Nikonos II Flash Operation in Japanese Movie - what movie was that?

[rx7diver]

I think you are correct, in that the strobe contact was changed between the Nikonos II and III. I think they kept it the same for the Nikonos IV and V, as they had already made the needed changes in the Nikonos III. I may be wrong though, as the Nikonos IV and V had TTL (through the lens) flash ability, I believe (I have never used a Nikonos V). Check the cord contacts, and that may tell you.

SeaRat

Today I finally set up my III with my SB105 and Nikonos camera tray and arm that I used with my V. Everything seems to fit and work okay. The only adjustment I needed to make was to reposition the thumb screw that secures the camera to the tray. (But, there is a slot on the tray that seems to intended for this very purpose.)

I was planning to take the rig diving this weekend, but decided against because I didn't want to brave holiday traffic.

Soon ...

P.S.: Let's see: 36 exposures really yield only 12 pics (because of bracketing), correct? Only a couple of which will be usable, maybe, correct? When the film is eventually developed?

rx7diver

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Today I finally set up my III with my SB105 and Nikonos camera tray and arm that I used with my V. Everything seems to fit and work okay. The only adjustment I needed to make was to reposition the thumb screw that secures the camera to the tray. (But, there is a slot on the tray that seems to intended for this very purpose.)

I was planning to take the rig diving this weekend, but decided against because I didn't want to brave holiday traffic.

Soon ...

P.S.: Let's see: 36 exposures really yield only 12 pics (because of bracketing), correct? Only a couple of which will be usable, maybe, correct? When the film is eventually developed?

rx7diver

Well, you can do that, bracketing, if you want. It will probably help you in your first couple of rolls. But I have never bracketed when using my Nikonos II, though I did use a really good Sekonic light meter with that system.

SeaRat

 

[rx7diver]

Well, you can do that, bracketing, if you want. It will probably help you in your first couple of rolls. But I have never bracketed when using my Nikonos II, though I did use a really good Sekonic light meter with that system.

SeaRat

Well, the plan is to keep things as simple as possible (use as few electronics as necessary). I am thinking that I can adapt the old photographer's "Sunny 16 Rule", adjusting for light falloff that happens with depth and/or U/W distance, shooting initially between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, and using the SB105 only for "fill" lighting to remove/soften shawdows. (I am not so interested now in capturing brilliant colors; I'm more interested now in capturing the hues that the eye sees without flash/strobe.)

My biggest issue at this time is finding the right E-6 color slide film. Kodak resumed producing Ektachrome a couple of years ago, but only in ISO/ASA 100. (I have some good experience with Ektachrome 400, and Fuji's Provia 400, with my V + SB105 metered TTL. Fuji ceased producing Provia 400 a while back.)

rx7diver

 

[John C. Ratliff]

These are above water photos I took with my Nikonos II with the 35mm lens and a Sekonic light meter. They turned out pretty good without bracketing. I haven't used it for underwater photography in a few years. But whenever you're on water, it's good to use a waterproof camera. I have used the "Sunny 16 Rule" in the past, with pretty good results too.

In this case, on one landing I misplaced my foot getting out, fell back and dunked the camera; no problem with the Nikonos though.

The below slides were Ectachrome 100, as I recall.

SeaRat

 

[kelemvor]

Impressive looking slide scans. I've got thousands of 35mm slides, but they're all in far worse condition than what you've shown here. Probably because they've been cycled through a projector a good hundred times at this point.

 

[Gene]

I've been professionally shooting since the mid 1980s, plus I grew up with a photographer father and learned the darkroom at age nine. However, I haven't shot or developed film in years. In general, I do miss it, but all of my professional photo work has been required to be digital since 2004/5.
Having said that though, I did just check online with my go-to, B and H, and I was surprised to see that 400 wasn't listed. I did see a press release about Fuji re-releasing their 400 speed E-6 slide film though.
My usual film stocks included Kodak tri-x for black and white 400, but one time just for kicks I pushed it to 25,000 (!) ASA/ISO using T-Max developer while shooting night-time high school football for a local newspaper. It worked okay. I sometimes would use Kodak 100 Pan film too in bright daylight. For color, it was usually Fujichrome 100 and 400 E-6 and Kodak Ektachrome 320T, which I would routinely push to 1600 or more. While in grad school (for photography) I also would develop my own E-6, C-41 and of course black and white. Still miss the smell of the chemicals, (D-76, Dektol and hypo/fixer), but not the fixer stains on shirts.
I read awhile back about a new retro photo lab opening in St. Pete, FL specializing in film development, etc. Can't recall the name, but they might be a good resource.
I sometimes shot underwater using an older Nikonos while interning and freelancing at the Palm Beach bureau of the Miami Herald. I bought a Nikon Action Touch, which I used for years, only down to 30 feet max though. I didn't start seriously shooting underwater until the mid 2000s using early digital cameras.
Have fun, and you probably won't need to bracket that much once you get things dialed in. But don't forget those quarter bracket stops too with chromes.

