| Joined: | Mon Apr 2nd, 2012 |
| Location: | South Lakeland, UK |
| Posts: | 4066 |
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The banding has almost gone since the menu reset and now I have done a full 'Two Button' reset it may be even better. There are still traces of lines but nothing like it was. In a way it seems the slight lines I still have were somehow emphasised by gross contrast from an in camera process.
I think I have restored the file naming convention, so back to being a happy camper!
I was pleased to find my collection of input manual lens data survived the 'Two Button' reset, together with my copyright name and info.
I still need to tackle the battery front, I looked at Wix and they want £140 for a single Nikon EN-EL4a. Seems a bit steep, especially since I need multiple units. That said cost of an expedition to Kielder, fuel and expenses add up, then the batteries let me down, that is wast of opportunity, time and money, not to mention frustrating.
I have wondered about making a little body warmer for it, a warm insulated bag, or a box like a warm/cool box with a tiny heater built in but then would probably have condensation issues.
Just to get photo's of stars in winter!!!What about a portable external power source??? I have a 300W inverter, I'm sure that would run a power pack, even from an independent 12V car battery. Can you get mains power packs for the D3? Perhaps if the Volts are kept up to spec. the camera (sensor) should run cooler and the save file process shouldn't throw errors? Don't think I would like the idea of running the D3 off of a car battery directly!!! Although I have read somewhere of somebody doing that via a dummy battery... If the current flow were restricted and the battery were on constant charge while still in the camera... That might work but a proper engineered solution would be better.
I have the book 'A Picture of Everest' of the original successful 1953 expedition. They had a variety of cameras Rolliflex, Leica, Retina II, Super Iconta and Contax they also had some specially treated cameras which had been either de-greased or specially greased by the manufacturers for arctic conditions, however no specially treated camera went above 23,000 feet. Basically the climbers didn't trust them! Preferring their own personal cameras, which they were used to and could use instinctively in the severely challenging conditions.
So, a solution to the question of taking time lapse photography into the cold of winter? It can't be so hard surely? Digital cameras must have to be used in cold conditions all over the world, it can't be so unusual to use a digital camera, especially a tough, professional one such as the D3 at minus 5ºC. I have experienced -20ºC in Germany and Holland in normal towns and villages, never mind in the Eastern European mountains, Alps and Scandinavia. For goodness sake, by comparison it's warm here in the UK.
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Robert.