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Wanting a Film body

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kanuck

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I have decided to pick up a second hand film body before the summer hits because I will be doing a lot of travel this summer. Some spots will be once in a lifetime so i want to make sure I have gear covered. I am also tired of waiting for a higher resolution Nikon digital body to be released.

My question is what would be the best option? So far it looks like the F100 is the best bet because of its options and reasonable size. I like matrix metering of the F5 but its a big unit. The FM bodies are a little too manual for me. The F90 and F90x look like options again as well. Maybe a Leica M and go Rangefinder?

Posted 3 years ago #
NSXType-R

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The Nikon N80 is pretty good, and pretty light and is relatively cheap too.

Posted 3 years ago #
heartyfisher

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F100 is the best value film camera at the moment.. I have a F601 which does what I need but I have been keeping my eye out for a good F100. The F80 is good too. Good ol KR has a great list of film bodies and capabilities. The F75 is nice and cheap with nice features but probably not what you want as its preety consumer grade. Go wih the F100 it will last for many years to come.

The olympus pen is really cheap and great little camera as well. No batery needed if I remember correctly.

Posted 3 years ago #
NikoDoby

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http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=1443

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=495

Posted 3 years ago #
bmxdad

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I have the N80, not bad but I should have gone for the F100, just a better camera, maybe someday, no I change my mind you should get the N80 and I just happens to have one and it is in very good shape!!!

Pete

Posted 3 years ago #
kanuck

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Great suggestions and thanks Nikodoby I couldn't find those links!^^

Posted 3 years ago #
PB PM

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I have an F90x (N90s), its a great camera, build quality is right up there with the D200/300. The only thing it lacks is support for VR, my SB-800 works great on it, which is good because it does not have a pop-up flash.

Posted 3 years ago #
ShadeofBlue

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Have you considered getting a medium format? If I got a film camera now, that's what I'd be doing. Old ones can be quite cheap, even in good condition, although everything is manual on the less expensive ones. I don't know how suited for travel it would be, but the photos would be amazing compared to 35mm film once you get the hang of it.

Posted 3 years ago #
poster

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I have Nikon FG, I just need to have its seals to be redone. I am kind of looking at getting FA or FM3a. I have to see how much it will cost to get the seals redone otherwise i might just gt the FM3a.

Posted 3 years ago #
PB PM

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That's the problem I have with the older FM/FA/FE cameras, they are really aging. I have an FE, but the seals are going again. I say again, because we had Nikon service it a 6 years ago, just before they stopped providing replacement parts.

Posted 3 years ago #
poster

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PB PM said:
That's the problem I have with the older FM/FA/FE cameras, they are really aging. I have an FE, but the seals are going again. I say again, because we had Nikon service it a 6 years ago, just before they stopped providing replacement parts.

Indeed. I was lucky enough to get my FG in a really good condition. Too bad it eats batteries quickly. I still prefer these cameras than the newer bigger bodies.

I wish i could find maybe some other film camera but with nikon mount.

Posted 3 years ago #
kanuck

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Yes thats the trouble with buying a classic I guess. I want something built like a tank but not the size of one. The F100 is probably what I'm leaning towards. Medium format has crossed my mind but I just want a camera I can pick up and shoot great shots with right away. I have shot the F90 cameras before, but I think the F100 is better for VR lenses that I already have. The older FM/FA/FE cameras are all only manual and difficult to find in decent shape. I plan to use my film body right away and a lot. My first destination will be Arches National Park in scortching heat. I want to make sure I have two good bodies. My D700 and a nice film body.

Posted 3 years ago #
kyoshinikon

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EBAY!!! :D :D :D

I do understand what you are saying... Does your local camera store not do basic servicing?

Posted 3 years ago #
NSXType-R

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poster said:
I have Nikon FG, I just need to have its seals to be redone. I am kind of looking at getting FA or FM3a. I have to see how much it will cost to get the seals redone otherwise i might just gt the FM3a.

What does maintenance entail for an oldie? My dad's FM2 has relatively few shutter actuations, but it's still a 20 year old+ camera.

Posted 3 years ago #
bmxdad

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kanuck said:
Arches National Park in scortching heat. I want to make sure I have two good bodies. My D700 and a nice film body.

Great place to start and the F100 would be a great companion to the D700, what kind of film do you want to use, I shot slides last time I was in that area

Pete

Posted 3 years ago #
kanuck

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Pete, how many days were in the park for? I am going to be renting a car in Las Vegas I think for about 3-4 days. I plan on shooting Tmax black and white ISO 400 and a roll or two of 100. I'll be shooting slides as well with some Kodak Elite Chrome. I think I'll shoot some print film as well. Sounds like a lot but altogether maybe 4-5 rolls? I still plan on shooting a lot with my D700. I'm excited to use some of my nice glass with a film body like the 14-24mm. I just want to make sure I get some great shots from this trip.

