I sometimes want to know where various things are in my
scene. It lets me consult my depth of field chart and choose
a focus point and aperture to meet my composition goals.
Being able to measure distances from behind the camera can
be very handy.

A number of years ago (six? seven?) I was excited to find
that Stanley was selling a laser "tape measure" for only
$100. The TLM 100 is good for .5-30m and weighs about 400g.
I can push its button, point it at something, push the
button again, and see how far away it is. I've liked having
it, but decide each time I load my pack if I want to carry
the weight.

I've just discovered that Bosch has the GLM 15. It sells for
about $50, and weighs only 90g! It offers fewer features
than the TLM 100 does, but since I only ever used one
function, it would meet the need. The GLM 15 is only good
out to 15m, but for normally-spaces lenses, anything more
distant than that is already at infinity.

I'm thinking I might need to try one of these puppies. My
per-image cost is now pushing $3, so it won't take very many
salvaged frames to reach a break-even point :)
--
John Thurston
Juneau Alaska
http://stereo.thurstons.us

That is a very good idea.  There are several different brands and models of electronic "tape measures" on the market now, and they vary according to sensitivity and accuracy.

Another thing that I do to keep from wasting expensive shots with MF, is to also carry a small digital camera.  That way, I first shoot a digital version, and switch over to MF only when I am satisfied with the composition and other photographic considerations.   Sort of like photographers used to do with Polaroids.  Only quicker and cheaper. If this is a stereo digital camera, I can also use it to judge the 3D parameters.

On Mar 20, 2015 2:49 PM, "John Thurston juneau3d@thurstons.us [MF3D-group]" <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

I sometimes want to know where various things are in my
scene. It lets me consult my depth of field chart and choose
a focus point and aperture to meet my composition goals.
Being able to measure distances from behind the camera can
be very handy.

A number of years ago (six? seven?) I was excited to find
that Stanley was selling a laser "tape measure" for only
$100. The TLM 100 is good for .5-30m and weighs about 400g.
I can push its button, point it at something, push the
button again, and see how far away it is. I've liked having
it, but decide each time I load my pack if I want to carry
the weight.

I've just discovered that Bosch has the GLM 15. It sells for
about $50, and weighs only 90g! It offers fewer features
than the TLM 100 does, but since I only ever used one
function, it would meet the need. The GLM 15 is only good
out to 15m, but for normally-spaces lenses, anything more
distant than that is already at infinity.

I'm thinking I might need to try one of these puppies. My
per-image cost is now pushing $3, so it won't take very many
salvaged frames to reach a break-even point :)
--
John Thurston
Juneau Alaska
http://stereo.thurstons.us

On a similar note, I have sometimes used my cell phone as a light meter, using the Android light meter app, which lets me set different shutter speeds and apertures based on what the phone camera used. I searched for this app after repeatedly forgetting my light meter after changing camera bags.

I still use one of those calibrated rangefinder devices in the accessory shoe on my folder to judge distances. Sometimes I pace out a rough distance measurement, which provides me with some exercise!
-Steven

On 3/20/2015 2:09 PM, JR stereoscope3d@gmail.com
[MF3D-group] wrote:
- snip -

> Another thing that I do to keep from wasting expensive shots with MF, is to
> also carry a small digital camera. That way, I first shoot a digital
> version, and switch over to MF only when I am satisfied with the
> composition and other photographic considerations. Sort of like
> photographers used to do with Polaroids. Only quicker and cheaper. If this
> is a stereo digital camera, I can also use it to judge the 3D parameters.

I've tried this and have varying success. Viewing the image
on the back of the camera is sometimes awkward. My
light-weight cameras have small screens. My 7D has large
enough screen with a nice histogram, but is heavy (even when
coupled with a plastic lens).

Just last week I started thinking about this idea again. I
wonder if an EOS M (mirrorless APS-C) could be a good
choice. It has a hotshoe so I could prototype fill-flash. It
has a pretty large screen but weighs a lot less than my 7D.
There is an upcoming replacement model for the M so maybe
this model will appear on the used market at a reasonable
price. The biggest complaint about it has been its very slow
auto-focus speed. This isn't a concern for me as a "digital
Polaroid". Medium format is already slow!

Has anyone used an EOS M for this role?

Does anyone want to drop the name of their favorite "digital
Polaroid"?

--
John Thurston
Juneau Alaska
http://stereo.thurstons.us