Konica Minolta 5D DSLR - does it still cut it?

[Greg Beetham]

Sheesh Barry, you've nearly got me pulling the X700's back out but as reluctant a digital convert as I was, there is a couple of things that film could never do, one is, that rear screen takes some beating, and two, I occasionally do a two or three shot pan, landscape or portrait, at natural perspective pretty much only for me, ie. 35mm on APS-C, 45mm or 50mm on FF, (if I had one that is), and that is something that digital does so effortlessly it's a deal breaker for me, of course you can still do it with film now that you can digitize the negs, granted, but not as conveniently, and it's still a bit of a risk if you're on holiday overseas, or you are a travel photographer say, (I'm not), relying on those non replaceable exposures on film to be correct, and you would have too agree that the ability of a digicam too instantly change the ISO value is another thing that is really inconvenient for a 35mm film camera, unless of course you are using an MF with a few backs, then you can swap ISO's around almost as quickly as a digital, ie. push darkslide in and push release button to remove back, put on new back pull out darkslide, wind the crank, done.
So for me I think if I was to dabble in B&W film it would be a case of drag out the Bronica or Mamiya not the X700...besides my scanner does a much better job on MF than it does on 35mm.
Greg

[bfitzgerald]

I am going to try a film panoramic stitch job shortly, just waiting for the right one to come up! I agree on many points, and that is digital is a damn handy tool, and I am happy in some ways with it.
With the ISO value, yeah that's a good point..only real way around that is to take a 2nd body and load it with faster film, I tend to keep one for colour one for b&w, have a few other film cameras also..so I have enough bodies to cover most situations.
The film project should be useful to all of us, we can then use various equipment as we need, different scanners, use of the darkroom and no doubt a MF system will spring up as well. Have to get this one sorted out soon, colour film is fine to scan..b&w can be more effort. I take my notebook with me now, just to take down the dates and info that I need to know..so if I did push a roll here and there..well that helps.
Have a little job on Tuesday, by rights it should be a def digital job..but I am tempted to take the film camera just out of badness..you have to have a bit of a fun factor at times, and as almost all are using digital..you are at least certain that it will look a bit different, if nothing else!
Bit like going back to basics for me, I admit it's kinda strange with nothing to see instantly..just the buzz of the roll finishing, having to wait for the results..is like a trip to Santa though

[Bodak]

In regard to the original question, I still use mine along with the A700.
20k clicks and still going.