Posted 3 years ago #
smarterchild

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Kanuck, Where are you going in the U.S?

Posted 3 years ago #
kanuck

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Smarterchild, I will be flying into Las Vegas and renting a car then I will be traveling to Arches National Park. I have wanted to go here since I was little or almost as long as I can remember I will also try to stop in Monument Valley along the way. Both spots are so legendary that I don't want to mess around with any inferior images. Therefore, I want to bring a film body along with my D700 just in case. I'd love to have a D3X but not for 6-7 grand. I'd love to have a Leica rangefinder like a M6 TTL and I am considering this an option as well as the old trusty F100. Problem with the Leica is you need a nice $1600 prime lens to go with it. If I went Nikon I have all the nice glass already. I have poor medium format ability so that was not an option for me unfortunately.

Posted 3 years ago #
smarterchild

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Kanuck, That sounds like a memorable trip. I want to make some trips out west in the future. (i live in indiana). But if you would like a D3x, How about trying to rent one? There is tons of places that you could order rentals in the U.S. Probably even stores to pick them up in Las Vegas. I bet there is a huge demand for rental equipment there with tons of models needing their pictures taken. I wouldn't be surprised to see a dealer that would offer medium format cameras, D3x's and also a leica or two. Its roughly about 350-600 for a week for renting a D3x and its cheaper when you go through the weekend. (3 days for the price of 1). If you plan on landing in Las Vegas and then traveling out. But then coming back to Las Vegas to depart back then that would work out.

Posted 3 years ago #
bmxdad

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kanuck said:
Pete, how many days were in the park for? I am going to be renting a car in Las Vegas I think for about 3-4 days. I plan on shooting Tmax black and white ISO 400 and a roll or two of 100. I'll be shooting slides as well with some Kodak Elite Chrome. I think I'll shoot some print film as well. Sounds like a lot but altogether maybe 4-5 rolls? I still plan on shooting a lot with my D700. I'm excited to use some of my nice glass with a film body like the 14-24mm. I just want to make sure I get some great shots from this trip.

This is a few years ago, and was maybe in the area a couple of days and stayed in Moab, I really want to go back some day, hope to bring my son along this time. And Kanuck do't just try to stop at the Monument Valley, you have to and going back from the Moab area actually stop close to where Tom Hanks stopped running in the movie Forrest Gump, that is a view like no other view that I have ever seen

Actually going from Vegas you could make a very interesting drive to the Arches National Park and that would to be see a few things in the south west part of Utah, Zion Park and Bryce Canyon they are both in close to the path you are on to get to Arches National Park and then go back to see the Monument Valley on way back to Vegas

Anyway have a great trip, wish I was going along with you

Pete

Posted 3 years ago #
poster

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NSXType-R said:
What does maintenance entail for an oldie? My dad's FM2 has relatively few shutter actuations, but it's still a 20 year old+ camera.

I have no clue to be hones. I need to find a cheap but good place to get the seals redone. If it's like $50 I will just do them myself.

Posted 3 years ago #
kanuck

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Thanks Pete those are some good suggestions. I had a feeling that there would be a lot of nice scenery along "that drive". I'll have to make sure I leave myself enough time because I don't know if or when I'll be able to visit this area again. For my shooting style I don't think there is another place like this in the world except maybe in Australia. I can't wait to go.

Smarterchild, the problem I have when I rent equipment is dealing with the fact that I might like the product too much and be too satisfied with the results. What do you do if you love the images from ann M9 or a D3X? There simply is no way I could afford to buy either one, but at least you'd have the great images from a once in a lifetime trip I suppose.

Posted 3 years ago #
kellenfreeman

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Say I was wanting a film body, hopefully to teach me about film/make me respect film more/force me to worry more about composition/fun and I came across this thread. Say, then that this thread convinced me I really want the N90s... then what kind of film would I want to get?

Posted 3 years ago #
poster

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Ha yeah that's a fantastic question. I have no clue to be honest. But I want to shoot Black and White, and so it seems that Kodak T400 is great for it, same as Tri X 400.

Posted 3 years ago #
heartyfisher

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One of the main reasons I use film is to get more detail. If you think about it even scanned film provides much higher detail than all current cameras(*1). But the best quality is when you print directly from the negative.

You can always just get the standard consumer films to start with. the "Superia Reala 100" is preety good. But you can also go for the more expensive Pro films like the Fujicolor Pro 160C with more saturation or the Fujicolor Pro 160S which is more muted but designed for nice skin tones. The 160S is used by wedding photographers to get the white dress and black suits plus the nice skin tones.

(*1) You can get a decent scan to 18 MP from a negative. Your 12MP sensor is actually made up of 4 different colours so it really is only 3MP (You didnt know that did you !!) extrapolated to 12 MP while the 18MP scan is truely 18 MP of RBG. So a decent scan of 18MP really has 6 times more detail than a 12MP camera

Posted 3 years ago #

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