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Archive 2013 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?

  
 
Red Rover
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


My first camera was a Minolta 101 I bought as a 16 year old in 1973. I fell in love with photography and a year later convinced my Dad to let me convert half of the garage into a darkroom (remember those?).

I had a good paying job by 19, and made my first major camera purchase; a Nikon F2 Photomic and 3 lenses. A 55 Micro Nikor, a 105, and maybe a 35? Too long ago to remember. But I do remember that it was about 3 paydays worth of $$$$ to get the Nikon goods. I felt like a king

Now, as I get ready to retire after 37 years of firefighting, I am getting ready to "round out my kit". I can buy pretty much whatever I want. $5900 will buy me:

Nikon D 7100 with Nikon battery grip and spare battery.
35 mm f 1.8
70-200 f 4.0 G
300 AFS ED IF f 4.0
1.7 Tele
SB 910
Think Tank Streetwalker HD
Wimberley Sidekick
Kirk lens collar for the 70-200 f 4

All of that kit is less than one paycheck now, hence my question "are the good old days now?". Have you ever thought about what you bought "back in the day" VS what you can buy now compared to your income at both points? We all complain about the cost of new gear, but I am way ahead of the price/income ratio of the late 70's.

I currently have a D7000 with Nikon grip, Induro CT 213 with Acratech GV2 ball head, 17-55 f 2.8, and 70-300 f 4.5-5.6 The kit listed will give me a 2 camera set up and I will give the 70-300 to my wife. I mostly shoot outdoors and my dogs working at hunt tests are the usual subjects.

And as much as I believe in buying the best, and as much as I covet the Nikon 300 f 2.8, there is no way I would buy one for the same price as the kit I listed above.

Anyway, sorry for rambling, but to me, the good old days really are now.



Nov 28, 2013 at 09:01 PM
MX727
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


Just remember, you don't have to buy new, especially with the big lenses. Lots of people covet them, buy them, never use them and then sell them, saving the patient guy thousands. I got essentially brand new copies of the 400/2.8 VR and 200/2.0 VR for less than what a brand new 400 would cost.

I do tend to buy new bodies, although my last D700 was used and again, nearly perfect. Guys that sell stuff here and on Nikon Cafe tend to be very conservative on their ratings. I've heard the same if you buy from KEH.



Nov 28, 2013 at 09:52 PM
Two23
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


I'm heavy into buying and using historical camera gear. One thing I've noticed is that the equivalent price for a really "hot" camera seems to be about $2,500, no matter what decade or century you are talking about. An yes, the "good old days" are now. I have a Leica IIIc that would have cost the equivalent of a Nikon D800 in 1942.


Kent in SD



Nov 28, 2013 at 11:38 PM
the solitaire
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


Just slightly off the topic, I would buy an SB700 instead of the SB910. Smaller size and more use out of a set of batteries is worth a lot in the field. Just something to consider.




Nov 29, 2013 at 03:21 AM
Red Rover
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


the solitaire wrote:
Just slightly off the topic, I would buy an SB700 instead of the SB910. Smaller size and more use out of a set of batteries is worth a lot in the field. Just something to consider.



I have long considered the 710 as the flash I wanted, and only added the 910 to the list because it was Nikon's "best" and because I could afford it.

I don't use a flash much so i think you are right. I want to attempt more formal outdoor portraits of my dogs (I know, sounds silly) and use an off camera flash to add a little pop. Thanks for the good advice..



Nov 29, 2013 at 08:35 AM
thursdaylsr
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


I envy you so much as a working photographer…

Buy full frame, a D610 (thats what it is now, right?) will make you 100x happier in your photography. I frown when I have to look through a DX viewfinder after switching to FX.



Nov 29, 2013 at 08:42 AM
glassartist
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


A couple of comments-
I absolutely agree. It's not just the cost, but the capabilities of the equipment has expanded. I too started photographing in college in the early 70's. Remember Tri-X? Were there ANY zooms 'back in the days' that matched the quality you can get from even current 'consumer' zooms like my venerable 18-70? Lenses are far improved; the capabilities of the cameras are far improved; and our ability to manipulate images post-process is really staggering compared to the film days.

I tend to agree with the idea of going to the D610. I went from a D600 to a D7100. Both fine and capable cameras. My reasons for switching was to get the reach for wildlife (birding), but as I look back over the files, those FX images are really a pleasure to work with.



Nov 29, 2013 at 10:05 AM
Red Rover
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


glassartist wrote:
Remember Tri-X?


Yes I do! I felt like a wizard creating magic the first time I pushed it to 800 ASA.

Remember ASA? Double exposing in camera? the smell of developer, stop, and fixer and the slimy feeling they left on unprotected fingers? Tongs were for sissies.

Anyway, regarding FX, I could go with a 610, but the DX format suits my needs 99% of the time. The D7000 I have has been in for repair on the shutter release twice and back focus callibration once. It does not instill confidence as my main camera, but I would be fine with it as a second body. I won't get much selling it so keeping it makes sense, especially since the last repair cost $250. Thanks Nikon.

So my new camera purchase will be my primary body and the D7100 is a better choice for me right now. I need the reach over wide angle and the new sensor is reportedly pretty good.

