Saving my Nikon N80 from death by storage
It fell sometime in the mid 90’s in a small city in Idaho. I was a dorky teenager in high school with an interest in photography. My prior experience was limited at best. My school offered a photography class complete with a dark room and all the equipment to process film and produce prints. I had a brand-new but inexpensive point-and-shoot camera. This camera was incredibly basic, as was my photography knowledge. I’d argue now that the camera was perfect for me as it forced me to not even think about exposure or camera settings and work on composition. I was eager to learn but apprehensive that my camera was not good enough.
The teacher for the course, if I recollect correctly, had a reputation for being a bit of a grouch. This made me slightly apprehensive. I never really got to find out as he retired a week into the class. I don’t know for sure why he left but he managed to teach some of the basics and some lab introduction before he departed.
Not all was lost as a senior classman had taken the class and knew most of the basics for the lab, and the school provided a substitute for the trimester. The teacher knew nothing about photography, and her only requirement was to present a slideshow project to the class at the end of the trimester set to music. I learned the very basics and loved the lab portion where we developed our film. It left an appetite for more that continues to this day.
A while later, I was able to purchase my first SLR camera. The Nikon N80. It looks so simple compared to my newer DSLR cameras that I’ve acquired over the years, but at the moment it was very intimidating and exciting with all the buttons and dials. Even just the weight of it made me feel like I finally had a camera worthy of taking amazing images. I was right and wrong. You see, a camera is just a tool and nothing more. Good tools can make the job easier, and they tend to last longer, but they do not make up for experience and knowledge. As such, my first images were all terrible! At best, I had some snapshots and a few that I thought were artistic for some reason at the time. I was hooked.
As time went on and I bounced around through life, this camera came along for the ride. Eventually, I went digital, and my N80 got put in storage for good. I’ve lost the lens caps and somewhere along the line, it got all sticky as well. This last winter, I decided to turn the basement living room into my man cave and work even more on my photography.
Equipment. Is 4 cameras enough? I don’t think so
As I placed each piece out on my desk, I looked at my sad-looking N80 sitting amongst all these prized possessions. If this camera had meant that much to me, why had I allowed it to fall into such a state? I commented to my daughter about it, to which she looked up from her drawing pad and said, “Well, clean it up, Dad”. With a bit of nostalgia kicking in, my mind went to work as it usually does. Sure, analog is outdated technology, and even the cameras that replaced analog are now outdated. It still deserves better.
At this point, I didn’t even know if the camera even worked anymore, but I couldn’t think of any reason for it not to work. The inside of the camera looked brand new still. Of course, the batteries were dead and who has spare 3v batteries lying around. I decided it was worth cleaning up at the very least, and if it still works, that’s an added bonus.
After several hours of delicate cleaning, I was surprised at the condition of the camera. The outside of the body showed minimal signs of use or abuse. And other than a few dust bunnies, the inside of the camera was mint! I was getting pretty excited about this time and thought holy crap! We need film and batteries right away!
with the help of my lovely assistant and inspiration for the whole project
The batteries were easy to find, but I soon found that film would be trickier to find locally, which I had expected to be the case. In any case, I put batteries in the camera, and it fired right up. A few tests of the shutter mechanism, and it’s good to go. The film was ordered and again we waited. I suppose the good part was I could write about what was accomplished so far while it was fresh on my mind, and make plans for what to do once my film arrived.
I hate waiting for packages, but I’m also cheap, so free shipping means I get to practice my patience skills, a valuable trait for any photographer.
Opening this package was exciting, and I was filled with anticipation. Those 3 little boxes brought a flood of nostalgia. I eagerly opened the first box and laughed when I saw the plastic film canister. Somehow, I had forgotten about those little plastic cans with flip lids. The film choice itself, I will admit, followed a ton of reading and research but not coming to any solid conclusion. I ended up choosing Ilford because they looked to have a solid reputation and a quality film. This film looked to fit my needs, so I ordered 3 rolls. If I decide I like it, I’ll put a link to anyone interested for old times’ sake. It’s an art that will soon be lost to us.
The one aspect of gear I changed from my old setup was that I swapped out the old lens with something newer and nicer. The Nikon af-s Nikkor 50mm 1.8G to be exact. A classic lens that many say belongs in every photographer’s bag. It’s affordable, incredibly sharp, and versatile. Wide open at f/1.8, this lens can let in a lot of light, which might come in handy as the film iso is set.
Loading film was another fun trip back in time. Closing the back and hearing the camera wind the film into place. If you’re old enough, you’re likely smiling right now recalling that feeling of a fresh roll of film and all those lousy photos about to happen. Why do I feel so nostalgic for this?
The camera is set and ready for action… or stills I suppose, is more the case. My favorite part has been sharing the process with my family. My daughters are amused, and for them, it’s new. My wife laughs at my geekiness, but she also has memories of analog cameras.
I decided to make this a 2 part article. The next will discuss the camera in the field and the best of the photos captured. I have no idea how long it will take me to get the images shot and the film processed. While you wait, though, I’ll still be working behind the scenes on more photos and articles.
Love this post! Brings back a lot of memories.