Should I clear out my MF gear

[jamesdak]

All right all you gearheads. I find myself shooting more and more with my

digital gear. All my MF stuff is just sitting on a shelf gathering dust

except for very rare forays into the "wilds" now. Is it time to let go and

what have other semi-collectors done? Off the top of my head I have a SR-7

(V), XE-7, XD-7 (not selling this ever, I hope), XG-7, X-7, 2 each X-7As, X-

700 chrome, Hi-matic 7S (froze shutter/worth nothing), 2 each Hi-matic 7sII,

7000, 7000i,7xi,and maybe even the Maxxum 7. Also have a bellows and bellows

lens setup and about a dozen different lenses. Am I crazy to considering

letting them go?? It would free up a little needed cash to plus up my gear.

[thomas_sullivan]

I have a lot of manual focus 35mm....and medium format....equipment myself that is just sitting there, with the occasional roll of film run thru them. For the price you'll get for that stuff these days, I'd do what I'm doing............keep it. Have you priced what someone would pay for it yet? You will be amazed at how low it is. You might get one really good AF f/2.8 zoom lens for your digital from the entire deal.....MAYBE!

[jeroen_b1]

I would keep the XD and the Dynax 7, maybe a X-700 too (you collected "7" series, right?)

 

Let go the 7000, 7000i, 7xi, all XG's and the other stuff. Maybe with a clean shelf you start using the good ones that are left over more often?

 

Probably the XE-7 will make some cash. And keep the fast primes, let all the zooms go. Same idea here: clean shelf --> clear vision?

[drjedsmith]

Hi Jim, we all go a ways back on this forum to the film days...<BR>

If it was me, I would at least keep the Maxxum 7 - it will fit in with all your future Sony bodeis and of course the AF lenses. Possibly the XD-7 and one manual prime to go with it, if you can spare the money. The rest is honestly not going to get used much if you have those two cameras.<BR>

Just my take...<BR>

Jed

[andykowalczyk]

Even Nikon MF stuff is dropping in price. Minolta is just fading away. The only hot spot is Pentax because the new digital bodies take the old lenses still.

 

 

Before you split up the super-7 collection, maybe take good pictures and post at camerapedia.org

or offer to rokkorfiles.

[rokkor fan]

Hi Jim,

 

Personally I would keep the XD-7 with a 50mm f/1.4, a 7SII, and the Dynax 7 (if you plan on switching to Sony digital as opposed to any other brand).

 

Regarding the rest, I will consider taking a 7SII off your hands, preferably black if you have one (mine was lost recently in a cab $%*#&??!!.

 

If the pictures are good I would be happy to host a shot of the evolution of the 7 series on the Rokkorfiles.

 

Cheers,

 

Antony

[smhawk]

Jim: everything you've listed is worthless crap. Remember: anything digital is always way better than anything analog. Also, it's a good idea to clear out the clutter. Free yourself of unneeded stuff and your mind will follow. Don't listen to the other posters; they obviously have a hopeless nostalgia for the 1980s. It's a new millenium, man! As a personal favor to you, I'll accept this closet full of junk (no need to clog the landfills). Email me for my address. And because I feel your pain, I'll split the shipping with you 70/30. You're the 70.

[theaudiodoc]

Ah, Ha! The old "everything you've listed is worthless crap" ploy! Very shrewd Stephen! LOL!

 

Jim, I'm keeping my collection. Thomas and Stephen though are right, you aren't going to be able to buy much Canon Digi gear with what you get for it. You have to remember the reasons why you collected the 7's in the first place, whether you have space for it, or if it really is just clutter.

 

Robert

[robert_paul1]

Why keep anything, but whatever AF lenses you have? Even collectors aren't paying much for film stuff. Perhaps you can donate the film stuff to a student learning about photography, as same classes in photography still use film to teach the basics.

 

It's funny how a couple of years ago, where you'd see some posters to this forum talking about how "someone would have to pry their film cameras out of their cold dead hands". Now it's hard to even find anyone who is even willing to pay anything for a film camera.

 

Oh, since we're on the subject. Anyone out there willing to buy my Maxxum 9? (LOL) I guess I'll just keep it as a paperweight, next to my 8mm movie camera.

