Retention of lenses for film camera

[Weslake-Monza]

Is there a good reason to retain lenses for a film camera that I no longer plan on using? I plan to keep a film camera itself until I've replaced everything with digital (macro and super wide lenses most likely to be last to go). Why do people buy lenses for film cameras on ebay - are they collectors or are they actually using them? I don't want to hang onto a bunch of lenses that will never get used and grow mouldy and I'd rather sell them for something to put towards lenses for my digital camera. On the other hand I don't want to be kicking myself in 5 or 10 years team for selling all my film camera kit because I didn't realise there was a very good reason to keep them. Any advice appreciated.

[mike80]

Depends what they are I suppose. Have you got a list?

Edited to add: Presumably people buy them for all sorts of reasons, but there is definitely a bit of a thing of people buying cheaper old lenses and adapters to use on modern cameras. I've done it myself, and particularly on mirrorless cameras they can be a good buy.

Edited by mike80 on Monday 14th December 20:32

[RobDickinson]

Really depends what they are. Cheap nasty old Canon fd stuff might not be worth a lot..

But with the rise of mirrorless and easy ways to adapt any lens and also easy manual focus a lot of old lenses have been going up t in value through increased demand.

[Weslake-Monza]

Zuiko for Olympus OM 35-70 F3.6 which I've used a couple of times in the last couple of years after paying for a professional clean and service (was broken when purchased) complete with a brand new Olympus Lens case specific for that lense. Probably I'll get £50+ for it but i can't see I'll use it as one reason I switched to digital and autofocus is that as Iv'e got older I've found it harder to get a sharp focus. I have a 50 macro to hang onto along with macro flashes and extension tubes as well as 21mm that most likely will be last to go - unless I get to replace it first. Both are in original lense cases.

[Simpo Two]

What you really want to do is swap manual focus lenses for autofocus lenses (nothing to do with 'film' or 'digital').

Take nice photos of them, stick them on eBay and get what you can. A good lens is always a good lens.

[matt5791]

Weslake-Monza said:

..... Why do people buy lenses for film cameras on ebay - are they collectors or are they actually using them? I don't want to hang onto a bunch of lenses that will never get used and grow mouldy and I'd rather sell them for something to put towards lenses for my digital camera. On the other hand I don't want to be kicking myself in 5 or 10 years team for selling all my film camera kit because I didn't realise there was a very good reason to keep them. Any advice appreciated.

There is huge interest in analogue photography - granted, it's not for everyone, but then that's the same with lot of things. We are in the photographic industry and a very common conversation is "I put my film camera away some years ago, but I want to start using it again" - we do hear this a lot. Or "I wish I hadnt sold all my film gear years ago"

So I would keep it all back, just in case, if I was in your shoes.

[andy-xr]

I use older lenses a bit now and again, but all my stuff is Nikon so it'll all work on anything as long as the mounts are the same. There is a difference between a 35-70 that came to me on an F50 vs the latest greatest 24-70 but sometimes the shortcomings of the lens are part of the charm, I don't need super sharp perfect focus with zero vignette and the ability to render colours more accurately than a 4k TV for some of the stuff I take pictures of

They're also good for sticking on my micro 4/3rds with an adaptor but I need aperture rings that aren't on some of the latest Nikon lenses I have.

[Weary of internet morons]

I'm one of those who regretted selling all my film cameras and lenses and, not fully happy with the digital look, have now done a 180 and sold all the digital stuff, except for going back to a Sony A7Rii which is mainly for colour and when I think I'll need v. high resolution, or am in a hurry.

As a result I've been on a blitz of review reading and buying older gear and one thing for film camera lenses is they are often such a bargain (maybe not the $20,000 Leica R 28-70mm f2.8 - and no, I don't have one!) for what they offer. By picking out the ones reviewers and owners rate and looking at the results/testing them out it's possible to get lenses that work brilliantly on the film cameras they were intended for and are up to the demands of the likes of the Sony.

I found a mint Leica 100mm Elmarit R f2.8 macro lens that is absolutely sharp from wide open centre to edge, the f4 version of the Leica R 35-70mm that more or less now lives on the A7 and is ace and 45-125mm Super Takumar (for £100) and 35mm prime (for £35) both mint that are lovely. The Pentax 50mm f1.4 that came with a £45 Pentax Spotmatic (in fine order) was basically free and is a nice lens and ditto, the standard Zuiko 50mm f1.8 isn't too shabby and again came in mint condition with a refurbished OM1 for £100 the pair. So there are some amazing bargains to be had. The prime lenses, in particular, from 20+ years ago can be wonderful and also tend to have that solid, metal, sometimes hand assembled feel, that many modern lenses seems to lack.

And as for being defunct, I can use any of the Leica M, Leica R, Olympus and Pentax M42 thread lenses on the Sony with adapters,with the only worries being with (some) ultra wide angle lenses, though the Leica 16 to 21mm worked great.

Tme lenses, in particular, from 20+ years ago can be wonderful and also tend to have that solid, metal, sometimes hand assembled feel, that many modern lenses seems to lack.