Gene
www.pagephotography.smugmug.com

 

[rx7diver]

.... and of course black and white. Still miss the smell of the chemicals, (D-76, Dektol and hypo/fixer) ...

Yes, I remember pushing Tri-X for dimly-lit events when I was a student photographer for the Sports News and Information Office at my undergraduate college in the mid-1970's. We, too, used D-76 and Dektol (and Acufine?) for Tri-X @ 1600. Good memories! Thanks.

Absolutely worth a try now U/W with my III.

rx7diver

 

[Gene]

You're welcome, and I was thinking earlier today that it was fun reliving "old" photo/darkroom memories....
I did mis-type though with the Kodak Pan film. That was 125 ASA/ISO, not 100. I really didn't use that very often. Tri-X was our fav, and still is even though I haven't used it in years. I did use Fuji Neopan too once in a while, as well as a funky thin Ilford film that had 72 frames in one 35mm film cassette! This would have been around 1985-6. And while we didn't use Acufine, we did use UFG developer, which stood for ultra fine grain. My dad taught us this and we routinely used it to push Tri-X to 4000 ASA for night time football or spot news, etc. This was mostly with Tampa bay area newspapers like the St. Pete Times and Bradenton Herald. (And the developer temperature had to be just right.) It saddens me sometimes to think of photographers only knowing photoshop, etc., on their computers and not the hands-on darkroom days.
And the coolest thing I shot with the Miami Herald's Nikonos was an old Spanish shipwreck found by two guys off the public beach after a big storm. They worked that site for years and the Palm Beach bureau did a story on it that I shot pictures for while a student at UF. What fun that was!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

You're welcome, and I was thinking earlier today that it was fun reliving "old" photo/darkroom memories....
I did mis-type though with the Kodak Pan film. That was 125 ASA/ISO, not 100. I really didn't use that very often. Tri-X was our fav, and still is even though I haven't used it in years. I did use Fuji Neopan too once in a while, as well as a funky thin Ilford film that had 72 frames in one 35mm film cassette! This would have been around 1985-6. And while we didn't use Acufine, we did use UFG developer, which stood for ultra fine grain. My dad taught us this and we routinely used it to push Tri-X to 4000 ASA for night time football or spot news, etc. This was mostly with Tampa bay area newspapers like the St. Pete Times and Bradenton Herald. (And the developer temperature had to be just right.) It saddens me sometimes to think of photographers only knowing photoshop, etc., on their computers and not the hands-on darkroom days.
And the coolest thing I shot with the Miami Herald's Nikonos was an old Spanish shipwreck found by two guys off the public beach after a big storm. They worked that site for years and the Palm Beach bureau did a story on it that I shot pictures for while a student at UF. What fun that was!

I love hearing about the film days, I miss it very much.
I was into Kodachrome 64 and 25. I still have Kodachrome slides from my father that the dyes are still perfect with full color saturation. I have thousands of slides myself and take them out periodically and look at them. There’s something to be said about having an actual physical piece of film and not just an electronic bit of information.

On a similar note, I’m in the sign business. I’m an actual traditional sign painter using paints and brushes. Digital signage and computer cut vinyl slowly began to take over starting in 1988 and by the 90’s everything completely switched to vinyl.
I’m not a computer guy so I remained doing hand painted signs and I struggled, but computer signage has no artistic merit and cutting out vinyl stickers and sticking them on was something I had no interest in. I would just go back to Auto Body or welding or something if I had a choice. I’m a hands on guy.
Now, traditional hand painted signs are all the rage again and I’m busier than I’ve ever been. People don’t mind paying the money for something unique.
And I laugh when other vinyl sign shops call me to do their hand lettering jobs on walls, awnings, etc. because they don’t have anyone with any hand skills.
They don’t even pick up a pencil anymore and sketch out ideas.

 

[Gene]

Well done Eric keeping with the old ways! I love it.
One of the beautiful things about film photography, is that anyone of us who wants to can still shoot film and develop and print it if you want to take the time to set-up a darkroom in the garage or bathroom. I believe the film, paper and chemicals will be around indefinitely, although it's being taught at very few schools these days that I'm aware of. And your use of the old Kodakchrome! I don't believe that film has been made in years, nor the E-4 process chemicals. But yes, it's hard to beat.
I have a friend whose parents had a recording studio in NYC decades ago and he's still doing some recording work at his home. He tells me tape and records are making somewhat of a comeback. So some people are interested in old analogue techniques. Heck, I've even heard of people going around doing 1800s glass plate photography! Now that's some dedication.