Palm PDA for film notes

lmulder · Dec 10, 2003

Hi all,

just wondering if any of you are using a Palm type device for recording film exposure/aperture/speed/lens/filters/devleopment/etc notes.

I'm looking for a more systematic way to do this than my current method of writing up scads of data in notepads when I take the pic, crossreferencing the dev data and then losing the notes in the field.

Does anyone have software suggestions for PalmOS software that might handle some of this data entry, then download it to my PC, where I can at least back it up?

Thanks

Les

Alex Hawley · Dec 10, 2003

Not a bad idea although I haven't tried it. Don't know of any software but an Xcel spreadsheet would be wholy adequate. For some reason, I still prefer using good ol' M1 pencil and M2 paper.

dr bob · Dec 10, 2003

lmulder said:
Hi all,

just wondering if any of you are using a Palm type device for recording film exposure/aperture/speed/lens/filters/devleopment/etc notes.

I'm looking for a more systematic way to do this than my current method of writing up scads of data in notepads when I take the pic, crossreferencing the dev data and then losing the notes in the field.

Does anyone have software suggestions for PalmOS software that might handle some of this data entry, then download it to my PC, where I can at least back it up?

Thanks

Les

Remaining true to the analog ideal. I use a very small casette tape recorder. I record essentially everything I am doing and perceive while working then write down the succinct data later in comfort. The recorder has a voice activated mode which sometimes works well when the ambient noise level is low such as in the darkroom.

An advantage is that it needs no software, updates, downloads, or licensing. The only objectional thing is having to listen to my squeaky voice.

Truly, dr bob.

jhastie · Dec 10, 2003

Yes -

I found shareware for this. I will try to follow up 'cause my Palm is down in my car.

P.S - I found it. It is fotopad at sladky@mujmail.cz

John

Donald Miller · Dec 10, 2003

The ultimate program for use with a Palm, in my opinion, is the Expo Dev program offered by the View Camera Store. Additionally there is another program BTZS Plotter. These programs are in support of BTZS principles. Several people that post here use these. If you are interested and wihs further information, you can IM me and I will provide their names.

blansky · Dec 10, 2003

GASP!!!!!

Isn't that digital. Why not analog with a pen and a piece of paper. What the hell is the world coming to.

I thought those palm devices were for executives to play with while sitting on planes and in airports. People actually take all the time to type in notes when they could just write it down on a notepad?

Amazing.

Next thing you know you'll have a device to take and edit photographs without using film and a darkroom.

juan · Dec 10, 2003

I was just looking at a Teo 600 - a combination Palm, cell phone and camera. Ugh.

I write all that stuff in a notebook that stays in my camera bag, and after making a print, transfer the information to the sheet I keep giving the formula for my print. I can't really imagine a database that would include all the variables I write down while I'm trying out a new film or developer.
juan

Eric Rose · Dec 10, 2003

paper and pencil is the only way. I draw little pictures of the scene and put in dodging and burning info right then and there. I do all that pre-visualizatiion stuff, but the memory ain't what it use to be LOL.

Kate Mocak · Dec 10, 2003

Some time ago I could not imagine my life without a PDA. The excitement lasted about 2 weeks, after 2 months I stopped using it, after 6 months I found it in a drawer and gave it to my son to play with it. He did - for about 2 weeks .

I use pen and paper for my notes.

Alex Hawley · Dec 10, 2003

I fooled around with the idea this morning. Nope! Still don't like tapping out notes on a little screen with a little plastic stylus. Not to mention trying to write it then going back and correcting what the computer doesn't recognize with the translator.

Besides, its another battery that can go dead at the wrong moment.

bjorke · Dec 11, 2003

I have used GoPix (Palm) for years now.

