Vintage vs New, Digital vs Film, Crisis..

[maldaye]

I am in a bit of quandry. I bought over 70+ lenses and had them imported to the Philippines. This includes 2 range finders and 4 Nikon film cameras and one Mamiya Pro. I probably suffer from GAS

My question is this:

I really don't shoot film very much. The reason being it is hard to get the film processed here without expanding a huge amount of time and money. I can *learn* to process my own film and do have space to create a dark room. However, what do we do with film? We scan it and create digital file. What is the point then vs using straight out digital? My reason for buying film and MF camera was to practice on mediums other than digital. I felt that to be a better photographer I need to learn the ropes of old school methods and not just rely on digital. It is part of the reason I started buying old MF lenses too. I didn't want to be lazy and let the camera and lenses do all the work for me.

However, the stuff is sitting there in my drybox not getting much use. I've never shot once with my Mamiya. I want to, but never got around to it. Whenever I have a shoot my D800 comes out! The same goes for most of my lenses. When it comes to getting photos I reach for the lenses that I know will get me the 'best' image possible. This means my beloved vintage Tamron, Vivitar, Nikkor, etc. isn't getting as much use as some of the other lenses. I don't really use AF very much, so yes, the lenses I use are also MF, but they are quality MF lenses that have established track record.

Selling these equipment in this country isn't really a good option and I'll likely sell them for 1/2 what I paid for them.

I am sure other photographers have been through this phase before.

Should I keep these old camreas and lenses and just take them for use whenever whenever even if it is like once a year? It is like ook I bought them they are mine I can just keep them till I die. I don't need the money and they ain't going anywhere.

Should I push myself harder and practice more with my old film cameras and learn development on my own just as I initially planned? This is more like my initial idea was sound and it is time I put my foot forward and just do it!

Should I sell the lenses and the camera even at a loss and keep only the "best" of the "best" for my pro work and jus stick to digital?
Someone once recommended I just sell 90% of my lenses and cameras and just buy the newest glass from Nikon.

The thing is I am "happy" to own a large amount of Adaptall lenses or a select Vivitar or a less known this or that Russian lens. It feels good to know I have them, but I know when it comes to pro work I got better lenses. Thus is that feeling a GAS illusion or a natural part of being a photographer who likes to have both a classic and new gear on hand?

I hope my ramblings make sense and I look forward to advice from Photographers who have large collection of lenses and who shoot both digital and film.

[kansalliskala]

I have exactly same problem.

Film cameras are collecting dust, I even have film loaded most of them. Got equipment and chemicals but the processing part is just dark, smelly and boring. Making prints is more fun but it requires setting up the enlarger and tanks every time because I don't have a fixed place for a darkroom.

One cool thing was to take 6x6 slides during vacation trips and show them on the wall. Set up "travel evenings" or so. But I haven't been anywhere for nearly .. ? years.

[tromboads]

Are you a collector or a photographer.

A collector, who cares, go nuts. A photographer, bin it all and buy a x100.


The end :p

[maldaye]

[maldaye]

[Oldhand]

If you are a professional photographer, you most likely haven't got time to go playing around with lenses and cameras just for fun.
If you are a serious amateur, than play with whatever gives you a buzz.
If you are a collector of lenses and cameras , does it matter if you use them or not - it is the collecting that floats your boat.
If you are not a collector and you are looking at lenses/cameras that are taking up space, then move them on.
If you are unsure, set yourself a challenge - one camera, one lens and use nothing else for a solid week. You might surprise yourself with the quality of your work and how much it improves without all that other stuff weighing you down.
OH

[Basilisk]

I would argue that we are now at the best point ever for manual focus photography. Get an A7/R and you have a full frame top quality DSLR sensor, the ability to mount literally any lens, and great MF and exposure assist tools. Sure film has its place, but I think combining the best of the old and the best of the new is a fantastic thing. A bit steampunk, but who cares.

[maldaye]

[Oldhand]

[kuuan]

My situation is similar. I have quite a number of analog SLRs, most came with a lens I was after, but also a few bodies that I bought for wanting them and a number of fixed lens rangefinders I wanted. In years I only finished some 3 or 4 rolls of film, a number of cameras have a half shot roll inside. Many times tempted I never got a medium format camera, but I still may some day

I rather have the cameras then the little money they would bring, if I sold them even only counting the time spent to sell them hardly makes it worthwhile. And I don't see any problem. During these few years that I am into photography I have gone through a few changes. The day when I really dig into using film has not arrived but it could and very likely one day will. I don't push it but I am quite certain that some days in the future I will happily pick up one or the other analog camera and be all excited to have it and to be able to use it.

