Film bodies and EXIF data

[anisshah]

I like my 'new' EOS 33 but, having used the 400D for a year or so, I miss being able to access EXIF data. By the time I send the film for processing, I've usually forgotten the details of almost all the exposures, and paper-and-pencil is not always a practical option. :-)

 

I was wondering whether the 1v is the only Canon body (35mm) that records exposure data. I understand that the 1v uses software and a cable to transfer the data to a PC instead of putting it on the film leader or between frames (which is apparently what some other cameras do). Does the EOS 3 have a similar feature?

[franklin_polk]

The 1v is the only Canon film body that records exposure data. The software is a little fiddly to use until you get the hang of it, and (at least in my experience), the cable has a habit of randomly losing the connection with the computer (i.e. it is still attached, but the computer doesn't think so), usually when the computer is put into sleep and then woken up. Part of the 1v film recording system is that it imprints a roll number right before the first frame, which then matches up to a number that you download from the camera. While this system works well for neg film, it seems that the number often gets covered over, or lost when shooting slide film. I believe the Nikon F6, F5, F100, and N90s can all record exposure data via the Nikon Photo secretary.

[anisshah]

Thanks, Franklin.

 

I've read that the F6 writes the exposure data to a CF card whereas the N90 and F100 use a cable and the F4 and F5 imprint the data between frames.

 

For the F4/F5, would one need to read the data off the film strip with a magnifying lens?

 

Also, would the software for the 1v (or F100) work on more recent operating systems ke Vista and Leopard?

[andy_szeto]

The EOS 3 does not store shooting information. The 1v software does not work on Vista. I have emailed Canon and they said they have no plan to update the driver for Vista. Isn't it weired that the 1v is still on Canon's product line and the price was just climbed back to $1700 (same price as in 7 years ago) from $1650 at B&H? Luckily I still have an older PC that runs Windows XP.

[curt wiler]

I have used the recording system on the Nikon cameras mentioned, except the F4 which I am not familiar with. All

these cameras record an electronic file which downloaded to a computer using Nikon's software. As I recall,

depending on how much information you wanted to store, the camera memory could hold up to about 30 rolls' worth

of data. Imprinting anything on the film is entirely separate and can formatted the way the user wants. I found

it useful to put an index number on the film leader that would help me synchronize with the electronic data,

which could be displayed in spreadsheet format or dumped into a relational database. Altogether, I found this

system sometimes useful if there was a problem with the camera or exposure, but quite awkward to operate. Note

this capability is not built into the N90s body, but added by a data back, which I found to be itself the source

of occasional problems in the field.

[franklin_polk]

The F3, F4, Pentax LX, and a few other 'pro' cameras have backs available that can record shooting data by blocking off part of the frame (usually the bottom corner), and using a light to imprint shooting data, at the expense of that part of the image. The Pentax MZ-S can record shooting data between the sprocket holes, and the Pentax 645 records shooting data right below the frame.