And I use another Palm program as my darkroom timer (not enlarger timer). It lets me save sequences of timings, very handy.

marcello.brussard · Dec 11, 2003

I generally use my palm during the time dedicated to my job (i.e. too much) and I've tried GoPix, yet still I find more convenient to use a paper notepad and a pencil for keeping a log of my photos. Actually I use one notepad for my shooting, where data are intermingled with notes on the place, thougts and scketches, and another for the darkroom stuff.
Ciao,
Marcello

chiba · Dec 15, 2003

I also recommend paper - that way you can sketch the scene, note the time of day, general light conditions, draw little arrows for your spot readings, any filtration, etc. Moleskine make great notebooks, with a little elastic band to hold them closed, built in bookmark, pocket in the back for film box ends, etc. You'll be in good company too - Van Gogh, Matisse and Picasso used them.

marcello.brussard · Dec 15, 2003

chiba said:
Moleskine make great notebooks, with a little elastic band to hold them closed, built in bookmark, pocket in the back for film box ends, etc. You'll be in good company too - Van Gogh, Matisse and Picasso used them.

Moleskine are really nice, but, sadly, for the price of say 10 of their notebook you can buy a new PDA ;-)

Aggie · Dec 15, 2003

snapnsam · Dec 15, 2003

aggie,

I stick my 4x5 film holders into plastic zip lock bags. a postit note works fine to put down what I want to remember for that film holder.

Do you put the postit note inside or outside the bag?

Sam

happysnapper · Dec 15, 2003

I have done the same thing, but I always forget to take the sandwitch out first. I just get so darn excited when I take pictures.

Aggie · Dec 15, 2003

nexus · Jun 7, 2004

This is a fabulous website and the woman who made it has a bunch of software she uses in her palm pilot.

http://www.photoethnography.com/equipment.html

Scroll right down and she has various links to a number of palm pilot software she uses.

I want the XDA 2 *drool* its a phone as well.

Jorge · Jun 7, 2004

nexus said:
This is a fabulous website and the woman who made it has a bunch of software she uses in her palm pilot.

http://www.photoethnography.com/equipment.html

Scroll right down and she has various links to a number of palm pilot software she uses.

I want the XDA 2 *drool* its a phone as well.

So, if you have one of those Phone/PDA things, and you are on the phone and the person you are talking to asks you about something you have on the PDA, what do you do?
I am very happy with the BTZS expodev, but then it is not a generic program. Thanks for the link I will check it out.

David R Munson · Jun 7, 2004

When I got my new computer 2 years ago I got a Palm Pilot too, mostly for the sake of photo-related stuff. That lasted about three weeks and I was back to my steno pad. The Palm is now sitting on a shelf behind me and hasn't been used in probably at least a year. I should probably give the thing away at this rate. Now I just put exposure notes and anyhting else I need to keep track of in the same notebook that everything else goes into.

And Moleskine notebooks are the way to go! Give me my Moleskine and my Waterman pen and that's all I'll ever need to write with.

sparx · Jun 7, 2004

I've printed out some tables on A5 paper. All I have to do is write the film type, date and the relevant exposure info for each shot. This then gets hole punched and filed with the neg sheet. I am planning to put one together to use when printing as well but haven't got there yet.

b.e.wilson · Jun 8, 2004

I use a PocketPC for all my LF note taking. I couldn't find a good application, so I wrote my own database applet. It's very good for transferring data over to my website by copying the database itself to the server after adding an identification field.

Here's my page about the applet (free, but you need to buy the database program from someone else), and an example of how it integrates with my website.

nexus · Jun 19, 2004

Jorge said:
So, if you have one of those Phone/PDA things, and you are on the phone and the person you are talking to asks you about something you have on the PDA, what do you do?
I am very happy with the BTZS expodev, but then it is not a generic program. Thanks for the link I will check it out.

I have no idea. I don't own a PDA so i don't know if you can use both functions at once. I'm assuming you can, depending on the PDA.

Denis P. · Jun 19, 2004

lmulder said:
Does anyone have software suggestions for PalmOS software that might handle some of this data entry, then download it to my PC, where I can at least back it up?

Thanks

Les

I find PhotoLog quite useful. The URL is http://members.tripod.com/~PalmPhotographe/PhotoLog.htm

Also, for some other insteresting uses of Palm (e.g. to control the enlarger), see my pages on DIY stuff.

Denis

Palm PDA for film notes

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