Suggestions for mild torture...

[Roger Hicks]

...are sought for those who design cameras that do not accept standard cable releases. The vast majority of the cameras I have are designed to accept the standard PC (Prontor/Compur) tapered cable release: far from perfect, but pretty damn' good.

I'm planning on copying a LOT of old (1950s) Kodachromes and other slides, using my Bowens Illumitran slide copier and a Nikon D70 with 90/2.5 Vivitar Series 1 macro on a Kaiser copy stand, AND THERE'S NO STANDARDISED CABLE RELEASE FITTING ON THE CAMERA (as with all too many electronic wonders of the last 20 years).

The best idea I've thought of so far is forcing them to wear an eye-patch over one eye for 4 hours every day: not incapacitating, no permanent damage, but a reminder of how bloody inconvenient life can be if you don't think ahead a bit. Any more ideas?

Cheers,

R.

 

[raid]

Roger: shoot them!

Good luck with your extensive slide project. You will need lots of patience.

 

[MickH]

Roger, why do you need a cable release?

 

[ruby.monkey]

Make them memorise every entry in every menu of a Pentax K20D. And then make them explain each one to their parents.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Make them memorise every entry in every menu of a Pentax K20D. And then make them explain each one to their parents.

Not sure I'd call it 'mild' -- should I then give them the option of having a fingernail torn out with red-hot pincers, as being less painful? -- but it's certainly elegant!

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Roger, why do you need a cable release?

Well, I was thinking of using tungsten rather than flash, and besides, it's a lot more comfortable. Drop the slide in; press the tit; remove; replace; usw.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Roger: shoot them!

Good luck with your extensive slide project. You will need lots of patience.

Dear Raid,

The patience, I already have. I used to prepare multiple copies of slide shows on an Illumitran in the 70s...

For the shooting: small bore, I think.

Cheers,

R.

 

[MartinP]

Well, as the camera designers were required to show a future revenue-stream based on accessory sales I'd say they did a good job. Why anyone would actually buy the camera is another question - that one is probably down to the marketing department though, not the technical department.

I suppose this is the quickest and most effective way of digitising the slides ? About twenty years ago I think we had an Illumitran in the lab I worked at. That is a device like a small copy-stand, with a flash and mixing-chamber as a light source. To get a more consistent light-balance we fired the flash once manually, then once again synced to the camera, as soon as it recharged. So far as I recall it was fairly solid and had no cable-release needed - just a gentle press on the SLR shutter release.

EDIT: While I was typing this, I see that Roger has written that he will be using a tungsten light-source in place of the flash. Presumably that makes for more vulnerability to wobbles in the device due to a longer shutter-speed.

 

[rolleistef]

...buy a remote controle, or use the self timer?

Torture idea : lock them in a unsufficiantly ventilated darkroom with both dektol and rapid fixer for 2 hours.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Well, as the camera designers were required to show a future revenue-stream based on accessory sales I'd say they did a good job. Why anyone would actually buy the camera is another question - that one is probably down to the marketing department though, not the technical department.

I suppose this is the quickest and most effective way of digitising the slides ? About twenty years ago I think we had an Illumitran in the lab I worked at. That is a device like a small copy-stand, with a flash and mixing-chamber as a light source. To get a more consistent light-balance we fired the flash once manually, then once again synced to the camera, as soon as it recharged. So far as I recall it was fairly solid and had no cable-release needed - just a gentle press on the SLR shutter release.

Yes, I meant for the SLR; the Illumitran just synchs via the normal piece of electric string, though come to think of it, I fear I'll need an adapter for that too (no PC contact) -- though as I said, I was planning on using the tungsten 'pilot light' instead of flash. I just find it a lot easier (after literally thousands of exposures with an Illumitran) to have a cable release on the camera.

