Used Camera advice

[obsessed]

Regards to the lens, they said you buy the prime lens only. A 200mm F2 will get far better pictures than a 70-200m F2.8.

The 200mm F2 sure was a nice lens. Too bad it cost twice as much, weighed twice as much and couldn't zoom out to 70mm. These days the performance difference between primes and zooms are much smaller than they were in the past.

 

[stepford]

This comes from a recovering lens snob with more invested in camera gear than I have in cars: An expensive prime lens *can* take a sharper picture than a zoom if you do everything right. Don't use a tripod, frame something a bit wrong so you have to crop, or any one of many potential gotchas and a high quality zoom (or even sometimes a not so high quality zoom) can give you the sharper image.

I used to travel with a suitcase full of photo gear. The last few times I've traveled overseas I carried nothing but my phone. Other than some wildlife shots that required a long lens I can't say the DSLR photos are really significantly better than those from the phone.

 

[Koolau]

What exactly does the OP mean by 'distortion'? The traditional definition of straight lines becoming bent, or some other sort of aberration or reduction in image quality. There are certainly some ways in which DSLRs do better than phones, but I haven't noticed distortion being a particular issue where DSLRs offer a big improvement.

Nor have I but I'm definitely not a camera expert. Every once in a while I surprise myself with a good picture from my phone - a cheap Android at that.

 

[Flyfish1]

Thanks for all the advice. I should have the camera from KEH in a few days. I doubt I will take it overseas as it is so easy to use the iPhone camera but ya never know. Certainly domestic travel and just around where I live it will be fun to have a nice camera. When we went to Antarctica I rented high end gear and a couple of lenses and the pics were fantastic.
I guess I don't understand the difference between a prime lens and a zoom, other than it sounds like the prime is a fixed focal length.

 

[stepford]

I guess I don't understand the difference between a prime lens and a zoom, other than it sounds like the prime is a fixed focal length.

That's exactly what it means. Sorry about the jargon.

 

[Walt34]

Another issue to keep in mind is the old saying "The best camera is the one you have with you".

All other things being equal the DSLR will make better images than the phone camera but...

You'll probably always carry your phone but are you going to carry around that heavy DSLR & lenses all the time on your trip?

So be honest with yourself.

 

[Flyfish1]

I doubt I will take it overseas as it is so easy to use the iPhone camera but ya never know. Certainly domestic travel and just around where I live it will be fun to have a nice camera.

You'll probably always carry your phone but are you going to carry around that heavy DSLR & lenses all the time on your trip?

As above.

 

[Mark2024]

It is all about what is the purpose of your pictures. Putting them online for FB etc, you will not see much difference Iphone and DSLR. When you want to do a big print, then the DSLR get you the pictures with right quality.

 

[Palmtree]

I have a bag of professional level gear and a storage room full of studio lights, stands, backgrounds,etc. Haven't used any of it in years. I now travel with a micro four thirds camera, two lenses and a flash. It's all so much smaller than my full frame gear. Takes up hardly any room in my day pack, so it's easy to travel with.

 

[Koolau]

I have a bag of professional level gear and a storage room full of studio lights, stands, backgrounds,etc. Haven't used any of it in years. I now travel with a micro four thirds camera, two lenses and a flash. It's all so much smaller than my full frame gear. Takes up hardly any room in my day pack, so it's easy to travel with.

Yeah, this past summer I gave away all my old 35mm stuff. I haven't taken a film photograph in 20 years. Seemed time to declutter.

 

[AudiDudi]

Yeah, this past summer I gave away all my old 35mm stuff. I haven't taken a film photograph in 20 years. Seemed time to declutter.

Wish I had sold my old Leica stuff 30 yrs ago when it still had some value.

 

[rembrandt]

Yeah, this past summer I gave away all my old 35mm stuff. I haven't taken a film photograph in 20 years. Seemed time to declutter.

 

[Koolau]

View attachment 54127

I have a freezer with maybe 3 dozen rolls of film in it. I looked up to see if there were a practical way to reclaim the silver - It can be done, but not worth the hassle for that small amount.

 

[rembrandt]

I have a freezer with maybe 3 dozen rolls of film in it. I looked up to see if there were a practical way to reclaim the silver - It can be done, but not worth the hassle for that small amount.

I would never have thought of that!

 

[Koolau]

I would never have thought of that!

I ended up watching videos about taking old medical x-ray plates, washing the emulsion off and recovering the silver. Turns out that the film producers and the advanced technology means that silver was used very judiciously and efficiently so that it takes a LOT of film to extract a little silver.

However, major film labs used to send their used solutions to silver recovery labs.

 

[FlaGator]

Wish I had sold my old Leica stuff 30 yrs ago when it still had some value.

Me too. Basically gave away a Nikon F4, F3 and several lenses when I moved in 2015. Shipped the 300/4 AF from that same era to KEH today (thanks for the tip up thread!). It hadn't been out of the case in 25+ years. At best, will get 20% of what I paid in the mid-90s. But that will be something, and better than continually looking at the shipping case and wondering what I will ever do with it.

 

[AudiDudi]

Me too. Basically gave away a Nikon F4, F3 and several lenses when I moved in 2015. Shipped the 300/4 AF from that same era to KEH today (thanks for the tip up thread!). It hadn't been out of the case in 25+ years. At best, will get 20% of what I paid in the mid-90s. But that will be something, and better than continually looking at the shipping case and wondering what I will ever do with it.

As I recall, mine are a bit older - an F2 I think and one older than that with the 35,50,90 and 135 lenses. Like you, hasn't been out of the cases in about the same time. I know I haven't developed fil in 30 yrs since I bought my 1st digital. Any idea what they might pay?

 

[Palmtree]

My situation is reversed. About 15 years ago I sold all my medium format Bronica gear, since I was using digital cameras 100% of the time. Back then every professional studio was shedding film cameras as fast as they could, so prices were low. Last year I was feeling nostalgic and was thinking about shooting film again for fun. I looked into buying the same type of body and lens. It now runs about 3 times of what I sold it for.

 

[FlaGator]

As I recall, mine are a bit older - an F2 I think and one older than that with the 35,50,90 and 135 lenses. Like you, hasn't been out of the cases in about the same time. I know I haven't developed fil in 30 yrs since I bought my 1st digital. Any idea what they might pay?

I do not, but KEH has an on-line value estimator you can use - http://keh.com/sell

 

[folivier]

I disagree about seeing the difference on FB et al between a phone and DSLR picture. The pictures from a phone are very distorted due to the almost nonexistent focal length. DSLR pictures are much better in that respect. But I'm old school and enjoy producing a good image form my DSLR.

 

[Koolau]

My situation is reversed. About 15 years ago I sold all my medium format Bronica gear, since I was using digital cameras 100% of the time. Back then every professional studio was shedding film cameras as fast as they could, so prices were low. Last year I was feeling nostalgic and was thinking about shooting film again for fun. I looked into buying the same type of body and lens. It now runs about 3 times of what I sold it for.

How typical. Reminds me of vinyl records.