Most useless photographic accessory

[chuckroast]

Those non-metered prisms they made for the Nikon F and F2.
It’s difficult to imagine abandoning the convenience of coupled TTL metering.

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.

 

[LtDave]

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.

i have a Zeiss Super Ikonta (in 6x9) that came in one of those. THAT is a pain because you only get 8 shots per roll of film so in and out a LOT if you shoot much at all....

 

[LtDave]

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 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...

 

[reddesert]

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.

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:

 

[LtDave]

...s small flash 'modifier' accessories that effectively do little to 'improve' the light output goal of 'softening'

THIS!

ive seen one particular 'professional' photographer (actually solid acquaintance of mine) shoot with one of those a) in a hockey rink with the opening to the side (i think it was like a rogue flash bender) and b) with the rubber bubble one, on her speedlite, outdoors, pointed AT THE SKY.

id love to see the RAWs to see what she's getting OOC. surely its not doing anything for the image. i shoot my speedlite straight into peoples faces (like i did on the newspapers i worked for) OR, if i have a low white ceiling ill bounce it with the little eyelighter panel pulled out to deflect a little bit straight out

 

[chuckroast]

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.

 

[MattKing]

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.

 

[wiltw]

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.

Many years ago I shot this as a demo of what light modifiers of two different sizes do for softening shadow edges cast by the source itself (not the same as 'fill' source used for reduction of shadow contrast)...shot at a distance of about 20' from the 'subject' (plant stand)

Shot using 5"x7" softbox over flash lens

Shot with 16" x 20" softbox over flash lens

The light modifiers that do not increase the apparent SIZE of the lightsource do little. Even increasing size from 1.5"x3" flash lens to 5"x7" apparent size did not do much at a 20' distance, as shown in the first example above.

 

[LtDave]

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.

yep. i used an index card for a while then used a piece of scrap mat board that was much more resilient. ive used a white plastic spoon too, scotch taped to the head because my index card had gotten lost....

thats what's nice about the Canon speedlites. they have that little piece of white plastic that pulls out with the diffuser panel (which can then be slipped back into the head)

 

[wiltw]

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.

The reflective card serving to provide catchlight seen in eyes, yes that is the benefit; it is the bounce off the ceiling which serves as a huge apparent source which 'softens'. No ceiling/walls nearby = no bounce, no 'softening'...'useless'

The 'modifier' that simply slips over the lens (without causing significant alteration to size of apparent source) do little to nothing...'useless'

 

[RLangham]

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.

The most useless one I haven’t bought is probably the big, loud, slow shutter speed priority attachment for an F2SB. Or maybe the pack film Polaroid attachment for Nikon F.

The one that you would think was useless that’s actually great? Voigtländer Kontur, which was an accessory action finder that they made in versions for normal lenses on 35mm 24x36 or MF 6x6. You look through it and all you can see is bright (and I mean BRIGHT) frame lines. You keep both eyes open and view with one eye and look at the frame lines with the other. I bought one thinking it was a novelty, but it actually rocks hard.

 

[wiltw]

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!

 

[RLangham]

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!

Oh no, sure, I’ll cop to the usefulness of the cold shoe, and in fact for my graflexes I’ve always loved having a big bulb flashgun with no batteries in it as a side grip. My first speed graphic had a shoe for the sliding clips on one of those guns and later I got a bracket that does the same but mounts to the bottom of my Anniversary SG.

But for a 35mm SLR or rangefinder, every single one of those grips I’ve tried has naturally guided my hand to a position that’s too high relative to the camera, making it look and feel very awkward to raise the camera to my eye. I suppose they’re good for the old Argus bricks, since there’s no way to look cool or be comfortable shooting one of those anyways! (And I say that as a C3 guy).

 

[snusmumriken]

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.

 

[okofoto]

A selfie stick

Not a photography gadget.

 

[ChrisGalway]

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.

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.

 

[Carnie Bob]

I would have to say Jobo Foot Pump.

 

[Terrence Brennan]

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

I have one of those, purchased in 1977, for use in the studio, when I was a Photographic Arts student at Ryerson Polytechnicnal Institute. A very useful accessory!

It was also useful many years later, when I was a technician at a professional lab. As I remember, the client wanted a black and white print from a 4x5 colour transparency. The image was of an aircraft, made while the aircraft was aloft, with white, fluffy clouds in the image.

The way I made the clouds “pop out” was to use a Wratten 25 filter when I exposed the black and white film. The film I used was Kodak Super-XX sheet film, this being about 1992, when it was still available.

 

[cliveh]

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.

Tell that to the large format people. I have known photographers who would not take a photograph without one. For one or two shots, I have even used a tripod with my M2.

 

[MattKing]

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.

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.

 

[Don_ih]

Many cameras that featured flash cube connections lowered the shutter speed when a flash cube was inserted into the connector.

That's the way to get more exposure on your 126 film in an instamatic - put a blown flash cube in.

And flashcubes are great indoors. There's nothing else that looks quite the same. I like them so much, I have about 120 of them.....

 

[eli griggs]

Four inch plastic tripod for plastic fixed lens camera (SLR style)!

 

[snusmumriken]

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 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.

And flashcubes are great indoors.

I’m not tempted!

 

[Chromium VI]

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...

We used to have a deep tank (Kindermann I think...) that could develop around 40ish rolls at a time. It uses stainless stell spirals held on a rack, and an operator would manually lift the rack to change tanks. These tanks were held by larger water heater tank to keep the temps even.