Who in the heck uses a motor winder/drive on a film camera these days?

[Sharktooth]

You had good points. Good discussion going on. Now I want more motor-drives.

{{{Shudder}}} .... why do I feel like patient zero for this new disease

This can only mean there are many more sad and pitiful stories to come.

 

[Cholentpot]

{{{Shudder}}} .... why do I feel like patient zero for this new disease

This can only mean there are many more sad and pitiful stories to come.

But they're so coooool!

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

I could get an MD-E, but then I'd also have to buy another body because my FG-20 is silver... clever girl.

 

[lxdude]

O.K., I concede. My thoughts on the matter have been rapidly shot down, so my roll here has come to an end.

.... but it still amazes me how you guys are so easily wound up!

 

[Moose22]

Have to buy another body.

I wish I didn't see your logic, but it is impeccable.

 

[Moose22]

BTW, on topic, I got some tests I did last week back. New film (Santacolor) so I shot a contrasty sunset scene and bracketed a stop over, a stop under. I use C low for that, bang bang bang all pointed to the same spot.

I never think about these things. If I have the tool I use it when I use it, but I realize I do use C a lot when bracketing sunsets. Must be my digital reflexes taking over.

 

[lxdude]

Now I'm really embarrassed. I was only asking forgiveness for the obviously "bad" puns.

As a life-long punster, I know full well that the worst punishment is when they don't "get it"!

 

[pbromaghin]

I shoot film because I want to shoot film. I don't shoot digital because I want to shoot fast or film when I don't. I shoot film. If I ALSO want to shoot fast, I'd use a winder.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[lxdude]

{{{Shudder}}} .... why do I feel like patient zero for this new disease

I'm you felt that shudder in your diaphragm.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I could get an MD-E, but then I'd also have to buy another body because my FG-20 is silver... clever girl.

Correction: two bodies and two drivers, one pair for color and one pair for black & white film.

 

[Les Sarile]

I believe the MD4 used on the F3 is the only one that also supplements the in-camera battery.
On the EOS1V-HS, you get an additional fps boost when using the lithium ion battery AA cels instead of regular batteries. And it is also makes it a little lighter.

Motorized by brand/date by Les DMess, on Flickr

 

[BrianShaw]

The MD-4 on a F3 and the MD-11/12 on the FA and FM3A, if it operates the same as when on a FE, replaces the in-camera battery to power the camera electronics.

 

[Les Sarile]

The MD-4 on a F3 and the MD-11/12 on the FA and FM3A, if it operates the same as when on a FE, replaces the in-camera battery to power the camera electronics.

Thanks, learned something new!

 

[Cholentpot]

Thanks, learned something new!

I don't think the MD for the F3 replaces the power.

 

[BrianShaw]

I don't think the MD for the F3 replaces the power.

Mine does. The battery compartment in the body is empty.

Why don’t you think so?

See page 10:

https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/01239/01239.pdf

 

[Melvin J Bramley]

I hesitate every time I use the advance lever of my Nikons.
My MD12 with the accessory release lives in a cupboard.
In my prime, some time BC, I could do two frames per second without a motor drive when photographing action.
The motor drive made things much easier .
Then came along digital and made my finely honed skills obsolete.
Photography by volume is bound to , eventually, give good result!!

 

[Cholentpot]

Mine does. The battery compartment in the body is empty.

Why don’t you think so?

See page 10:

https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/01239/01239.pdf

Huh.

I've had my battery go out in the past and the camera wouldn't run with the MD attached. It could be an MD issue.

 

[Chan Tran]

Huh.

I've had my battery go out in the past and the camera wouldn't run with the MD attached. It could be an MD issue.

When Nikon introduced the F3 many people were afraid that being an battery operated camera the battery may be dead at the wrong time so Nikon introduced a pocket battery pack as well as having the MD-4 power the camera when it's attached.

 

[Cholentpot]

When Nikon introduced the F3 many people were afraid that being an battery operated camera the battery may be dead at the wrong time so Nikon introduced a pocket battery pack as well as having the MD-4 power the camera when it's attached.

