What 35MM cameras will still work in 2038?

2F/2F · Dec 9, 2008

The cameras will likely last for a darned long time if maintained. The problem, IMO, is going to be finding repair people who know what in blazes they are doing. Even in 2008, it seems near impossible.

Oh yeah; and film.

panchro-press · Dec 9, 2008

I'll put my money on an Argus C3.

mudman · Dec 9, 2008

Well my Leica IIIa is from 1939, so I suppose it'll survive to 2038 alright. MY Pentax Spotmatic seems to be running like a champ.

Jersey Vic · Dec 9, 2008

Alot of good responses to an interesting question. I routinely use cameras over 70 years old-my Leica IIIa's- and my Nikon F2 is 35+ years old now. They're all 100% mechanical so as long as there's parts and repairmen (and film) , I should be OK.

Vaughn · Dec 9, 2008

My Rollei TLR with the 35mm film adapter?

Vaughn

Jeff L · Dec 9, 2008

My Rollei with 35mm film adapter (like above), my Contax IIa and IIIa, Bessa R2C, Yashica FX3, Minolta SRT 102. Not sure about the electronics in my RTS's, but I hope so.

df cardwell · Dec 9, 2008

With no technicians, none will be running within spec.

With no parts, none will run within specs even with technicians.

HarryW · Dec 9, 2008

Good question.
Of the 35mm cameras that I have (4) I think that in 2038 probably only one would work as originally intended.

Olympus Mju (Epic) - wouldn't hold out any hopes
Nikon FA - mmmmmaybe - not sure - its full of electronics.
Nikkormat FT3 - the meter has already packed in - it is now over 30 years old but I think that mechanically it would still operate
Leica M2 - no PCB's or electronics, no meter and no batteries. It's already 42 years old, well taken care of and used regularly.

Of the four cameras the M2 is the only that I have that I would be confident in working as intended after a further 30 years.

Like Eddy i will be 88 in 2038 and maybe my memory will be a wee bit unreliable so I have put a note in my diary for then to check which of the four are still working and continue this thread.

Harry

cdholden · Dec 9, 2008

Paul Lachel resurrected my Canon FTb from the dead. It was killed by a previous owner who abused it. As long as Paul and others with skill/clue can do the magic, who's to say a dead camera has to stay dead?
In the case of the Wista 45, I followed the lead of Dr. Frankenstein and pillaged parts from one to bring life to another.

Larry Bullis · Dec 9, 2008

I don't care. I'll be long gone; let's see, I'm 66 now -- Well, I might still be around at 96, but I don't really expect to be shooting very aggressively. Mr. Cardwell's point is well taken -- it would depend on a whole lot of good fortune. I'd bet on my M5, with the possible exception of the meter (will the batteries be available at any price?) I suspect that there will be a very few Leica technicians around, extremely expensive, because somebody has to take care of the collectors, right?

However, it all rests upon the assumption that humans will still be on this planet, and whether there even is a planet. I think the planet will probably still be here, but I suspect that the dominant species by then will be the opossum. Can a 'possum manage a Leica?

2F/2F · Dec 9, 2008

df cardwell said:
With no technicians, none will be running within spec.

With no parts, none will run within specs even with technicians.

Yup.

lens_hacker · Dec 9, 2008

I've got some 30+ year old cameras that do quite well and that have not been serviced. The Contax II that I just bought was working, and was last serviced in 1976. The finder was a bit hazy and the slow speeds were a bit sluggish. Still usable. I just sent it in for service. It should keep working after I do.

Shawn Rahman · Dec 10, 2008

I really hope at least a couple of my cameras - Nikon F3HP, N90S, F100, Mamiya 645 Pro TL - will be working in 30 years. I am really hoping not to have to buy another one for a very very long time.

markbb · Dec 10, 2008

by 2038 the World government (Al-Qaeda) would have banned on pain of death the private ownership of any recording device, including paper.

Rol_Lei Nut · Dec 10, 2008

df cardwell said:
With no technicians, none will be running within spec.

With no parts, none will run within specs even with technicians.

Specialized technicians are really needed only for specialized camera repairs.
Same goes for electronic cameras, where a "repair" usually means swapping out the faulty parts.

I do most of my own repairs and plan to build myself a shutter tester soon.
Cloth shutter curtains can be made at home.
Any other needed parts can be taken out of "parts" cameras.
(Original new parts for the Leicaflexes are still available, BTW).

