Film cameras that store exposure information

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piggyme - 19 Nov 2006 00:55 GMT

Hi all
I am thinking of getting some decent 35mm gear.
It would be nice to have a film camera that could save exposure info much
like the exif from a digital camera.
I understand the n90(s) can do this and the data can be downloaded to a
computer.From memory other cameras can imprint the exposure info between
frames and some (contax?) can imprint shooting data on the first two frames
of the roll.
I cant recall which which cameras have this ability apart from the n90s. If
anyone does know can you please post your suggestions
Thanks to everyone

Nav

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dgillilan - 19 Nov 2006 01:17 GMT

Nav,
The Nikon F100, F5, and F6 all will dowload the information via the Nikon
MV-1 data unit, to a
compact flash card; one then reads the card to
your computer and then can print out the
shooting data. The data will include not only
the aperture and shutter speed, but EV settings,
and other settings in the camera, per shot.

The MF-23 databack does imprint between or
within frames, the aperture and shutter speed
only, per frame; the MF-23 works with the F4S camera.

All items listed above are Nikon brand items.

Good luck.

> Hi all
> I am thinking of getting some decent 35mm gear.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Nav

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thebokehking - 19 Nov 2006 02:50 GMT

> Hi all
> I am thinking of getting some decent 35mm gear.
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Nav

The Maxxum 7 prints on the first two? frames all the exposure data and
has some kind of device/hook up cable that allows you to download the
info from the camera too. The Pentax MZ-S (Pentax's top of the line
film camera) actually prints the exposure info in the rebate edge
between frames/outside the picture area. The Maxxum 9 may also have
some provision for recording film exposure data either outside the film
frame, or on a separate frame(s) but you'll have to do some digging to
find out unless somebody on this group also has that information.

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Bob Hickey - 19 Nov 2006 04:03 GMT

> Hi all
> I am thinking of getting some decent 35mm gear.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> anyone does know can you please post your suggestions
> Thanks to everyone

> Nav

I had one of the new type Pentax's; the ZX-30 with a data back that would
prind just about anything or nothing on the neg. I guess all of the ZX/MZ
series would do that. But I'm sure that all the data back cameras would do
that. Bob Hickey

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Bandicoot - 19 Nov 2006 12:27 GMT

> Hi all
> I am thinking of getting some decent 35mm gear.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> If anyone does know can you please post your suggestions
> Thanks to everyone

The Pentax MZ-S prints a range of info. on the film rebate, between the
sprocket holes, and can also be set to print a sequential number at the
start of each roll of film, which is useful.

The info. in the rebate includes, as far as I recall, what metering pattern
was selected, what focus mode, aperture and shutter speed, and I think some
others (don't have any film in front of me as I types this). Aperture and
shutter speed are the most useful ones to have, of course.

Peter

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Nicholas O. Lindan - 19 Nov 2006 15:35 GMT

> The Pentax MZ-S prints a range of info. on the film rebate,
> Aperture and shutter speed are the most useful ones to have, of course.

I would rather have it print what in the world it was that I
was thinking when I selected such an inappropriate aperture
and shutter speed.

I find noting one's strategy - was I thinking of shadows, motion
blur, the clouds, dof ... and what I did about it - is the most
useful part of my notes as the little details don't apply to
the next shot: I don't take the same picture under the same
circumstances twice.

Of course, if one is taking studio / product shots where the
same setup will be used again and again then detailed notes
are de rigueur.

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Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation: F-Stop Timers, Enlarging Meters
http://www.nolindan.com/da/index.htm
n o lindan at ix dot netcom dot com

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Pudentame - 20 Nov 2006 13:33 GMT

>> The Pentax MZ-S prints a range of info. on the film rebate,
>> Aperture and shutter speed are the most useful ones to have, of course.
>
> I would rather have it print what in the world it was that I
> was thinking when I selected such an inappropriate aperture
> and shutter speed.

Little pocket notebooks or pocket mini-cassette recorders will take care
of that.

> I find noting one's strategy - was I thinking of shadows, motion
> blur, the clouds, dof ... and what I did about it - is the most
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> same setup will be used again and again then detailed notes
> are de rigueur.

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Bandicoot - 30 Nov 2006 23:53 GMT

> > The Pentax MZ-S prints a range of info. on the film rebate,
> > Aperture and shutter speed are the most useful ones to have, of
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> the next shot: I don't take the same picture under the same
> circumstances twice.

Agreed, that is much more useful: I find the practice of many books and
magazines of printing that a picture was shot with an Xmm lens at fY and 1/Z
fraction of a second rather silly as out of context the information is
meaningless. However, since many publishers seem to want it, having it on
the film rebate lets me supply it - whether I personally value the data or
not...

> Of course, if one is taking studio / product shots where the
> same setup will be used again and again then detailed notes
> are de rigueur.

Yes, sometimes useful here. Actually one of the best uses is when getting
familiar with a new lens: knowing the aperture each frame was shot at helps
with speedy familiarisation on what the bokeh looks like, which apertures
are sharpest, and so on.

Peter

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scenic_man - 01 Dec 2006 06:12 GMT

>> I would rather have it print what in the world it was that I
>> was thinking when I selected such an inappropriate aperture
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> fraction of a second rather silly as out of context the information is
> meaningless.

Ditto. And, is it just me, or is it a recent trend to attach tripod and
head info?

> However, since many publishers seem to want it,
> having it on the film rebate lets me supply it -
> whether I personally value the data or not...

Again, ditto. But it would be nice to know what the heck is on *their*
minds
when they make this requirement.

I'm involved with a group that critiques each others' pictures
in a round-robin sort of way via email. Nice setup.
But I still feel very weird stating what tripod I was using.
Or what filters.
I suppose there is a certain artistic interest in that --
Maybe a certain filter made the sky more contrasty,
or a using a graduated ND made it possible to capture a high-contrast scene.
Too bad there isn't a way to pass *that* info back to the body to be
recorded.

There's a story I heard about Ansel Adams when he taught classes.
Students routinely asked him the aperture/exposure settings of each of
his images.
He routinely answered according to some pre-memorized formula
that all worked out to the same exposure.
Eventually some clever student would catch him out and call him on it.
And Adams would explain that it was completely irrelevant --
the aperture/exposure settings he used were completely dependent
on the image he was trying to create,
and the conditions under which he was trying to create it.

:-)

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Skip - 19 Nov 2006 16:37 GMT

> Hi all
> I am thinking of getting some decent 35mm gear.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Nav

The Canon 1v did the same thing as the N90s, and I'd be surprised to find
that the Nikon F4 didn't.

Signature

Skip Middleton
www.shadowcatcherimagery.com
www.pbase.com/skipm

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Philip Homburg - 20 Nov 2006 00:42 GMT

>The Canon 1v did the same thing as the N90s, and I'd be surprised to find
>that the Nikon F4 didn't.

The F4 was introduced in 1988 and the F90 is from 1992.

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That was it. Done. The faulty Monk was turned out into the desert where it
could believe what it liked, including the idea that it had been hard done
by. It was allowed to keep its horse, since horses were so cheap to make.
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Skip - 20 Nov 2006 05:38 GMT

Maybe I was thinking of the F5, then. (oops, I don't keep close enough
track of Nikon's camera lines, I guess.)

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Skip Middleton
www.shadowcatcherimagery.com
www.pbase.com/skipm

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Philip Homburg - 20 Nov 2006 09:30 GMT

>Maybe I was thinking of the F5, then. (oops, I don't keep close enough
>track of Nikon's camera lines, I guess.)

The F5 is supposed to be able to store shooting data for about 78 rolls
of film.

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