Musings on old dSLRs

[trevor_newman1]

<p>Don't ask me why but I am a lover of the old and often forgotten. Now I realize that planned obsolesence has existed for much longer than I have been alive but with technology moving at an even greater pace in the ditial era I notice its presence even more so. I have been a film shooter for all of my brief photographic life and I have loved that similar images can be made with a nikon FM10 and a nikon F5 (I own both). The dSLR has changed much of this and the march of technology has made some incredible cameras like the D3 and the D700. However, in the digital age will there be such things as usable antiques like the film era Fs and FMs and what will their purpose be? I have found myself recently looking back into the not so distant past at cameras like the D1X and even the D1 and contemplating what role these cameras will play in the future. Will these cameras be used to create art in their limitations? Will we look back at these tools as markers not of past perfection but as ever relevant tools for making art? Or do we now live in an age where all cameras are disposable? I believe that cameras are tools as much as anyone but for me there is always an unspeakable bond between my machines and me and I feel it would be a shame to see that connection severed in the digital age. I was wondering what all your thoughts are on this. How do you feel about these old relics and what do you think is their place now and in the future? Some may say the villiage dump and some may say in an artists hands...to each his/her own. Regardless, I would love to hear what you all have to say. Thank you all for sharing and happy shooting no matter what you use =).</p>

[Matthew Brennan]

<p>Trevor,</p>

<p>I have a freind who considers herself an 'artist' which is quite true of her. She takes portraits and street photography with a Nikon FM 2 - I consider it a classic camera and I hope there are plenty still around in 75 years to become genuine antiques. She also purchased my Nikon D70 and Kit lens for her travels as she does not trust the purchasing / availability / quality of film in the far flung places she visits. I consider the Nikon D70 also to be a classic camera despite it being less than 10 years old and yet is considerably superceeded by newer, flashier digital bodies.<br>

Side by side the two cameras can be made to take the same photo but in her hands she makes her greatest photos with the older FM 2 because she feels at one with this format of manual everything and exposing light on film. The FM 2 makes her heart sing and in her eyes it's as current as the day she bought it second hand back in the late 80's.</p>

<p>I think that like all things, beauty and usefulness of an item like a camera is truly in the eye of the beholder. Some will have reason to scrap old bodies and always be looking for the latest and greatest, and some will be capturing magic images on antiques they have been using for decades. </p>

<p>Consumerism is still rife despite current world financial turmoils and all of the trickle down effects that have thus far made it down to the ordinary punter. My guess is that a lot of D-SLR's will be dumped in the coming decade as the technology advances- unless there is a cataclismic global shift in consumer habits. So long as a camera works, still has batteries and supported memory it can be a hand me down or giveway to some one less well off. I'm horrified at the waste of mobile phone handsets that are cyclically being turned into landfill as analouge becomes digital / becomes CDMA / becomes 3G and so on. I've boycotted mobile phones for my own use for the past 3 years and have improved my lifestyle as a result. </p>

<p>The rejection of technology is tied to generational change, I'm 'gen X' but I think I share my parent's generation in wasting not / wanting not. A camera is a special tool and should be valued and maintained whatever it's vintage.</p>

 

[jose_angel]

<p><em>"Or do we now live in an age where all cameras are disposable?"</em><br>

I think so, that`s the digital age. To me a D1 is useless like an old computer, radio receiver or any electronic device surpassed by technology. Don`t ask me why but I don`t feel too much love for my older digital gear. The same for "highly electrified" film cameras. I got rid of almost all my battery operated film cameras but the F3 and F6. Their AF lenses belong to this group.<br>

Otherwise mechanical gear is so valuable to me... perhaps because it`s on top of their own technology, because are discontinued and difficult to find new, or still useful to me.</p>

 

[errol young]

<p>Like Jose, camera bodies are just tools to me. I appreciate what they can do but have no emotional problem when they need to be replaced. I do have some attachment to good lenses. I have a MF 85mm 1.8 that still has that 'look.'</p>

[ronald_moravec1]

<p>All the digi cams will have electronics fail and become not repairable. The will be no working old ones.</p>

[alvin_lim5]

<p>Well Trevor, I would consider myself as a person who loves all these so called "old gear". My everyday camera is either a Nikon F3HP or an FM2n and my main digital body is a D2Hs. So long as the D2Hs continue to work, I do not think I will change it as I totally love the camera.</p>

