What stop watch are you using?

My sadly battered Seikosha stopwatch bought many decades ago still works fine for long exposures, and for correcting my counting seconds for timing long exposures and telling how far away an approaching thunderstorm is.

I exposed 4 sheets today and all were 10 second exposures, I'll use the one-one thousand, two-one thousand, etc.... count up to 10 seconds but would like one of those little metronome timers that @Andrew O'Neill uses for longer exposures. Where did you get that Andrew?

I have ditched a simple, long-serving nurse's collar watch (in use c. 22 years!) and since early August 2024, now use a COROS APEX 2 PRO smartwatch. Photography, spec. timing of exposures etc., is not my sole or only requirement, but majorly road cycling, running, swimming, bushwalking and climbing, so my needs go far beyond a simple stopwatch, up to a complete set of detailed metrics. A few colleagues (in the movie production industry where I work), and in photography use the stopwatch function of their phone; others use as a matter of course specialist timekeepers used in production.

Taylor Nankervis said:

I have ditched a simple, long-serving nurse's collar watch (in use c. 22 years!) and since early August 2024, now use a COROS APEX 2 PRO smartwatch. Photography, spec. timing of exposures etc., is not my sole or only requirement, but majorly road cycling, running, swimming, bushwalking and climbing, so my needs go far beyond a simple stopwatch, up to a complete set of detailed metrics. A few colleagues (in the movie production industry where I work), and in photography use the stopwatch function of their phone; others use as a matter of course specialist timekeepers used in production.

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Interesting watch, having never heard of it before, I did a bit of searching to see just what it can do.

One thing I thought funny was that it is waterproof to 5 atmospheres, and according to the manufacturer it is alright for water surface activities, but not for underwater activities. Which is the norm for 5 atmospheres of waterproofing.

However later on, it lists one of its core functions of being able to monitor the wearers underwater heart rate. Have you further knowledge of this capability?

I'm not interesting buying one, just curious.

Mick Fagan said:

Interesting watch, having never heard of it before, I did a bit of searching to see just what it can do.

One thing I thought funny was that it is waterproof to 5 atmospheres, and according to the manufacturer it is alright for water surface activities, but not for underwater activities. Which is the norm for 5 atmospheres of waterproofing.

However later on, it lists one of its core functions of being able to monitor the wearers underwater heart rate. Have you further knowledge of this capability?

I'm not interesting buying one, just curious.

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Hello Mick,

I must be missing something, or maybe not!

I have a few ticks ago completed a 45 minute lap swim (now in drip-dry mode!) with the Coros worn throughout, as per norm. My pool depth is 4.6m.

Yes, the Coros monitors heart rate underwater, just as efficiently as it does above (psst: I click along at 188bpm). Given the watch's target market, it would be severely remiss for COROS to overlook the need for versatility with HRM measurement.

Particularly, HRM is one of the key start-up metrics by which a persistent overall state of physical fitness and readiness is measured and compared over a long-term. When road cycling, I use both the Coros HRM (the watch also records the bike-side sensor metrics in parallel, allowing me to see key differences between bike and COROS). When cycling a Garmin HRM chest strap is worn, connected by ANT+ to the computer. The HRM strap (fully waterproof) is the (essential) baseline input for measuring all performance metrics from the bike's computer. The Coros HRM Is independent of the bike, but it is still recording the a lot of other critical activity metrics.

Yes, the watch is water resistant, five atmospheres = 50 metres – technically distinct from a higher waterproofing rating. Safe for the pool, the bath, the jacuzzi, river and creek! I use it swimming at the beach (which I will be doing tonight in this stinking heat! ) without fuss, without concern, but then I am most unlikely to be down 50m from the surface!

I am amazed I held on to the old nurse's watch for so very many years. It served me well, but the battery only lasted 8 months at most. I also needed something I could see in low light. Be it noted for long pinhole camera exposures I do use my Samsung phone in timer mode.

So there. Now I've filled you in on what you're missing (what's your HR, hmm??), go and buy one!

Chuck_P said:

I exposed 4 sheets today and all were 10 second exposures, I'll use the one-one thousand, two-one thousand, etc.... count up to 10 seconds but would like one of those little metronome timers that @Andrew O'Neill uses for longer exposures. Where did you get that Andrew?

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Timex Marathon stopwatch. I got it several years ago here, in a watch shop. You can get them on Amazon.

Andrew O'Neill said:

Timex Marathon stopwatch. I got it several years ago here, in a watch shop. You can get them on Amazon.

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Thank you, I'm ordering one................

Andrew O'Neill said:

Timex Marathon stopwatch. I got it several years ago here, in a watch shop. You can get them on Amazon.

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Better than counting out the minutes for a 15 minute exposure! My flip phone died, so have my first smart phone. Probably good for emergencies, but a simple stopwatch sounds better battery-wise for all-day everyday.

5150Bronco said:

I am wondering what people are using for a stop watch for exposure or anything else.

I have looked into Minerva and Aristo Apollo.

Thoughts? Examples or links would be helpful too.

Thanks!

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The iPhone for exposures, and a Kaiser triple timer for development in the darkroom.

Best,

Vieri