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Most useful photographic accessory

cliveh

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Oct 9, 2010
Messages
7,956
Format
35mm RF
For me it would be a vidom finder, but for anyone doing studio work, I would suggest a white card.
 
A Pentax Digital Spot meter when they work properly. Have been through three of them. Also, coffee filters as lens cleaning tissue. A cheap hack.
 
My Sekonic L-398 and Sekonic Spot Sensor II meters.
 
My Jobo artisan Chamonix 5x loupe. Ultralight (carbon fibre housing) around my neck, indispensable for proper focussing, a joy to use.
 
petrk said:
You forgot the 18 % gray card
Click to expand...

I usually use my Lunasix 3 meter in the incident mode; if I need a grey card, there is always the palm of my hand, with a +1 stop offset.

Seriously, more than 40 years ago, an old photographer told me that the classified section of the daily paper, the part with small text, makes an excellent substitute for a grey card.

Unfortunately, I haven’t much bought an actual paper newspaper for years, as I now read the daily news on my phone!
 
And while there are apps, that can make screen gray, the do not refIect light. Very sad, so my hand is probably the best accessory I usually have on reach. I meant my comment as joke, because of your avatar saying 18 % gray. I am really curious, how many of us use the gray card. I do have some, I have even color targer card, but I cant recall, if I used some in the field.
 
A Crumpler camera bag, of a model they no longer make (of course, because it was good). I think it was maybe called ‘Snauros’? It is well padded, holds one 35mm rangefinder camera with lens and spare film. Comfortable to carry, and quick to open, after unstitching some objectionable hook-and-loop stuff, but I only use it for storage when the camera is off-duty. Has a storm flap to seal against blowing sand, and is reasonably waterproof.
 
petrk said:
... 18 % gray. I am really curious, how many of us use the gray card. I do have some, I have even color targer card, but I cant recall, if I used some in the field.
Click to expand...

As a visual reference after shooting, for making sure I can achieve accuracy of tonal reproduction range within a scene especially when ETTR exposure is employed and 'midtone' is not exposed to be 'middle of range', or to ensure neutrality of color reproduction especially when clients insist upon color neutrality.
 
It depends on the format. For large format, definitely a tripod with a good head, followed by a light meter, a dark cloth, a cable release, and a loupe. For 35mm—or in my case medium format as well—an ever-ready case. Because with smaller formats I very rarely carry anything other than a camera with a single lens.
 
cliveh said:
For me it would be a vidom finder, but for anyone doing studio work, I would suggest a white card.
Click to expand...

I bought a universal L bracket on Amazone a couple of years ago for my 35mm film cameras and it works great with ball head tripod directly. Much better balance on vertical compositions. These are a digital camera thing that works really well on old 35mm film cameras.

 
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