Do you still have old Nikons that you no longer use?

[mark45831]

I have a good number of camera's both 35/MF, still love to shoot film, I dont do color any more but i process my own B&W which is still tons of fun.

[Hector Javkin]

This is the kind of question that brings back memories. I don't use my film Nikons anymore: FM2, N70, F80, nor my first DSLR, the D50. The one I feel guilty about not using is the FM2, because of its provenance. I got it from my wife's uncle and my dear friend, who received a Bronze Star and a field commission during World War II and passed away some time ago. I miss him.

[glen_h]

I have a good number of camera's both 35/MF, still love to shoot film, I dont do color any more but i process my own B&W which is still tons of fun.

 

I won't say "tons of fun", but enough fun that I don't think about the time as wasted.

I stated when I was nine, and it still brings back memories from those days.

 

Though I have been less interested in black and white printing than 10 years ago.

[Jay M]

I have a good number of camera's both 35/MF, still love to shoot film, I dont do color any more but i process my own B&W which is still tons of fun.

+1

[mike_halliwell]

but i process my own B&W which is still tons of fun.

I remember after spending a day in the department's B/W darkroom, people would back away on the underground 'cos of the smell of fixer. After a few hours at work, I'd go nose-blind, so didn't notice...:)

Edited March 1, 2022 by mike_halliwell

[glen_h]

I remember after spending a day in the department's B/W darkroom, people would back away on the underground 'cos of the smell of fixer. After a few hours at work, I'd go nose-blind, so didn't notice...:)

 

Carry around a package of these, and no-one will notice darkroom chemicals:

 

Robot or human?

 

though they are overpriced, and out of stock.

[mike_halliwell]

Ah, yes. The fruit you can't have as 'carry-on' on planes.....:eek:

 

Is that still the case?

[Matthew Currie]

Like many here I have a bunch, mostly in user condition not really collectible, or just not worth enough to sell. If I see a cheap Nikon at a yard sale with a useable lens, I'm going to buy it whether I need it or not. And a couple that I just keep because I figure I'll keep them forever anyway. If nobody wants my slightly brassed meterless black F they can bury it with me.

 

I was going to convert my D3200 to IR, but just as I was about to do it, it developed a glitch whereby it no longer switches into M mode, so it can't use the manual lenses I wanted to use for IR, so it has become a backup/throw in car, etc.camera instead. I still use it a bit, though, so it doesn't quite count as the many shelf-occupiers do. The Fuji 100 (N60 based first gen. digital) does, however. I'd use that occasionally just for fun if it didn't take two of those damned expensive lithium batteries.

[mike_halliwell]

it developed a glitch whereby it no longer switches into M mode, so it can't use the manual lenses

Can't you put it in S priority and set the aperture on the ring? or does it do the FEE thing?

 

Does it have the option of adjust aperture via ring in it's settings? I know it's a basic level DSLR with a nice sensor.... I sold mine ages ago when I found it didn't work with Nikon's own tethering software.

[Matthew Currie]

Alas, the D3200 reports "no lens installed" in any mode but M for an unchipped lens. For a while the issue was intermittent, and wiggling the mode dial could briefly bypass it but now it's complete, and I doubt it's worth fixing on a well-used beater of this level. It gets used in the car and the like now, with the 16-85 lens which works nicely almost all the time.

[Niels - NHSN]

All my film Nikon cameras sees regular use, or at least two rolls a year - if I don't shoot 2 rolls with a camera, I've promised myself to sell it - as I want to see myself as a user rather than a collector, but with 10 Nikon film cameras and 20 lenses, I obviously can't deny also being a collector:

Film bodies: 2 black FE2, 1 chrome FE, 1 black Nikkormat EL, 2 Black F2 photomic, 1 silver F2 photomic, 1 Black Nikon F photomic, 1 Nikon F3, 1 Nikon F801s.