As for lenses, though I am pure hobbyist, no pro, for wide angles, all sharp cityscape or landscape photos I arrived at preferring rather modern lenses, but starting at 35mm ( on APS-C ) and longer I still really dig the characteristics of very old lenses.

in short, if you don't need the money nor space, specially since you bought most of your analog gear quite recently, don't rush it. Be patient, keep them for now and think again in a few years time

[maldaye]

[maldaye]

[Oldhand]

[maldaye]

[iangreenhalgh1]

Learn to process your own film and buy a scanner. It's a whole different process to digital and many people find it far more rewarding.

[guardian]

To Maldaye:

Well, first of all on the scanning: I have a very large, very heavy (cast iron base), very old (circa fifty years), enlarger in my basement. I'm sure it still works except the bellows might by now need attention. I have not looked at it for more than twenty years. The sale price is really reasonable!!

Seriously, I'm sympathetic to your plight. The old lenses have an allure which also has captured me. This transcends utility for me, though I'm respectful it might not for a pro. However, I would suggest the following:

Old lenses do retain some utility in 2014, in my view, especially for portraiture. Were I a pro (I'm not), I would contemplate carefully divestiture of any MF lens which could play a helpful roll in my work. This could extend even beyond portraiture, to other purposes you would recognize as a pro, aspects which I'm unable to recognize. Certainly at the least, before selling any MF lens, you would want to be certain you had its capability covered with one of your modern lenses.

Another aspect to consider, since you seem conflicted about the destiny of your MF lens stable, is investment. I'm a poor witness on this aspect, and you likely have a better take. But a reason to retain your MF lenses, either the collection en toto or certain individual lenses, would be if you believe this or that lens has a rising value profile.

I collect MF lenses simply because I enjoy older MF lenses, their look, feel, and provenance. I think that's true as well for some other contributors to this forum. But if you no longer enjoy the MF lenses, have no practical use for them, and believe they are declining in value . . . well . . . it might be time to sell.

[bernhardas]

Edited

[luisalegria]

I shoot about 50 rolls of film a year, 50/50 medium format/35mm, all b&w.
The results are just different, sometimes very different, than digital.
Even if you just scan the film.
Yes, process your own, its not hard (b&w) and you save a lot.

I am from the Philippines and I have a good idea of the market situation there. Not too many camera collectors but there are some. You may want to look for these gents. Filipinos are great joiners in an informal way, and you may get plugged in to a network.

You will indeed have trouble reselling. There is an eBay Philippines but its not very active.
In the old days if I wanted to trade in stuff I would have run over to the Chinese photo dealers in Binondo Manila and been robbed blind, but that was the only reliable option.
You have GAS. No two ways about it.

[Lloydy]

[philslizzy]

Creating digital files from film is not the same as shooting digital. You have the opportunity to play with your cameras and keep them alive. Make prints from the negs or project your slides but enjoy using film.

We dont use film because its cheap or easy, we use film because we like the camera and the image quality it produces.

I suspect if there were ever a universal digital 'film' that fitted in ANY old camera the sales of advanced cameras would plummet. At least on this forum.

Enjoy your cams, perhaps try to theme your collection somehow.

[maldaye]

[Lightshow]

Film isn't about ultimate IQ, it's more about the process of taking the picture, and the final image's look and feel.
I liked film, but really prefer the instant feedback I get with digital when I'm on location, did that aperture setting get the DOF I wanted? With film it could be a week or longer before I found out, it's hard to learn the lenses characteristics with so much time between shooting and viewing.
My NEX-7 was/is a blast to shoot with.

[Excalibur]

Well I can only repeat what some others have said i.e. if photography is a hobby then use what you enjoy or need for your subject...for me as a film user I would find a digital camera very boring as I'll know what I would do if I used one i.e. I would machine gun, sit in front of a computer and pick the best shot. Mind you doing panos and a digital camera is very useful.
But I suppose if I was interested in flying insects or experimenting, a digital camera would be of more use than a film camera because of the waste of film (and cost) getting a good shot.

[luisalegria]

I dont know about you other guys, but what sells b&w film for me is extended tonal range and the fact that blown highlights so often don't look like blown highlights. I.e, what can look awful on digital looks natural on film. And HDR is a PITB, at least the way Pentax has it.
Or maybe I'm just no good with PP, which is very likely.

[Lightshow]

Not one manufacture does HDR right, they all force you into a tone mapped jpg at the time of capture, and to me that is almost useless, I want the full tonal range in as close to a raw format as possible, eg jpg-xr.
I found autofocus too easy to fall into a snapshot frame of mind, manual focus glass on a digital body lets me try new things and all it cost me was the room to store the file.
With the right body it's every bit as good as using a film camera, but without the hassle of film.