Would you buy a Nikon F5/Kodak DCS 620x ?

[simon_t__ireland_]

Hi,

 

Anyone used this camera before? I am thinking of getting one. It will cost

around US$330? How does it compare to D2H or other Nikon digital camera, in

terms of picture quality? I know this is probably not a fair question, as this

camera is very old with much lower frame rate and CCD resolution. I wanted to

get into Nikon without spending too much money. I have a couple of old Nikon

lenses, like the pre AI 50mm f3.5 PC micro Nikkor.

 

May be the Kodak 14 MB full frame version is a better investment, but it will

cost more than double the price

 

Thanks,

Simon

[vivek iyer]

<i>I wanted to get into Nikon without spending too much money.</i>

<p>

Nikon D40.

[keith_lubow]

You will spend less on a D1 and probably like it more.

 

The early DCS cameras are interesting from a historical standpoint, but not as sensible to a user as the D1 and later models. They have their own dedicated parts, are an orphaned system, etc.

 

I would say get to get in to Nikon digital on the cheap, go for any affordable Nikon digital body you can get from the D1 on. $200 to $300 for a well-used D1 sounds better to me than a $100 mint condition DCS.

 

Not that you can't take good pix with the early DCS cameras. You will just be losing money in the long run by getting one.

 

With early Nikon cameras like the D1 so low nowadays, and with the amazingly cheap price of the D40, I don't see the point of getting a DCS as a daily user. The D40 is a much more capable camera, sadly.

 

Without being AId, your pre-AI glass will only mount on the D40 and D40x.

 

Keith

[Peter_in_PA]

the Kodak 14MB camera is excellent as long as you're in the studio. It is slow and

unresponsive with bad battery technology, so for carrying around anywhere it stinks. D40

will, I promise you, take WAY better photos than a D1 or an old DCS620, which is, by the way

AMAZINGLY HUGE!

[walterh]

No!

[frank_yang]

If you primarily want to bring your old MF Nikkors into the digital age on the cheap and not care about speed or battery issues it might not be a bad idea as you'll have to spend $1,200 D200 or $1,600 D300 to get backward compatibility on newer Nikon.

 

Its based on the F5 so your getting a tank on the cheap and for $330 I won't worry to much about it as I lose more money on point and shoot digital compacts in the past 4 years than that amount.

 

Buy one, shoot it and if you got hook on digital then upgrade to newer bodies and you can alway sell if for pretty much what you pay for it as it seem like the value have pretty much bottom at that price.

[Richard Williams]

Aren't the D40 and D40x (don't know about the D60) the only dSLRs that will mount the pre-AI lens without modification to the lens or camera? The D200 and D300 would require lens modification. It might be possible to modify the F5-based Kodaks to accept unmodified pre-AI lenses (just as you could with the F5). Of course you won't get metering without both AI modification of the lens and a meter-compatible camera (D1/D2 series, D200, D300, presumably the 620).

[akira]

D40, hands down. Although you cannot meter with any Nikon manual lenses (without CPU), you can mount old pre-Ai lenses without modification.

 

I have D40 and the lenses like pre-Ai 55/3.5 and Ai-s 28/2.0 besides AF18-70. Both manual lenses gives fantastic results.

[chris_vincent2]

Absolutely. Buy 5 or 6 of them

 

(c'mon guys don't deter people from buying this dinosaur stuff or we'll never get rid of it!)

 

Honestly though, used D70s etc. cost nothing used so I would recommend buying somehing like that.

[akira]

Chris, Simon needs to mount non-Ai Nikon lenses. D40, D40x and possibly D60 are the only DSLRs that accepts those lenses without modification and D40 is way cheaper than the other two. Being unable to meter with them is not relly a big deal: you can chimp on the LCD sctreen.

[ellis_vener_photography]

i wouldn't get a 620 but would look for a DCS 760 as it was the best of the 6 megapixel class cameras bar none. but do stock up on batteries.

[rjacksonphoto]

A little OT, but you can mount non-Ai lenses on the D40? I didn't know that.

[akira]

Yup.

[jose_angel]

I don`t. I agree with those who prefer even a D40. Forget your old lenses, go for a current model with an AF-S lens.

[photo5]

The D40 is the best bang for your buck in a digital Nikon SLR body. It can take any Nikon lens ever made since 1959. To get AF you need AF-S, to get metering you need at least an AF or AI-P lens. But you can use your pre-AI Micro Nikkor without having to modify it.

[pbsteens]

Hi Simon

Maybe you already bought the 620x, and if you didn't, you should have done so, because they are absolutely great cameras. Although resolution isn't up to todays standard, in fact it's a bit of a dinosaur, but I personally love them. I have several kodak dcs's and use them all the time, also for professional jobs.

I hope, for your sake you didn't go for the kodak 14mp, because that would be a serious waste of good money. Those unfortunately are pretty lousy and ended kodak's camerabuiling aspirations..

The old dcs's, 620 up to 760 are absolutely great. They are bulky, heavy and a little cumbersome to work with but what picturequality they give. I'm still astonished when I see it.

If you want higher resolution, the dcs 760 is the one to go for, despite it's smaller ISO range (only up to 400), still a very capable camera, even by todays standards.

You can put almost any lens on them, you can lay your hands on.

I've even used it with 39mm screw leica rangefinder lenses. These require several adapterrings, you have to -pop up the mirror and use a seperate lightmeter, but they work. All the nikkor lenses ever produced, and aftermarket lenses with nikon mount or m42 with nikon-adapter will fit and work in one of the lightmeasuringmodes of the f5 body. Just a matter of trial and error. So far I didn't come up with a lens that didn't work one way or another.

There are certainly more up to date cameras availabe fot that amount, but no one that's better build and more fun to work with. NASA uses them in the Spaceshuttle and in and around space station ISS. If it's good enough for NASA, it's good enough for me.

Best regards.

Pieter-Bas Steens

[thomas_wong]

I have the 760, and I think it's a great camera. I have used Leica 125/2.5 Hektor, Leica Telyt 200/4, Kilfitt 300/5.6 (T2 mount), Cooke Speed Panchro (75/2, M42 to Nikon, no reach of infinity), Baltar 150, etc. And the lenses showed their unique and interesting characteristics. Talk about colours, tonality, micro-contrast: you have them in spades. Keep to the 'base' ISO though. If only the batteries could last longer! I think the 620 will also prove to be excellent and fun to use.

Thomas Wong

[xavian_anderson_macpherson]

<p>More than a year after this thread was last posted to, and I'm thinking of getting the 760 today. It is a beast! And I have to admit. I'm drawn to it just for that reason. That and the interchangeable viewfinders. I've always wanted a DA-30 Action Finder. And now, I'll get one!</p>

<p>Xavian-Anderson Macpherson<br>

ShingoshiDao</p>

[willie_brandt]

<p> please as of january 23 2010 ive purchased , me one<br>

pro kodak620 nikon f5 digital camera , i was thinking i was purchasing a film camera ,<br>

the nikon f5 , i need a nikon lens for this , what should i get , whats the best for this<br>

pro kodak620 nikon f5 digi camera in lenses , and ineed a battery and pack<br>

could i please ask help , please email me <a href="mailto:williemoab@gmail.com">williemoab@gmail.com</a></p>