I want to sell my F5..should I?

Hey thanks for your responses!

Now more than confused than before, I am trying to summarize a bit here.

So most people say that I should keep F5 because of its timelessness or something like that, unless the following is true:

-that I am rich, and don't care about spending extra money on D100 or the outrageously expensive D1X. (unfortunately I am not rich in this case)

-that I have tonnes of older digital gear to sell or trade in (unfortunately I have only CP5K the only digital camera I have)

But there are other unique reasons to keep F5:

-can produce slides! oooohhh, on those saturated Velvia or Kodak VS. (I think D100 or even D1X can't beat Velvia yet?)
-a very heavy and steady paperweight compared to D100 (just kidding)
-very fast!

I guess I am back to square one. To say good bye to F5 or not, in order to just move into the Digtal Realm. Sigh, such a difficult question. I wish money is no object.

For what its worth I just went through the exact same dilemma. My choice? I sold the F5. It was hard to do 'cause I love the camera but I realized that this is the turning point for me. I seriously doubt I'll ever shoot another roll of 35mm film (unless its just some disposable thing for snapshots).

Part of the decision was funds. I was looking at a $2k camera and a $500 lens so it was impossible (for me) to justify keeping the F5 around and unused.

I sold it on Ebay for $1300.

Good luck with your decision. Its a tough one.

Digichrome

Pixelmanipulator said:

Hey thanks for your responses!

Now more than confused than before, I am trying to summarize a bit
here.

So most people say that I should keep F5 because of its
timelessness or something like that, unless the following is true:

-that I am rich, and don't care about spending extra money on D100
or the outrageously expensive D1X. (unfortunately I am not rich in
this case)

-that I have tonnes of older digital gear to sell or trade in
(unfortunately I have only CP5K the only digital camera I have)

But there are other unique reasons to keep F5:

-can produce slides! oooohhh, on those saturated Velvia or Kodak
VS. (I think D100 or even D1X can't beat Velvia yet?)
-a very heavy and steady paperweight compared to D100 (just kidding)
-very fast!

I guess I am back to square one. To say good bye to F5 or not, in
order to just move into the Digtal Realm. Sigh, such a difficult
question. I wish money is no object.

Click to expand...

--

Digichrome
http://www.pbase.com/digichrome

Pixelmanipulator said:

-can produce slides! oooohhh, on those saturated Velvia or Kodak
VS. (I think D100 or even D1X can't beat Velvia yet?)
-a very heavy and steady paperweight compared to D100 (just kidding)
-very fast!

Click to expand...

I may sell my F100. But, I will keep my F5 forever just like I kept my F2AS which is now, by the way, more expansive than a F3HP (used, of course).

There is one more use of your F5. It is a weapon! Accoding to a report I read somewhere, many photojournalists actually used it to protect themselves in riots because F5 is HEAVY enough.

CK

Alright,

Maybe for someone who is lacking funds, selling F5 is the only choice to move on to the Digital Revolution.

Any eBay tips from veterans here, specifically from selling the F5?

I have never bought touched sold anything in my life on eBay.

Pixelmanipulator said:

Or should I keep it for a few more years, and wait for its value to
increase as a collector's item. Or maybe it will just become junk
in a few years, because the world doesn't want film anymore.

Click to expand...

Well, my sister in law owns an F5, so I only have minor experience with it. But several people here state (either in this thread or in a similar one and I fully concur) that it is one of the best 35mm SLRs on the market.

If I were you, I personally would try to hold on to it. If you combine it with the D100, there are few pictures you can't take (and they use the same lenses/accessories). You could then use the F5 in some extreme situation (sports, ...), as backup or just to get shots you couldn't make with your D100 (as you mentioned: slides, but also very long exposures, ...).
Granted, once used to digital, your "workflow" tends to change.

