Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/05/18

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: Equipment failures
From: Mike Gardner <mikeg@neca.com>
Date: Sun, 18 May 1997 20:55:14 -0400

> Harrison McClary wrote:
> >
> > Having equipment crash while on a shoot is a MAJOR pain in the a...

Donal wrote... 

> Wanna talk about Polaroid backs?  I have 4x5 (2), medium format (2) and
> one 35mm.  And all seem prone to jam, gum up and generally malfunction,
> despite regular cleaning.

Last fall I was doing a 4x5 shot of a client's new building for prints
for a trade show.  I was doing the twilight/lights on in the building
type shot.  As the lighting comes close to optimum, I shoot color
polaroid, process and its BLANK. Now, I can see an image on ground
glass when the shutter's open, so the polaroid should show an image.
I shoot two more and they are BLANK!  Now I'm too chicken to shoot 4x5
in this situation without seeing a 'roid so I abandon 4x5 and quickly
set up and level Hasselblad with 50 FLE, a quick 'roid, and the shot is
made just seconds before light fades.  Next day I shoot a polaroid of
my studio building with same 4x5/lens/box of polaroid and have perfect
polaroid print!  Who can figure?  Expect the unexpected and have back
up.(The building shot was excellent and the client never knew why I was
tearing around out in the parking lot muttering curses.)
Mike "where's my Leica" Gardner