Not sure if this should be here or in the Basic Photography section, but too late, posted it na eh. I just received my Altissa Altix N and Pentacon Electra with a wicked old table top tripod in cracking leather case, a strange contraption that mounts on the hotshoe (but has a cord inside and its not a flash) and several metal print sleeves. I have a Yashica minimatic and Fujica SLR coming in soon as well, which makes me think... Will there be ANY classic cameras at all from year 2000 onwards? Digital cameras, no matter how hi-tech they are, doesn't seem to have much value 3-5 years down the road. I mean, the first Kodak DSLR is not even a collector's item right now, while cams like the Canonet, Smena, Lynx C14 etc are all still worth something after so many decades have past. Is that it? Will the 80's be the last of of the collectibles?

2 reasons why dSLR's would never become a classic:
- Supportability (raw file format, battery models, file storage devices, etc.) - Imagine if all the things that are working right now and wander if it will still be supported by software manufacturers and camera manufacturers 20years from now. Your Canonet has a simple mechanism that any person in Hidalgo can fix. As I understand, it doesn't use any special kind of battery nor you need any software support for it. It takes more than 20years for a classic... Not sure all of these things will still be available.
- Does any electronic equipment ever last more than 20years??? - I mean have you heard a 20year old computer still being used heavily and reliably as if it was first used? Do you still have your betamax players and still plays all your old (xxx!!!) beta tapes? Does your Sony walkman circa 1989 still work??? I would think there are some that still work, but since their reliability has diminished over time, I don't think they will be objects of desire for anyone. And if no one else wants to own it, then its not a classic... :)

2 reasons why dSLR's would never become a classic:
- Supportability (raw file format, battery models, file storage devices, etc.) - Imagine if all the things that are working right now and wander if it will still be supported by software manufacturers and camera manufacturers 20years from now. Your Canonet has a simple mechanism that any person in Hidalgo can fix. As I understand, it doesn't use any special kind of battery nor you need any software support for it. It takes more than 20years for a classic... Not sure all of these things will still be available.
- Does any electronic equipment ever last more than 20years??? - I mean have you heard a 20year old computer still being used heavily and reliably as if it was first used? Do you still have your betamax players and still plays all your old (xxx!!!) beta tapes? Does your Sony walkman circa 1989 still work??? I would think there are some that still work, but since their reliability has diminished over time, I don't think they will be objects of desire for anyone. And if no one else wants to own it, then its not a classic... :)

The Canonet does use those banned mercury batteries but it's easy to find modern day replacements. My only concern is film manufacturers might stop making film eventually but I sure hope they wont.

We're screwed then eventually hehehe.

The Canonet does use those banned mercury batteries but it's easy to find modern day replacements. My only concern is film manufacturers might stop making film eventually but I sure hope they wont.

i dont think this will be anytime soon since i saw a thread here recently regarding a new kodak medium format camera?

meaning, they wont be stopping production of film anytime soon!

The Canonet does use those banned mercury batteries but it's easy to find modern day replacements. My only concern is film manufacturers might stop making film eventually but I sure hope they wont.

@Daniel,

I don't think kodak/fuji will get out of the film manufacturing business anytime soon. Do expect the price to increase in the next few years though.

There has been lots of 'doomsday' scenarios commented against film, but I think its more like Film is dying than actually dead. That is if you think a 1.98bn usd netsales of the Kodak Film group in 2007 (compared to 8.8Bn usd net sales in 1997) to be dead.

i dont think this will be anytime soon since i saw a thread here recently regarding a new kodak medium format camera?

meaning, they wont be stopping production of film anytime soon!


if they are smart they wont. there are still about half a billion cameras in existence that would need to use their film. that is a major industry.

shun the non believers! shun! film will never die! :)

Do you still have your betamax players and still plays all your old (xxx!!!) beta tapes?

