Nikonos V

[pjm460]

Hello out there,

Is anybody still shooting film? I am interested in purchasing a camera and like the look of film vs. digital. It seems that there are a lot of these Nikonos V cameras around. What seems to be the story is that the Nikonos V was a great camera "in its day" but seems to be losing out to digital. If any of you still shoot film, how satisfied are you with your result? Any purchasing advice you might pass along would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Thalassamania]

I really liked the N-III better, I thought it was the best camera they made with the exception of the RS, which was an entirely different kind of beast. If you mind spending a couple of grand there are always some RS about.

 

[caymaniac]

Hello out there,

Is anybody still shooting film? I am interested in purchasing a camera and like the look of film vs. digital. It seems that there are a lot of these Nikonos V cameras around. What seems to be the story is that the Nikonos V was a great camera "in its day" but seems to be losing out to digital. If any of you still shoot film, how satisfied are you with your result? Any purchasing advice you might pass along would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

I have been shooting film for 20 years. I would like to switch to digital but the cost is prohibitive. For instance a D200 is about $1500, then a wide angle lens would be about $500, now you need a housing. Then you need to have memory, more $100s, and batteries plus charger. One of the least expensive housings is the Ike @ $1500 and then at least one strobe @ $700....what about strobe arms as well as an extra O-ring, at least two ports, close to $1000.......is this ridiculous or what?

I can continue to use my Pentax MEs housed with Ike(both flat and dome ports), and strobe for the cost of the film plus develope which is $5. per role and another $5 for film = $10 per 36 pictures which about 10 per roll turn out. My up coming trip is 20 rolls per week plus batteries for camera and strobe, about $30. Total cost for week is near $250.

 

[Gilldiver]

I have been shooting film for 20 years. I would like to switch to digital but the cost is prohibitive. For instance a D200 is about $1500, then a wide angle lens would be about $500, now you need a housing. Then you need to have memory, more $100s, and batteries plus charger. One of the least expensive housings is the Ike @ $1500 and then at least one strobe @ $700....what about strobe arms as well as an extra O-ring, at least two ports, close to $1000.......is this ridiculous or what?.

I know the feeling, my Nikonos gear is paid for and to go digital would set me back at least 5 grand.

The main thing I don't like about digital is that the electronics do have a shelf life in that at somewhere between 5 and 10 years it will crap out on you. Then you will need a new camera and housing. You get to reuse the glass and the strobes but that is it. I have a very nice Amphibico housing for a Sony 801 Hi8 camcorder - but no camera to fit it. It hurts to look at it, but I can't make myself give that expensive housing away.

If you get a good body at $1,000 and an aluminum housing at $2500 that works out to $350 a year for 10 years. It becomes a matter of how much film costs vs. that costs and how many dives you really do per year.

My Nikonos III is a submarine and will function well below 200' and the Nikon 15 mm lens is still the best around, and the Nik V is perhaps the best camera to learn on. It just makes you think about composition, light, etc and not what I can do in photoshop. The Nikonos camera also have it over any housed SLR on size and there is no comparison between the Nikonos glass and any small point and shoot digital.

What I may do is get a small Canon in a housing (about $400) for overall "snap shooting" when shallower then 100' where a strobe will not help and take it with me along with the Nik III or V for use with the big strobes - and after I have shot my 36 frames.

B&W film for deeper wrecks (>100') is still the way to go and in B&W film still beats digital.

 

[Sharky1948]

What I may do is get a small Canon in a housing (about $400) for overall "snap shooting" when shallower then 100' where a strobe will not help and take it with me along with the Nik III or V for use with the big strobes - and after I have shot my 36 frames.

Do you mean 10'? Anything below that you really need the strobe to bring out the colors of course.

I still have my Nikonos V, but have "gone to the dark side" with a D70, twin strobes, and Ike housing. I have to say, it's a pleasure to get instant gratification! And, for 8X10 printing, the resolution is just fine.

If I want B&W for the wrecks (deep or shallow), one click in PS will do the trick.

 

[Gilldiver]

Do you mean 10'? Anything below that you really need the strobe to bring out the colors of course.

I still have my Nikonos V, but have "gone to the dark side" with a D70, twin strobes, and Ike housing. I have to say, it's a pleasure to get instant gratification! And, for 8X10 printing, the resolution is just fine.

If I want B&W for the wrecks (deep or shallow), one click in PS will do the trick.

What I would use it for is overall wide snap shots of divers, wrecks, etc. The stuff that no strobe will work for. More of a play thing then anything else. Also for topside shooting out of the housing.

For close up work within strobe range, that is what the Nikonos is for .

 

[wetminkey]

Yo! I've been shooting with my Nikonos V/Ikelite substrobe for many years,...got the two for $600! I really prefer the resolution of film, but have just purchased a Sony DSC-N1 UW digital for my wife to carry,...about $280 + $150 for the housing. A 2GB flash card stores the pics. I sure am impressed with the 8MP pics, lack of expense with no film or developing, I don't have to wait to see if I got the pic I wanted, and can re-take the pic if I'm not pleased in many cases. Haven't been diving with the Sony yet, and expect the flash to be in adequate, but damned if the camera won't shoot at the equivelent of 800 ISO! I'd like to see if I can locate a wireless strobe rather than try to filter for proper colors. My Nikonos is fantastic, but requires a Pelican case for transport, and the Sony is the size of a pack of cards without the UW case! All in all, film is slowly being outmoded by digital, but it's still king,...and the initial expense of a high quality digital can be made up for due to the pic review available, no film costs, no developing costs, and no wait to get those pics,...but can I afford the big expense for the top of the line digital all at once?! NO! Still, can I afford the 28 or 20 mm lens I'd like for my Nikonos? I wish! Just gotta have the $$$$$!

 

[Sharky1948]

If you go serious digital...housed DSLR, multiple lens, twin strobes, housing, etc., the Pelican case will be a lot bigger and a lot heavier!

 

[Gilldiver]

Not to totaly hijack the thread but one of my worries is the problem with data loss from all digital sources. I have the negatives from shots that are 30 years old and family B&W that date back to the 1920's. Will digital ever last?

I know the archivest are having a tough time with this problem, PC writen CD's last maybe 6 years and the way formats change how do you keep them. Even Kodochrome and Ectochrome fade.

The only photos that we know last are B&W.

 

[Sharky1948]

A simple (though tedious) solution to digital archiving is to duplicate the CDs or DVDs every few years to prevent data loss.