Getting Back Into Photography with a Goodwill Nikon

How resurrecting an old camera reignited my photography hobby.

The Nikon N8008—or F-801—was manufactured from 1988 to 1991.

I was obsessed with photography when I was in college. One of my favorite pastimes was hiking in the Bear River Range above Utah State University while taking photos of the scenery. I hiked in all seasons and my camera always accompanied me. 

My first camera was a Nikon D3200 that my wife gifted to me in 2012. I quickly got bored with the 18-55mm lens that came with the camera and picked up the ubiquitous 35mm 1.8 lens. The purchase of that lens made everything click (pun intended) with me. I now had a capable lens that could be used in almost any situation. 

I took that camera with me everywhere. I used it in Puerto Rico, Italy, trips around the US, and on several hiking trips. I shot photos with that camera until the shutter started to fail. With nearly 200,000 releases, I had hit the limit of what my D3200 was designed to handle.

Moving Up

I sold my trusty D3200 for parts on eBay and purchased a Nikon D7100 from a friend. The 7100 was a massive upgrade from my original body. It had advanced autofocusing and better video-capturing capabilities. I used this camera mostly for work and did more video production with it than photography.

I also purchased a Sony A6000 and a vintage 50mm lens for fun. I messed around with the Sony but ended up selling it because I didn’t like the viewfinder and image results. I continued to shoot with my D7100 until my first son was born in 2018. From this point on, I started to use my camera less and less.

I eventually sold the D7100 and all of my gear in 2019 after it sat dormant for a year. I moved on and didn’t think back about it.

Going Backward

My life has changed even more since 2019. I have more kids, more responsibilities, and less time than ever. Sounds like the right time to get back into photography! I found an old Nikon N8008 at Goodwill a while back and bought it for its lens. I sold the lens on eBay for $55 and used the camera body as a book stop for nearly a year. That was until I was bored one weekend and started messing with it.

I took the N8008 apart and discovered that its battery cartridge had dried acid on it. Makes sense why I could never get it to turn on. I cleaned up the rest of the camera, put new batteries in it and it turned on. I was amazed because I thought it was dead. The only problem was that I didn’t have a lens or film to shoot photos with.

I purchased some 400-speed film and a 50mm 1.8 lens from KEH.com and started to shoot. I began with shooting photos of my kids around the house. I took shots at our local Cars & Coffee meet. I took some great photos during Christmas. 

My sons with Santa. Note the cool film burn.

A Rookie Mistake

The best and worst part about shooting with film is the anticipation. When I finished my first roll, I carefully followed the instructions I found online for winding the film. When my camera stopped winding I then proceeded to open the lid. To my horror, there was film present. I immediately shut the door and pushed the buttons to rewind the film even more. When I had confirmed that the film was finished winding, I removed the cartridge and placed it in its tube.

I mailed the film to Dunwoody Photo in Atlanta for processing. I told them that the film had been exposed during rewinding and asked if there was anything they could do. You never know, right?

My friend’s Porsche 930 at Cars & Coffee. The aesthetic of this photo is just awesome.

Getting My Film Back

Of the 36 shots I took, I received 15 usable photos. My little mistake had destroyed more than half of the shots on my film roll. There was nothing Dunwoody Photo could do. Oh well, that’s part of the learning process.

But what I did receive invigorated me to keep shooting. Due to the extra light that burned the film, some of my shots had a cool effect. The mood of these photos was unlike anything my iPhone had ever captured.

When I saw my photos, I completely understood why people go nuts for film photography. My photos felt more personal because they were tangible. They felt real and not manufactured or enhanced through software. I had captured light with glass and was looking at the final result. 

My kids absolutely loved seeing themselves in the printed photos. They took the ones they liked and put them on their bedroom walls.

My son standing in front of my former Volvo 240. Check out the Christmas tree on the roof.

Moving Forward

Now that I know my Nikon N8008 works, and I’m well versed on how to extract the film, I’m shooting with it more than I have with any camera in years. I bring my camera with me on walks and going to the park with my kids.

I’m getting to know my camera better too. It’s a simple machine with zero unique modes. You get shutter and aperture priorities, a manual, and a program mode. I’m taking shots in each mode just to see how the photos turn out. I prefer shooting in manual but find it difficult to catch quick, candid shots of my kids. The aperture and shutter priority modes are perfect for these kinds of shots. Plus, the camera’s autofocusing works pretty well.  

My 911 street parked.

I can see myself going much deeper down the film rabbit hole but for now, I’m going to get the most out of the equipment I have. I want to reach the camera’s limits before I buy anything else, similar to how I used my D3200 a decade ago.

Reacquainting yourself with an old hobby is actually more exciting than starting a new one. I’m picking up where I left off while shooting with a different medium. I can’t wait to see what photos I capture.