotten around to opening up the case again to check.

On bling

 

If you got it, flaunt it!

After my back got too stiff for a 10 speed, I found an old Raleigh 3 speed at a yard sale which I used for another 20 years (until my balance gave out). Best bike ever.

Now a younger friend is enjoying it. And a 10 year old cat from the shelter which has been living with us for 5years. Best cat ever.

The older Raleigh 3 speeds made in England are sought out for their classic styling. Mostly in college towns and cycling communities. I am a lifelong cyclist myself but at over 70 y/o I am only riding 50miles a week. I have a modern road bicycle. My digital camera is one year old but most of the features do not work because the AF tracking cannot eventrack a turtle.

I think I'll agree as far as it goes, and it's the most elegant professional camera on the market. But will people be using it in ten years? I won't pretend that I know that answer. But the M9 is still used today (although TBH I probably wouldn't use one over an M10).

I would use a Leica M10 for as long as it worked. However the price is out of my budget. Since the camera stores all went out of business I probably will never even see one butbiu appeals to me as I could use my M mount voightlander glass.

Actually, the cells are 4/5 the length of AA cells. I was able to find these on the big auction site (search for "4/5 AA") and rebuilt my last remaining EN-4 a couple of months ago. I think I damaged one of the new cells trying (unsuccessfully) to solder a tab to it and my battery is dead again after only a few charge cycles. It may be just the one cell that is dead but I haven't gotten around to opening up the case again to check.

 

Much better to get them with tabs spot welded on.

 

Otherwise, it takes a lot of heat to solder, and it isn't good for them.