Lenses which I also use on my digital camera: 20mm/3.5 Ai, 24-50 AFD, 28/2 Ai, 28/2.8 AiS, 35/2 pre-ai, 35/2 Ai, 35/2,8 pre-ai, 35/2,8 <K>, 35/2.8 Ai, 35-70 AF, 50/1.4 pre-ai, 50mm/1.8 Ai, 50mm/2 pre-ai, 50mm/2 Ai, 55mm/3.5 Micro pre-Ai, 55mm/2,8 Micro AiS, 85mm/1,8 pre-ai, 105/2,5 (sonnar) pre-ai, 105/2,5 Ai, 200mm/4 pre-ai.

[charles_escott_new]

Like NHSN I have tried to move towards user Nikons rather than a collection and have sold F,F2,F3, F5 ,FT3, FE, FM2 and have settled on a trio that get regular use with only 6 lenses, that is Nikkormat FT2, F90x, and my F6. On the digital side the 800e and the D4 have departed leaving one mirrorless and again two lenses. Lenses are often switched between the four cameras. Wish I had done this years ago, the lack of choice is a relief.

[tommyfilmist]

Like NHSN I have tried to move towards user Nikons rather than a collection and have sold F,F2,F3, F5 ,FT3, FE, FM2 and have settled on a trio that get regular use with only 6 lenses, that is Nikkormat FT2, F90x, and my F6. On the digital side the 800e and the D4 have departed leaving one mirrorless and again two lenses. Lenses are often switched between the four cameras. Wish I had done this years ago, the lack of choice is a relief.

 

Its not a lack of choice that is the issue, its a lack of consistency.

 

When you are only using multiples of one make of camera, everything flows no matter what the camera you are using, controls, etc. When i grab my range finder its like WTF.... for about an hour and then im done shooting with it for perhaps another 4 or 5 months

[mike_halliwell]

its a lack of consistency.

Are all of your cameras Nikons or are you expecting different manufactures to 'conform' to control layout etc whether it be rangefinder, slr, dslr or mirrorless?

 

Indicators on the right stalk and wipers on the the left... or is it the other way around? YMMV...:p

 

Not to pick on them unfairly, but Canon have messed with their UI at every possible opportunity, heck, even trying to find their ON switch between models is a real PITA....:(

[tommyfilmist]

Are all of your cameras Nikons or are you expecting different manufactures to 'conform' to control layout etc whether it be rangefinder, slr, dslr or mirrorless?

 

Indicators on the right stalk and wipers on the the left... or is it the other way around? YMMV...:p

 

Not to pick on them unfairly, but Canon have messed with their UI at every possible opportunity, heck, even trying to find their ON switch between models is a real PITA....:(

Canon has done things other then screw the user interface, the T100 comes to mind.... took some brass ones to create a low cost low life expectency camera using 10 year old sensor and electronic parts.

[mike_halliwell]

T100

Is that the one with a plastic body mount?

 

:eek:

[tommyfilmist]

Is that the one with a plastic body mount?

 

:eek:

yep the whole smack daddy thing is PLASTIC, the lens mount is just a stamped or injection molded piece of nylon, that reviewers said went from "solid tight" to "loose and sloppy like a 40 year old 10$ camera' in a mere 50 lens changes.

 

Plus the fact that they used 10 year old sensors and computer guts on them really made them the mack daddy superstar of 'screwing customers

[ShunCheung]

I still own a few film SLRs for sentimental reasons: an FE from 1978 and is the first Nikon body I have ever bought, after a Nikkormat FT3 from 1977, the year before. Sadly, I sold the FT3 way back in 1989. Still have an F5, and F4 that is no longer functional and an F100. I probably haven't shot film since around the time I got the D300 in 2007. I also haven't used that D300 in years.

[Gary Naka]

I still own a few film SLRs for sentimental reasons: an FE from 1978 and is the first Nikon body I have ever bought, after a Nikkormat FT3 from 1977, the year before. Sadly, I sold the FT3 way back in 1989. Still have an F5, and F4 that is no longer functional and an F100. I probably haven't shot film since around the time I got the D300 in 2007. I also haven't used that D300 in years.

 

And with International Camera sold and moved down to San Diego, no local repair shop to do a CLA.