But apart from the fact that you can still use the camera now, I would think it would be worth more later. If Nikon doesn't come out with an F5 successor, there is little doubt in my mind that the F5 will be come some sort of cult-camera (imagine in 10-20 years, you'd have the "best of the last generation 35mm camera's"). It could well be that I'm overestimating things here, but just ask yourself: How would you feel if you had no 35mm camera, nothing to show the basis from which we come ? (perhaps I'm just a sentimental sob... )

Jörg

VJ said:

Pixelmanipulator said:

Or should I keep it for a few more years, and wait for its value to
increase as a collector's item. Or maybe it will just become junk
in a few years, because the world doesn't want film anymore.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Of course, there still is the risk that it will become junk... (we have to be honest). But I personally would guess against it.

Jörg

Any target in mind?? I looked through ebay, body is at around US$800 bid at the moment. Any lens to go along??

Pixelmanipulator said:

Ok, I can't stand losing out on the digital revolution, so I am
thinking about selling my F5 for a D100.

Do you guys know how much a second-hand F5 should be priced at?

Or should I keep it for a few more years, and wait for its value to
increase as a collector's item. Or maybe it will just become junk
in a few years, because the world doesn't want film anymore.

Click to expand...

Pixelmanipulator said:

Ok, I can't stand losing out on the digital revolution, so I am
thinking about selling my F5 for a D100.

Click to expand...

Keep the F5. You shall be dissapointed about the D100 in terms of the robustly of the body build. You can not compare those bodies.

Better wait till next Photokina or later to get a successor of the D1X with even more pixel-count. If you do want to go digital now, I should get the D1X instead, but should not sell the F5. Getting digital you need a new wide-angel lens / zoom by the 1.5x lensfactor. A 17-35 mm or 18-35 mm do have even more wide results when you use it at your 35 mm F5 for the times, those lenses still have to less wide angel for digital.

--
Leon Obers

VJ,

Agree with you. There are some situations a film camera is still king, like you said in long exposures, besides having slides in the end.

This doesn't make the decision easier, doesn't it?

Yes, best of the last is a very good title to hold. But could F6 come out?

VJ said:

If I were you, I personally would try to hold on to it. If you
combine it with the D100, there are few pictures you can't take
(and they use the same lenses/accessories). You could then use the
F5 in some extreme situation (sports, ...), as backup or just to
get shots you couldn't make with your D100 (as you mentioned:
slides, but also very long exposures, ...).
Granted, once used to digital, your "workflow" tends to change.

But apart from the fact that you can still use the camera now, I
would think it would be worth more later. If Nikon doesn't come
out with an F5 successor, there is little doubt in my mind that the
F5 will be come some sort of cult-camera (imagine in 10-20 years,
you'd have the "best of the last generation 35mm camera's"). It
could well be that I'm overestimating things here, but just ask
yourself: How would you feel if you had no 35mm camera, nothing to
show the basis from which we come ? (perhaps I'm just a
sentimental sob... )

Jörg

Click to expand...

Mr. Director,

Target? Not yet, many people are saying that F5 should be kept.

John Woo said:

Any target in mind?? I looked through ebay, body is at around
US$800 bid at the moment. Any lens to go along??

Click to expand...

Hi Leon,

When is the next Photokina? I don't think I have time to wait that long because a major assignment overseas is coming up at the end of September.

Hopefully there will be a D2 soon, which should make buying it way more easier than buying a sort-of half-way D100.

Leon Obers said:

Keep the F5. You shall be dissapointed about the D100 in terms of
the robustly of the body build. You can not compare those bodies.
Better wait till next Photokina or later to get a successor of the
D1X with even more pixel-count. If you do want to go digital now, I
should get the D1X instead, but should not sell the F5. Getting
digital you need a new wide-angel lens / zoom by the 1.5x
lensfactor. A 17-35 mm or 18-35 mm do have even more wide results
when you use it at your 35 mm F5 for the times, those lenses still
have to less wide angel for digital.

--
Leon Obers

Click to expand...

Pixelmanipulator said:

This doesn't make the decision easier, doesn't it?

Click to expand...

Nope, it doesn't... Sorry... ;-)

Octopuzz said:

Yes, best of the last is a very good title to hold. But could F6
come out?

