Shooting an Airshow without batteries with a F3

Cholentpot · Sep 3, 2017

I showed up to an airshow today all loaded up and rearing to go. About 8 shots into my roll of HP5+ the batteries went. Here and there it would work but for the rest of this roll nothing. I didn't have any spares on me and the Sigma stand man laughed when I asked if he had spares.

So, as I was pushing this roll to 800 I was in a bit of trouble. I stuck a 2x tele-converter on my Series 1 70-210 zoom and proceeded to clunk away at 1/80th or the whereabouts. I'll be stand developing in some HC-110 tonight and see if I have some artistic smears of F-18's and F-16's rolling across the film plane.

I think the manual release did allow me to catch some frames though. Lesson learned and all that.

Sirius Glass · Sep 3, 2017

And that my sad friend is why many of us use all manual cameras.

Arklatexian · Sep 3, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
And that my sad friend is why many of us use all manual cameras.

Sirius, do you mean they are putting batteries in cameras these days. Golly, what will they think of next? All electronic, filmless cameras maybe?.........Regards!

Sirius Glass · Sep 3, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
And that my sad friend is why many of us use all manual cameras.

oldtimermetoo said:
Sirius, do you mean they are putting batteries in cameras these days. Golly, what will they think of next? All electronic, filmless cameras maybe?.........Regards!

THEY put batteries in cameras. I only use batteries to operate 35mm Nikon AF cameras, everything else does not use batteries except if they have light meters. Then the batteries are for the light meters, not the shutter nor film advance.

BrianVS · Sep 3, 2017

I had that happen once- pulled the batteries from the MF-14 data back and put them in the camera... After that, always leave a spare Lithium battery in the Bag.

For an Air Show- an MD-4 would be useful to get the shots. In your case, it would have powered the cameras electronics.

https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf3ver2/motordrive/Index.htm

They are dirt cheap these days.

Cholentpot · Sep 3, 2017

BrianVS said:
I had that happen once- pulled the batteries from the MF-14 data back and put them in the camera... After that, always leave a spare Lithium battery in the Bag.

For an Air Show- an MD-4 would be useful to get the shots. In your case, it would have powered the cameras electronics.

https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf3ver2/motordrive/Index.htm

They are dirt cheap these days.

Last year I shot with the MD-4 and it was a bucket of fun. Very heavy though. I left it at home because of the weight. Another lesson learned.

Sirius Glass said:
And that my sad friend is why many of us use all manual cameras.

I brought my Nikkormat as backup last year. This year I left it at home. Much to learn I still have. I felt like I was riding with one gear. I had fun being hobbled but I don't care to repeat it again.

BrianVS · Sep 3, 2017

F2AS+MD-2+MB-1+500/8 Reflex.... Heavy... I used to bring that combo to the Airshow.

Look for one of those plastic battery holders that goes on the camera strap.

juan · Sep 3, 2017

Get an F or F2 or Hassy or RB67. I don't even have batteries in the exposure meters I use with my real cameras. The digisnapper is a different matter entirely.

Cholentpot · Sep 3, 2017

juan said:
Get an F or F2 or Hassy or RB67. I don't even have batteries in the exposure meters I use with my real cameras. The digisnapper is a different matter entirely.

F2 is on my short list. Thing is that red stripe really reeled me in ya know?

John Koehrer · Sep 3, 2017

I'm thinking of getting of getting some racing stripes for my Fiat. Will it go faster?

Cholentpot · Sep 3, 2017

John Koehrer said:
I'm thinking of getting of getting some racing stripes for my Fiat. Will it go faster?

I'm thinking sarcasm doesn't work too well on the Internets. But hey, get those stripes on that 500.

MattKing · Sep 3, 2017

John Koehrer said:
I'm thinking of getting of getting some racing stripes for my Fiat. Will it go faster?

No, but it will feel as if it is going faster, which means you will have accomplished what you really want, rather than what you think you need.

Paul Howell · Sep 3, 2017

Second lesson, always travel with at least bodies, my preference would be a FM2 with motor drive.

Cholentpot · Sep 3, 2017

MattKing said:
No, but it will feel as if it is going faster, which means you will have accomplished what you really want, rather than what you think you need.

Stripes make the camera go faster?

Theo Sulphate · Sep 4, 2017

According to the MD-4 manual, a set of fresh batteries is guaranteed to last for 60 36-exposure rolls.

After all, it is a camera system designed for professional use.

Svenedin · Sep 4, 2017

I always carry spare batteries in my camera bag. My OM4-Ti does have a mechanical 1/60s which I have used in extreme cold when batteries die but there's no meter and 1/60s is too slow at an air show.

guangong · Sep 4, 2017

Our small local airfield was the home of a many times world champion stunt pilot and used to host a great air show with fantastic pilots. I would take my camera and lenses but became so engrossed in the flying activities that few pictures resulted. At most a few shots of parked Confederate Airforce planes.

OlyMan · Sep 4, 2017

Our film cameras require so little power compared to modern digital cameras and smartphones. I'm sure it really shouldn't be too difficult to solder-up a small rechargeable Lithium battery pack to a tiny solar cell. Modern solar cells would probably charge the battery faster than the camera is depleting it unless you live it a cave. Just needs a bit of thought on how to implement it. Never be left without power again.

Les Sarile · Sep 4, 2017

Svenedin said:
I always carry spare batteries in my camera bag. My OM4-Ti does have a mechanical 1/60s which I have used in extreme cold when batteries die but there's no meter and 1/60s is too slow at an air show.

Since you need at least a second body with you at an airshow, then bring an OM3 with you. Worst case is you can take the batteries out of it to use in your battery dependent OM4.

Is 1/60 too slow for an airshow? I suppose it depends on what kind of an airshow. If it involves shooting prop planes, then 1/60 is almost slow enough to get the right amount of prop blur.

When taxiing on the ground maybe not slow enough . . . Kodak 400UC

When flying full throttle, maybe just right . . . Fuji RVP100F

Svenedin · Sep 4, 2017

I was thinking 1/60s is rather slow for hand holding a long lens and for fast moving aeroplanes.

Les Sarile · Sep 4, 2017

Svenedin said:
I was thinking 1/60s is rather slow for hand holding a long lens and for fast moving aeroplanes.

It is but that is where practicing panning technique helps.

Cholentpot · Sep 4, 2017

Well I developed the rolls I just need to scan them. While the majority of the shots look like Parkinsons on 12 cups of coffee there are some pretty sharp looking ones. I think the head-on and tail shots came out fine. Flybys look like streaks of blur. I did practice my panning though. I should have use a shorter lens in retrospect.

OlyMan · Sep 4, 2017

Les Sarile said:
Since you need at least a second body with you at an airshow, then bring an OM3 with you. Worst case is you can take the batteries out of it to use in your battery dependent OM4.

...or an OM-1 instead if like me the collectors' prices those OM-3's demand scares the cr-p out of you
(amazing photos though Les!)

Prof_Pixel · Sep 4, 2017

Cholentpot said:
About 8 shots into my roll of HP5+ the batteries went. Here and there it would work but for the rest of this roll nothing. I didn't have any spares on me ....

Reminds me of two sayings:

Murphy's law: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong".

Or as my university professor used to say P^7: "Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance".

Cholentpot · Sep 4, 2017

Prof_Pixel said:
Reminds me of two sayings:

Murphy's law: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong".

Or as my university professor used to say P^7: "Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance".

Photography is a fun hobby for me. Sure I missed out a few shots of aircraft but in the end I had a fun experience shooting in a way I would never have shot otherwise.

Shooting an Airshow without batteries with a F3

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