J enea
Established
every camera has is usage and value to someone. its what it is. I like that I picked up a like new N80 for the cost of 2 disposable cameras. Whats not to like. for me they serve a few purposes....
1) to give to friends that are used to digital cameras. The N80, N75 F100 and the like can be pretty much used by digital shooters with little confusion. Its a good tool to convert them to the "dark side" (as they see film shooters).
2) as a point and shoot. you can give the camera to someone who has no clue how to work a camera and even with a roll of slide film, on P mode they can get great results with little fuss on the users part. Valuable to keep the girlfriend happy.
3) you can use most of the modern lenses on these bodies. D and G lenses, which makes using digital and film cameras pretty convenient.
yeh they have some downsides to some users. I much prefer manual focus lenses, like the AI and AI-s lenses. years ago these high quality lenses where dirt cheap as digital people all wanted auto focus do every length zoom lenses. so the cheaper more modern film cameras cant meter with MF lenses. so that limits their usage for me. 95% of the time the FE-2, FM3a or the F3 comes out. I do use the N80 when I have the itch to go real wide. I use it with my 14-24 zoom. it does look a little confusing, the tiny body with the huge lens.
I agree with what was mentioned in a post above. the body is really a light box. I have no chance of telling, if I didn't know, whether a shot was taken on my F5 or my n80 or my original 60's F.
the more modern cameras, in my mind, where really designed to be modular point ans shoots. allowing lenses changes put still used in point and shoot style. its crazy to see that some of the contax point and shoots are going for $1500 plus in price. guess when the rich and shameless use something, it really does become cool to copy them. Give me a contax g1 over a a T2 or T3 and save $1000 for film. or give me an N80 and a 50mm 1.8d over a miju any time. I have both and while they serve their purposes....... anyway
enough of my yapping
1) to give to friends that are used to digital cameras. The N80, N75 F100 and the like can be pretty much used by digital shooters with little confusion. Its a good tool to convert them to the "dark side" (as they see film shooters).
2) as a point and shoot. you can give the camera to someone who has no clue how to work a camera and even with a roll of slide film, on P mode they can get great results with little fuss on the users part. Valuable to keep the girlfriend happy.
3) you can use most of the modern lenses on these bodies. D and G lenses, which makes using digital and film cameras pretty convenient.
yeh they have some downsides to some users. I much prefer manual focus lenses, like the AI and AI-s lenses. years ago these high quality lenses where dirt cheap as digital people all wanted auto focus do every length zoom lenses. so the cheaper more modern film cameras cant meter with MF lenses. so that limits their usage for me. 95% of the time the FE-2, FM3a or the F3 comes out. I do use the N80 when I have the itch to go real wide. I use it with my 14-24 zoom. it does look a little confusing, the tiny body with the huge lens.
I agree with what was mentioned in a post above. the body is really a light box. I have no chance of telling, if I didn't know, whether a shot was taken on my F5 or my n80 or my original 60's F.
the more modern cameras, in my mind, where really designed to be modular point ans shoots. allowing lenses changes put still used in point and shoot style. its crazy to see that some of the contax point and shoots are going for $1500 plus in price. guess when the rich and shameless use something, it really does become cool to copy them. Give me a contax g1 over a a T2 or T3 and save $1000 for film. or give me an N80 and a 50mm 1.8d over a miju any time. I have both and while they serve their purposes....... anyway
enough of my yapping
NickTrop
Veteran
Exactly! Or one of those Yashica T's, or one of any of the other overpriced point-n-shooters.
NickTrop
Veteran
Yeah so I crumbled when I found a like new one for $8. For $8 this camera is totally worth it.
Here with my Sigma Art 50 1.4:
Yeah you can't set ISO. And Exp comp is in .5 stops. But it cost 8 freakin dollars! A Fuji disposable camera costs $9!
Exactly!
Ready? I'll go one further. These cameras are 85% of an F6. Sorry. They are. Ready again? They have better ergos because they are lighter and smaller.
They are also newer than a lot of classic cameras? And if the electronics die you're out 10 bucks. One of these with a 50/1.8 will blow any point-n-shoot out of the water. They're just as light and only slightly larger.