So, any good mechanic can repair a mechanical camera (and the demand for skilled mechanical camera technicians will still exist in the future - many will still be doing it).
It is the cameras with proprietary electronic parts, which were maybe 6 months in production before the "new & improved" model came out, which will really die from lack of parts.

jordanstarr · Dec 10, 2008

....and the questions asked to sellers on ebay won't be "does this lens have marks on it?", "does this camera have any scratches on the body", it will be "does this camera work?".

JohnArs · Dec 10, 2008

My Nikon F 5 and F 100 and of course the FM 2 Titan will still working if I can still get 35 mm Film!!!

Cheers Armin

bnstein · Dec 10, 2008

For electronic cameras there will be two specific points of failure: LCD screens and general electronics.

LCD screens of the early 2000s have an average life expectancy of 7 years (this may well be increasing) so we'll see problems increasingly with these. Canons manual for the EOS 10 (late 90s) stated that the screen would need replacement every 5 years. As custom panels, the only source of LCDs will be canabilizing. Figure exponential decrease in cameras with functioning panels over the next 30 years: if 10 years median life span guestimate 10% still alive without "organ donation".

General electronics have a mean time to failure of about 20 years so the problems will be the same but with a longer half life. For my still happy FE2 aged 23, the chances of being electronically alive without surgery are about 35%.

For mechanical cameras wear will still be an issue, but unlike electronics it is possible for individual parts to be machined. Although there may not be too many trained techs, detailed service manuals and written courses exist so self service is an option. Having got a kiev-4 off the ground with my limited mechanical aptitude Im much more sanguine about older all-mechanical cameras.

If I were buying for 2038 I think Id be shopping for the last mechanical cameras made. My guess is that would be between the leica MP and the bessa R2,3,4Ms and the nikon FM3a as it is capable of running without power. Otherwise Id be betting on F2s Fs F1s SRTs spotmatics and the like.

benjiboy · Dec 10, 2008

I'll be pushing up daisies in thirty years, but it's nice to think that my Canon F1N AE, EF and FTb might still be alive, I doubt if my T90 will, my Mamiya TLRs since they are purely mechanical probably stand the best chance of survival to 2038 as will my Contax 2 that was made in the late thirtys.

lynxkcg · Dec 10, 2008

I'd have to say a Nikon FM2 or an F5 will still be rocking in 20 years, probably the F6 also. I'm going to go out on a limb and say an F3 will still be good also, provided they're kept clean. My Yashica A and D have lasted this long, and I have no reason to believe they won't work if I don't open their case for another 20 years, but as fast as complexity goes, they're about as simple as a camera gets this side of an agfa clack.

John Hermanson · Dec 10, 2008

Olympus OM-1, 1N, 3, 3Ti will still be working in the year 2038. If batteries are available, 2, 2N, 2S, 4, 4T, 4Ti will too. John, www.zuiko.com

lens_hacker · Dec 10, 2008

> LCD screens of the early 2000s have an average life expectancy of 7 years (this may well be increasing) so we'll see problems increasingly with these.

My Nikon F3AF has its original LCD working perfectly after 25 years. The two N8008s' are also just fine. LED's on the Fujica ST801 are good, circa 1973.

Colin Corneau · Dec 10, 2008

I wonder how many people in 1880 or 1903 wondered if people in the 21st century would be using their gear....

bnstein · Dec 10, 2008

lens_hacker said:
> LCD screens of the early 2000s have an average life expectancy of 7 years (this may well be increasing) so we'll see problems increasingly with these.

My Nikon F3AF has its original LCD working perfectly after 25 years. The two N8008s' are also just fine. LED's on the Fujica ST801 are good, circa 1973.

Mean time to failure of 7 years means that after 25 years there will still be about 15% going strong without any other considerations that might influence lifespan(how well cared for etc etc). I have no idea what LED MTTF is but it wouldnt surprise me if it was in the 20+ year range.

Im still betting longevity on brass, aluminium and steel: my pre WWII plaubel is still good as, and my pre WWI large format shutters still tick along in spec! Mechanically much simpler than a 35mm, but I think it points the way to 2088!

brian d · Dec 10, 2008

Graphic 35

What 35MM cameras will still work in 2038?

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