[jamesdak]

I do realize that I will get hardly nothing for the gear. That's not a big deal. It's just sitting around unused now and hey even if I only get a grip or 50mm lens that's something useful. That's speaking practically of course, LOL!! I guess for me the biggest issue is deciding whether or not to go all Canon or stay with the split system I am running. Maybe the trip to Montana in two months will answer that. I'll be shooting both wildlife and scenics there so both setups will see plenty of use. I also have the Mamiya 645 and probably the XD-7 with film being shot by my 11 year old. Decisions,decisions,decisions!!

[frank_major]

I'd keep a favorite body or two and best/favorite glass then ditch the rest. The Maxxum 7 would definitely stay too!

 

Anything special in mind with the proceeds?

 

I'm in similar a dilemma as i live abroad so permanent, long-term storage is non-existent. It's all gotta go. I hope to be able to afford a dedicated film scanner one day to make neg storage less of a hassle.

 

Best wishes with a tough decision...

 

frank

[theaudiodoc]

Hey Robert,

 

Wish you had mentioned wanting to sell you 9 a couple months ago, before I bought my used 9! Got any accessories for it that you are selling? Does it have the SSM/ADI upgrade?

 

Jim,

 

Definitely photograph everything in your collection for Antony and Rollorfiles! There are a few 7s that I would never part with if I were you, like the XE-7, XD-7 and Max 7! and few of the best Rokkor and Maxxum lenses. I'm partial, but you may be disappointed with the Canon equivalents. I came over from Canon FD and though those lenses are fine, I much prefer my Rokkor and Maxxum glass. I think at this point, for sports and wildlife you probably couldn't do much better than the Canon gear that you have, it's just when you shot people, landscapes, architecture that IMHO I think Canon might disappoint. Have you tried (borrowed/rented) any of the shorter Canon lenses?

 

Robert

[robert_paul1]

R.D.- I had my 9 upgraded with the other two upgrades, that were on the 9Ti, the tackier grip material, and the three additional custom functions. I didn't get the SSM upgrade, as I didn't see myself spending the money for lenses that I wouldn't buy. As for the ADI function, I remember talking to a Minolta service tech about this, and he said something about the Maxxum 9, having an early version of this feature. His explanation baffled me, but as far as I know there was never any mention of this in any Minolta literature.

 

I have the VC-9, not the later VC-9M. The body doesn't have any signs of wear and tear, but I do see a slight blemish in the coating of the glass of the viewfinder, which doesn't affect performance in any way, but would be a slight markdown. I probably never ran more than a couple hundred rolls of film thru it, if that much. Oh, I also put in the grid (L?) focusing screen, and I believe I still have the original focusing screen. And I also believe I have the box for it.

[drjedsmith]

"even two years ago you couldn't pry the film bodies out of our hands" ...<BR>

Well, I think it has to do with the exponential acceleration of digital quality. The 7D couldn't touch my slides at enlargements over 11x14.<BR>

I have a feeling the next generation bodies from Sony will be equal if not better than my slides out of my Maxxum 9. So...there's the new dilema for me! :-)<BR>

Jed

[theaudiodoc]

Robert,

 

From what I understand, custom function 20-1 should show ADI if it has that update. My 9 doesn't have it, but it's in pretty close to mint condition. What is the VC-9M. I'm not familiar with that. Is the grip rubber like the Ti rubber? How do you like the grid L screen and what improvement does it make? I've been watching the 9 on eBay and they have been selling between $500-600. I would sell the grip separately. Think you'll get more that way. I'm looking for a good price on the DM-9 back.

 

It's quite amazing how quick the transition from film to DSLR has been the past couple of years. Seems that most everyone has made the transition and many have sold off their old film gear or are thinking about it. Seems a shame -- a dark day in Mudville.

 

R.D.

[robert_paul1]

R.D., the VC-9M had a magnesium body, and was somewhat lighter than the VC-9 with the steel(?) body. It was 'designed' to match up with the 9Ti. However, as the VC-9/VC-9M both held two sets of batteries, in addition to the ones in the body, you could just leave out one set of batteries to match the weight savings. The MSRP was the same for either one.

