DownUnder
Nikon Nomad
Am I opening a Pandora's box with this thread?
Maybe. But as always I've given it a fair bit of thought, as serious as anyone can be at this crazy-insane-mad time of year. We all know about New Year's resolutions and the why's and wherefores of what may seem to many to be exercises in futility. Hope over common sense. Whatever we want to call them. Also importantly, how long it takes before we break them.
So here are some of mine. I will write only about the ones that come to my mind at this time of posting. Otherwise this will never end.
In 2025 I want to -
1. Go over my film gear and carefully consider what I want to keep. Also why.
Nowadays like many here I use almost entirely digital. I have many good film cameras - Nikons and Nikkormats, Rolleis, 1950s German folders, a Leica LTR kit I adore and intend to take with me to wherever I end up when I pop off (if only!), and my Contax G kit. All of these almost never used. This is mostly due to the high cost of film in Australia, also the complex and time-consuming processes I have to go to to develop the films and scan them. I have at last count, about 100 35mm and 120 films in my darkroom fridge, plus 4-5 bulk rolls of now long out-of-production Kodak films.
Most of my film cameras can go and will not be missed. The Rolleis and my two Nikkormat have long been part of my life, but the others have been acquired "en passant" (as the French say) and won't really be missed when they go. Ditto the Nikon F65s. My Contax and the Leica will stay. Other miscellaneous cameras can also be sold off.
Of course being me I will be dragged kicking and screaming into this. And when they are gone I will miss them for how long? Maybe a few days Or maybe five or ten minutes. Time will tell on this.
2. Consider selling the bulk film rolls.
Two 100-footers of Kodak Panatomic-X, one of Plus-X, two of Tri-X - one of the old emulsion, one of the newer one from the mid-'00s. Also a roll of Ilford HP5, about 7 years old. Apparently all worth a king's ransoms on Ebay. Very tempting, this. The $$ it generates can fund one of my periodic escapes to Asia.
Also about 50 rolls of frozen Ilford XP2. Unlikely that I will ever use these in my Rolleis as processing C41 is fiddly and in Australia, the requisite kits cost too much. Also time and effort involved. So these will likely go.
3. Consider selling most of what is left of my darkroom.
SO at home wants the film fridge decommissioned as part of our plan to repurpose the second bedroom (my darkroom and work room) to a less limited, more useful space in the house. I've planned (vaguely) to move said fridge to our temperature controlled garage, along with my darkroom and the two dozen or more boxes of FB paper I've hoarded for more years than I care to admit. When one considers I've not made a print on my LPL multiform enlarger since 2018 and also in 2020 I sold my beloved Leitz 1c enlarger with its multigrade head to a friend who is now happily using it, I now have to bite the inevitable bullet and accept that my time in the darkroom has more or less come to a creeping hall, excepting an occasional foray to process a few old films before scanning the images.
So the darkroom and the fridge will be moved out to a new location, and the room will become more useful. Sad in some ways, inevitable in its conclusion.
4. Reduce my Nikon camera kit to a manageable level.
I have two D700s and two D800s. The former are now relics, still highly useable but in the past year D700 prices have dropped and I can no longer get much for them. Even the one with < 2000 actuations will bring in only a few hundred largely worthless Aussie dollars. So maybe not worth selling.
The D800s I will keep. No discussion about this. They are the backbones of almost all my photography. Also not worth a lot on the used digital Nikons market nowadays. So.
My Fuji kits - Xpro2 and XE2 - I am somewhat conflicted with. They are good cameras, at least the Fujinon lenses are, but I'm finding they do not quite give me the colors and overall image quality I'm used to with my (admittedly larger format, FF) Nikons. This may be me and not so much the cameras. I am doing and will do more tests to see if I can get things up to a standard I'm happy to live with. As for handling and general build quality of the Fujis, no complaints. It just seems that they aren't quite 'me'...
Other odd-bod older digitals will also go, for whatever prices I can get for them. The lenses are worth more than the actual cameras, so the former may be sold and the latter will go to a local charity shop.
This will be disposing of unused/unwanted equipment, so no emotional issues here.
