In the epistle "Re:17mm and the F5 Larry" scribed 04-19-98 00:53,
Hap Newsom did thus proclaim to Larry Bolch:
Hap 
HN> LB>to handle them well. With long exposures, fast lenses are not
HN> LB>a factor, and one can stop down to the sharpest stop. I use the
HN> LB>self-timer to trip the shutter so there is no vibration.
HN> 
HN> If I were to use  the Extar 25, I'd do it on the F2's, the F5 uses
HN> battery power to hold the shutter open and those lithium puppies are
HN> pricey!
That is discouraging. Just how bad is the battery drain with
a twenty second exposure? How many would it take to kill the
batteries? Less than a roll? What would be the battery cost of
a four second exposure for example?
I found that most interiors would allow exposures in the four
to twenty second range at f5.6 or f8.0, and of course my F3 uses
AA cells to power both the motor and shutter. With it, I would
bankrupt myself with film costs and processing well before batteries. 
I find no need to bracket since there is lots of time to meter,
and I tend to always hit 100% keepers. It is not like burning up
a dozen rolls covering sports in hopes that there will be at least
one great piece of action. In this case, you have time to select
your views, meter and compose with care. It is a challenge to even
FIND two or three dozen shots in most interiors! I would think
that the metering in the F5 would make metering a breeze, unlike
the F2. If I don't have windows to deal with - store interior for
example - the F3 on Auto does perfectly. If the light is spotty
and/or there are windows, I go to the Minolta Spotmeter.
Of course with landscapes - even into twilight, exposures tend to
be under a second at your sharpest f-stops. Again it is contemplative
photography and there is time to select, compose and so on. 
It is very much like doing large-format photography with a 35mm. So
why not use a large-format instead? Well price a system that will
give you an automatic exposure of 18.35 seconds - electronic shutter
and metering and the Sinar to go with it. Consider the bulk of 36
exposures in large-format compared to 36 exposures of Royal Gold 25.
Consider the price of an equivalent to your 17mm in an auto shutter
on your 4x5. Consider the lack of Ektar Pro 25 in sheet film sizes.
It is more that just fine grain and sharpness. 
There is a beauty to these films beyond its technical specifications.
The last roll I shot, went directly onto a PhotoCD - the "look" is
still there - even on my computer screen.
larry!
... "BOTHER__.TXT" said Pooh, speaking MS-DOS.
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