Collecting cameras?

Snowleopard

Do many of you collect older Nikon film cameras. I found a Nikon Nikonos V Underwater Camera with macro lenses and an SB-500 under water flash. and thought about picking it up. It looks like it is in almost perfect condition.... Chances that I would actually shoot it are slim, but it would be a nice conversation piece.

heartyfisher

Would be cool to shoot a few rolls :-)

spraynpray

Probably a pretty good investment for the future - go for it!

henrik1963

Collections? I seem to have a lot of them in my home. Most of them not started on purpose :-) They just seem to happen.

I recently gave a small collection of old cameras to a young man who showed some interest in them :-)

CaMeRaQuEsT

The Nikonos V is the best of the bunch, but also the most produced one, so it should be relatively cheap to get. I was looking into getting one, but seeing that my collection of Fs are getting absolutely no use whatsoever since I bought my first DSLR, I stopped hoarding any more film equipment. If you end up buying it, remember to take it through its paces from time to time, firing it up and down each of its shutter speeds and running the lens' apertures. Also, the Nikonos might have additional maintenance needs to keep it water tight, for example applying approved grease to its O-rings. Anyways, have fun and don't think much of its "investment value". Just think of it as having a camera ready for your next snorkeling/scuba trip.

Msmoto

OK, not a colector, but one of my F bodies from the 1960's. As one can see, I used it a little... )

sevencrossing

, but it would be a nice conversation piece.

Absolutely

but I would not consider it an investment
One of The finest underwater camera housing ever made
A Rollei-Marin Hans Hass Housing by Franke & Heidecke
Only fetched £160 at a recent auction

kanuck

I figured this would be related to film bodies ^^ Notice how it doesn't transfer to digital? There is something more beautiful about those film classic bodies I think isn't there?

retread

I have one of the original Nikonos camreas. Never used it as much as I thought I would.

WestEndFoto

Wait 100 years when you take a picture by blinking twice. DSLRS will seem pretty classic then.

kanuck

No doubt! They will think we were nuts to have carried around 30 lbs of gear on trips probably as well :-))

ggbutcher

Not exactly collecting, maybe more like accumulating:

1974 F2 Photomic: My workhorse camera in the '70s when I had professional aspirations. Alas, not to be...
~1940s Speed Graphic 4x5, 1903 Eastman 8x10: An ill-conceived notion to shoot a couple of large-format exposures to scratch that itch in the late 1990s.

While I'll probably never use any of them, not ready to part with any of them yet...

Ironheart

No doubt! They will think we were nuts to have carried around 30 lbs of gear on trips probably as well :-))

Ansel carried 30lbs of gear on his back, and his burro Mistletoe carried almost 100lbs. That's really nuts!

sevencrossing

..........~1940s Speed Graphic 4x5.............,
While I'll probably never use any of them,...

You should. ;
There is something very special and satisfying, about shooting large format
and you will never ever, moan about fps etc again

Msmoto

Oh, yes, Calumet 4" x 5" view camera, circa 1964, and a Schneider 90mm f/8 Super Angulon. I need to drag this out and test it again with the D800E as a "digital back".

NSXTypeR

I have a few film cameras of my own. My dad has his FM2. I also have a Mamiya DSX1000 that my uncle gave me and Canon Elan 7 (gasp!) that my cousin gave me. The Mamiya is in pretty good condition, except for the self timer lever that got snapped off. It came with a 55mm 1.4 prime which actually feels quite well made. The dials are of a definitely cheaper quality than the FM2, as the shutter dial seems very notchy.

The Elan 7 is in working but rough condition, it's well used and the flash is taped shut so I assume it either to dropped on its head at one point or something along those lines. The Elan came with a 28-50 and a 75-300 Sigma zooms.

I have yet to run film through the Canon because it uses those pesky small and expensive CR123 batteries. The Mamiya I have run film through once, but it eats button batteries for breakfast like no other. The FM2 is pretty good with conserving battery life, the Mamiya seems to just have the meter on all the time.

Since my dad let me start using the FM2, I've used maybe two rolls of film.

Snowleopard

I have my dad's Minolta XG7, a Minolta Vectis S1, Yashica TRL, and the newest edition is the Mamiya RZ Pro II II D.

The guy that was selling the Nikon Nikonos V has flaked on me, so I guess he really does not want to sell it. Oh well. I do need to get some film Nikon's so I can use my lenses, but I think when it comes to film, I am going to lug the huge medium format Mamiya around.

kyoshinikon

I have a handful but I really want to start getting 4x5 nikkor lenses for my speed graphic.

NSXTypeR

A bit of a side note, are Nikonos cameras any good when they're not in water? I wonder if the optics are optimized to water and now air.

sevencrossing

A bit of a side note, are Nikonos cameras any good when they're not in water? I wonder if the optics are optimized to water and now air.

There were several different lenses. I had a Nikons 1 with the UW 35 f 2.5 it certainly worked on Land

The UW Nikkor 15mm f 2.8 was designed specifically for underwater

NSXTypeR

Thanks.

paulr

My First Camera a Kodak Bantam Colorsnap 1955, My first Digital camera Sony Mavica FD83 1999 with a Floppy Disc memory slot I Still have these cameras today.
https://flic.kr/p/sNbcaa
Things have certainly changed.

framer

I consider I have one true collectable Nikon a Nikon F 64 w/prism in chrome. I have several other film cameras that have little collector value but more sentimental value Nikkormat FT3, FA, F4.

Sentimental rules my collecting...

framer

smith934

A bit of a side note, are Nikonos cameras any good when they're not in water? I wonder if the optics are optimized to water and now air.

I'd say yes they are. While stationed in Germany in the early '70s my Nikonos II with 35mm lens was all I had for a while. I took lots of good B&W landscapes with it. A couple won ribbons in local regional fair competitions back here at home.

I keep looking at Nikonos on eBay, where you can find some very good deals, but just haven't pulled the trigger yet.