If you spot meter for, say, zone system, the center weighted Nikon meters are not helpful. Switching to a plain prism makes the camera smaller and lighter as well.
I use both types of prisms as the situation dictates.
Those non-metered prisms they made for the Nikon F and F2.
It’s difficult to imagine abandoning the convenience of coupled TTL metering.
Well, I'm one of those rare individuals who love(d) using these camera cases for my Nikon FE/FE2. I had both the normal snout for my 24mm lens, and a longer snout for my 105mm. Sure, changing film meant taking the bottom of the case off, but I shot 36exp rolls, and I'm not using a motordrive, so that wasn't more than twice a day max, even under the most active shooting days. I used the case like a self-contained camera-bag, and with it on my camera, could either shoulder-carry or just jam it into whatever backpack I was using without worry that my gear would get trashed. When in "active shooter" mode, I would remove the snout and shove it in a pocket or backpack, so didn't suffer from the horror of "dangling". So for me with a mostly one-lens-at-a-time setup, the case worked really well, since I never had a formal camera-bag.
In the modern era, these cases have mostly disappeared, and the aftermarket just produces half-cases. For my Df, I have a really nice half-case with a metal bottom and a door that allows access to the battery/memory-card. I sometimes miss "the snout", but am just using a felt lens bag shoved on the lens when I'm in "jam it in the backpack" mode.
That's right, they are a nice accessory for some emergencies (I already needed on a couple times). Have you ever seen a Noritsu Film Retriever? Is a massive ~5kg machine with an oversize synchronous motor and big levers, etc... that does exactly the same as a small plastic retriever, but automatically with the power of Thor, used one couple of times, probably nice for big labs but quite useless in an educational BW darkroom where no one knows what that machine even does.
EDIT: It's the Noritsu model Koki SB-3U, if someone is interested in searching it around.
We may be talking about slightly different Linhof products, but the tension held Linhof holder for 70mm filters is the only thing I could find for the old Ilex-Calumet wide angle caltar 90mm f8 lens. If you have the holder and hood assembly, I think the hood can be removed leaving you with just the holder.
...s small flash 'modifier' accessories that effectively do little to 'improve' the light output goal of 'softening'
My nominee: any of the countless small flash 'modifier' accessories that effectively do little to 'improve' the light output goal of 'softening'
Mostly, I think that's right, but I do have an inflatable diffuser I ought years ago for my Vivitar 285HV. It definitely softens the harsh facial shadows from the flash. Very helpful when shooting portraits or (shudder) weddings.
I've got a lot of use over the years with a white card attached to the rotated for bounce flash head to direct a bit of the otherwise bounced light directly to the subject.
A bit of catchlight helps enliven a subject that has otherwise been lit by diffused bounce flash.
So a clip on accessory that does that would probably be handy.
I've got a lot of use over the years with a white card attached to the rotated for bounce flash head to direct a bit of the otherwise bounced light directly to the subject.
A bit of catchlight helps enliven a subject that has otherwise been lit by diffused bounce flash.
So a clip on accessory that does that would probably be handy.
I have never found the use case for those side grips with a cold shoe and built-in cable release, and I think I still buy them whenever they’re a dollar at the thrift store. They’re awkward for 35mm, uncomfortable for a TLR looking down, too small for a 4x5” Speed Graphic… I think they’re best for eye-level medium format cameras? Which is not a thing I own or use.
Back in the really old days, SLRs didn't have flash shoes necessarily. So the flash could be mounted onto the side handle grip top and the handle gave the user a grasp where the camera body grip was impeded by the accessory's horizontal bar which the camera base was mounted onto, and the cable release provided a means of tripping the shutter since the hand was no longer able to grasp the camera. It was once useful, but that vanished once flash shoes with contacts became standardized on the camera body...generally 'useless' today!
A selfie stick
What is the most useless photographic accessery you could, or have ever bought? Apart from a film squeegee, I would say a soft shutter button is completely useless.
I don't know what the Linhof filter holder looks like, but a thing you can use for lenses without a filter thread like those older Ilex-Calumets, is a spring tension clamp gel filter holder with a 2-barndoor hood. The one I know is called a "Voss gel filter holder" like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/235439128743
It holds 3x3" gels, but you may be able to slide a Cokin filter or similar into it. I have one of these. It doesn't fit this thread because it is cheap and occasionally useful - most usable solution for odd-size clamp-on hood that I know of. Pic from the ebay auction for posterity:
View attachment 422729
A tripod!!! Why do people buy these things, you have to lug it around. I stick to handheld shooting.
I do realise some people find a tripod invaluable ... but you did ask.
I once overheard a tourist, considering Durham cathedral from a distance of 100m, under the leaden skies typical of northern England. As I passed, he said to his wife, "It's kind of dark here, I think I'd better use a flash cube". Those were the boys, them flash cubes: impotent outdoors, atmosphere-killing indoors, quite often failing to fire. Durham cathedral is 66m high.
Many cameras that featured flash cube connections lowered the shutter speed when a flash cube was inserted into the connector.
I didn’t know that, and I’m pretty confident my tourist didn’t either! I never owned one of those cameras myself, but that’s handy to know if you need to.The irony is that using a flash cube in those situations often did help, but not for the reason expected.
Many cameras that featured flash cube connections lowered the shutter speed when a flash cube was inserted into the connector.
I’m not tempted!And flashcubes are great indoors.
we had one in the Noritsu lab i worked in during college. when youre processing anywhere close to 200 rolls or more of 35mm film a day, you get to love them. every now and again though, they wouldnt grab the film, so into the darkbox with an adapter it went...
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