Help!!! Trapped On An Island For 4 Months- What Camera!?!

[ch1]

Those of us here who are also ham radio operators can only smile at the "battery-phobia" of some posts!

One of the activities of some ham radio operators is to go on DXpeditions. These are organized excursions to real remote, primitive and often uninhabited islands. The idea is to put make a "remote" and "rare" place active for other hams to contact.

Radios and related equipment etc. require power. So there are multidues of options for securing power via generators, batteries etc. etc. And I am talking real "high power" needs.

The few volts that camera batteries need is laughably easy to obtain with rechargeables. Plus, as I noted on the other thread, this island is merely "remote" it is not "primitive" - it has power and satellite hookups etc.!

If you want to be "green" you could bring a solar-powered battery charger and rechargeable batteries for your camera gear. And if all you need are button batteries - a pocketfull would only weigh a few ounces!

If I were going on a once in a lifetime trip like this - I would certainly bring a digital (if only so as to upload the images and send them home ahead of time) and a couple of good cameras with TTL metering (and RF and SLR) and just rely on modern technology.

Sitting there with a 50 year old camera that breaks on my second day would be a real bummer! It's fun to use the old stuff when we don't HAVE to rely on it. I'd be real hesitant to do so when we do!

Oh, and if you are in touch with other volunteers - you might want to inquire what camera gear they are bringing? You might be able to "pool" batteries, memory cards, film and even gear to overcome some of the weight limitations.

 

[xpandebt@9%]

copake- very observant. I agree. I'm not extremely worried about battery weight, but I do only want to take what I think I will need. In this case, I think I'll need two sets of batteries, one in the camera, and one extra set. For the boyscout in me, I'll bring an extra backup set. That's for the XPan. If I get the digital p&s, depending on how heavy the recharger is, I'll end up bringing that with only one battery. I normally wouldn't think twice about small weight stuff like this, but every pound and ounce taken in technology offsets the same amount in clothes and other personal needs within the 40 lbs dichotomy.

ruben- very true... now I feel guilty. But you were right about taking a while, I think... And no, I had not noticed it. I don't know those models.

 

[Andy K]

The Nikon FM3A isn't 50 years old.

 

[ch1]

The Nikon FM3A isn't 50 years old.

Never said it was. In fact, I said I'd bring a TTL SLR. 😀

Not as familiar with FM3A as F3 - latter uses a pair of LR-44's. How much do you think a dozen weigh and I doubt you'd even kill the first pair! 😉

The issue was one of "battery-phobia". If you follow the advice of some here you wouldn't bring a flashlight because it uses batteries! 😱

 

[Andy K]

Never said it was. In fact, I said I'd bring a TTL SLR. 😀

Not as familiar with FM3A as F3 - latter uses a pair of LR-44's. How much do you think a dozen weigh and I doubt you'd even kill the first pair! 😉

The issue was one of "battery-phobia". If you follow the advice of some here you wouldn't bring a flashlight because it uses batteries! 😱

My torch does not use batteries, and the FM3A still functions fully even without batteries.

 

[ch1]

Fine, Andy - that've very nice - goodbye now.....

 

[ruben]

...ruben- very true... now I feel guilty. But you were right about taking a while, I think... And no, I had not noticed it. I don't know those models.

don't feel brother, I feel guilty too.
Some hours ago while trying to learn about the FTSE film stocks, I was called a dummie. A "flying elephant" afterwards, from another corner, and I even didn't spitt into the well...
What a shame.
Each of us seems to get the forum he deserves.
I think I'll keep quiet tomorrow.
And abstain from eBay too.

Just take the damn matches. Let's go to sleep.

Best
Ruben

Bill - do you still have coffee ?

 

[ch1]

don't feel. Some hours ago I was called a flying elephant. Just take the matches.

Best
Ruben

Ruben! You are still up! It must be close to 4AM in Israel right now.

My goodness - get some sleep! 😀

 

[ruben]

I did not call you a flying elephant.
It is american slang for something else.

Now I feel what I am, an English speaking dummie.
What exactly is that slang for.
Kindly enlighten me.

Your friend,
Ruben

PS:
BILL ! DO YOU STILL HAVE COFFEE ????

PS II: "Holy SH*T, WHAT A RIDE!"

 

[ruben]

" That crazy idea don't fly" That is the best I can do in print. 🙂

I apologize too.

Best,
Ruben

 

[ch1]

" That crazy idea don't fly" That is the best I can do in print. 🙂

I thought the saying for "impossibility" was: "When pigs fly"?

Of course there is the old children's ditty:

"Birdie, birdie in the sky,
Why'd you do that in my eye?
Aren't you glad that elephants can't fly?"

😀

 

[xpandebt@9%]

"Birdie, birdie in the sky,
Why'd you do that in my eye?
Aren't you glad that elephants can't fly?"

😀

I am stealing this for the bemusement of my fellow islanders, since I heard past employees/volunteers don't even like to pack their clothes by the time they leave the island (hundreds of thousands of birds on a 57 acre island, you do the math on chances of being targeted).

Any further advice on my previous post questions?

 

[Andy K]

Take an umbrella.





And a hat.

 

[xpandebt@9%]

Should I bring a tripod?

Should I bring a tripod?

Has anybody used this tripod?

If so, please let me know what you think.

If not, do you know of/use a similar sub-2lb, full-size, <$100 tripod?

 

[ch1]

Has anybody used this tripod?

If so, please let me know what you think.

If not, do you know of/use a similar sub-2lb, full-size, <$100 tripod?

These kinds of tripods are "a dime a dozen". You occassionally get them "thrown in" when you buy "kits". I have one from when I bought my D70 and another that was an unannounced "inclusion" when I bought something on eBay.

For $70 you cannot go wrong with one of these - just remember that lightweight means it will be top heavy with your Xpan mounted on it (particularly at full extension).

But the good thing is that it IS a cheapo so you can just trash it at the end of your stay (or leave it behind for someone else to use).

 

[xpandebt@9%]

I Have Arrived.

I Am On Tern Island.

All Is Well!

H U N D R E D S O F T H O U S A N D S O F B I R D S ! ! !

No Time To Say Anything More Than- I've Got All Three Lenses, 40+ Rolls Of Velvia, The Pentax, A-n-d All My Clothes!!!