Bomba tapes... bomba tapes.. bomba tapes..:Grin::Grin::Grin:

hahaha:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVIZlIBD2Lc

But yeah I was able to "picture-picture" with my bro's 20D I kinda felt disappointed with the plastic feel especially the lens... i was used to the metallic feel i get with Maxxie (Minolta 7000) which is a tank by the way... I dropped it a couple of times already the worst thing that happened was the back opened and the film got exposed... and with the technology turnover... i dont think those dslrs will last 10 years (as they say for the xt computers before... paper weight...):Scared:

@ sir otep: SHUN!!!! hahaha :D you goin to candy mountain???:Grin:

Bomba tapes... bomba tapes.. bomba tapes..:Grin::Grin::Grin:

hahaha:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVIZlIBD2Lc

But yeah I was "picture-picture" with my bro's 20D I kinda felt disappointed with the plastic feel especially the lens... i was used to the metallic feel i get with Maxxie (Minolta 7000) which is a tank by the way... I dropped it a couple of times already the worst thing that happened was the back opened and the film got exposed... and with the technology turnover... i dont think those dslrs will last 10 years (as they say for the xt computers before... paper weight...):Scared:

Yup! I just sold our old 486 (before XT) CPU to our magbobote because it wouldn't even boot up... not to mention i can't find a DOS 3.0version on a floppy disk anymore... Hehehe...

I'm still keeping my fingers cross that after the Nikon F's, then the Nikon D's, I hope they release a Nikon H (hybrid), where you can attach a film back or digital back of sorts (not sure how they will engineer this)... I just hate to see a person throwing away a perfectly good camera body simply because its sensor or whatever image engine it has doesn't work. To be honest, I really wouldn't mind an expensive camera body as long as you can change the 'time diminishing parts' like sensor, circuit boards for image capture, etc.

Bomba tapes... bomba tapes.. bomba tapes..:Grin::Grin::Grin:


I remember when I was a kid I would be surprise to hear moaning and groaning after a sesame street betamax would finish :P

ANYWAY, There are still die-hard, hardcore film heads for it (the film companies) to stop manufacturing completely.

I for one don't even have a dslr. LOL But I do have 2 film slr bodies :)

A fellow DPPer did ask me once

do you think you'd be the type of person who'd stay in film forever and ever?

And I think my answer is YES :Grin:

I hope that the "dying" will be put on hold for a while at lease while our generation is still alive :)

I'm still keeping my fingers cross that after the Nikon F's, then the Nikon D's, I hope they release a Nikon H (hybrid), where you can attach a film back or digital back of sorts (not sure how they will engineer this)...

Somebody did that (the webpage is now gone...): they breadboarded a digital P&S to a Nikon F (or was it an F2?).

Somebody did that (the webpage is now gone...): they breadboarded a digital P&S to a Nikon F (or was it an F2?).

the LEICA R8 which i bought with my daughter's college trust fund from koya derick (he has a drybox-full of leicas) and the subsequent model, the R9 are both hybrid cameras that use film and accept the 10 megapixel MODUL-R digital module that was developed by hasselblad/imacon, sensor supplied by kodak and announced in 2003.

i never did experience the joy of shooting film and switch to digital on the fly because i realized that if i wanted to get the MODUL-R, i will need more than a college trust fund to acquire it. more like sell my soul to the devil. it was discontinued last year when leica realized precisely that- that leicaphiles will have to shell out money equivalent to the price of their souls to experience an overpriced and underengineered gadget. (could not compete with nikon d2xs and canon 1ds mark2's advanced features)

i am scanning ebay everyday just in case some disgruntled, avenging housewife sells her cheating husband's MODUL-R at a price that an ordinary working stiff like me is likely to afford...to get even. well, who knows?- some lucky dude in west palm beach did just that-paid $300 for a porsche from an aggrieved housewife in a similar situation. haaaaay... to dream the impossible dream.....

Yup! I just sold our old 486 (before XT) CPU to our magbobote because it wouldn't even boot up... not to mention i can't find a DOS 3.0version on a floppy disk anymore... Hehehe...

I'm still keeping my fingers cross that after the Nikon F's, then the Nikon D's, I hope they release a Nikon H (hybrid), where you can attach a film back or digital back of sorts (not sure how they will engineer this)... I just hate to see a person throwing away a perfectly good camera body simply because its sensor or whatever image engine it has doesn't work. To be honest, I really wouldn't mind an expensive camera body as long as you can change the 'time diminishing parts' like sensor, circuit boards for image capture, etc.

