Would you trade an F5?

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Worrying about an F5 going south? I don't worry about that...........or other things that could happen. A very small percentage of F5 seen on eBay are broken or inoperative. We'll see if mine outlives me.
 

Arthurwg

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What you really need is a Leica 1c w/ 50mm F3.5 lens. It won't do most of the things an F5 will do and there are no electronics. There's not even a rangefinder so you get to guess. But it will make you happy.
 

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Well, the M6 has zinc covers and a flarey finder so that doesn't really count. You need to pick up a real M...
Brass bottom and zinc top. But non the less that was a BIG mistake, Leica, although for some reason it didn’t stop me buying an M6. On the plus side, today it’s worth at least twice what I paid in 2018.
 

Pieter12

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I would say the F5 was Nikon's last professional film camera that got real professional heavy use, but probably less so than those that preceded it. Since the pro Nikons were designed for photojournalists, they were quickly displaced by digital SLRs even before the full-frame cameras came around--maybe with the introduction of the D2X. A late-model F5 would seem to be a great candidate for a long-lasting camera.
 

DNH

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Own both & think my F2's will all be working long after my F5 has died. I have already had to replace the finder after the LCD failed.
 

cjbecker

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Only reason to get rid of the f5 is for a larger format. Moving from a f5 to a f2 won’t change the image quality, or even moving from a f2/f5 to a leica wont do it either. But focusing on medium and large format would make a difference.
 
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ChristopherCoy

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Only reason to get rid of the f5 is for a larger format. Moving from a f5 to a f2 won’t change the image quality, or even moving from a f2/f5 to a leica wont do it either. But focusing on medium and large format would make a difference.

I’ve got an RB67 for MF. Image quality isn’t even a factor for me anymore. It’s strictly about the shooting experience at this point.
 

jwd722

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My F5 is with me for life!
Nothing wrong with having 2 F2's, one for color and one for b/w or even different lenses or finders, one with a motor drive, one without or just because having 2 is nice. It's not like they are terribly expensive. I have 2 F3's and will not part with them either. I drive 2 different cars, one for fun and the other for everything else.
As for a Leica, one can get by without an 'M' anything, get a Barnack for a LOT less, (they still take fine photos) I really like my lllf, or get a Canon copy (I have 3) for less or even a Zorki 1 or S (I have 1 of those as well) for still less.
Don't ask "permission" or "blessings" for what you want, life is too short!
 

removed account4

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Do I need it? Absolutely not.
Do I want it? Absolutely so.
Am I going to force the square peg into the round hole to get it? Nope.
not sure why you would buy it if you didn't want it :smile:
asking a bunch of camera fiends with gear acquisition syndrome if you should buy another camera
is like going to a bar with a bunch of drunks asking if you should have another drink, just sayin'

not sure what you mean bout square peg round hole ...
cause you already have a duplicate of the same camera so it's just a "backup" (same peg same hole )

my comment had more to do with making photographs instead of buying gear ..
that said, seeing you love to make photographs and you want it
why not buy another camera its all about having a good time, and who cares, its cheap and good stuff, not like that crystal palace crap.

if it was me, I wouldn't bother, I'd buy film and shoot until the gear I had was invisible, then broke and then get it repaired
seeing the gear I already have has been used by me and already invisible, might as well keep an old friend as long as I can.

I'd still fill the bilge with heavy cameras, gonna be a lot of storms in the years to come.
 
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ChristopherCoy

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not sure what you mean bout square peg round hole ...
cause you already have a duplicate of the same camera so it's just a "backup" (same peg same hole )

Square peg in the round hole means that I’m not going to trade one for the other just to get a camera that I already have in a different color. I’d end up regretting the fact that I let the F5 go, and that would start a whole new cycle of buying back regrets in a year or so.

I’ve been able to break this down over the last two days and work through it. I have all the cameras I need to do the work that I want to do. My F2, F5, RB, D700 and even the Brownies, provide me with everything I need and ample opportunities to work. There is nothing I am being prevented from doing with the gear I already have.

It was all an emotional response to being in the camera shop. Seeing all that old gear at the low prices gave me the warm fuzzies, like waving a bag of crack in front of a drug addict. Wanting to buy the camera was just a response to the heavy dose of dopamine my brain released after walking in there.

At least that’s what I’m telling myself right now so that I can feel somewhat like a responsible adult.
 

