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Range Officer
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Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Steve's "other wall" post prompted this. I didn't want to hijack his post about model cars, so I started this thread for those who have other collections that don't come under the aegis of model cars.
Post info about your other collections here regardless of what they are.
Well, my virtual "other wall" has no muscle cars or other cars. They all went with my son when he moved out, which is only right because I bought them for him.
Actually my "other wall" collection is all carefully packaged for protection, but individual pieces come out for use from time to time as I have time.
Oh, it consists of 35 Nikon cameras, from the second model they produced right up through some of their latest models. All are collectable, pro or semi-pro cameras. Only one is a consumer model, but it too is collectable.
-Mike
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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In a strange way, I'm going to ask for pictures of cameras!
I remember lusting after a Nikon F way back in time. At that time it was State of the Art.
I still have a Minolta Maxxum, and previously owned an SRT 101.
A really scary thought is that we still have some exposed but undeveloped/unprinted 35 mm cassettes from "who the Hell knows?"
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Hi Steve:
My first Nikon was from the last production run of the F Photomic FTn (Apollo). My wife bought it for me for our 4th anniversary, with an F-36 motor drive.
I will try to get some time to photograph the bunch. I should have pics for the insurance company anyway.
-Mike
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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The FTN was both cutting edge and brute force.
Heavy, clunky, and tremendously effective in the hands of an accomplished photographer.
These days, we all walk around with a cellphone that happens to have capability so far beyond this that it's a little painful.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Steve CT said
The FTN was both cutting edge and brute force.Heavy, clunky, and tremendously effective in the hands of an accomplished photographer.
These days, we all walk around with a cellphone that happens to have capability so far beyond this that it's a little painful.
Actually Steve, I have to disagree with you here. While cellphones do an adequate job of taking pictures with automaton accuracy, there's no way the results could compare with a 35mm photograph properly taken by a competent photographer. Actually, according to an expert, it would take an 89 megapixel sensor to compete with 35mm film and even then the film would have much better dynamic range. Cellphones are much more convenient and lighter and always with you; all of which are advantages but it's pretty tough to produce photographic art with a cellphone.
I currently have 2 of Nikon's best digitals, but I still shoot my film cameras when I can. I like the feel of a mechanical camera; the fact that they are much lighter because they are manual focus; the sound of the motor-drives; all the tactile things that make a film camera sweet to handle. But that may be just me being an "old guy"; all of my cars have manual gearboxes too.
-Mike
August 15, 2014
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Not a photographer by any means, but I'd agree Zoom. It seems something is lost in most things replicated/converted to a digital format. Like music….with the compression etc, something is lost when converted to digital. Some call it 'warmth' when speaking of LPs played through a tube amp. I hadn't heard of the 89 megapixel ratio to 35mm film….interesting.
My wife's car has a 6-speed manual…..maybe it is an age thing, or the 'experience' that notes the difference. That's preferable to admitting being 'old'. 
January 22, 2008
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In a strange way, I’m going to ask for pictures of cameras!
I was thinking the same thing!
Photography has always been something I wanted to take up. I remember in high school you could take Photography as an elective and I signed up only find out there wasn't enough interest.
I remember as a kid my Dad getting a Canon T50 I believe which was very cool to us since we had only used the old 110's up to that point. With advice from Photohause we stepped up a few years ago from the point and shoots to a Nikon D5000. It makes it much easier to get decent photos of kids since they are always in motion!
I read Ken Rockwell's site pretty often which has some guy information on it.
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Ed Mac;
You're right about music as well. From the '50's through the early '90's everyone bought the best Hi-Fi gear they could afford to get the best sound possible. Now everyone listens to that digital carp, mostly in mp3 format with a low bit count. Just Lo-Fi noise. Even on CD's, the bit-depth isn't great enough for true Hi-Fi. I think what is missing are the second and third harmonics.
Regarding the manual gearboxes, my wife and our kids all drive manuals as well. I think it's about 2 things: control and learning a skill well.
Jody:
When I was in 8th grade my parents decided that I was too much of a loaner and needed socializing, so they insisted that I join in an after-school activity. Well, being a gear-head even then, I chose Camera Club and I've been involved with photography ever since. You might want to look at Thom Hogan's sight as well: http://www.bythom.com/
Lots of info there, especially for Nikon bigots like me.
To both Steve and Jody; OK, OK, I'll do some photography and take pics of cameras.
-Mike
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November 17, 2008
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Well I guess I will throw in my red neck opinion. Digital cameras did for photography what PVC pipe did for plumbing. Lets face it while film is a finite item that cost money, lousy photos were limited by cost. Now with digital, a novice (pronounced cant take pics worth a damn) like me can just shoot 20 or a 100 pics and hope a few turn out nice. At least that is how I do it.
LB
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
Dans Club
April 18, 2014
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Hey! I resemble that remark....
That's how I got my pics for the calendar and my shots of my pac for the forum..
"What this world needs is a few more rednecks"
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Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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LB, just so you know, that's what the Pro's do too. They just have a lot more practice and can get 5 or 10 good shots out of 100. And you're right; with film that can be very expensive and you never know until it's been processed.