5. The direction of my future photography, that is what remains of it - the latter more so than the former.
At my age, I'm no longer in a situation where I want to go roaming around Southeast Asia and climb mountains before breakfast. These days slow travel is my preferred way. I enjoy more laid back travel, and at my age (I'm pushing 80, enough said) revisiting places I've been to since I first discovered Asia in 1970 is more satisfying than exploring new territory.
Which brings up the endless conundrum of which gear do I take with me? Usually I go with one D800 and two or at most three lenses (Nikon Ds), usually one wide angle and one medium telephoto. As a third lens I would probably take my beaut 180/2.8 but in the 10 years since I've owned it I've made use of it maybe as many times.
A lot of these lenses can now be sold and the $$ used to upgrade (again maybe) my gear to a Nikon Z model. I've looked at them all (the well-known term "overthinking it all" comes to my mind here, but beyond this I'll say no more) and one Z lens, probably a 24-70 or a 28, the latter being more or less my standard lens when I'm on the road.
This year I've bought an as new Fuji Xpro2 to complement my smaller and much more portable Fuji kit (one XE2, lenses 14-18-23-35 and 18-55), but I'm now learning to use this new baby and I'm finding the colors are really not quite to my liking, altho' I'm slowly getting there with a lot of testing and adjustments to in-camera settings to bring the colors up to my preferred Ektachrome-Kodachrome standard). I love the Xpro2 but geez, it's a long learning curve for me.
I've been going through this conundrum for a long time, so nothing new here. Eventually I will find my way to an acceptable solution. It's not really a problem anyway, and I'm enjoying, as the Buddhists would say, the travel more than the destination.
Gosh, how I do go on. That sums up my resolutions for 2025. Others please join in and contribute. I'm greatly interested in your own resolutions, and let's face it, I need all the help I can get with my own.
Best wishes for 2025 to all.
Maybe. But as always I've given it a fair bit of thought, as serious as anyone can be at this crazy-insane-mad time of year. We all know about New Year's resolutions and the why's and wherefores of what may seem to many to be exercises in futility. Hope over common sense. Whatever we want to call them. Also importantly, how long it takes before we break them.
So here are some of mine. I will write only about the ones that come to my mind at this time of posting. Otherwise this will never end.
In 2025 I want to -
1. Go over my film gear and carefully consider what I want to keep. Also why.
Nowadays like many here I use almost entirely digital. I have many good film cameras - Nikons and Nikkormats, Rolleis, 1950s German folders, a Leica LTR kit I adore and intend to take with me to wherever I end up when I pop off (if only!), and my Contax G kit. All of these almost never used. This is mostly due to the high cost of film in Australia, also the complex and time-consuming processes I have to go to to develop the films and scan them. I have at last count, about 100 35mm and 120 films in my darkroom fridge, plus 4-5 bulk rolls of now long out-of-production Kodak films.
Most of my film cameras can go and will not be missed. The Rolleis and my two Nikkormat have long been part of my life, but the others have been acquired "en passant" (as the French say) and won't really be missed when they go. Ditto the Nikon F65s. My Contax and the Leica will stay. Other miscellaneous cameras can also be sold off.
Of course being me I will be dragged kicking and screaming into this. And when they are gone I will miss them for how long? Maybe a few days Or maybe five or ten minutes. Time will tell on this.
2. Consider selling the bulk film rolls.
Two 100-footers of Kodak Panatomic-X, one of Plus-X, two of Tri-X - one of the old emulsion, one of the newer one from the mid-'00s. Also a roll of Ilford HP5, about 7 years old. Apparently all worth a king's ransoms on Ebay. Very tempting, this. The $$ it generates can fund one of my periodic escapes to Asia.
Also about 50 rolls of frozen Ilford XP2. Unlikely that I will ever use these in my Rolleis as processing C41 is fiddly and in Australia, the requisite kits cost too much. Also time and effort involved. So these will likely go.
3. Consider selling most of what is left of my darkroom.
SO at home wants the film fridge decommissioned as part of our plan to repurpose the second bedroom (my darkroom and work room) to a less limited, more useful space in the house. I've planned (vaguely) to move said fridge to our temperature controlled garage, along with my darkroom and the two dozen or more boxes of FB paper I've hoarded for more years than I care to admit. When one considers I've not made a print on my LPL multiform enlarger since 2018 and also in 2020 I sold my beloved Leitz 1c enlarger with its multigrade head to a friend who is now happily using it, I now have to bite the inevitable bullet and accept that my time in the darkroom has more or less come to a creeping hall, excepting an occasional foray to process a few old films before scanning the images.