Horatio

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Square peg in the round hole means that I’m not going to trade one for the other just to get a camera that I already have in a different color. I’d end up regretting the fact that I let the F5 go, and that would start a whole new cycle of buying back regrets in a year or so.

I’ve been able to break this down over the last two days and work through it. I have all the cameras I need to do the work that I want to do. My F2, F5, RB, D700 and even the Brownies, provide me with everything I need and ample opportunities to work. There is nothing I am being prevented from doing with the gear I already have.

It was all an emotional response to being in the camera shop. Seeing all that old gear at the low prices gave me the warm fuzzies, like waving a bag of crack in front of a drug addict. Wanting to buy the camera was just a response to the heavy dose of dopamine my brain released after walking in there.

At least that’s what I’m telling myself right now so that I can feel somewhat like a responsible adult.

Chris, do you find the 12MP images from the D700 are still acceptable, compared to higher res sensors? I'm debating whether to get a 12MP DSLR, now that prices are pretty cheap.
 
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ChristopherCoy

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Chris, do you find the 12MP images from the D700 are still acceptable, compared to higher res sensors? I'm debating whether to get a 12MP DSLR, now that prices are pretty cheap.

Depends on what you’re shooting. For what I do, and for most people I would imagine, 12mpx is more than enough and still very viable. The only time I found it a bit limiting was when I attempted bird photography with a 70-200 and 2x teleconverter. Even racked out at 400mm I still wished there was a little more resolution. But for general, non-specialized use it works. The D700 was a sweet spot for Nikon, it produced, and still produces stellar images. Unless your doing some specialized shooting, or enlarging to billboard sized prints, I’d say it’s an excellent choice.
 

Huss

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..
As for a Leica, one can get by without an 'M' anything, get a Barnack for a LOT less, (they still take fine photos) I really like my lllf, or get a Canon copy (I have 3) for less or even a Zorki 1 or S (I have 1 of those as well) for still less.
Don't ask "permission" or "blessings" for what you want, life is too short!

No screw mount/Barnack camera compares to an M mount one. There's a reason Leica released the M3.
All you gotta do is use both. Barnack cameras are smaller and you can get great lenses for them, but they are much slower and more fiddly to use.
Canon P is pretty much the closest to an M in LTM mount, great little camera.
 

jwd722

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No screw mount/Barnack camera compares to an M mount one. There's a reason Leica released the M3.
All you gotta do is use both. Barnack cameras are smaller and you can get great lenses for them, but they are much slower and more fiddly to use.
Canon P is pretty much the closest to an M in LTM mount, great little camera.

Well, I'm not comparing just simply saying they work just fine for a lot less money.
As far as being slower to use and fiddly, if I want faster and easy I will go with a Nikon with a motor drive. Why be in a hurry? It's not a race.
 
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ChristopherCoy

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My efforts at being a responsible adult failed miserably. After a 3 mile walk at the local nature preserve with my sister in law, we went to lunch and then to the camera shop. While molesting the F2 kit that he offered me for $190, he says “I also have this parts camera I’ll sell you for $50.” The DP-11 finder from the parts camera, worked so I talked him into letting me switch the DP-1 for the DP-11 and bought the whole kit for $225, and kept my F5.

It was a failed attempt at being responsible, but I’m happy. I also really like the fact that I can use my AF-D lenses with this meter without sending them off to add the ears.

656A9186-8302-4913-8978-3FABDD89E9B9.jpeg
09984ACD-99D8-429D-8AFC-55AA1407D1FF.jpeg
DE444FB5-9857-4387-948A-1A6BC74B60FE.jpeg
 
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jwd722

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Nice acquisition!
Being a responsible adult is highly overrated.
 
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You work(ed) hard for it do with it as you please. As long as the house payment is made and there's food to eat WTF is the difference?
 
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ChristopherCoy

ChristopherCoy

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You work(ed) hard for it do with it as you please. As long as the house payment is made and there's food to eat WTF is the difference?

I did. 84 hours in 7 days last week alone.
 
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ChristopherCoy

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Dang dood, treat yourself.
Oh wait, you just did!

:smile:

Yeah, 12 hour shifts are nice, until you have to work 7 of them in a row! And that was the third week I’ve had like that since March 1st!
 

George Mann

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As far as I know, the DP11 is exactly the same finder as the late DP1.

But since you already have a DP1, why not.
 
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