Motor-drive for Nikon F3hp & Fm3a?

[joel_gomez]

I was wondering if someone could educate me a bit? To get the effect

of a subject being photographed 20 times on one frame, such as a

snowboader doing a trick or a car moving, is a motordrive used for

that? If so would a Nikon F3hp &/or Fm3a have a frame lock for

multiple exposer for such an effect? I know it might be a stupid

question. I'm looking to buy either camera and a motordrive to get

better effective pictures. thanks for anyone who posts

[david_h._hartman]

You need to explain more about what you envision but off the top of my head I�d recommend the F5 or F3/F3HP with MD-4. The focusing ease with the F5 and F3HP are equal with manual focus lenses. The F3 with DE-2 finder is a little easier. The F5 has custom functions that will make multiple exposures on one frame quite easy. The F3 has a multi-exposure lever in an easy to use place. The FPS on the F5 and F3/MD-4 with NiCd pack is much better than the FM3a with MD-12.

 

Are you sure you want to make the choice of camera on this criteria?

 

Regards,

 

Dave Hartman.

[david_h._hartman]

<em>"...a snowboader doing a trick..." --Joel Gomez<br>

</em><br>

One more thing: the snowboader cries out for auto focus and fast

dynamic tracking. The F5 is not only an excellent camera for auto

focus lenses but its also excellent for manual focus lenses.

<br>

<br>

Best,<br>

<br>

Dave.

[spencer_hahn]

I think you have to take 20 separate exposures on 20 different frames, then cut and paste part of each exposure digitally onto one frame. Otherwise each part of the sequence will be over 4 stops underexposed.

[david_h._hartman]

Twenty exposures is a lot on one frame. I think after some experimenting that number might fall. A very deep neutral density filter might be used or indoors a black background and strobe might do the trick.

 

---

 

One more thing on the motor drive side of things is the MD-12 boost the sound level of the FE2 from 70 to 80 dB. The FM3a should be about the same. I�ve defended this combo as not being so loud but I�m spoiled. The F3 with MD-4 puts out 64 dB and the F5 maybe 68~70 dB. Every 3 is a doubling of the sound level. What can I say? I was wrong.

[joel_gomez]

Dave, I don't wanna base buying a camera on one criteria. I've been taking a lot of things into consideration. I was just wondering of random stuff that I could possibly due with my camera of choice. I get so indesicive about buying new equipment...but I think so do a lot of photographers...one odesn't want to buy the wrong camera etc...

[david_h._hartman]

<em>"...one doesnt want to buy the wrong camera etc..."

--Joel Gomez<br>

</em><br>

I think you can avoid that problem very easily by purchasing both

the Nikon F5 and the Nikon FM3a ;-)<br>

<br>

Best,<br>

<br>

Dave.<br>

<br>

NAS is not evil, NAS is good! (sm)

[joel_gomez]

Dave, Haha funny....I do wish I had the funds to buy 2 camera's at once...In that case I would just buy a bunch of cameras and use the one I liked...

[todd peach seattle, washi]

F3/MD-4/MN-2 is a very cost-effective way to get to 5.5 fps in a multi-exposure capable camera. As Spencer and David said, this isn't going to give you easy '20 exposure' overlays. Beyond two or three multi-exposures, the moving subject becomes too transparent to use.

[joel_gomez]

Yeah...I wasn't looking for 20 exposures per frame...just using that as an example....I've been eyeing the F3hp so much. it looks like a camera that's gonna last me for a long time....Im just wiating for B&H to reopen.

 

thanks

joel

[mskovacs]

More than a few multiple exposures and you should be using flash. You calculate your ambient exposure based on the expected number of multiple exposures and let the flash expose and freeze your subject.

 

You need to use low flash power so it doesn't poop out on you. Very tricky...photoshop is a good idea!

 

On the F3 you can just hold the multiple exposure lever out with your thumb and burn with the MD-4. With the 16.8V NiCd pack it goes about 5.5fps, maybe more when the pack it hot off the charger. It is considerably slower with AA batts.

[bob_lee2]

You should consider the F5 with the SB-28 flash. The SB-28 can fire repeatedly (as many as 90 times) during a single exposure, creating stroboscopic multiple-exposure effects. This can be especially useful for fast-moving subjects.

[trevor_little1]

I've had a lot of luck with the FM3a and the MD-12 motor drive. The only drawback would be the md-12 only does 3.2-3.5 fps which would be a little slow for snowboarding. Compared to the F3, the FM3a i would argue is just as durable, plus has faster sync speeds, ttl flash, aperature priority etc, and you can get an md-12 used dirt cheap.