garyl6988

I have lots of Nikon equipment that is 35mm including a F5! Is there any use with this or is Digital the only way?

twowindsbear

Shoot more film!

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I've tended towards using film more than digital over the last 8 or so months.
--Bob

Dik

Just add a nice, used, full frame Nikon to your collection, and shoot some of both.

Valsmere Loc: New Jersey

Yeppers that's exactly what I did. I as well have an F5, my Dads given to me after he passed, my F100, a D750 and a Fuji XPro 2 I shoot both film and digital, GO FOR IT!

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Up to about 20-24 MP, film and digital are pretty much on equal footing but with some significant differences. Your existing lenses will work nicely either way and either medium will produce excellent images.

If you want to go above 24 MP you will be wasting your money unless you can also afford to upgrade all of your lenses.

The workflow is different. You need to get the film developed and scanned in order to share it on the internet.

On the other hand, film is arguably more archival when stored carefully. You can leave film unattended for decades whereas you will need to keep upgrading your digital storage or it may become inaccessible.

Your ISO setting is more restricted with film but the latitude for B&W is wide enough that you can vary it a bit, particularly when the scene has a narrow dynamic range.

The practical range for film ISO is between about 25 and 800 but for digital it runs from about 100 to 3200. Above those limits you may see more grain or noise than you want.

You can overexpose film some and still get a decent image without blown out highlights. You can't do that with digital.

You can underexpose digital some and still get a decent image without blocked up shadow. You can't do that with film.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

The only way to what?
Use whatever format you enjoy most. Don't worry about what other photographers do. If you enjoy both film and digital, then do both.

JPL

It is easy to use old Nikon lenses on many mirrorless cameras and it will not only be easy but give you good results as well. But I think the only way to get some use for the F5 is to put a film in it !!

If you want to use your lenses on full frame as you did when using your F5 you would have to get a full frame Sony E mount camera and a $10 adapter. I do not know your shooting style or what you like to shoot. But with a full frame Sony E mount camera it would be as easy to shoot as with your F5. You have to focus manually but it is fast, easy and accurate to do so if you set your camera up for it. Just as good as with your F5 and in addition you can have image stabilizing for your old glass if you buy one of the newer Sony bodies. But if you can no longer shoot unless with autofocus you should better get rid of the old stuff.

GalaxyCat Loc: Boston, MA

I have a Canon EOS 620 with a Zoom lens 100-300 mm. I got it from a shelf in my husband's office; it hadn't been used for at least 15 years. New battery and film is all I needed to get started and I found out that this camera was top of the line in 1987-1989. Maybe in a year, I might get a mirrorless digital: I believe the prices will come down because it is a simpler and less weight design.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

It's up to you. Digital and film are different. Different process and different results. It's analog vs. digital. Similar to vinyl records vs CD's. Analog can potentially give you different results than digital. But digital is more convenient to use and unless you are doing a side by side comparison you would probably not notice the subtle differences.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

I should have mentioned one other advantage of film. It does not collect dust. Each time you advance the film you get a brand new, clean sensor.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Film is still a viable medium for sure. There is still a LOT of film out there, there are places to get negs processed and printed with REAL chemical/optical printing...

To top that off there is a huge film community of like-minded folks who love to talk all things film.

https://www.photrio.com/forum/index.php

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

100% film.

I love the process and so that's how I roll (at least while I can) :)

photocat Loc: Atlanta, Ga

Nikon digital cameras can use most of those older lens as Nikon has not changed the mount.
With some you may lose auto options

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Lots of people here shoot film. Of course, you're limited to a smaller number of shots, and you have to buy it and have it developed. I suspect post processing would not offer as many options as processing a raw shot.