Film camera assistance: I am wondering what to do with my old film camera and lenses. I have a Nikon F3 and several lenses. I am considering a Nikon again. Are my old lenses usable on...

Day.Old.Pizza Loc: Maple Grove, MN

I am wondering what to do with my old film camera and lenses. I have a Nikon F3 and several lenses. I am considering a Nikon again. Are my old lenses usable on a new digital Nikon? Would I want to even consider that option? Is there a market for my equipment if I want to sell it or am I now looking at "conversation pieces"?

randymoe

I would keep all that good stuff. The camera is a sturdy collectable that will go up on value in decades to come. The lenses are perfectly usable on any Nikon DSLR and are often Prime and fast. Read kenrockwell.com for lens info. Or sell it all to me at very low prices. Only kidding!

DRON Loc: CHICAGO

Day.Old.Pizza wrote:

I am wondering what to do with my old film camera and lenses. I have a Nikon F3 and several lenses. I am considering a Nikon again. Are my old lenses usable on a new digital Nikon? Would I want to even consider that option? Is there a market for my equipment if I want to sell it or am I now looking at "conversation pieces"?

Your Nicor lenses will work on your digital Nikon, but they become 1.5x more telephoto. My wonderful 24mm wide angle lens became a useless 36mm lens on my digital Nikon.

Day.Old.Pizza Loc: Maple Grove, MN

I forgot to mention in my post that the lenses are all of the manual operating type... A few were holdovers from an F2 and a few I bought for the F3. I was hoping they'd still work.

Thanks for your reply

Duke

Lynn2299

I had an Minolta, last used, probably close to 15 years ago. I found it buried in a closet one day and knew that it would never be used by me in the future. I decided to place an add on Craigslist for 'make an offer'. I ended up selling to a kid in college who needed it for a class. I sold it super cheap but I feel good that I was able to help someone. Just a suggestion.

DRON Loc: CHICAGO

Day.Old.Pizza wrote:

I forgot to mention in my post that the lenses are all of the manual operating type... A few were holdovers from an F2 and a few I bought for the F3. I was hoping they'd still work.

Thanks for your reply

Duke

Your manual lens will work in the camera's manual mode, but not the other modes.

snowbear

You may not be able to meter with them, but they will work. I have an older (early 1980's) AI-S 105mm f/4 macro that is manual focus and I use it on a D40. I just have to take a couple of test shots to zero in on the exposure.

Day.Old.Pizza Loc: Maple Grove, MN

thanks for the help, guys. I have a good friend who just purchased a Nikon 7000 and he has invited me and my lens bag over for some practice. Can't wait!

koolbreez Loc: Bangkok, Thailand

If that is the F3HP body you have then it is very collectable if in excellent shape without to much brassing, or wear. Then depending on what accessories you have for it you might be able to trade for a new D7000 body, just maybe.

There is nothing wrong at all with still shooting with film. When you have it developed you just have it scanned to disk at the same time to use as your digital proofs. It is hard to find a good place that scans at high quality for a cheap price without sending half way around the world anymore though, unless you get your own scanner to go with shooting with film again.

Day.Old.Pizza Loc: Maple Grove, MN

Thanks for reply.
I've never had a dark room so I've never printed and cropped my own prints. I like the digital photography, because I know what I'm getting right away and I can shoot it again if I have to. I'm also comfortable with computers. Digital seems to be my niche.