So the darkroom and the fridge will be moved out to a new location, and the room will become more useful. Sad in some ways, inevitable in its conclusion.
4. Reduce my Nikon camera kit to a manageable level.
I have two D700s and two D800s. The former are now relics, still highly useable but in the past year D700 prices have dropped and I can no longer get much for them. Even the one with < 2000 actuations will bring in only a few hundred largely worthless Aussie dollars. So maybe not worth selling.
The D800s I will keep. No discussion about this. They are the backbones of almost all my photography. Also not worth a lot on the used digital Nikons market nowadays. So.
My Fuji kits - Xpro2 and XE2 - I am somewhat conflicted with. They are good cameras, at least the Fujinon lenses are, but I'm finding they do not quite give me the colors and overall image quality I'm used to with my (admittedly larger format, FF) Nikons. This may be me and not so much the cameras. I am doing and will do more tests to see if I can get things up to a standard I'm happy to live with. As for handling and general build quality of the Fujis, no complaints. It just seems that they aren't quite 'me'...
Other odd-bod older digitals will also go, for whatever prices I can get for them. The lenses are worth more than the actual cameras, so the former may be sold and the latter will go to a local charity shop.
This will be disposing of unused/unwanted equipment, so no emotional issues here.
5. The direction of my future photography, that is what remains of it - the latter more so than the former.
At my age, I'm no longer in a situation where I want to go roaming around Southeast Asia and climb mountains before breakfast. These days slow travel is my preferred way. I enjoy more laid back travel, and at my age (I'm pushing 80, enough said) revisiting places I've been to since I first discovered Asia in 1970 is more satisfying than exploring new territory.
Which brings up the endless conundrum of which gear do I take with me? Usually I go with one D800 and two or at most three lenses (Nikon Ds), usually one wide angle and one medium telephoto. As a third lens I would probably take my beaut 180/2.8 but in the 10 years since I've owned it I've made use of it maybe as many times.
A lot of these lenses can now be sold and the $$ used to upgrade (again maybe) my gear to a Nikon Z model. I've looked at them all (the well-known term "overthinking it all" comes to my mind here, but beyond this I'll say no more) and one Z lens, probably a 24-70 or a 28, the latter being more or less my standard lens when I'm on the road.
This year I've bought an as new Fuji Xpro2 to complement my smaller and much more portable Fuji kit (one XE2, lenses 14-18-23-35 and 18-55), but I'm now learning to use this new baby and I'm finding the colors are really not quite to my liking, altho' I'm slowly getting there with a lot of testing and adjustments to in-camera settings to bring the colors up to my preferred Ektachrome-Kodachrome standard). I love the Xpro2 but geez, it's a long learning curve for me.
I've been going through this conundrum for a long time, so nothing new here. Eventually I will find my way to an acceptable solution. It's not really a problem anyway, and I'm enjoying, as the Buddhists would say, the travel more than the destination.
Gosh, how I do go on. That sums up my resolutions for 2025. Others please join in and contribute. I'm greatly interested in your own resolutions, and let's face it, I need all the help I can get with my own.
Best wishes for 2025 to all.
Last edited:
Dogman
Veteran
Sell stuff.
Buy a second Nikon Z body.
Take pictures.
Buy a second Nikon Z body.
Take pictures.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
I want to squeeze a few more days of holidays. Maybe sell a couple of cameras that I don't use. Hopefully book a couple of Saturday morning trips to London for pictures.
Timmyjoe
Veteran
Going back to basics. Studying light again. Spent too many years "getting the shot" and not focusing (see what I did there
) on the light.
Nikon S2, Nikkor 3.5cm f2.5, Tri-X. Slowing down. Finding it fun.
Best,
-Tim
) on the light.Nikon S2, Nikkor 3.5cm f2.5, Tri-X. Slowing down. Finding it fun.
Best,
-Tim
MISH
Well-known
Print, print, print, repeat
mrtoml
Mancunian
Get better at monochrome printing using the Piezography system
Do more landscape photography.
