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Nikon to stop making most film cameras

DRB

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
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Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10835599/from/RS.1/

Japanese camera and precision equipment maker Nikon said on Thursday it will focus on digital photography and stop producing most of its film cameras, except for a few professional photographer products.

"Nikon will discontinue production of all lenses for large format cameras and enlarging lenses. This also applies to most of our film camera bodies, interchangeable manual focus lenses and related accessories," it said in a statement on its British Webster. The company expects stock of analogue products to sell out in retail distribution in the summer of 2006.

Nikon is one of the two main camera brands for professional photographers and the company said it will continue to produce and sell the F6, its flagship film model, as well as a number of manual interchangeable lenses.
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It was only a matter of time.
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,149
1,250
NC
Digital has surpassed film in almost every respect. Ten years from now, I'm sure it will be difficult to purchase film except in specialty stores.

There are a bunch of threads on this subject at DPReview.com if anyone wants some tedious reading :p.

This is a good move. Nikon has always struggled to keep on the forefront of technology behind Canon's massive R&D budget, and this will let them direct more of their resources towards R&D.

Kodak quit making film, Poloroid doesn't do anything film-related anymore...
 
BarbaRosa

BarbaRosa

Monkey
Aug 30, 2001
323
0
northern colorado, will travel for rides
Five said:
Hmmm, I wonder how much I can sell my old school F2AS on ebay for?...and my F and Nikkormat.
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dont do it, the F and Nikromat...

i sold my FE2 for some cash to put towards a laptop and now, while i still have the lap top with only one program loaded... i regret not having my FE2 and the assemblage of the kit.

i do still have my cool little olympus XA, neat little thing
 
Ciaran

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,841
19
So Cal
So then is there a good reson for regular film to stick around? Not being a photographer I don't know if there are pro benefits to film or anything like that. I know that for me as a regular old snapshot taker digital has been a godsend. I can take sooooo many more pics at a much lower cost. It makes documenting lifes moments posible.
 
SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
67,381
13,928
In a van.... down by the river
Ciaran said:
So then is there a good reson for regular film to stick around? Not being a photographer I don't know if there are pro benefits to film or anything like that. I know that for me as a regular old snapshot taker digital has been a godsend. I can take sooooo many more pics at a much lower cost. It makes documenting lifes moments posible.
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There are probably special applications where film still makes sense - high altitude mountaineering for one. No need for batteries. Good idea when the temp gets down to -40F and every ounce counts.
 
manhattanprjkt83

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,659
1,237
Nilbog
Finally, DIGI will rule the world. It's crazy how bitter some of the old school film only guys are getting about guys that shoot only digital. You gotta change with the times.
 
firetoole

firetoole

duch bag
Nov 19, 2004
1,910
0
Wooo Tulips!!!!
Ciaran said:
So then is there a good reson for regular film to stick around? Not being a photographer I don't know if there are pro benefits to film or anything like that. I know that for me as a regular old snapshot taker digital has been a godsend. I can take sooooo many more pics at a much lower cost. It makes documenting lifes moments posible.
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like the difference between road and mtb
 
BarbaRosa

BarbaRosa

Monkey
Aug 30, 2001
323
0
northern colorado, will travel for rides
resolution still rocks on the film, although ... for every human's purpose it is mute...aka you and i the current pixel count of the average digital... heck, just point and shoot then crop and edit when you get home.

there is also the artistic art haus effect that would still use film... there are unexpected things that you can do with hacks and homemade things that become art. digital's predicability is with out soul
 
Five

Five

Turbo Monkey
Mar 8, 2003
1,506
0
West Seattle, WA
N8 said:
I have a Nikon F3 and a FG someplace... along with some nice lenses!
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I had an F3, motor, data back, and a couple of nice lenses that I traded in for a Nikon D70 and lens. It was a good trade! I still kept the old film cameras though.
 
N8 v2.0

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
Five said:
I had an F3, motor, data back, and a couple of nice lenses that I traded in for a Nikon D70 and lens. It was a good trade! I still kept the old film cameras though.
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Can us use your old lenses on the D70?
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,149
1,250
NC
firetoole said:
Amen brother :thumb:
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:stosh:

Lame.

Photographs are art. Art is not "soulless" simply because it exists in a digital medium.

If you enjoy the process of film, that's fine - but that doesn't mean digital pictures have no "soul". People spend just as many hours laboring over a digital photo as film. You wait just as long for the right moment - hike just as far for that great scenery - get up just as early for that beautiful sunrise. Instead of darkroom editing, you have a digital "darkroom" and it's just as painstaking & there's just as much creativity.

The "soul" claim is made by stubborn curmudgeons who refuse to accept and embrace change. If the film process appeals to you, use it. But there's nothing inherently worse about digital photographs.
 
Five

Five

Turbo Monkey
Mar 8, 2003
1,506
0
West Seattle, WA
N8 said:
Can us use your old lenses on the D70?
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Yeah, you can - my old lenses weren't autofocus though, so I'd have to manual focus. I still kept 4 old lenses for my film cameras. I just got rid of the big stuff - 300mm f/4 and a 105 1.8
 
Andyman_1970

Andyman_1970

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2003
3,105
5
The Natural State
BarbaRosa said:
dont do it, the F and Nikromat...

i sold my FE2 for some cash to put towards a laptop and now, while i still have the lap top with only one program loaded... i regret not having my FE2 and the assemblage of the kit.

i do still have my cool little olympus XA, neat little thing
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I have a FM-2 kit I'm looking to get rid of.........
 
J

JRogers

talks too much
Mar 19, 2002
3,785
1
Claremont, CA
BarbaRosa said:
dont do it, the F and Nikromat...

i sold my FE2 for some cash to put towards a laptop and now, while i still have the lap top with only one program loaded... i regret not having my FE2 and the assemblage of the kit.

i do still have my cool little olympus XA, neat little thing
Click to expand...
Cool, I tried to find a good deal on an XA a while back...didn't happen...apparently they are in demand. I did get a good condition QL17 GIII, though, for next to nothing.


I still use film just because I have the equipment. It's becoming more obselete by the day, though. Even fairly cheap digis can take pretty good photos. Once the price of digital SLRs comes down more, there will be almost no advantage to film besides some specialty situations and uses.

There is something just satisfying about film, though. Something kind of unique. Of course, getting 15 rolls of film developed....there's nothing unique or fun about that.
 
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