It's not a procedure I'd use for maximum quality but I have the contrast control unit (and I can always piddle around with contrast in the camera menu or post production) but it's hundreds of slides taken by my late father-in-law from the 40s, 50s and 60s. Quality is mostly pretty poor, and all but the best are destined for the dump, but it would be nice to have electronic records of many of them that are not significantly worse than the original trannies.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

...buy a remote controle, or use the self timer?

Torture idea : lock them in a unsufficiantly ventilated darkroom with both dektol and rapid fixer for 2 hours.

Dear Stéphane,

Self timer takes too long, and given that cable releases were standardized around 100 years ago, I take it ill to have to buy a camera-specific release for a single project.

There is a certain charm in the torture, though. Perhaps one should let the chemicals mature overnight first?

Maybe I should wait until the M9 arrives, then use the Visoflex and 65 Elmar.

Cheers,

R.

 

[MartinP]

Aha, not one of those times to make 4x5 internegs then (if that film is even available anymore, I didn't check though).

Probably the reason we 'only' had an Illumitran in the lab was that there wasn't that much call for slide dupes, so we never had zillions of shutter actuations to make. Plus I don't think the old Pentax(?) was motor-driven either, so it was manual wind every time.

No normal flash-sync is another nice way to get some revenue and trap users in to a specific brand of course. 🙁

Good luck with the project and I hope there isn't lots of bending down required to swap the slides out, bearing in mind recovery plans after the hospital trip etc.

 

[ferider]

Dear Roger,

just some random thoughts:

- I have two 500 series Hasselblad cameras that take the same lenses but different cable releases. Due to engineering requirements.

- The "standard" mechanical cable release does not allow for cable-less remote control of your D70.

- Maybe scanning the slides might be easier and more efficient ?

Best,

Roland.

 

[payasam]

Send them to a desert island for a week and confiscate their toothbrushes.

 

[wlewisiii]

Dear Raid,

For the shooting: small bore, I think.

Nah, 12 gauge loaded with rock salt. Very painfull but very rarely fatal... 😎

Doesn't Nikon at least have something like Canon's electronic release that you plug into the side? At least my A2E did that...

(edit: I see a later post mentioning a camera specific release. At least Canon's was standard in the line)

William

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Roger,

just some random thoughts:

- I have two 500 series Hasselblad cameras that take the same lenses but different cable releases. Due to engineering requirements.

- The "standard" mechanical cable release does not allow for cable-less remote control of your D70.

- Maybe scanning the slides might be easier and more efficient ?

Best,

Roland.

Dear Roland,

Yes, the other possibility is the (?20) slide holder for the Epson 1680 but I had considered this and suspect (I'm not sure) that the Illumitran might be quite a bit quicker.

Light bulb comes on over head: maybe I can get an article out of comparing the various routes, and get paid for doing it.

Thanks very much for the mental kick up the bum.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Send them to a desert island for a week and confiscate their toothbrushes.

With nothing to eat except slightly underripe Alfonso mangos. Then there's the triple torture of the soreness of the mouth from underripe mangos; the knowledge that ripe Alfonsos are the finest in the world, but they have to be ripe; and the inevitable third effect of a surfeit of mangos...

No, that's too cruel.

Cheers,

R.

 

[MickH]

Make 'em copy the slides for you using the self-timer.

 

[ferider]

Light bulb comes on over head: maybe I can get an article out of comparing the various routes, and get paid for doing it.

I would be very interested in this comparison, Roger. Particularly since chromes with no ICE are involved.

I'm routinely scanning Kodakchromes for the local museum (have done over thousand by now) and dust and scratches are painful.

Cheers,

Roland.

 

[migtex]

Roger

Since you are using a D70 the best approach IMHO is to use the IR remote triger.
Just go to a chinese shop and buy a remote for TV.
Follow the instructions to scan the entire IR spectro and chose the button when it fires the camera. All set.
cost: 4£.
Good luck.

PS- on another note, this beahvior is a standard in industry, the cell phone charger is bigger then the cell phone itself and they vary even on the same manufacturer. Why they don't standardized on USB port por all products.. just bugs me!