Do more landscape photography.
Rick Waldroup
Well-known
Downsize, downsize, downsize. The first week in January, I will be selling all of my m4/3 gear, except for the Lumix LX100. At that point, I will be down to only 3 cameras- a Lumix LX100, a Lumix L1, and a Ricoh GRIIIx. The L1 is the only camera I will own that can take interchangeable lenses, and I only have one lens for it. That's the goal, anyway.
JohnWolf
Well-known
Still considering goals for the coming year, but I'm leaning toward self-published books. I did an ambitious Blurb book project as an Xmas gift and really enjoyed it. No doubt like all of us here, I've got decades of pictures in negative binders and on the computer, and books seem a great way to curate and share them. I've done a bunch of zines, but love the 12 x 12 hardcover format I just made. I have two projects in mind to get things started.
Retro-Grouch
Veteran
I'm not even going to touch this one! After 72 years, I know better. But everyone who posts should mark their calendars to re-visit this thread on 12/29/2025, and let us know how you did with your resolutions. If you dare!
Ddbowdoin
Member
I started a new project this month and so far am writing a lot and thinking about setting parameters.
1.) keeping it fully analog
2.) discovering a way of creatively photographing optical prints instead of scanning negs.
3.) not letting my interest slip.
4.) I have two kids (5 and 3) and am hoping to find more a balance in my creative life
1.) keeping it fully analog
2.) discovering a way of creatively photographing optical prints instead of scanning negs.
3.) not letting my interest slip.
4.) I have two kids (5 and 3) and am hoping to find more a balance in my creative life
JohnWolf
Well-known
No big deal. People change. Plans change. We’re not swearing blood oaths.
Muggins
Junk magnet
Finish turning the outside toilet into a darkroom.
Shoot more film in more pieces of old junk.
Enjoy myself whilst doing so.
Shoot more film in more pieces of old junk.
Enjoy myself whilst doing so.
Leon C
Well-known
Finish having the 70 rolls of exposed film I've been collecting since the 90's developed.
Use more film.
Print my own prints in darkroom.
Experiment with Digital Negs and Washi Paper. (Salt Printing)
Use the Fuji G690 a lot.
Finish the book we've been meaning to do for 20+yrs.
Fix the fixer uppers.
Start the Photography Community Project we've been discussing. [My therapist friend and I, not MY therapist ]
Get more pics framed and on the wall.
Sort out my ResourceSpace site/projects.
Doubt all of it will be done but going to try.
Use more film.
Print my own prints in darkroom.
Experiment with Digital Negs and Washi Paper. (Salt Printing)
Use the Fuji G690 a lot.
Finish the book we've been meaning to do for 20+yrs.
Fix the fixer uppers.
Start the Photography Community Project we've been discussing. [My therapist friend and I, not MY therapist
]Get more pics framed and on the wall.
Sort out my ResourceSpace site/projects.
Doubt all of it will be done but going to try.
Last edited:
Sanug
Established
I want to spend less time in front of a screen.
Sell or give away my unused stuff (not only photography gear).
Do more portrait photos.
Set up my small studio.
Do more medium format.
Have fun!
Sell or give away my unused stuff (not only photography gear).
Do more portrait photos.
Set up my small studio.
Do more medium format.
Have fun!
Shab
Veteran
Which Nikon Z body?
Yokosuka Mike
Abstract Clarity
That is the most original New Year's resolution I have ever read! I would love to see some before & after pictures of of the outhouse/darkroom project.
Mike
Muggins
Junk magnet
Oh, bother. I don't think I took a "before" pic - I'll have to see what I can do. Thus far I've just got as far as putting a shelf in over the old porcelain.
I''ll copy you in, @Yokosuka Mike , when I start the thread.
I''ll copy you in, @Yokosuka Mike , when I start the thread.
Dogman
Veteran
I have the Z5 and I love it. I might get another Z5. Or a Z6II if I can swing it. I just feel naked without a second body--one for a 50mm and one for a 35mm. Or a 25mm. Or something else.
santino
FSU gear head
Sell gear / don’t buy gear is unreal. We are at RFF, aren‘t we 😉
Bill wrs1145
A native Texan
I promise to buy only more lens and no more cameras.