long exposure timer

[bruce watson]

Just about every large format photographer I've run across has

experience with long exposure times. What I'm looking for is a pointer

toward a timer to time those long exposures.

<p>

Ideally, it will <b><i>not</i></b> be a watch, because I hate wearing

watches. What I'm looking for is closer to a pocket watch. Worse, it

is a count-down timer that will beep at me when the time is up.

<p>

For example: Let's say I found this neat little stream in the dark

woods. I compose my shot, use the spot meter to place my zones, and

calculate (including reciprocity) that I need a two minute exposure. I

want to pull a timer out of my pocket, set it for two minutes, and

start it when I open the shutter. While the shutter is open, I want to

watch the scene to see if anything unusual happens. When the timer

goes "beep" I know to close the shutter.

<p>

Simple, isn't it? So, who makes such a timer, and if they exist at

all, where can I buy one?

[jason_greenberg_motamedi]

Many cheap digital watches have a timer as well as stop watch built in. I use a regular dial watch and simply remember when I should close the shutter.

[a m]

Hogarth, there is such a kitchen timer, and it is really cheap at WalMart. I forgot the brand, but it is a little plastic device about the size of a travel alarm clock (maybe 5 cm x 6 cm) with some buttons on the front and costs all of $6 or 7. I first encountered the timer at the physical therapy clinic. The therapist would clip it magnetically to the machine, set 5 or 10 minutes, and tell you to use the machine until it beeped.

[pat_kearns1]

If you are in the states, try Radio Shack, Edmund Scientific or just a good kitchen store. Happy shooting.

[tony_galt]

If you go the kitchen timer route, make sure you get one that times seconds as well as minutes, not all do. Such timers do double duty in the darkroom. I'd try somewhere like Target.

[jim_galli4]

Yep, Radio Shack. I've got one in the dark room I use for everything. A neat trick is to seal it up in a zip lock sandwich baggie so it lives in a nice clean dry environment. All you need is one with a button to set seconds and minutes, and a start stop button.

[bruce watson]

My bad - I forgot to add that it needs to be small and light so I can backpack with it.

[arne_croell]

A sports stopwatch with countdown timer function to hang around you neck should be able to do it. These are usually also waterproof. I use an older Seiko "sports timer" in the darkroom all the time, where the beeping is helpful in the dark.

[john_kasaian1]

hogarth, I've been using a Timex Triathlon stop watch. Good points: Its very light wieght, has the indiglow feature for night work, and come with a lanyard like a stop watch should. Bad points: Its larger than a conventional stop watch, the indiglow turns off automatically after 5 seconds unless you keep your finger on the button, and like all digital timepieces it has too many features for this boy to take the time to learn(my attention span gets shorter with age!) It does do everything you require, though. About $19 at discount sporting goods places-------Cheers!

[richard_ilomaki]

Hogarth

 

I have a Radio Shack talking timer that counts up or down and also gives regular times. It is great for processing negs in the dark, as it announces eery minute in a readily understandable synthetic female voice, then counts off every ten seconds in the last minute.

 

I bought it last week for about 23 Canadian, so it should be $15 US.

I gave the same info on this forum a few months ago with the RS part no, but am away from home now. Just ask for the talking timer

 

Cheers

[colin carron]

Try practising counting seconds against a watch until you are reasonably close. One, and, Two, and Three, and Four, and, etc..

You don't have to be amazingly accurate to get within 15 - 20% which is probably ok for most purposes.

[pvp]

Radio Shack:

Jumbo-Display Dual Timer/Clock

$9.99

Catalog Number: 63-899 Model: 63-899

[artie_kapell5]

Another vote for the radio shack device. They were selling them a week or two ago at my local store on a discount - I think I paid $5 for my second one (stepped on a predecessor) and use it in my darkroom because of the audible aspect. Nonetheless, although I hate to wear watches also, I usually carry a cheap casio wrist watch that I put in my pocket. For $15 it'll count up, down, tell me how much time I have left in the day, and is waterproof to boot.

[cxc]

If you happen to be carrying a Palm, you can download a free count-down timer ('CFB Timer') from www.download.com. One nice feature it has is that it beeps 3 times then stops, so you don't have to turn the beep off.

 

CXC

[nathan_congdon]

I hate and will not wear watches as well. But you simply can't beat them as "small timers." And cheap! I bought a sports watch as recommended above and just keep it jammed in with the other junk I carry around in my bag out in the field. It need never touch your wrist, and will certainly take up less room than any kitchen timer, and probably be sturdier and more water-resistant into the bargain.

 

Regards,

N Congdon

[john_boeckeler]

I second the recommendation for the Radio Shack Talking Timer. I have owned a number of these small digital timers, but this is the most versatile one I have used.

[www.graemehird.com]

I agree with Nathan - buy a cheap digital watch. If you want to hang it aroung your neck, cut the band down to a stub, pearce a hole in it and put a lanyard on it.

 

I've got one of the talking timers for the darkroom, but they are a pain in the posterior to carry around in the field (always beeping in your bag when the buttons touch something).

 

Regards,

Graeme

[ole_tjugen]

I've been thinking along the same lines - but for darkroom work, since I DO wear a watch.

 

Most of the time I use a metronome. When his went missing a while ago (my wife had borrowed it for music practice), I discovered that my counting was accurate enough for all practical purposes. So now I just count at 60 beats per minute...

 

The portability is unequalled, and there's nothing to lose (except count, which hasn't happened yet)!

[neil_poulsen1]

My family just gave me a Sportline brand stop watch that was purchased at GI Joes. Don't know if you have that store. It's small and very convenient. But, it doesn't light at night. They also gave me a pen-lite that I can use at night. Thought that I would combine the two for photos under dark conditions.

[jeffrey_scott]

Go to http://www.stopwatches.com/ and you will find all kinds of things that may work for you.

[jason_greenberg_motamedi]

Hogarth,

 

Sorry about ignoring your request that it not be a watch. However, I also never wear watches, but I since I was unable to find anything cheaper or smaller which fit the bill, I use an old dial watch with the band removed, which fits nicely into my pocket next to a small tape measure and loupe.

[vince_pulvirenti]

Protar makes (made) a timed cable release that times from 2 to 32 seconds, these show up on ebay from time to time.

[scott_walton2]

Patterson makes a "Triple Timer" that has a clock function, and 3 sets of

different timers with a beeper at the end. I got mine at a good camera store

where I live W. B. Hunt's in Melrose MA USA). It's only 3.25" x 2.25" by about

an inch thick at it's widest. Easily slips into the shirt pocket and takes a real

beating. I've had mine for about 8 years now and have only had to replace the

single AA battery once.

Hunt's is on line at: http://www.wbhunt.com/site/home.htm. I went to their site

but didn't list it so you will have to email them

[todd_west]

The Gossen Digisix has an exposure timer. I use mine regularly for exposures from two seconds up to around five minutes, though Digsix's upper limit is something like 45 minutes. I would assume there are other digital light meters around with this feature as well, though none of the manufacturers seem to think it's important enough to mention.