So, to sell or not to sell ......

[nir_domany]

Well, I've use a vast range of cameras & lenses (Canon, Nikon, Leica

M+R, RolleyFlex, Exa, and sony.

 

All film, But the Sony.

 

But, I find that, by far, the best camera I've used, is my Maxxum 7.

 

Now, I'm finally thinking of Digital ..... the problem, as allways,

is *$$$$$* :-)

 

So I'm asking - how many of you who got their 7D have sold their 7 ?

and what do you make of it ?

 

Was it a good or bad call ?

 

Thank's

 

Nir

[grinder]

Nir, I think you may be only going to digital because of the marketing and people or the photographers that spent 1000's and now what you to because they won't rest until everyone only shoots digital. I wish you the best, you will enjoy it, digital is a fine medium, if you do decide to exchange you current nice cameras for a new batch of nice cameras you will still be taking pictures of nice things some good some bad. I will not use the term upgrade or downgrade and people can flame on about it. Shoot what makes you happy. It does not take a 5000 dollar set-up Film or digital(numbers pulled out of the air) to enjoy photograpghy. I own a P&S digital camera but I will shoot film untill the last roll is made. I don't care if they make a 4000000 MP camera or one that captures the person and actully puts them inside the camera. oh and I ride a motorcyle and its not a harley, quick someone call the markerting people one got away. I enjoy film if you or anyone else enjoys digital right on.

 

There is room for both.

[scott_lewis3]

I love my 7 but since I've had the 7D it doesn't come out very often, but that was the same with the change from MF to AF. There are people the like digital and people that don't there are people that like AF and people that don't. It all comes down to what you want and is best for you. I know that I use my 7D every day, which I never did with my 7 even at the peek of its career.

[miguel_rodriguez5]

do you shoot profesionally? or are you just an enthusiastic amateur?

I think that if you make money from your photos and spend lots of money on film and developing, then it makes all the sense to switch to digital. If, as myself, you only shoot as an amateur, less than 50 rolls of film per year, during the holidays and family gatherings,a DSLR could be a lot of mone. And having already a Maxxum 7 wouldnt make sense to spend lots of money. I spent quite some money on a fuji F700 a year ago and now I miss my X700. By the way, I wish I had a Maxxum 7, I have 2 Maxxum 600si.

[shirish]

Nir,

 

I got a M7 early this year, and a D7 in Summer. The M7 was a step from an XD7, and the transition was painless.

 

Still have the M7, but as someone else pointed out, it does not see as much action as the D7. However, I can assure you, there is absolutely no learning curve from the M to the D, and I am certain - at this time - that the M7 will not be on sale any time soon.

 

So in my case, at this time, selling the M7 would be a bad call.

 

These cameras let you take pictures, not spend half the time fiddling . I have loved Minolta since the days of my XD7 for their ease of use and the ability to-get-out-of-your-way and let you take nice pictures

[manuel_garcia5]

Nir,

 

The choice is completely up to you. Is film lacking in some way to make you want to go digital? If it's the "digital envy" then hold strong, I too was almost swept up in the digital crazy but I have a plan. See I purchased a brand new film Maxxum in March of this year and I plan on using it for at least two years, and then see what Minolta has to offer. I may pick up a used 7D, or a new 9D (hoping Minolta is listening). I can not (at this time) justify spending $1000 + for a new 7D no matter how much I want to. But your situation may be different. Good luck!

[peter_henry1]

I got my Maxxum 7 (film)about ten months ago, and I got the 7D (Digital) last week. I have been very impressed with the quality of the images from the digital and so I have been thinking of whether to keep the film version. But I am in no hurry to sell it. Naturally dollars are an important consideration, and if you need to sell the film version to buy the 7D then you don't have much choice. You could possibly sell the 7 for around US$300? The 7D costs approx US$1100. Is it worthwhile selling the 7, when you still need another $800 or so? I would think you may as well keep the 7 when you buy the 7D. I think I will keep the film version for the following reasons; 1. backup. 2. I am a bit of a die hard film fan and would hate to only have a digital camera. 3. If I want to go on an extended trip and takes hundreds of photos, with film I do not have to worry about storage space with memory cards. Memory cards are expensive! but yes they can be used over and over again. But when on holiday you cannot always transfer the photos from the camera's card to a computer, or print them out, so you could posiibly run out of memory. Then again, I guess you could run out of film if you did not take enough with you. 4. Different films have different characteristics. So many people use Fuji Velvia RVP 50 because it gives them the vivid, sharp inages they want. Yes you can manipulate digital photos in photoshop (or other software) but I am not someone who wants to do that. Nor do I want to pay someone to do it for me. If you have another backup film camera then I guess you may be able to sell the 7, but if the 7 is the only film camera you have, I say keep it! It's a great camera.

[phil_derosier]

Weighing in with my 2 cents ...

 

After all is said and done, the reasons to switch to digital capture is to

 

1) accomplish a meaningful improvement in your job/work flow and

 

2) succumb to a dwindling source of chemical processing locations (which actually is a restatement of #1)

 

I've said this before, and I say it again: when the price/performance ratio of digital capture meets MY expectations, I'll switch to digital capture.

 

This is not to say I'm falling behind the curve on digital technology: I'm not some incorrigible Luddite. I'm a self described PS nut that tries to improve my skillset every day. So my suggestion is if you're going to obsess about anything related to digital imaging, first start with learning, living, existing and thriving in the PS environment. THAT is where the truest leap in technology can be found. PS is what will separate the gadget-geeks from the true artists for the forseeable future.

