What to do with my old 35mm SLR?

240 LTS · 10-31-2009, 10:52 AM

I have a Pentax Super Program, extra lenses, motor drive, 2X converter, flash, etc.

Is there any market for it?

Are there any digital cameras that will accept the lenses?

I really like the camera but need to do something with it instead of just letting it set there.

Is there a middle range digital anyone would recommend? Maybe 10-15 mp.
Cannon EOS for example?

I have a Olympus Stylus 4.0 mp now. Looking for something of higher quality.

What about Digital video cameras that can take still photos also?

Thanks,
Jeff

jtburf · 10-31-2009, 11:53 AM

I had an old Canon SLR and I put it on Ebay, brought in a few extra dollars.

Maybe donate to a local scout troup or school near by.

John

54bullwinkle · 10-31-2009, 12:47 PM

Really worth nothing. Camera body I paid 1k for is worth 100 dollars or less.

I had v high end Nikon 35mm stuff I used for work and rec. Good news is my old lenses are compatible with Nikon's DSLR stuff, so I just changed out the bodies. Not a total loss.

linesix · 10-31-2009, 01:13 PM

Sold my Nikon 35mm on Ebay for $45.00. I kept the lenses for my D70 but the body was worthless. Most people serious enough to still use film don't use 35mm.

pugnacious3333 · 11-01-2009, 02:59 AM

I bundled all my old stuff and sold it on craigslist.

Also, try keh.com . They buy used stuff, you can trade there also.

Sprockets · 11-01-2009, 04:21 AM

My daughter took a high school photography class last year. They needed manual 35mm SLR's. Sell it on Craigslist or donate to a local school.

Capt. Mako · 11-01-2009, 06:39 AM

i had exactily the same problem with my Pentax i got the new DSLR and all the lences fit

Jay A · 11-01-2009, 06:58 AM

I traded mine in to this store when I bought my DSLR and saved a bundle:
http://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/

http://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/co...used/index.cfm

dssmith · 11-01-2009, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240 LTS

I have a Pentax Super Program, extra lenses, motor drive, 2X converter, flash, etc.

Is there any market for it?

Are there any digital cameras that will accept the lenses?

I really like the camera but need to do something with it instead of just letting it set there.

Is there a middle range digital anyone would recommend? Maybe 10-15 mp.
Cannon EOS for example?

I have a Olympus Stylus 4.0 mp now. Looking for something of higher quality.

What about Digital video cameras that can take still photos also?

Thanks,
Jeff

Get a Pentax Digital SLR. I have two of the simplest versions. (ist dl and K100 Super) 6mp cameras and they work great and take great pic's. They come with a kit lens that's a 28-80 (Film length) lens that's very good.

Then you can use your current Pentax lenses on the new Pentax SLR. Pentax lenses from the past are still forward compatible with the new camera's. (Lens mount is the same) You will have to use manual focus and stop down metering, but what the heck. A 50mm Pentax lens will give you equivalent 70mm focal length and make a great portrait lens for people pictures. Pentax made great lenses. Good as anybody's. Nikon/Canon/Minolta/Konica.

Your SLR body is not worth much.

On the other hand, if you like the camera, use it. Film is still cheap and you can send the film to Kodak or any other processors and they will develop the film and digitize the pic's. If you have a keeper, film makes for great enlargements.

SLR's like your pentax are excellent for taking astrophoto's. Go to a dark sky site and open up your shutter for an hour or so and make star circles.
If you have a telescope or spotting scope you can purchase an T ring adapter and put your manual camera on the scope and make excellent moon shots. (Remember the moon is a sunlit object so orbital motion won't blur the shot if you put the camera/lens on a tripod and bracket your shot's from 1/60th a sec a stop up or down)

You can make great lunar photo's and star trails easily with your current SLR. For the extra price of a $10 t ring and a cable release you will be using your camera in the nighttime and making great images.

Your flash will work in manual mode on any camera. Keep it. Keep the 2X converter and lenses. If you get a Pentax Digital SLR you will likely have a 400mm focal lenght capability. On a tripod, excellent for bird shot's outdoors.

240 LTS · 11-01-2009, 08:40 PM

Thanks everyone, this gives me a great starting point.

mattmuttsmithx · 11-01-2009, 08:46 PM

What you need to do is donate to your local community collage criminal justice department. I went to a community college before moving own to a larger four year school for criminal justice. When I was in community collage one of my classes was crime scene photography. All these classes use 35mm. We never had enough for everyone and alot of people had to go out and buy their own.

I would look on the website for your local community college and look up the criminal justice dept. head and contact him and tell him you would like to donate that camera. IT would make his day.

Good Luck!

Kamper · 11-02-2009, 05:05 AM

Hang on to it. You can show it to your great-grandchildren. Along with other bizarre ancient tech stuff like a wire telephone, gas powerred car and paper.

240 LTS · 11-02-2009, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamper

Hang on to it. You can show it to your great-grandchildren. Along with other bizarre ancient tech stuff like a wire telephone, gas powered car and paper.

A few years back, (more like a dozen now I think about it), I needed a phone on a land line real bad on a construction site so I brought a rotary phone in....you should have seen the looks I got and the comments I heard!!!!

It worked just fine.

In Depth · 11-03-2009, 09:42 AM

Any sugestions would realy be appreciated

It belonged to my father and i'll just never use it again. Im digital only now.

Minolta X-700 body
Minolta Auto 280 flash
Minolta MD 50 mm 1:1.7 lens
Vivitar 2x macro focusing teleconverter
Vivitar Series 1- 200mm 1:3.0 Auto telephoto zoom lens