LEICA has just announced an UPGRADE PROGRAM for the LEICA M8 with a view of not only upgrading firmware but also the "time diminshing parts" that you have mentioned.up first for upgrade is the 10 megapixel cropped sensor which present M8 owners may opt to upgrade to a full frame sensor with more megapixels. they are also offering a shutter upgrade to a more silent unit in line with the M series reputation for being the quietest cameras in the world- the only ones allowed in courts of law. present M8 owners also now have an upgrade option to change their LCD glass to sapphire- the same kind they use in ROLEX watches.....if we only had the money..

That would be nice... but still not worth it IMO heheh.

That would be nice... but still not worth it IMO heheh.

you're damn right david! LEICAS are not worth it for us photographers because only doctors, dentists, investment bankers and filthy rich people like koya derick use them! hahahahahahahahaha!

"not worth it" = "can't afford unless sold kidneys" for me...

hehe

^even if we sell all our body parts, it still wouldn't cover the cost. not unless it was koya derick's parts LOL

you're damn right david! LEICAS are not worth it for us photographers because only doctors, dentists, investment bankers and filthy rich people like koya derick use them! hahahahahahahahaha!

nyahahaha! i never get tired of your direct to the point killer hits!

[B][SIZE=1][COLOR=#ffff00]i am scanning ebay everyday just in case some disgruntled, avenging housewife sells her cheating husband's MODUL-R at a price that an ordinary working stiff like me is likely to afford...to get even. well, who knows?- some lucky dude in west palm beach did just that-paid $300 for a porsche from an aggrieved housewife in a similar situation. haaaaay... to dream the impossible dream.....

This happend to a friend of mine who collects and sells vinyl records in the US. He got what he described as '3 balikbayan size boxes full of hard-to-find first edition records' (which he estimates to be worth around half-a-mil usd), for 10usd. An old lady just wanted to get rid of his husbands 'old records'. He said some original Bob Dylan and Beatles albums were even unopened. :)

Records or cameras, love 'em both. Hope this happens to me... Hay... (grinning, while consciousness fading into dreamland....)

LEICA has just announced an UPGRADE PROGRAM for the LEICA M8 with a view of not only upgrading firmware but also the "time diminshing parts" that you have mentioned.up first for upgrade is the 10 megapixel cropped sensor which present M8 owners may opt to upgrade to a full frame sensor with more megapixels. they are also offering a shutter upgrade to a more silent unit in line with the M series reputation for being the quietest cameras in the world- the only ones allowed in courts of law. present M8 owners also now have an upgrade option to change their LCD glass to sapphire- the same kind they use in ROLEX watches.....if we only had the money..

I hope they do this for Nikon. I also heard the Leica-M digital version is not upto par as Nikon or Canon's dslr features (as in, you're better off with Nikon/Canon than spending a fortune for what less it can do), but still I just hope its a consideration for those Nikon/Canon R&D lab rats to improve on.

I always have this feeling that my film cameras which is like 10-20years older than my DSLR/s will still outlive my DSLRs another 20 more years....

Melvin, that is why I feel that the M7 is worth much more than the M8. I am craving for a M7 more than a M8 although if some one were to gift me with a M8 first I will not turn it down ahahahaha

Daniel - We are all craving for a Leica RF regardless if its digital or film (I also thought really hard to get a Digilux just to have a Leica feel, but decided against it as its just an overpriced Panasonic P&S).

Imagine a M7 with a 50mm-summilux... :KO:

Daniel - We are all craving for a Leica RF regardless if its digital or film (I also thought really hard to get a Digilux just to have a Leica feel, but decided against it as its just an overpriced Panasonic P&S).

Imagine a M7 with a 50mm-summilux... :KO:



Drool Drool :Love:

Someone was also contemplating getting a Dlux, I said for that amount he is better off getting a Canon Powershot G9. Better image quality , lower price. :) Now if Leica decides to rebadge a Canon G9 then as they say in the vernacular "ibang usapan na yan" :Grin:

daniel: Hmm, rip the internals of the G9 and stick it to the DLux body hmm hmm... heheheh

Drool Drool :Love:

Someone was also contemplating getting a Dlux, I said for that amount he is better off getting a Canon Powershot G9. Better image quality , lower price. :) Now if Leica decides to rebadge a Canon G9 then as they say in the vernacular "ibang usapan na yan" :Grin:


Goin' back to the discussion... For some reason, I never get excited with digital the way I get with film... (Apologies to all the digivangelist out there...)