Click to expand...

I honestly don't know. What is the "normal" product cycle for Nikon Camera's ? And how long has it been since the F5 came out ?

Perhaps even more: what could be improved ?

Jörg

[I could nto get this posted the other day, but still wanted to share my two bits worth...turns out I had a suspect word near the end?!?!]

Octopuzz said:

if I really need to do film for
some reason (I can't see the reason) the F301 is there, but I know
it will just collect dust till the day I'm not on this earth

Click to expand...

Octopuzz said:

so many other neat features that everynight you'll go late in bed
because you still want to try that last trick....

Click to expand...

Octopuzz said:

Your wife may be unhappy too ;-)

Click to expand...

Octopuzz said:

Do the switch, the time is now!

Click to expand...

I agree with the above!! I have a N80 currently for a couple of more weddings that are expecting film, but I have already booked a digital wedding, and they are excited! So am I! Just from the parties and one portrait I have already shot ( http://www.pbase.com/lokerd ) I KNOW I will never shoot film again. I am absolutely sold. The D100 may not be the sharpest, but just look at the photos I have shot:

http://pbase.com/image/3410069/original
http://pbase.com/image/3410071/original
http://pbase.com/image/3403447/large
http://pbase.com/image/3341842

The instantaneous feedback is worth more than I can possibly state in written terms! The last one, I shot 4 images of. Each time, I looked down, and knew I had missed the shot, and finally stuck it! I would have never have shot that many with film!!!

Even more relevant, I really don't like shooting for hire because of the stress! Although I have shot for over 15 years...as a journalist, high school photography teacher, and shot many weddings/events, I still don't like not knowing for sure if I am getting what I think I am getting. Too many variables, too much riding on if I got the shot. I realize I may loose data on a card one day, but at least when I shoot, I know, that I know, that I know I am getting something.

I have shot more since July 4th (when I got a CP5000 from Best Buy that morning to see if I would like digital) than I have shot in the past several years. I am even excited about shooting professionally (for hire) again. It's fun!

I shot two BDay parties last weekend, one for hire, and had their photos "processed", touched up, and uploaded for viewing before some of the people even got home. I know you can still do that with film with a CD option at time of printing, etc., but it just isn't the same. To be able to shoot, and show people in the field what you are getting is MIND, unbelievable boggling. It's not like video because it just isn't still photography capturing one image in time. TO be able to shoot a picture, turn the camera around and let them see what you got, and watch their faces when you zoom in on their faces is worth every penny of the cost of the camera!

The other night, I shot some pictures of the night sky. I had a monitor hooked up to the D100 so I could see what I had shot right away...particularly important since the LCD was facing downard (lens up to the sky). I would post some pictures, but I found out the next night (when reading the manual) that I had forgot to turn on Noise Reduction. I am eager to shoot again the night sky because it is actually fun to experiment, and shooting is so much experimentation, just to see what you will get. But with digital, the exposure is all written down so you can study later what you did, and learn better. I can't tell you how many times i have shot a test roll, taken tedious notes, just to get the prints back and realize what a total waste. It is so awesome to be able to shoot and now what the exposure setting was. Even yesterday, when I drove to Houston to test out the Tamron 24-135, to be able to shoot in the store, and see the pictures right then and there.

For my first digital wedding, I am going to have the formals and some candids on a laptop on a slide show during the reception. In the middle of the show is going to be a slide about me, and contact info. I am even consdiering hooking up a transmitter on me, wiht a receiver on a monitor so people see what I shoot!!

But here is the reason I really agree. I was dead set against digital just 8 months ago. In January, I opened my mind and listened to a pro, shooting with a F5 by day, and a CP5k by night (for recreation). Then I learned that local places were printing straight from disk, media, etc., like Sams Wholesale. Then I saw some sample and it blew my mind!! I did not know that digital had gotten so good. The idea of being able to shoot 100 shots, walking into the store, and having them print 20 of 2 or 3 winners got me thinking that this is the way to go.