Rockwell pert much nailed it:
The N75 is Nikon's newest mostly-plastic 35mm SLR. The lens mount is metal. If you can get over the plastic, and especially if you love light weight, it is among the best 35mm cameras ever made. It's a plastic F5 or F6. The N75 has a metal lens mount. No one knows about the N75 because it came out just as digital had replaced film for most people. That's too bad, because the N75 has every trick Nikon has ever learned to put in cameras, at a very low price.
In terms of "getting over plastic". Plastiphobia is a mental illness. Really. It is. Do you want a metal keyboard? How 'bout a metal laptop? Plastic has proven to be durable and light. It doesn't corrode. It's also less expensive. I have owned cameras for with plastic bodies for decades. Do I want plastic gears on it? No. Body -- yeah sure.
https://kenrockwell.com/nikon/n75.htm
nickthetasmaniac
Veteran
farlymac
PF McFarland
I have a bad memory, or I would have remembered you are the owner of an F6, which seemed odd to me after your rant about cheap late model SLR's and P&S's.
All these cameras that I experimented with had two things in common. It's the lens that makes the camera. And ergonomics are paramount to a good user experience. After that, it comes down to how the darn thing operates. If it's not intuitive to use, then I tend to put it aside.
My one N75 had a film transport issue after half the roll, so it just went into the Nikon collection. I prefer the N80 anyway since it has a battery grip installed with extra controls for portrait orientation.
PF
Huss
Veteran
I rant unecessarily about so many things it's hard to keep track. But I don't think I've ranted about cheap P&S cameras as I love them. Pretty sure at the beginning of this thread I bagged on cheap late model AF SLRs, but I think it was to say they are so cheap because they have zero charm and thus low demand = cheap prices.
I do have an F6, but not sure how that comes to play. Fer sure 99% of the time the pics I take with that (using the same lens) are indistinguishable to those from my $8 (which is why I bought it!) N75.
The great thing about cheap plastic late model AF film SLRs is that they allow a novice to take nice pics w/o intimidating them. Just put it on P (or one of those symbols), point and shoot, letting it do the focus and exposure. The advantage over a P&S is the user feels that they have more control due to the SLR viewing. And frankly they are quicker to operate/focus/shoot.
So they can be seen as a great learning tool to dip the toe into the film waters. Especially because even tho the kamera may be doing 'everything', the user still sees interesting stuff like shutter and aperture info in the VF. And may later decide that they would like to know what that means and how it effects their results.
NickTrop
Veteran
While I doubt it's your intended meaning, why is "P" mode unique to "cheap late model AF film SLRs"? They have the same modes as modern cameras including digital -- P,M,A,S.
They are "cheap" because they were mass produced in a (modern) factory on an (modern) assembly line in Asia. The economic model centering around volume and lower margins with messaging and price-point centered around moving product. They are not hand assembled by skilled technicians on a bench in Europe with an economic model centering around scarcity and high margins with messaging centering around prestige and cost justiication. They are "Seiko" vs. "Breguet:. Ain't nothin' wrong with a Seiko. Both tell the same time. I'm on team Seiko.
Again. $8. $10. Mine was $10 (ten) dollars shipped. It takes most Nikkor lenses including G lenses. It has modern electronics and is much newer than "the classics". Something craps out? Buy three. Keep two in the closet, or one in the car. Whatever.
I reiterate.
Undervalued
Get'em before the Lomographers and perhaps collectors catch on. (We were always ahead of that curve anyhows... No?)
"...it is among the best 35mm cameras ever made. It's a plastic F5 or F6 [...]the N75 has every trick Nikon has ever learned to put in cameras, at a very low price."
https://kenrockwell.com/nikon/n75.htm
nickthetasmaniac
Veteran
I'm really not sure repeating KR quotes is going to win people over on this one...
NickTrop
Veteran
Not trying to "win anybody over". Just a supporting quote from a respected albeit controversial photography blogger who has a lot of experience and who has used a lot of cameras. You know, a back-up quote from an expert like in high school term papers to drivre home a point.