When I bought my D300, it was only to satisfy the thought that I can shoot sports better without thinking 'masyadong magastos sa film eto' (this is too costly if done with film) and the fact that I can shoot without flash at iso1600 without worrying that it would be usable or not... Other than that, i still prefer film.

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11822.jpghey melvin,

i'm sensing a budding leicaphile in you. here's my suggested starter set that will legitimize you as one. 2 m bodies (analog m7 and digital m8) and 5 lenses to sufficiently equip you on a one day street shoot:

1. M7 film rangefinder $3995
2. M8 digital rangefinder $5495
3. 50mm 1.0 noctilux (dubbed queen of the night) $5995
4. tri elmar 16-18-21 ( not a zoom lens but a lens with three switcheable focal lengths $5495
5. 21mm elmarit 2.8 $3995
6. 90mm summicron 2.0 $3195
7. 135 mm apo telyt $2995

TOTAL $31,165.00 OR PHP1,277,765

LOOK AT THE BRIGHT SIDE- IF YOU PURCHASED THIS SET A YEAR AGO WHEN THE MIGHTY GREENBACK WAS WORTH 56 PETOTS, YOU WOULD HAVE PAID A WHOPPING ONE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY FIVE THOUSAND AND TWO HUNDRED PETOTS!!

*FILM AND MEMORY CARDS NOT INCLUDED

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/10503.jpg http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/10701.jpg

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11135.jpg http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11642.jpg

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11135.jpg http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11629.jpg

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11889.jpg

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11822.jpg

Hehe... SULIT! (Good value!)

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11822.jpghey melvin,

i'm sensing a budding leicaphile in you. here's my suggested starter set that will legitimize you as one. 2 m bodies (analog m7 and digital m8) and 5 lenses to sufficiently equip you on a one day street shoot:

1. M7 film rangefinder $3995
2. M8 digital rangefinder $5495
3. 50mm 1.0 noctilux (dubbed queen of the night) $5995
4. tri elmar 16-18-21 ( not a zoom lens but a lens with three switcheable focal lengths $5495
5. 21mm elmarit 2.8 $3995
6. 90mm summicron 2.0 $3195
7. 135 mm apo telyt $2995

TOTAL $31,165.00 OR PHP1,277,765

LOOK AT THE BRIGHT SIDE- IF YOU PURCHASED THIS SET A YEAR AGO WHEN THE MIGHTY GREENBACK WAS WORTH 56 PETOTS, YOU WOULD HAVE PAID A WHOPPING ONE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY FIVE THOUSAND AND TWO HUNDRED PETOTS!!

*FILM AND MEMORY CARDS NOT INCLUDED

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/10503.jpg http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/10701.jpg

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11135.jpg http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11642.jpg

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11135.jpg http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11629.jpg

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coolfotog/11889.jpg

Sir Basil,

I have always been a Leicaphile (in my mind)... Hehehe...

While I was reading your post, I think a devil perched on my shoulder and started whispering: "Sell your cars... You can always take the bus... Then you'll have more time to shoot with your Leica for street fotos..."

But does it have to be a Leica? There are plenty of lower priced alternatives out there. They come in different flavours, each to satisfy whatever tastes or wallets can dictate. All can be worthy tools for street photography. None will cost you your soul, or your first-born. Some can even be had (or two) for the price of one Leica filter.

I have some Leica myself. The old LTMs and the M3. Used them a lot, but after using the 'alternatives' which looked like Leicas, I see very little difference in terms of functionality or use, and more importantly, in the pictures that come as a result of the shooting effort.

I have a digital RF too, the Epson R-D1s. Until recently I only imagined what a Leica M8 would be like. And since the M8 cost thrice as much as the RD-1s, I thought too that it would be at least thrice as good. But after seeing one live, I see that the R-D1s isn't that far behind. In terms of cost and build (the R-D1's no nonsense design is a true winner) I see that the Epson-Cosina collaboration is an excellent machine capable of doing anything that the M8 can or be even better, picture-wise. And its value for money beats the M8 hands down. :D

Melvin Basil, Me too, Leicaphile! It's just my pocket and my wife that isn't!!!:):)