If you want to know what I think...any film based camera is going to drop in value dramtically over the next several months BECAUSE of the D100. I can assure you, if you or anybody else who is considering converting, and you have an investment in film based stuff, sell it while it will still net you some return. I know film is not dead, and there are limits to digital, but nothing that I do requires film at this point and I will definately be dumping my N80 as soon as I possibly can before it is worthless.

Just my humble opinion!! And BTW, my wife is also upset...it's 3 am and I am still up!! Why? Trying to convince you to switch to digital? I am not really sure! Nikon isn't sending any kickbacks, but I can assure you, your shooting will improve, and you will shoot more, and you will have more fun doing it! Just get ready to get into a whole new level. I just wish I had this tool to teach wtih. I did hook up a video camera to a TV to try to teach composition, but I wish the students had had digital to feel more free to experiment with out cost of film, etc. even bulkloaded b/w got expensive for my inner city students.

Anyway, good luck with your decision. The F5 is way cool...I just shot with one a few days ago. SMOOTH!! But I was glad when my friend handed my D100 back to me.

--
Drew
http://www.pbase.com/lokerd
http://primerica.itgo.com/

10 years later...a classic film body worth for collection.

GH

Pixelmanipulator said:

Ok, I can't stand losing out on the digital revolution, so I am
thinking about selling my F5 for a D100.

Do you guys know how much a second-hand F5 should be priced at?

Or should I keep it for a few more years, and wait for its value to
increase as a collector's item. Or maybe it will just become junk
in a few years, because the world doesn't want film anymore.

Click to expand...

--



姿彩生活新世紀 - Life Style 21
http://www.life-style-21.com/forums/
Nikon D1x, AF 28mm/f1.4D, AF 85mm/f1.4D, AFS 300mm/f4D

VJ said:

I honestly don't know. What is the "normal" product cycle for Nikon
Camera's ? And how long has it been since the F5 came out ?

Click to expand...

Nikon F - 1959 - 1972
Nikon F2 - 1971 -1980 (the end of the last mechanical pro cam F2AS)
Nikon F3 - 1980 -1988 (the end of F3P)
Nikon F4 - 1988 - still ij production?????
Nikon F5 - 1996

Based on this trend, the next one would be due in 2004. However, I really doubt it would happen as nothing significant (research and development) in film camera has occurred in the past decade.

CK

Hey Drew,

Thanks for the detailed and long post and the links.

It is also good to hear how receptive the people around you towards digital. I wish you the best in your upcoming shoots!

However, I couldn't help to notice that the D100 shots are a bit soft. Did you downsample them before posting? What was the Sharpen level in camera that you set at?

ps. please say thank you to your wife for you to help me out and her understanding.

Drew Loker said:

Drew Loker said:

Do the switch, the time is now!

Click to expand...

I agree with the above!! I have a N80 currently for a couple of
more weddings that are expecting film, but I have already booked a
digital wedding, and they are excited! So am I! Just from the
parties and one portrait I have already shot
( http://www.pbase.com/lokerd ) I KNOW I will never shoot film again.

Click to expand...

Drew Loker said:

in written terms! The last one, I shot 4 images of. Each time, I
looked down, and knew I had missed the shot, and finally stuck it!
I would have never have shot that many with film!!!

If you want to know what I think...any film based camera is going
to drop in value dramtically over the next several months BECAUSE
of the D100. I can assure you, if you or anybody else who is
considering converting, and you have an investment in film based
stuff, sell it while it will still net you some return. I know film
is not dead, and there are limits to digital, but nothing that I do
requires film at this point and I will definately be dumping my N80
as soon as I possibly can before it is worthless.

Just my humble opinion!! And BTW, my wife is also upset...it's 3 am
and I am still up!! Why? Trying to convince you to switch to
digital? I am not really sure! Nikon isn't sending any kickbacks,
but I can assure you, your shooting will improve, and you will
shoot more, and you will have more fun doing it! Just get ready to
get into a whole new level. I just wish I had this tool to teach
wtih. I did hook up a video camera to a TV to try to teach
composition, but I wish the students had had digital to feel more
free to experiment with out cost of film, etc. even bulkloaded b/w
got expensive for my inner city students.

