DaveC Loc: Illinois

Some years ago I finally bought my dream camera, a Nikon F5 with a Nikon multi-control back MF-28, a Nikon flash SB-28, and a Nikor 24-120 lens. I had hardly even used it when digital took over and I switched to that. So, since then the F5 and related equipment has been stored in my closet. I realize the decision is mine but if it were yours would you keep it or sell it?

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

It depends on if you need the money, if so prepare for a HUGE loss on the F5 itself.

If not, I’m confident it doesn’t eat much.

I have a NIKON F, F2, F3 and F4 so that’s where I voted.

BebuLamar

I bought the F5 brand new in 2002. I used it not much because I found I liked the F3 better. So my F5 is in like new condition. I won't sell it because people who buy F5 today don't pay for it. The buy it because it's cheap. They like the F100 or F6 better.
So no I won't sell it because I get little money for it and the people who buy it don't appreciate it.
I never had the F. I started out with the new F2AS back in 77. It was stolen from me and never got a replacement. I bought the F3HP for its motor drive and I like it very much. Never bought the F4 but I have one but I never use it.

ELNikkor

Hang onto it a few more years, it just might increase in value. Sell any old lenses except a pristine 50 1.4 AF for it.

nikon_jon Loc: Northeast Arkansas

Make a realistic assessment of how much you will actually use a film camera. I have a Nikon FM, a Hasselblad CM 500, and a Rolleiflex twin lens, all of which I used extensively when I made my living with a camera. Realistically, I will never shoot another photo on film. I will keep all three of the cameras because they represent an era in my life when I made my living doing my hobby, so they have sentimental value. When I pass on into that great 'darkroom in the sky' my children will sell the equipment for what little they may be able to get for it.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

It has been mentioned already, if you sell be ready for the loss. Film is still available and I guess it will be in the future. It is fun to shoot film.
Why not taking your camera for a spin with a roll of color film? It can be digitized and you can work with those files. Give it a try.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Dave, can you afford the roughly $20 / roll combined expense covering the purchase, developing and professional scanning? Would you take-on any of these tasks yourself, sinking more money into film to lower the per-roll average cost? About the only grades of film left are the pro-grade that you can buy 5- to 10-rolls at a time from online sources.

Would you be interested in merging EXIF data captured by an F5 with the scanned JPEGs for the film frames? I use a product called Meta35 that can obtain this data from your F5 camera, and then I use a few tools to merge the EXIF into the scanned files along with the exact shooting data and lens information. These updates can be done with a mixture of purchased software and free CMD-line tools that run in what used to be called a 'DOS window'.

These tools and workflow have developed into my approach after returning to film about 6 years ago. It was a slow process, first starting with a Canon T50 found in a closet, dating to the early 80s. Then, I went both backward in time to a Canon F1 (80s), Canon AE1 (70s), and forward in time to a T90 (90s) and finally an EOS 1v (2000). Eventually, I got rid of all the manual focus bodies and kept only the EOS body that lets me seamlessly share my AF enabled EF lenses. A lot of my disappointment with the manual focus bodies is I can't manually focus as good as the camera can with autofocus, at least not without the 10x zoom of a mirrorless EVF. At $20 / roll, I have enough problems with exposure and composition without also returning out of focus images.

Obviously, you don't have to have your film professionally developed and scanned. I get back roughly 15MP JPEG images that process as effectively in Lightroom as a similar 15MP digital camera, but with that 'true' film look and larger print options. Where DSLRs are already a niche luxury good, a pro-grade film camera is a step beyond into that niche world. When the results come back from developing with maybe 30 of 36 keepers, the satisfaction is there, as much as (or more) than finding 30 keepers from a 1000 RAW files.

My film work goes in surges, maybe 6-rolls in a 2-month period and then nothing for 6-months. I have a few rolls in the fridge always and most in the freezer. Initially, I thought I'd do only B&W to differentiate from digital. But, after buying some expired color film, I've also been shooting color as well. One 'rule' I've had to enforce into my habits is to not go out with both camera types and end up shooting the same things / shots in both digital and film. It was OK when re-learning film, but a waste of the film. I have the confidence now to shoot only with a film camera. If I bring both, I make sure the focal lengths of the lenses differ significantly to create something unique in the cost of the film.

So, that's a long-winded answer speaking to some the possibilities here in the 2020s with a pro-grade film camera, maybe even reminding you of some of the dreams you dreamed back in the 90s? Personally, I don't collect equipment, so if I'm not using it, I'm selling it.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I had the same dilemma with a Nikon F Photomic. It was sitting unused. I looked on eBay, and they were getting good prices. I listed it, and a week later it was on its way to Dublin, Ireland. I didn't want it, but someone else did.

You aren't using that F5, but I bet someone else would want it. Even if it doesn't sell for a lot of money, you'll be rid of it, and someone else will have something he'll appreciate.

Wow! These are selling for good prices.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=nikon+f5&_sacat=0&rt=nc&LH_Sold=1&LH_Complete=1

Race Raccoon Loc: Yankton, South Dakota

I have kept my old Minolta X-700 setup & I still enjoy shooting with it. What I like is the quality of the metal lenses and I enjoy manually focusing those lenses. The camera body design reminds me of Fuji cameras (I have none of these) & I find using this setup very appealing still.

BebuLamar

What do I do with $300 I would get for the F5? I wanted $300 a couple of years ago and I sold the Minolta XK for that. I got $360 for the lens that came with it.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

I'm not trying to change your mind to sell it, but an F5 would be an incredibly expensive camera to own and actually use compared to a DSLR.

Unless you setup/have a home darkroom its difficult to get quality developing with high res scans, including quality film, for under $0.75 a click.

Seven thousand, plus or minus depending on film used, and you would have spent enough to buy a brand new D5.

That's why a D5 has so little value ... and I'm half fast looking for a like new F5 just to have one, but it would be a shelf pretty and seldom used.

My F4s I MIGHT shoot 4 rolls a year, the F3 maybe two. I haven't used the F2 for years ... I have a beater F that works perfect and I have a half roll still in it from August, 2018. My minty F's haven't been used in ages.

BebuLamar

Since I no longer have my darkroom I shot a few rolls of Ektachrome a year. I do not scan, just project them.

Quixdraw Loc: x

Like many things I have accumulated in my life, my film Nikons, and I have half a dozen different models, will mean nothing to anyone else. I rarely use them due to the logistic issues described, but I enjoy them. At some point, I might even get an F 6. I don't entirely agree with the old saw, "He who dies with the most toys wins!" but close enough.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

As soon as digital become popular I sold all of my Hasselbald equipment. It went primarily to Europe (where film as still widely used). I got maybe 60% of what it was worth. I was lucky to get what I did. Had I held on to it for another 18 years I would not have fared well.
Looks like your F5 is selling for about $200.00 to $400.00 on Ebay. That is what you can expect to get selling it yourself. Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=Nikon+F5&_sacat=0&rt=nc&LH_Sold=1&LH_Complete=1

whfowle Loc: Tampa first, now Albuquerque

I think if you don't use equipment, it is best to sell it. Unless you plan on opening a museum! I still use all my film equipment on a fairly regular basis depending on the type work I'm doing. Some projects lend themselves to film more than digital. I'm currently working on several projects: Route 66 and Spanish mission churches. Because these are like history to me, the pictures just seem to reflect the times better than digital. When I go birding or auto racing, the film stays home and I bring out the D500. At least that is the way I decide to do it.