[lunatech]

My bag of photo gear (including a 7xi) sat in the closet for years. I did a lot of photography and spent many an hour happily in the B&W darkroom and even as a teacher I taught photography (among other things). Loved it but the desire faded away, mainly the idea of taking film in and having someone else make my image was not appealing, and didn't have the time to spend doing the darkroom thing anymore.

 

I had use of one of the first consumer digital cameras, the Canon Xapshot (anyone remember these?) Finally, digital cameras started to come in on their own and the performance/price point made it attractive enough to spend some money and it was good. I bought a couple of P&Ss and was happy with the convienience but never happy with the quality. Of course I had a bag of Minolta lenses and of course Minolta was the only maker without a DSLR, and when the 7D came in the sticker shock almost choked me.

 

But finally I had enough and handed over the credit card for a 7D and haven't looked back. I love photography now, more than ever, and am itchy to shoot every day. I joined a local photo club and have entered photo contests and am still looking for the ultimate image and drag my heavy camera bag where ever I go. I am a computer nerd and have all the latest but it still is a thrill to capture the image that needs little or no manipulation.

 

The 7D is not without its faults and really, someday someone will provide me with a true wide angle lens (there goes that credit card again!) but the anti-shake and the controls are great and eventually I will have to fork over more money for a "9D" but the long story short...to each their own but for me there is no turning back. Digital imaging is just yet another advancement in technology to help one capture the moment and I for one am hooked on doing just that.

[mark_albert]

Over Spring this year I sold all my film cameras to go digital. Three Maxxums including a 7, 6 rangefinders,9 Minolta manual cameras and a TLR plus accesories. I picked up a Fuji S7000 and a Maxxum 7D. Had a P&S already. I love shooting the 7D in particular and digital in general. I love the instant feedback and the digital darkroom. I love being able to change ISO at any time. I decided to get rid of the film cameras while they still had some value. At some point as film cameras prices bottom out I may buy back a M7. It is a great camera.

 

Mark

[clives]

It's all been said before. Here's my story. I am 58 and have owned camera/s since I was 12 years. I own a Maxxum 7 and still have my 8000i. (My niece has one old 35mm Minolta.) My first Minolta was an SRT101--in 1968. I've take 120,000 slides and negs and 15,000 digitals with a Nikon Coolpix. That gives some perspective. Here's why ... I got my 7D two weeks ago and here's what I wrote to a friend yesterday, "The new camera [7D]is a whole new world of adventure and I am glad to be living it. I can shoot with all of my old lenses.... The autofocus is fast again and I can shoot just like with film." Yet I am now more in control and the image quality is better than the scans I was getting from slides--I never was into prints very much. (As a part-time commercial photog I was into slides anyway and merely collected stock for sale.)

 

Like others have said, it is your choice. I am glad with the decision I made! The new camera [7D]is a whole new world of adventure and I am glad to be living it.

 

Here's some of the initial images...

 

http://members.shaw.ca/ocl3/BOP.html

 

http://members.shaw.ca/ocl3/grandkids.html

[craig_gillette]

If it's purely economic, sell it now and get the 7D. Over time the prices will both drop and the 7D might drop a little faster for a while and if you wait long enough, both will have bottomed out. maybe there is an $800-900 difference in value, and next year it might be $700-800. Eventually, wait long enough, you'll have bought and paid for a ton of film and only need to spend $100 to get the used 7D.

 

Some people won't let go of film - and it's hard to blame them when there are some classic film cameras out there. The 7 is often spoken of in glowing terms. Like car fans can point out which year or model was "the best" compared to the ones that came before or after it. It's in the I wish I'd bought one of those when I could have, instead of the ...... .

 

I got tired of monkeying about with film a couple of years ago. couldn't find the film I liked locally consistently, sometimes they had it, sometimes they didn't. Couldn't afford paying almost $20 a roll to get it done right and couldn't find consistent or reliable and economical local developing. "It says "Professional" so we can't do it." "It says C-41 - do it with all the other C-41 film." ""Gee, all those blue spots must mean they did it on Saturday, there was a problem with the machine." "No, I dropped it off Sunday." "Uh oh, that must mean all of Sundays developing is bad too. I wish they'd looked at it while they were doing it."

 

I just recently stepped up to the 7D. Still not looking back to film. Bit of a learning curve compared to film or my other digital. But way ahead of them as well.

[Jochen_S]

I have no 7D yet but experience in the Pentax realm. I kept the 35mm SLRs to have a backed up, reliable system, with one body per lens, believing I might need it. - I didn't yet. Most of my stuff is done as good as possible with a single DSLRs and various lenses. O.K. I'm missing some occasions due to lens changes, but I also get shots I wouldn't get if I still had to twist every penny twice before I could spend it on another roll and processing. I'm still using film to enjoy some old RFs, but to be honest: digital might be as nice as them.

 

Reasons to keep the film body are: as a backup or for homeprocessed B&W or slides, maybe even for a hybrid workflow in WA photography. With 35mm "superior quality" seems no argument. Rather low loss at high theft risk, if you like to bring home some snaps captured with inexpensive lenses.

 

I doubt the few $$ you'll get for a SLR to be worth selling it, but if you were happy with one film body why shouldn't you be with one DSLR?