Anyway, good luck with your decision. The F5 is way cool...I just
shot with one a few days ago. SMOOTH!! But I was glad when my
friend handed my D100 back to me.

--
Drew

Click to expand...

Ching-Kuang Shene said:

VJ said:

I honestly don't know. What is the "normal" product cycle for Nikon
Camera's ? And how long has it been since the F5 came out ?

Click to expand...

Nikon F - 1959 - 1972
Nikon F2 - 1971 -1980 (the end of the last mechanical pro cam F2AS)
Nikon F3 - 1980 -1988 (the end of F3P)
Nikon F4 - 1988 - still ij production?????
Nikon F5 - 1996

Click to expand...

Thanks (interesting timeline )

Member said:

Based on this trend, the next one would be due in 2004. However, I
really doubt it would happen as nothing significant (research and
development) in film camera has occurred in the past decade.

Click to expand...

Yes, I concur (I don't even have an idea of what might be improved on the F5 )

Jörg

Pixelmanipulator said:

Ok, I can't stand losing out on the digital revolution, so I am
thinking about selling my F5 for a D100.

Do you guys know how much a second-hand F5 should be priced at?

Or should I keep it for a few more years, and wait for its value to
increase as a collector's item. Or maybe it will just become junk
in a few years, because the world doesn't want film anymore.

Click to expand...

--
http://www.photosig.com/photos.php?photographerId=2667
Keep it! You'll regret the day if you don't.

Lou

Octopuzz said:

Thanks for the detailed and long post and the links.

It is also good to hear how receptive the people around you towards
digital. I wish you the best in your upcoming shoots!

Click to expand...

Thanks!

Octopuzz said:

However, I couldn't help to notice that the D100 shots are a bit
soft. Did you downsample them before posting? What was the Sharpen
level in camera that you set at?

Click to expand...

Are you serious? Are you sure we are talking about the same links? YOu wrote wedding in the subject title, and these are not wedding, so take another look to make sure we are talking about the same:

http://pbase.com/image/3410069/original
http://pbase.com/image/3410071/original
http://pbase.com/image/3403447/large
http://pbase.com/image/3341842
http://www.pbase.com/lokerd

Indeed, most of those above are either shot on Basic JPEG setting or subsequently reduced to half (level 5) on the JPEG setting (by accident when I didn't realize what PS Elements was doing). But regardless, the shots are incredibily sharp, at least by my standards what I have expected from my N80. Maybe it is the fact that the lens I am using is effectively sharper because of sweet spot effect of the d100 using the center of the lens. I don't know. But they, or any of the others do not look soft to me! And of the ones I have printed, they look great. I only did one small application of USM. Either 50/1/1 or 100/1/1.

I am impressed and very pleased at any rate. I think I will offer to people to shoot film at a wedding if they like. But I am going to charge more, and it will not be as useful. They may give a little in quality, but they are going to get in quantity and convenience in a big way!

Drew

I think there's been some really soild advice given here, I don't disagree with any of it.

I don't think the F5 is going to be a collector, but it sure as hell is a solid professional camera.

I also just sold my CP5000 and bought a D100, I also traded in my N90S, which I used to shoot a load of color slides for clients who needed photos for marketing presentation, and inclusion into publications. I have seen a lot of this work go digital in the last year, and part of my location gear is now my Powerbook G4, another sign of the times.

I am seeing the price of used darkroom stuff, processors and enlargers crash here in the STL area. I agree that really top end cameras-used, are also potental for a fall as well.

I am however holding on to my F3 and F2 in case I ever have to shoot chromes for a client. For a real film shoot, I still also have a lot of Hasselblad stuff, and a 4x5, for arch. shoots digital still has a ways to go to replace the camera controls of a 4x5.