-Mike
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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lbruce said
Well I guess I will throw in my red neck opinion. Digital cameras did for photography what PVC pipe did for plumbing. Lets face it while film is a finite item that cost money, lousy photos were limited by cost. Now with digital, a novice (pronounced cant take pics worth a damn) like me can just shoot 20 or a 100 pics and hope a few turn out nice. At least that is how I do it.
LB
AND we can do some editing and enhancing, all from the comfort of the laptop.
I know it's the easy way out, but I spend a lot of time trying to make the things I'm not very expert at work out well. I'm OK with using my minimal tech skills make something average maybe become a little better than average.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
February 20, 2008
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One of my other walls.
If you're going to drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.
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January 24, 2009
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Well...I don't have a camera collection, but how about a DVD collection?
Just kidding, it's not an intentional display for my DVD's. This is an older Oakley sunglass display case that needed "gone" from my work, so I brought it home. Initially, I thought I'd use it for model cars, but then I decided using it for DVD storage would be better.
Steel box on the bottom, plexiglass case, with glass shelves & cast aluminum framework. Purty heavy, too!
Of course, there is also room to stick other things in as well.
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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OK. For those who asked for pics. Following are pics of my Professional and their companion "Pro-Sumer" Film SLR's.
Left: Nikon F with Photomic FTn Finder/Meter and F-36 Motor Drive with cordless battery pack.
Right: Nikkormat ELw with AW-1 auto-winder.
Left: Nikon F2SB with MD-2 Motor Drive, MB-1 Battery Pack, and MF-3 Rewind Auto-stop Film Back.
Right: Nikon F2AS with MD-2 Motor Drive, MB-1 Battery Pack, and MF-3 Rewind Auto-stop Film Back.
Center: Nikkormat EL-2 with AW-1 auto-winder.
The difference between the F2SB and the F2AS is that the F2AS has automatic aperture indexing.
The difference between the Nikkormat ELw and the EL-2 is the EL-2 has automatic aperture indexing and is badged as a Nikon.
Left: Nikon F3 with MD-4 Motor Drive, MK-1 Firing Rate Controller and MF-6 Rewind Auto-stop Film Back.
Right: Nikon FA with MD-15 Motor Drive and MF-16 Data Back.
Left: Nikon F3T (Titanium) with MD-4 Motor Drive, MK-1 Firing Rate Controller and MF-6B Rewind Auto-stop Film Back.
Right: Nikon FE2 With MD-12 Motor Drive.
Left: Nikon F3P (Professional) with MD-4 Motor Drive, MK-1 Firing Rate Controller and MF-6 Rewind Auto-stop Film Back.
Right: Nikon FM3a With MD-12 Motor Drive.
Left: Nikon F4e (the highest speed variant), using the MB-23 Battery Pack, With MF-23 Data Back.
Right: Nikon F90x with MB-10 Battery Pack (for high speed operation) and MF-26 Data Back.
That's all of my Pro and Semi-Pro Nikon Film SLR's.
-Mike
January 22, 2008
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photohause said
One of my other walls.
Photo can you tell us what are we looking at?
Very nice collection Zoom! You said you have all starting with the second model, why haven't gotten the first yet?
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Jody said
Very nice collection Zoom! You said you have all starting with the second model, why haven't gotten the first yet?
The other "professional Nikon's I have are the Rangefinders from the late '40s through the early '60's. Those models are: the S, S2, S4, and the SP.
The S was the second production camera from Nikon. The first was the Nikon Camera, commonly known as the Nikon One. Only a few hundred were made and most were recalled due to poor quality. Personally I don't think that one counts. Next came the M of which several thousand were made and which no normal person can afford to purchase.
So my collection begins with the S series cameras (the second Nikon in my opinion) which were all reasonably priced IMHO, are extremely well made (beginning a Nikon tradition) and are actually fun to shoot.
-Mike
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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There was a time in the late 60's that the Nikon FTN was the Big Dog
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F
I used to develop and print my own photos, including color and color slides
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Steve:
That is an impressive article. There is only 1 error that I can find. It said that the "F" was a reference to the f in reflex. Actually, it was named that after one of the designers of the the camera whose surname began with F. I believe he was the one who designed the "F" mount.
Steve CT said
There was a time in the late 60's that the Nikon FTN was the Big Dog
Actually, Nikon as a whole was pretty much the Big Dog from the early '50's through the '90's and still is one of them. In the early '50's, David Douglas Duncan who was a renown war photographer and a staff photographer at LIFE Magazine discovered the Nikon's while photographing the Korean war. He discovered that the Nikon's didn't "lock-up" due to the cold and that they were incredibly tough and reliable and that their optics were absolutely top drawer. This influenced a lot of other news and professional photographers to make the change to Nikon. In the '90's Canon became a serious competitor and the 2 companies began to swap the lead in sales on almost an annual basis.
The difference between Nikon and Canon is that Nikon is an engineering company and Canon is a marketing company. I'm not saying Canon doesn't make good cameras, because they run with the best. However, their success in the marketplace came from seeing what the consumer level photographer wanted and at what price and they catered to it.
Canon still does a much better job of handling customer issues than Nikon. I still love my Nikon's anyway.
-Mike
January 22, 2008
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I like radios, shortwave/amateur.
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