People hate KR and DxO Mark. They're my two favorite online resources for gear information and opinion.
Ste_S
Well-known
What do people reckon is the best bang for the buck Nikon kit lens for these ?
28-200 G ?
28-200 G ?
Ste_S
Well-known
Just as a word of warning to people considering the Nikon F5x/6x/7x cameras - there appears to be a problem with autofocus on some of them, which my F65 has developed.
On half press the meter will turn on but the camera won't autofocus. Jabbing at the shutter button will eventually kick the motor into action, and the camera will be good for 5-6 shots before it again becomes reticent to focus. Wasted a fair few shots on a roll trying to kick the af into action. Same problem with fresh batteries and af-d and af-s lenses.
I can send mine back for a refund, but it's a shame as I quite like it - mine is also the seemingly rarer black version rather than the more common champagne colour also
On half press the meter will turn on but the camera won't autofocus. Jabbing at the shutter button will eventually kick the motor into action, and the camera will be good for 5-6 shots before it again becomes reticent to focus. Wasted a fair few shots on a roll trying to kick the af into action. Same problem with fresh batteries and af-d and af-s lenses.
I can send mine back for a refund, but it's a shame as I quite like it - mine is also the seemingly rarer black version rather than the more common champagne colour also
Huss
Veteran
Just send it back and get another. I just sent back a Minolta Freedom Tele cuz the af was sporadic. Really nice sample too.
farlymac
PF McFarland
Hard for me to keep up with you too.
Some day I'll have to get my P&S collection inventoried, and see if there is anything you'd like. Gratis, that is.
PF
Steve M.
Veteran
I had one of the old 28 200 G ED lenses Ste S, and it was a really good lens.
The non AI H 50 2.0 lenses are even better
The non AI H 50 2.0 lenses are even better
Ste_S
Well-known
The F65 will be back in the post tomorrow... in the meantime couldn't spot any black F65 or F75 around, so ended up buying an F80 for not much more than the F65
I had one of the old 28 200 G ED lenses Ste S, and it was a really good lens.
The non AI H 50 2.0 lenses are even better
Cheers, think I'll be picking up the 28-200.
I already have a 50 1.8 af-d and the ais, another 50 is last on my list at the moment
jamin-b
Well-known
A working Nikon N75 is an awesome camera, especially pared with a plastic fantastic zoom like the 28-80 AF-D. Very lightweight, consummate metering and fun to use. As long as you don't mind not having full manual control. I picked one up also for not much more than what you paid last year and the seller threw in a perfectly working N65 as well...There are so many great cameras out there, each with their own angle...
GarageBoy
Well-known
Some of the early AF stuff sucks when you need it to AF, but a N8008/N90 is a GREAT alternative to a FM2/FE2 if you can deal with the weight and size.
I will not pay $500 for a point and shoot - my Rebel T2 and 40 STM works as a P&S for me, and is about the same size as those Canon QL17 and equivalent things (fixed lens RFs never did anything for me)
Reliability is also manufacturer dependent. I trust older electronic nikons to be okay for a while. Never ran into a bad one. Ran into a bunch of bad Contax cameras
I will not pay $500 for a point and shoot - my Rebel T2 and 40 STM works as a P&S for me, and is about the same size as those Canon QL17 and equivalent things (fixed lens RFs never did anything for me)
Reliability is also manufacturer dependent. I trust older electronic nikons to be okay for a while. Never ran into a bad one. Ran into a bunch of bad Contax cameras
Huss
Veteran
I use the 28-80g. Super light weight, small, fantastic image quality. Cheap.
NickTrop
Veteran
I have the matching plastic G version -- not bad for a kit. But I have a load of other lenses too. That zoom makes a nice very light and versatile kit. Oh -- that lens cost $30. Lots raves about it because KR gave it a glowing review. Prices spiked, then returned to normal. I think it's a good/solid lens.
Austintatious
Well-known
This was made with a Nikon N80 and the 28-80G kit lens. I have it framed.
Salida Church Bell by Carlos Yashinon, on Flickr
Salida Church Bell by Carlos Yashinon, on Flickr