Motor drive lovers - past and present

Too many Nikons in this thread.

F-1Motor.jpg


Jim B.
 
Two of my F bodies have had motors on for so long that I doubt that I can find the standard backs for them. So, when I run the perennial couple of rolls through them, I do run the motors. One of the F36 drives was actually built in late 1959 or early 1960, and it still works! I don't think anyone still shoots sports or action on film, so motor drives are rather superfluous these days. But, for portraiture and group shots, I find that a motor allows me to quickly fire off a second and third shot just as the people start to relax, all without taking my eye off the viewfinder.
 
Mackinaw said:
Too many Nikons in this thread.

F-1Motor.jpg


Jim B.
Click to expand...

I agree:

CanonF1.jpg


In the early 1990's I was covering the New York City Marathon with this body and winder and a 100-300 zoom. What a beast. Running backwards as I was shooting some of the handicap runners crossing the Verrazano Bridge. My arms were sore for days.
 
One of my Canon F-1Ns always has the motordrive installed because it gives shutter priority, I also had the luck to get a Pentax Super A with its motordrive (not superfast, OK) and it improves the ergonomy of the small body.

For my LX I couldn't find the motordrive, but I use the winder, it's cool because with it and in aperture priority I can shoot really fast, plus the LX is small enough to be carried out with it without shoulder concerns.
 
I have the motor drives for my OM cameras and while they work very well I find I have slowed down and gone to the less is more mode so they do not get much use.
 
I like them on my Nikon FE2s and on the FA (though I don't use the FA much). I like them for stability of hand-holding, and not having to take the camera down from my eye. What I don't like about the MD-12 is that it's fiddly when I first attach it to the camera. It might work, it might not. Try the shutter: no, doesn't fire. loosen the thumbscrew,jiggle, tighten. Nope, won't fire. Try again, jiggle, fiddle. Yup, now it works. And it will keep working as long as it stays on the camera. Take it off, and I have to start all over.

The motor drive on the Leica R5 and R6 I used to have? I would put it on, and it worked, first time and every time.
 
All right. I suppose I should get an image of these combos....my Nikon babies from the days when I worked as a "real" photographer.....

Back in the day, when I used to photograph punk rock bands for their promotional matieral and album covers, I used to use a Nikon FE2 with MD12 motor drive, or F2 with MD4? motor drive during our sessions. To be completely honest, the main reason for the motor drive was not to advance film quickly. Not at all. It was to impress these young 18-21 year old kids that I was a "professional" and the photos we were getting were going to be professional quality. I called it the "vogue effect". These kids thought a true professional (i.e., fashion photographer from Vogue or similar) was doing the shoot, and they rose to the occasion with expression and pose that made the bill. Whew! If only they knew I was some rank amateur with a motor drive......where would music be now? BTW, if you've ever shot with a Nikon FE2 or F2 and its motor drive, you'll know that the sound is clear and unmistakable. Very loud and impressive.
 
Look what's arrived

IMG_2473 by dralowid, on Flickr

Sold as non working. Presumably the seller had nothing with which to test it. Drowned the battery box in Goddard's Silver Dip (yes the contacts are sliver plated) and now it hammers away quite happily!
 
"One of my Canon F-1Ns always has the motordrive installed because it gives shutter priority, I also had the luck to get a Pentax Super A with its motordrive (not superfast, OK) and it improves the ergonomy of the small body."

The F-1N (New) motor drive has a unique sound. Kind of a very sharp bzzzt..."Engage the impulse engines, Scotty."

Back in the early 80's, a local TV station wanted to record the sound of a motor drive to use with a news intro. I hauled out the new Canon F1 with motor , and the guy recording the sound said that it didn't sound like a motor drive. So I dug out a Nikon F with an F36 motor, and he was happy. "Yeah, that's what a motor drive is supposed to sound like," he said.
 
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