Countdown Timer Needed

Peter De Smidt · Jul 21, 2009

I've recently started experimenting taking really long exposures, on the order of 30 minutes or so. Can someone recommend a countdown timer? Preferably one that hangs on a lanyard. Ideally, it'll keep counting after the time is up, and while it beeps when time is up it won't keep beeping. It should be easy to set but not easy to inadvertently change.

Thomas Wilson · Jul 21, 2009

Go to Walmart and pick up a $10.00 digital meat thermometer. It will give you good temp readings down to 32°, sound an alarm when the chemistry you pulled out of the fridge reaches your start temperature, and it will, of course, sound an incessant alarm when the count down timer reaches zero. It will also tell you how long past the stop time it took for you to cancel the alarm.

Peter De Smidt · Jul 21, 2009

Hi Thomas,

I do have a digital thermometer/count down time in the kitchen. It's too big and easily resettable for me to want to use it as a count down timer in the field.

c.w. · Jul 21, 2009

Since you're talking 10+ minutes why not just use an alarm clock? Travel ones are pretty small - i'm not sure i've ever seen one with a lanyard though.

Rick A · Jul 21, 2009

I buy my small digital timers at the Dollar Tree(everything for a buck) they can be set to count down in minutes and seconds and have an audible beep. They are only about 1 by 2 inches in size by about .25" thick. I'm sure you could attach one to a lanyard.
Rick

bsdunek · Jul 21, 2009

Mine's not on a lanyard, but I use my cell phone sometimes. Will count either up or down.

Ian Grant · Jul 21, 2009

I think most mobile phones have a timer, I have an all singing & dancing model it does everything basic (It's the MOST basic model available).

Never had to do a 30 minute exposure, longest so far has been 10 minutes, with no watch (don't own one), no phone, I just walked around talking to myself counting of the minutes, worked perfectly.

A watch is accurate enough, 30 seconds either way is irrelevant.
.
Ian

Peter De Smidt · Jul 21, 2009

Yeah, I know. My cell does have an alarm feature, but it isn't that easy to set. A watch certainly would work, but at 30 minutes the odds of me being distracted by something bright and shiny are quite high.

David Brown · Jul 21, 2009

http://www.amazon.com/Polder-898-95...r_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1248201042&sr=1-4

We have 3 of these at my house ...

Peter De Smidt · Jul 21, 2009

Hi David, That's what I was thinking about, but I've never seen one in person. Since you have three of them, they obviously work well for you. Do they keep counting after the timer goes off?

eclarke · Jul 21, 2009

Hey Peter, here is what I have and I love it..Evan Clarke

http://www.highgear.com/prod/AltiTe...0&CategoryID=4&CFID=13680799&CFTOKEN=96514913

rternbach · Jul 21, 2009

ULTRAK 440 Stopwatch and Countdown Timer

http://www.bodytronics.com/PROD/UL440

comes with its own lanyard.

MPandolfo · Jul 23, 2009

Hi Peter, I use this timer as a backup in my darkroom:

http://www.wmf.com/clever-more-_82511181/universal-timer-clever-more_163801.html

It's very practical and looks cool.

Peter De Smidt · Jul 23, 2009

Thanks Everyone. I'm sure one of the suggested items will work fine for me.

David Brown · Jul 23, 2009

Peter De Smidt said:
Hi David, That's what I was thinking about, but I've never seen one in person. Since you have three of them, they obviously work well for you. Do they keep counting after the timer goes off?

No, it does not keep counting after the timer "goes off". This is in "timer" mode, i.e. counting down. Counting up - it just keeps going ...

I mean, it's 12-15 dollars. Pretty basic.

Countdown Timer Needed

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