>Re all your problems - you didn't notice any unusual hair growth,
>lengthening snout, or urges to howl did you? {:->
Marilyn,
I was shivering too much to notice! BTW, I also was making "trail" photographs
with a Canon FT with a Sigma full-frame fisheye on reversal color film. The
mechanical camera worked flawlessly!! Also did a similar 3 hour trail with a
Graflex KE-4 with 110 mm lens onto 70mm Vericolor film. Then used a Canon A-1
with a Vivitar 400 onto reversal (ran out) then negative film. Camera's shutter
failed as it lost heat in the cold. Not sure if it was the battery that failed
(check LED was flashing OK but shutter failed on opening leading me to believe
that the drain on the tiny battery was too much for it in the cold) but in any
case I did not have battery backup.
The Polaroid was a "home built" camera kludge. It took pack film. To a salvaged
Polaroid plastic camera body that I cut down and covered the resultant opening
with a rigid cover into which was cut an opening for light from the lens to
reach the film I attached an old self-cocking shutter behind a rear lens cap so
that the flange to film distance would be the correct one for attaching Canon
FD lenses onto this thing. The neat thing about the shutter is that it was real
easy to make multiple exposures (did 13) onto the film without disturbing the
camera position ... but which I did when changing the lens aperture at
totality.
I am not sure what the moral of the story is exactly. I guess "limit the number
of cameras you have operating at any time" might be one of them. "Plan for
every step before ... way before! ... the actual event" might be another. "Have
an assistant or two handy" as well as batteries. Or, use mechanical cameras.
I guess digital cameras would be OK too. Remember it is dark outside and having
a flashlight (and not point into or towards a fisheye lens) is good. Make sure
batteries are OK. Have a party afterwards!
:)
andy