<p>Is the technology obsolete? Well, in the digital age, it certainly has and I would not deny that the later DSLR like the D300, D3 and even the D90 is a mark improvement from the D2Hs. But all that technology means little to me because the D2Hs suits my needs perfectly. Moreover, there is little point constantly trying to keep up with technology because it changes far too quickly.</p>

[vrankin]

<p>A perfect match between photographer and camera has happened, when the camera does exactly what the photographer wants it to do. But for many of us there's always the temptation to believe the ads saying that something else can do it better.</p>

[alvin_lim5]

<blockquote>

<p>But for many of us there's always the temptation to believe the ads saying that something else can do it better</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That is so true.</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>Take the D1 for example. There are point-and-shoots today that are better! Also, they are not built to last as long anymore.</p>

[mike w]

<p>More multi thousand dollar paperweights Yeeeaaaaaaa!</p>

<p>Mike</p>

[mike w]

<p>Do you remember many many years ago in a galaxy not so far from here Sony had a digital camera I think it was about 3 mega pixels or so it used a floppy disk for storage. I wanted one of those but just didn't want to (waist) the money on it.<br>

Well I saw one the other day at a junk store for $3, I was tempted if it had a charger with it I might have gotten it, but alas I didn't. That's OK I still have lots of junk around here to weigh down my paper.<br>

Mike</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>The best thing about "old" digicams is the low market value/high photographer usage value ratio. Still a lot of bang for the buck if your priority is image impact rather than the chest-thumping that plagues so many forum warriors. While the forum warriors are fretting over the Next Big Thing, actual photographers are using those obsolete cameras to create photos.</p>

[peter_n1664876959]

<p>Just three months ago I bought my first dSLR, a Fuji S5. In my mind this is a very modern camera. I still have my beloved F3HP but haven't used it for 5 years because I found rangefinder cameras. So now I mostly use Leica M cameras and glass but I can see myself using this S5 and it's zoom lens for many rears to come too, it's much more about the picture for me and once I get cameras I really like using I don't see the point in getting the latest. I'm very happy using old stuff.</p>

[kuryan_thomas]

<p>My originally $4,000 D2x is valued at $400 by B&H (i.e., they would pay me $400 and sell it used at their standard markup). OK, I could probably sell it for more either privately or on the bay, but still, you can see the point.</p>

<p>I was a little annoyed by that depreciation, but then I thought to myself: how much was the fun and learning worth, not even to mention the images? And I still have a few more months before I retire it, and more photo trips that I plan to take with it.</p>

<p>So yes, it depreciated a ton, but I had a ton of fun with it, learned more than a ton, and got half a ton of good images from it. Dare I say, because of the nature of digital, I got a lot more out of it than I did from my older film systems. In my book, it's worth it.</p>

[sammy_d1]

<p>The cameras are only obsolete if the photographer no longer wants to use them. I recently stepped backward, and picked up a D1x because I just couldn't pass up the price. A professional camera with 2 batteries and charger for $300. At that price, I have a great knock around camera that is built for abuse, and it gives me woderful pictures.<br>

<br /> I disagree that the point and shoots give better pictures. More resolution without a doubt, but depth of color is not there, nor is there limited depth of field, contrast, or many of the abilities that even an old DSLR can easily give.<br>

<br /> Unfortunately, the electronics will eventually give out, and then they will become useless. Until then, they are a great bargain. The newer cameras will do more - no doubt about it. But the older cameras still have a lot to give if the user stays within their abilities. After all, an awful lot of high-end portraits, weddings, sprorts, and wildlife were beautifully captured with these old cameras, and the users were delighted (at the time) with their performance.</p>

[jay_moynihan]

<p>I would suggest that no camera, of any kind, is obsolete, as long as:<br>

It does what you want it to do<br>

You can still get film/batteries for it<br>

It is not broken.<br>

I use D200's, FM2's, an F2a, and two Twin lens Reflexes, a P&S, and a polariod. Depends on what i want to make.<br>

I watched a documentary recently about Sally Mann. At the time it was made (recently), she was using an old 8x10 with a shutterless lense, and making her coating/using her own glass plates. It gave her the photograph she wanted.</p>

 

[StuartMoxham]

<p>I still use my D1h. It does what I need it to do and as long as it works I will use it. I really like the D1h. The AF is great frame rate is good and the buffer is pretty good. I also like my f801 and my FM2.</p>