I was at an airshow and the battery went. No backup battery. I had to shoot the show with the backup shutter. It worked just fine.

 

[Mick Fagan]

I was at a motorcycle rally and some action was about to happen, so I went back to my tent and attached my MD12 to my Nikon FE2.

Literally the first frame, and the rest that followed, were these images. No way would I have been able to follow and expose frames so easily, accurately and in focus. There are some in-between frames that were not printed. Either 1983 or 1984.

Unfortunately there is one out of sequence, the fourth one should be second.

 

[Mick Fagan]

When Nikon introduced the F3 many people were afraid that being an battery operated camera the battery may be dead at the wrong time so Nikon introduced a pocket battery pack as well as having the MD-4 power the camera when it's attached.

The external battery pack was designed for ultra cold conditions, one needs to empty the battery chamber and insert the lead from the external battery pack and the camera will work happily away in quite cold conditions. The lead is probably around 900mm long and can wind it's way through clothing to be close to the body where it can stay warm.

The coldest I have used this and an F3 was -30ºC in the mountains in January in Germany; worked a treat. This was in early 1990's.

The MD4 when attached to the F3 powers the camera, as I often leave the MD4 attached for a year or two, I remove the small cell batteries so they don't leak nasty stuff into the battery chamber. The F3 is certainly powered by the MD4 when the drive is attached.

 

[Cholentpot]

The external battery pack was designed for ultra cold conditions, one needs to empty the battery chamber and insert the lead from the external battery pack and the camera will work happily away in quite cold conditions. The lead is probably around 900mm long and can wind it's way through clothing to be close to the body where it can stay warm.

The coldest I have used this and an F3 was -30ºC in the mountains in January in Germany; worked a treat. This was in early 1990's.

The MD4 when attached to the F3 powers the camera, as I often leave the MD4 attached for a year or two, I remove the small cell batteries so they don't leak nasty stuff into the battery chamber. The F3 is certainly powered by the MD4 when the drive is attached.

Good to know. I have 3 MD4s now. People just give 'em to me. Two currently work.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

This thread made me attach the MD-4 to my F3... I found a motor drive to be useful for taking pictures at family get-togethers, some moments are fleeting and an always ready camera helps in capturing them.

For me, the best feature of the MD-4 is its wonderful shutter release. They should have used the same design on the Nikon bodies that used electronic shutters.

 

[eli griggs]

I've had winders and motor drives for my A1, F1n and F1 N AE, AE series cameras.

The fastest were the A1 md and the F1 motor drives, both n and N types, but now days, a winder for the F1N AE is my fastest at about three frames a second, I've no fixed my F1n motor drive, yet.

The basic A series two frames minute winder is good and I've always had one or more since 1977 or therein.

I want to find a Hasselblad 500 el or newer with working winder, as I've bought a 500mm tele tessar in need of a new mount, for landscapes and wildlife shooting, which I believe the drive will allow me to focus on the action without lifting my eye or other shooting chore.

If I still shot professional Ballet or Modern Dancers, in performance, I'd definitely want real motor drives on my 135 cameras, but those days are past and no one's buying my film for me.

Even bulk rolls are just an occasional treat, and despite having 36 frame 35mm rolls, I like just expending a couple or three frames a second at the most.

Timing is more important than just running off rolls in seconds, like digital photographers tend to do, and it makes for better composed photographs.

All said, I do have a Nikon F that might be nice with a working MD on it but I've got to find a prism for it first.

Recharge, reuse, renew with good Nicad Batteries and you'll never miss a beat while holding down that sweet little button!

IMO.

 

[bdial]

want to find a Hasselblad 500 el or newer with working winder, as I've bought a 500mm tele tessar in need of a new mount, for landscapes and wildlife shooting, which I believe the drive will allow me to focus on the action without lifting my eye or other shooting chore.

That there is no disruption of breaking your concentration or shifting the camera around to wind is exactly why I like working with my ELX, despite its extra weight.

luvcameras has a 553 ELX for sale in the classifieds. The 553 has all the modern features and uses AA batteries

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