Another one is gone

Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:14 pm

Ckoonz wrote:

Since Nikon announced last year that they will no longer make film cameras, except the F6 and the FM?, I've been wondering whether the value of my F3, N80, and F100 has gone up or down. Any ideas?

In my opinion the value of all 35mm film SLR equipment is going down precipitously. I continue to use an F100 simply because I believe the price of the D200 will come down and I want to see whether full frame 35mm DSLRs will come down further in price over the next year. I got out of my F5 about a year or so ago because I thought it would be strategic to go to digital. I did so, found out that digital wasn't quite there yet in terms of bang for buck, and then got the F100 to tide myself over until the digitals could do what I need (for sports and wildlife). The F100 keeps me happy for now but I will deifnitely ditch 35mm film within a year. If I didn't have the medium format stuff I probably would have gone 100% digital long ago.

If you want film equiment that holds value, I would suggest rangefinders, these fill a niche with which digital cannot yet compete. Better yet, the medium format rangefinders such as the mamiyas. And of course full-fledged view cameras, they have capabilities that digital cannot touch. I know there are some people who think that a zoerk adapter is as a good as a view camera!!! But overall, I don't see 35mm film SLRs holding much value. On the other hand, if they are doing what you need/want, hey, nothing wrong with that! The F series SLRs are great cameras and will be for years to come.

Just my general musings on the topic.

:) keithwms

Joined: 14 Apr 2006 Posts: 621 Location: New Mexico, USA

Thanks, Keith.
My two 51-year-old Leica M3s are holding up very well, and you would be hard-pressed to find a quieter 35mm camera. And my 4x5 field view camera is almost 30 years old. I think I'm in good shape for years to come.

I even have a Leica IIIb, from 1938 with the F/2 Summar lens.

Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:56 pm

Ckoonz wrote:

Thanks, Keith.
My two 51-year-old Leica M3s are holding up very well, and you would be hard-pressed to find a quieter 35mm camera. And my 4x5 field view camera is almost 30 years old. I think I'm in good shape for years to come.

I even have a Leica IIIb, from 1938 with the F/2 Summar lens.

Wonderful kit you have there! And as you have noticed, those items are definitely holding their value. Photographically and financially.

:) keithwms

Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Posts: 14

Charlie,

I would hold on to my F3T and I suggest you do the same. I hope Nikon will soon make a digital 'back' for the F3 and the N90's. I know of a company that made such...(Leica now did for it's R series). They used to be in Irvine, CA but they moved to Illinois....Check out their web site, www.siliconfilm.com. They made a 4MP back....for $700. But I don't know if they are still in business. I have called them a couple of times and I was just asked to leave a message and got no response from anyone. I wish Nikon and other camera manufacturers will follow Leica, or subcontract Silicon Film to do so. Then they can all stay in business. Our camera bodies are so good and we are all so familiar with them that it seems like an efficient , economical, and a win/win move for all.

Joined: 14 Apr 2006 Posts: 621 Location: New Mexico, USA

Sounds interesting, Salvo. I'll keep my eye on it.

Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 3:06 pm

salvoshoots wrote:

Charlie,

I would hold on to my F3T and I suggest you do the same. I hope Nikon will soon make a digital 'back' for the F3 and the N90's. I know of a company that made such...(Leica now did for it's R series). They used to be in Irvine, CA but they moved to Illinois....Check out their web site, www.siliconfilm.com. They made a 4MP back....for $700. But I don't know if they are still in business. I have called them a couple of times and I was just asked to leave a message and got no response from anyone. I wish Nikon and other camera manufacturers will follow Leica, or subcontract Silicon Film to do so. Then they can all stay in business. Our camera bodies are so good and we are all so familiar with them that it seems like an efficient , economical, and a win/win move for all.

Siliconfilm has been vaporware for years. They are dead and gone.

Joined: 14 Apr 2006 Posts: 621 Location: New Mexico, USA

Yeh, I found that out when I tried Google searches.

But I'm still keeping my 25-yar-old Nikon F3 with its 55mm F/2.8 Micro Nikkor, and my 4x5 view camera with its three lenses.

Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 2:10 pm

First, I should say that I am no economist and so these comments should be taken with the appropriate grain of salt!

Anyway, I was just thinking, this vanishing of camera companies may have less to do with photography than the U.S. trade deficit. The deficit has been so large, there have recently (since the last G7 meeting) been very strong pressure to devalue the dollar versus most other currencies. Most relevant to photography are the yen and the euro.

Given that the US has an enormous population of consumer photographers with money to spend, it seems to me that Canon stands to be the big benefactor in the near future, while the Japanese and German manufacturers stand to continue to lose market share.

I am watching Hasselblad now, I guess they may be partially immune to this effect since Sweden is not (yet) in the eurozone. But I suspect that Leica, Nikon, and Fuji are in real trouble if these trends continue. I guess Sony may also be affected but it seems that they are so diversified that their photo division can weather the storm.

Of course, these currency fluctuations have more to do with cars and planes and oil, and not photography. Sad to think that something totally separate from photography could have such an enormous impact on the photography market, and may even affect which brands survive.

:) keithwms

Joined: 14 Apr 2006 Posts: 621 Location: New Mexico, USA

keithwms wrote:

....
....
Given that the US has an enormous population of consumer photographers with money to spend, it seems to me that Canon stands to be the big benefactor in the near future, while the Japanese and German manufacturers stand to continue to lose market share.....
:) keithwms

Interest points, Keith, but isn't Canon Japanese, also?

Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 4:03 pm

yeah huh Canon is Also Japanese....

do you mean its time to switch and jump over board =)

Joined: 14 Apr 2006 Posts: 621 Location: New Mexico, USA

adorski wrote:

yeah huh Canon is Also Japanese....

do you mean its time to switch and jump over board =)

Let's see now, time to switch from Nikon to Canon? Or switch from film to digital? LOL

I'm seriously considering adding digital to my film capabilities, and keeping my many film cameras.

Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 4:18 pm

you've got to get what ever film camera you can have right now on the market used or new...

maybe 10 to 20 years from now (duh if were still alive, strong and kicking LOL) it might be a fortune =)

Joined: 14 Apr 2006 Posts: 621 Location: New Mexico, USA

And, of course, Hasselblad has its 22-Megapixel H2D, for $26.995 US at B&H. I think I'll get two or three of them. NOT!!

Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 4:39 pm

adorski wrote:

yeah huh Canon is Also Japanese....

I thought Canon USA's manufacturing was U.S. based. Am I wrong? If their product is at least packaged in the U.S. then they stand to profit by the dollar. I guess that applies to any of the foreign-owned companies.

Hey, maybe the exchange rate will breathe life into Kodak! (yeah right)

Ckoonz wrote:

And, of course, Hasselblad has its 22-Megapixel H2D, for $26.995 US at B&H. I think I'll get two or three of them. NOT!!

You have medium format gear, right? The dgital backs are becoming affordable. These all-in-one systems strike me as ludicrous, given that you can get some very good digital backs for under $10k. My grand plan is to put a scanning back on my RB. New 16 mp scanning backs are already down around $6k. That's pocket change ;)

:) keithwms

Joined: 14 Apr 2006 Posts: 621 Location: New Mexico, USA

adorski wrote:

you've got to get what ever film camera you can have right now on the market used or new...

maybe 10 to 20 years from now (duh if were still alive, strong and kicking LOL) it might be a fortune =)

Let's see, I have the following:
Nikon F3 with 55mm F/2.8 Micro Nikkor
Nikon F100 with 24-85mm AF-S G F/3.4-4.5
Nikon N80 (F80 in some countries) with 70-300 F/4-5.6 AF G lens
Two Leica M3s, with 50mm F/1.4 Summilux and 90mm F/2.8 Tele-Elmerit
Leica IIIb with F/2 Summar
Kodak Retina IIIC with F/2 Schneider
Kodak Retinette Ia with F/2.8 Schneider
Nikon One Touch (was my daughter's)
4x5 Ikeda field view Camera (with 90, 180, and 300mm lenses)
Stereo Realist

There must be some more around here, too, but I can't think of them.