Any glass I buy will be FX so I can move up down the road if my needs change.



Nov 29, 2013 at 01:36 PM
John Skinner
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


I'm still stuck on the OP saying he got a F2 and roughly 3 pieces of glass for 3 paychecks in 73.. THAT, my friend was a WELL PAYING JOB.

My timeline and glass was almost neck and neck (short about 6 years)and even in university with a job, I was eating mac & cheese 7 days a week, barely being able to afford chem to finish work in a basement of Toronto where the subway ran below by basement and would wake me every 8 minutes...

As far as good ol'days.. it's a 'on the fence' thing for me.. I do miss the simplicity of taking kit (whether high end or not) and being able to produce images in line with just about all the others, in large part. It was like now..a 3 step process, but had a more simplistic feel to it.

Now, everyone with a DSLR is an expert, people are pixel peeping and comparing minutia... blogs filled with disinformation, and equipment is coming out of the R & D departments like there is a race on.. And I guess in bottom line numbers, there is for each company.

So I do like the innovation, I do like the ability to change work and process in home with much more creativity, but do not like the 'latest & greatest' everyone asking and changing kit items so often.. There is WAY too much emphasis placed on what people are buying and looking at, and not just making images.. That part is sad.

This entire forum is a really great place..as it offers all of the above, and so much more. It's a more mature place (most times) and I've picked up one hell of at lot of pieces of information here, than any other place.

So, I miss the days of old... but I enjoy the time spent here in the now..



Nov 29, 2013 at 02:05 PM
Andre Labonte
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


"The Good Old Days" are a myth. There never has been, nor will there ever be, "Good Old Days". Things change and as they change, some things get better and some things get worse.




Nov 29, 2013 at 02:06 PM
Red Rover
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


John Skinner wrote:
I'm still stuck on the OP saying he got a F2 and roughly 3 pieces of glass for 3 paychecks in 73..

.


Well, the Minolta was in '73 and it was $189. It was '77 when I made the Nikon purchase, but you're right, at $250 a week it was at least 4-5 pay days worth. But DAMN it felt good.

With all the retro fuss around the Df, I suggest a photo competition set up like the IROC Camaros where all the cars are the same. All the entrants will use a Nikkormat FN with a 50 1.8 and there will be a B & W and color category. Now we're talking retro my friends.



Nov 29, 2013 at 02:16 PM
Red Rover
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


Andre Labonte wrote:
"The Good Old Days" are a myth. There never has been, nor will there ever be, "Good Old Days". Things change and as they change, some things get better and some things get worse.



Lighten up Andre, we can have good old days if we want. It's just a saying, but for me, they are now.



Nov 29, 2013 at 02:21 PM
asiafish
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


While the OP got the F2 and glass for 3 paychecks, he was a 19-year-old and is now a retiring firefighter after 37 years on the job.

I don't know about anyone else, I worked entry-level jobs at 19, and entry level paychecks are MUCH smaller than peak earning years paychecks.

I spent about three paychecks to buy a Minolta X-570 and a pair of Kiron zooms in 1986 (age 19, to go with my existing SRT200 and two primes). These days one paycheck can buy a nice full-frame DSLR and a nice set of matching glass. Its not that camera prices have come down, but that at 46 I earn a whole lot more than I did at 19, even adjusted for inflation.

That said, our gear has never been better, so I do agree that the good old days of photography are right now.



Nov 29, 2013 at 02:52 PM
asiafish
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


Red Rover wrote:
Well, the Minolta was in '73 and it was $189. It was '77 when I made the Nikon purchase, but you're right, at $250 a week it was at least 4-5 pay days worth. But DAMN it felt good.

With all the retro fuss around the Df, I suggest a photo competition set up like the IROC Camaros where all the cars are the same. All the entrants will use a Nikkormat FN with a 50 1.8 and there will be a B & W and color category. Now we're talking retro my friends.


A good Nikkormat is getting hard to find. Why not broaden it a bit and say a manual-focus, manual exposure film camera with a 45 to 58mm lens. I doubt there is enough difference in optical quality between Minolta, Nikon, Canon, Olympus etc., and I know for a fact that no brand of camera was able to make a given film perform better. I'd play, and I'd probably do so with a Minolta SRT and a PC Rokkor 58mm f/1.4. That pair had some serious mojo.



Nov 29, 2013 at 02:56 PM
Red Rover
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


Well, I lucked into an Amazon Lightning Deal on the D7100 for $799, so I didn't wait until January. $300 off made me pull the trigger now. The 610 will have to wait.


Nov 29, 2013 at 04:05 PM
williamkazak
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


Good Old Days? I don't know if they are here now or gone. My first serious Nikon were a pair of F3 bodies. They were not perfect but I adapted to them the best that I could. I ended up with a bunch of Ais lenses which I eventually sold when I went DSLR. Now, a pair of D300 bodies are nice, especially because of the AF. That is the best improvement in Nikon bodies over the years IMHO.


Nov 29, 2013 at 04:47 PM
Red Rover
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Are The Good Old Days Right Now?


The beauty of the "good old days" is they are all relative and up to each of us to decide. Sounds to me like yours are now too, but maybe not.


Nov 29, 2013 at 04:56 PM





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