[ilkka_nissila]

Not a Nikon camera, but I just turned on my Nikon LS-9000 medium format scanner for the first time in many years as for a while I didn't have a computer which would support its fireware interface (it's not enough to have a fireware card as it needs to be a specific one that works with the scanner, and the only one I've found is a PCI card). It fired up nicely and I got a new version of Vuescan which operates it even under Windows 10 (while Microsoft officially doesn't support fireware any more, this software manages to work anyway). The only concession I've had to make is to get a PC which has one PCI slot (not PCI express) which works with the particular firewire card, and in that computer the PCI slot happens to be so close to the full-size PCIe slot that I haven't found any GPU card that would work while the scanner card is in place. Once I have scanned all my medium format images I will be able to free that card slot and insert a GPU card, but for now I just use the GPU inside the i7 processor. I am a bit annoyed that Nikon stopped supporting their scanners so early but I am very happy that Vuescan does support them, allowing me to digitize my film images (one could argue why I didn't do it sooner, but there is a lot and it's tedious work, especially on computers that I had in 2005-9). My 35mm format scanner uses an USB connection and should work on new computers more generally.

 

Anyway it is fun to go through these large film images, today it is easier than it was back in the day, as I have a lot of storage. :-) The infrared dust removal also works marvels and makes life easier.

[ShunCheung]

And with International Camera sold and moved down to San Diego, no local repair shop to do a CLA.

You mean International Camera Technicians?? I had heard of them when I lived on the East Coast. When we moved to Mountain View, California in year 2000, I used to walk by their store in downtown frequently until they moved maybe 10 years ago. Didn't realize that they changed hands and are in San Diego now.

[Gary Naka]

You mean International Camera Technicians?? I had heard of them when I lived on the East Coast. When we moved to Mountain View, California in year 2000, I used to walk by their store in downtown frequently until they moved maybe 10 years ago. Didn't realize that they changed hands and are in San Diego now.

 

ICT moved from downtown Mountain View to an industrial area of MV, then another move to a different part of MV. Probably for down sizing and lower rent. I think the downtown operation was pretty big. The later shops were essentially one-man shops.

Manfred retired in Jan 2021.

I did not know about the retirement and sale until after it happened. :(

Edited March 24, 2022 by Gary Naka

[erichsande]

I sold a lot of gear a while ago while it still fetched some decent prices. I had two F3 bodies that were given to me but I never warmed up to them; not sure about 2022 but eBay prices were hot for awhile and got $180 each for them. A D2x I bought new still held some value and KEH gave me $1,300 for it in 2009 (paid $4,000 after rebate in 2006).

 

The film AF bodies I sold could barely be given away - one N90s I put on eBay sold for about $25. I bought it used myself for way less than its original $899 price when it was #2 in the Nikon lineup.

[RaymondC]

Not a Nikon camera, but I just turned on my Nikon LS-9000 medium format scanner for the first time in many years as for a while I didn't have a computer which would support its fireware interface (it's not enough to have a fireware card as it needs to be a specific one that works with the scanner, and the only one I've found is a PCI card). It fired up nicely and I got a new version of Vuescan which operates it even under Windows 10 (while Microsoft officially doesn't support fireware any more, this software manages to work anyway).

 

Not sure if officially but Windows 10 works with firewire, I have a dated laptop here with a builtin firewire. I am able to use the Nikon Scan software, no meddling around with the files. x32 bit works right out of the box with Windows but if you have a modern system that is x64 bit then you need to download the modified drivers. Plus the firewire card issue if you have a modern computer. I don't know about other but my 3yr old entry level motherboard doesn't have PCI slots. Coolscan 4000 here.

Edited March 27, 2022 by RaymondC

[q.g._de_bakker]

The easiest way to keep the Nikon scanners running, i find, is to keep an old computer with old OS running. I use an rather old HP workstation and Windows 7 as 'scanstation' with an equally old Lenovo laptop with dual boot options as backup. The laptop is used also as 'scanstation' for the LF scanning backs (ancient software works on Win 10, though needs attention after every Windows update), with another laptop as backup for that.

The thing to remember is to keep the 'dedicated' old OS installs away from the internet.

 

These machines will fail one day. So will the scanners. When the day comes both HP and Lenovo have, it's time to retire the Nikon scanners.

 

I have a Nikon D70s i no longer use, because it doesn't work properly. Two other D70s still do, and do get some use now and again. Just because we can.