Shooting an Airshow without batteries with a F3

Logan Becker · Sep 4, 2017

OlyMan said:
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.

Quite an interesting idea. I may have a few scientific calculators lying around whose solar cells can be ripped off and soldered together....

Cholentpot · Sep 6, 2017

Well I got results from first roll.

Here's the last shot before the batteries died

This was taken with the manual release.

Then I switched over to static shots and easy prey

These negatives were pretty thick and it took quite a bit of witchcraft to get them looking halfway decent. I got usable images though so all's well.

Les Sarile · Sep 6, 2017

Logan Becker said:
Quite an interesting idea. I may have a few scientific calculators lying around whose solar cells can be ripped off and soldered together....

Regarding solar powered cameras, there was the Ricoh XR-S -> Dead Link Removed

Les Sarile · Sep 6, 2017

Cholentpot said:
Well I got results from first roll.

These negatives were pretty thick and it took quite a bit of witchcraft to get them looking halfway decent. I got usable images though so all's well.

Good job making the best of the situation.

Cholentpot · Sep 7, 2017

Les Sarile said:
Good job making the best of the situation.

I also have 400 feet of this stuff expired so it was no big loss. I think I stuffed 50 frames into the can, it really does give me the freedom to experiment.

OlyMan · Sep 7, 2017

Great photos you did well.

Cholentpot · Sep 7, 2017

OlyMan said:
Great photos you did well.

Thanks! I'm scanning roll two as we speak.

Question though. Is this the look of 135 HP5+ or do I need to shoot at a lower speed to cut through the fog of age? I've never shot fresh HP5+ so I have nothing to compare.

Chan Tran · Sep 7, 2017

Cholentpot said:
Thanks! I'm scanning roll two as we speak.

Question though. Is this the look of 135 HP5+ or do I need to shoot at a lower speed to cut through the fog of age? I've never shot fresh HP5+ so I have nothing to compare.

If that the look of 135 HP5+ then I would never use it.

Cholentpot · Sep 7, 2017

Chan Tran said:
If that the look of 135 HP5+ then I would never use it.

Figured so.

The second roll looks like I had about a gallon of coffee and maybe I should see a neurologist.

Theo Sulphate · Sep 7, 2017

Cholentpot said:
Thanks! I'm scanning roll two as we speak.

Question though. Is this the look of 135 HP5+ or do I need to shoot at a lower speed to cut through the fog of age? I've never shot fresh HP5+ so I have nothing to compare.

I wouldn't use that old stock film any further. Fresh HP5+ is wonderful. You owe it to yourself to use the fresh stuff.

Cholentpot · Sep 7, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
I wouldn't use that old stock film any further. Fresh HP5+ is wonderful. You owe it to yourself to use the fresh stuff.

I hear ya. I can't afford it as of yet but I think I keep using the trash for fun. It's like learning to drive stick in a rust bucket. I've only been shooting for about 3 years, for important stuff I got rolls of Arista 400 and other goodies. Also, the development method I used leaves a bit to be desired. I've had better results from more standard developments.

Cholentpot · Sep 8, 2017

Results from roll #2

But for the most part the photos looked like the next two

So, I've learned to bring extra batteries or at least the MD next time. Also I developed and started scanning a roll from the same stock. Looks far far better, I think the combo of no shutter speeds, oddball development and a pretty cruddy tele-converter gave me some 1960's Soviet TV vibes.

Can anyone suggest a decent affordable F mount tele-converter?

BrianVS · Sep 8, 2017

For an F-Mount Tele-Converter, the TC-14a is small, only loses 1Stop. With most Nikon TeleConverters you need to match to certain focal length ranges for optimal use.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90768661@N02/albums/72157650030044207

Some of the photos at the bottom of this album are with the Micro-Nikkor-Zoom 70~180 and the TC-14a. Used manual focus as the TC-14a is Ai coupled, but not AF.

If you have an F3AF the TC-16 is good- BIZARRE, but good.

Cholentpot · Sep 9, 2017

BrianVS said:
For an F-Mount Tele-Converter, the TC-14a is small, only loses 1Stop. With most Nikon TeleConverters you need to match to certain focal length ranges for optimal use.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90768661@N02/albums/72157650030044207

Some of the photos at the bottom of this album are with the Micro-Nikkor-Zoom 70~180 and the TC-14a. Used manual focus as the TC-14a is Ai coupled, but not AF.

If you have an F3AF the TC-16 is good- BIZARRE, but good.

F3HP. I'm using some no-name as of now. Not very good and I lose I think 3 stops of some crazy amount.

John Koehrer · Sep 9, 2017

Using the cold weather battery pack for the F3 gives a Truckload of power. It screws into the battery chamber in the body.
Two AA's fit the pack and it has a ~3' cable to the camera.

Cholentpot · Sep 9, 2017

John Koehrer said:
Using the cold weather battery pack for the F3 gives a Truckload of power. It screws into the battery chamber in the body.
Two AA's fit the pack and it has a ~3' cable to the camera.

Great! Another accessory to scrounge up...

Shooting an Airshow without batteries with a F3

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