XG-1 Battery and Bulb Question

[chris_kedrowski]

Usually I use the Canon EOS series for my photography, but recently I

have become interested in doing long time exposures such as

star-trails, and the EOS batteries do not last long doing this. I was

given an XG-1 and was wondering if this would be suitable for this.

 

What I want to know is whether or not having a shutter-speed on bulb

setting that is hours long will drain the battery. Does the camera

only switch on to close the shutter, or is it on the entire time the

shutter is open?

 

Thanks in Advance!

[TomHildreth]

The XG-1 online manual indicates that battery current flows when making a time exposure in "B". Only experimentation will show you how long the battery will last. If you plan on making the long exposures in cold weather you are probably going to also risk low battery output due to low temperature. There is an interesting warning in the manual that states if you are using a cable-type shutter release, be careful not to let it touch the metal of the camera body as this will cause the shutter to close, ending the exposure.

 

Sounds to me like an older, less automated camera (SRT series) would be more ideal for this type of work.

[christian deichert]

Yes, you're draining the battery when shooting bulb shots with an XG-series camera (also with the later X-series). As I understand it, the shutter is kept open with an electromagnet, which requires a constant charge to keep the shutter open.

 

I was once told by a camera salesman that the batteries in my X-500 would give me a total of around 6 hours of shutter time, whether it was all at once or one shot at a time. From practical experience, I can tell you that I killed the battery in my X-570 after shooting two 1-hour bulb exposures, but the battery wasn't new (had been using it pretty actively for a couple months) and it wasn't that warm outside (it was mid-May outside Natural Bridges National Monument, temp was probably low to mid 50's).

 

If you want a semi-modern camera with some automatic exposure modes and a manual bulb mode, look at the XD-7/XD-11/XD-S (basically same camera, model numbers were changed for different markets). Shutter priority mode, aperture priority mode, manual mode, plus two mechanical speeds (bulb and 1/100).

 

Or, as above, get a, SR-T for bulb shots. I now carry an SR-T 101 as a fully mechanical backup body and for bulb shots. I could get a battery adapter and use the integral light meter, but I meter either with my X-500, X-570, or Spotmeter F instead.

[ericd]

Buy an SRT-101 with mirror lockup if you make a lot of long exposures.

[fmueller]

XD series cameras are great - my personal favorite among all SLRs - and Christian is right in that they have a mechanical B speed, which does not drain the battery. However, XD series cameras are still not ideal for star trails because the LEDs in the finder stay open during the exposure, and this can cause light pollution when you record star trails. An SRT or SR would be your ideal choice - the cheapest too!

[michael_linn]

If you use an XD, take the batteries out. That turns off the LEDs.

[ericd]

I would insist that an srt-101 is the right choice for long exposures : no dark stigmometer and the mirror lockup allows sharper shots.

[chris_kedrowski]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all opinions given, and now I'm headed to Ebay to find an SRT-101