I agree that a photo of a photo will not achieve a great result, a scan on good equipment will be better. If you would pick a few images which you really like, send them to a photo shop with a drum scanner, (like Dwayne's in Parsons, Kansas), I think you would be surprised at the detail and sharpness of your negatives. As to the Schlitz image, a little massage with LR or PS would make for a better image, improve contrast, smooth some grain and lighten a bit of the shadows on the face. This image has great mood and composition.
Good topic, Rick

Bill, try https://www.dwaynesphoto.com/. Drum Scanner, reasonable price. OBTW Nice Photo. Baby animals are always a good subject.

Welcome to UHH. As you can see from the discussion so far, there are many opinions. The responders to your question are basically point of view.
I'll share mine. You achieve images that are direct responses to your point of view, choosing to use SOOC or enhancing with your favorite software.
However, ALL images, whether film or digital are manipulated to some extent. On film, YOU set the camera to achieve the best image (manipulation in aperture,
Depth of Field, Focus, Speed) and then take it to the darkroom or send to the developer where the image is further manipulated. This manipulation renders
YOUR interpretation of "reality".
Digital is the same thing. I would venture to suggest that ALL digital images are in need of some manipulation, whether in camera or in external software (digital darkroom).
So...if you equate SOOC as reality and manipulation as ART, sorry its all ART because its all manipulated.
Rick

I think this is Mesa Arch in Canyonlands.

You might want to consider developing it yourself. Here is a step wise listing I just read through. I develop wet so is pretty straight forward even if you haven't done it before.
https://www.flickr.com/groups/48399727@N00/discuss/72157594548798691/
Also, as above The Darkroom Company can do it easy. If you do it yourself with any kind of volume you can do it for 30% of the lab price.

How much heat are your lights putting on the subject? Could this be heat waves? Get everything in focus, turn off lights for a while, turn on lights and take pic.

Tomad,
What I have done in your situation.
Search for a sky only photo that includes both clouds and blue sky.
Paste a copy to a new, blank screen
Adjust the size of the pic to put clouds behind the majority of the tree structure of original photo, leaving blue sky and some small clouds in the observable sky.
Go to the original pic and select all major sky elements and the major sky areas within the pic.
Do an inverse selection and copy the result.
Go the sky pic copy and paste the selection you just made, adjust the size and position so you have a pleasing composite.
Save down or flatten image to unify new photo.
Adjust the sky areas within the tree that correspond to the new sky.

By using the sky background with clouds allows to viewer to understand that the light areas in the tree structure are clouds and gives variation in the sky rather than just monotone blue.
Luck Rick

I've been there twice, 1st time with a 50mm. I made some nice images but couldn't frame an image that revealed the controlled panic of the dawn ascension. 2nd time I had a 20mm and a 24mm and have to say the images were truly remarkable. In one picture I had more than 50 balloons.
Borrow or rent a wide lens if you can. If not you will still make images with the 50mm that you will treasure.

To add to the concept that old tech aint all bad, last year the vinyl record industry did $5 Billion in business. Turntables still crank out the best music thru old amps. Sometimes scratchy adds to the vibs.
Rick

Don't let the negatives both you. Photography has so many facets, as does all art, there is a niche for everyone and their style. Pixel counters want sharp, good for them. My brother in law is a pixel counter, top of the line Nikon and lens, but only decent images. A friend does pinhole only but great and salable art. Pinhole is not known for sharpness.
Use the lens find your place and enjoy the hobby or profession. Either way, it is an addiction.
I just watched the youtube mentioned above and highly recommend it to you.
Rick

Sure its a good deal. As others have said, play with it,learn how to get the most out of the lens and try it in many situations. You may be surprised. All old manual lens usually offer some learning experience, particularly the German ones. Look on the adapter as a buy which will then be used not only for that lens but others. Also, look around on the net, I'm sure there are some forums for peoplle using other old lenses along with pics and advice.
Good luck with your photography.
Rick

Obviously you don't think a projector screen (4x5 feet) compares to a computer monitor (17 or 27 inch). I said apples to apples, print to print. If you are satisfied with what you get, great. Personally, when I want really large prints (3' x 6') I go with film, especially with black and white.

3 reasons to change anything
Its broken, your skill level requires better ? Bigger? Or ?, and finally you have excess money.
By the way stop comparing digital scans of film to digital images. Once you digitize the film negative you lose information. Compare the print from the wet darkroom with that from your printer. Your digital photo process is based on the printer, not what you see on the monitor. Talk apples to apples.
Rick

Quinn
The registration distance for a Nikon is 46.5mm.
For Canon FD it is 42mm. Any registration shorter than 46.5mm will require an adapter with glass or physically altering the lens (doable is some few cases). Your only real opportunity to use other lens on the Nikon is to move up to medium format lenses with available adapters. They will focus to infinity. The m42 registration is shorter than Nikon.
An alternative to going up in lenses is going down in cameras. Virtually all prime maker lenses will fit, with adapters, on the micro four thirds cameras. They will focus to infinity but will normally be manual focus and f stop. These cameras are the primary reason old,good glass have gone up in price.
Hope this helps.
Rick

Katymom
Maybe too late but I am new at this. I filled the flash, darkened the yellows, cropped the right side, darkened the buttons on his shirt and then brightened the picture to get colors based on the poinsetta. Finally I selected just the two of them and brightened them a little more to move them forward from the background.