 

As for the L-grid screen, I liked it as it was useful when shooting shots of buildings and helping in composition when using the Rule of Thirds, although the grid was more like a tic-tac-toe grid. It was also useful in macro shots of stamps and shots where I wanted to make sure the camera was parallel to interior walls when I did used my Sigma 14mm rectilinear.

 

If and when I get the 'flagship' Sony, I will be installing a grid screen.

[rokkor fan]

Jim, drop me a line at the Rokkor Files if you want to talk about the canon range of cameras and lenses, I have a pretty extensive knowledge of many of them and can give you some ideas re. the switch.

 

Cheers, Antony

[bud_babb]

your MF gear. You, of all people Jim, are the one I thought I could rely on to "hang in there." I guess I need to start giving serious thought to a DSLR. I've used a Canon S3 IS, and while it's very convenient I missed the nice bright, large viewfinder. Now comes the question as to which brand to go with? Keep us posted.

 

Bud for Luddites United

[jamesdak]

Maybe I'll cure myself of this madness tonight. I'm planning on stopping in the mountains on the way home tonight. I've got the 7sII loaded with Velvia and the rain we got this weekend should have the hills a nice shade of green.

[eric_matsuda]

Keep all your Minolta MF stuff and wait for Sony to unleash their new DSLR bodies. :) the blue xd-7 is a gem.

[kimberly_smith___anchorage]

Ahh...what a dilemma! I think I've heard my share of them the last few years that my husband has joined me in photography. :-)<BR><BR>

My first question would be, "what's wrong with your gear?" It seems as though you have plenty of it. Well, I suppose you didn't list any lenses. You might need at least one for your MF.<BR><BR>

Seriously, like others said, why would you sell it? More than likely you will sell it, then wish you still had it, then buy another one

because you miss it so much, then it doesn't quite feel like the old one did, then sell it for less, then buy another one, but when you buy another one, after some thought and research, add an additional one to your collection with a lens you've always wanted to try out, then go back to the same dilemma that you started with. <BR><BR>

It's much simpler to use the gear that you have. Take the time and money that you'd spend on selling and shipping all of it, and shoot some film.<BR><BR>

Just my two cents,<BR>

Kimberly

[User_502260]

I have two X-700 bodies and both are black. I've never seen a chrome X-700. My Minolta stuff includes all of the parts and lenses for the Auto Bellows III system (including the gel filter holder for the 12.5mm and 25mm lenses). What bellows and bellows lenses do you have? I have two chrome Hi-Matic 7SII cameras. Is one of yours black? If you have a Sony or Minolta DSLR then your A mount lense should still be usable. I would keep the manual focus prime Rokkors and the X-700.

[zave_shapiro]

Jim, keep the good stuff. Before my last move I had a Tamron 35-70 and a Vivitar 70-200; both went in the garbage. Keep what you'll use; an unloved and unfondled camera will seize up. Film won't go away and there will always be revivals of trad B&W because it's unique. I feel your pain; I went Canon for AF and the command dial broke on my A2 - now it's decision time.

[jamesdak]

Maybe I should explain myself better. On top of the gear mentioned in the original post I have a full compliment of AF stuff. Currently I have a Minolta 7D, 24/2.8, 35/2.0, 50/1.7, 100/2.8 Macro D, 70-210/4, 28-85/3.5-4.5, and a Tokina 20-35/3.5-4.5. Then on the Canon side I have a 30D, 400/5.6, 70-200/2.8, and a Tokina 17/3.5. Where I feel I am lacking is in a body that will satisfy my quest for details in large prints of landscape shots. Any money from the sale of MF gear would go towards that purpose.

 

To answer sone of the other questions I have the auto bellows 1 with the focusing rail, slide copier, and 2 100/4 bellows lenses. Normally use this with the SRT-101 since it has MLU and does stepdown metering. Both of my 7sII are chrome. The chome X-700 is the only one I've seen and is in great condition.

 

I just hate seeing all this good gear just sitting around unused now.<div></div>

[jamesdak]

Most of the main stuff<div></div>