Three weeks without power....how do you manage, M8?

[rob_x2004]

Yea...like, three weeks, maybe more days at both ends. No power, no laptop backup. Can you manage with M digital?

[mgcd]

Portable solar panels... almost wafer thin enough for laptop, satellite phone and camera. At this stage I prefer to use film when I know there is really no power around, but you still have to file...

[Frank Sprow]

I've done this twice now for 1 1/2 to 2 weeks in Africa and Indonesia. In both cases I took three batteries for the M8 and made frequent use of my M7 which I generally carry as a backup for the M8 anyway.

Charge the M8 batteries on DC during flights and whenever near a vehicle (cigarette lighter).

[DaveB]

I spent two months canoeing in Canada this summer.

The longest I was away from power or a laptop was 22 days.

I carried 7 batteries (one Leica and 6 after market).

Plus, 4 4GB memory cards. Filled them all.

CRW_6825e-after.jpg

[Daniel Ortego]

disregard double entry

[Daniel Ortego]

Originally Posted by DaveB

I spent two months canoeing in Canada this summer.

The longest I was away from power or a laptop was 22 days.

I carried 7 batteries (one Leica and 6 after market).

Plus, 4 4GB memory cards. Filled them all.

Attachment 62820

Incredibly gorgeous set-up.
Regards,

[Olsen]

Originally Posted by rob_x2004

Yea...like, three weeks, maybe more days at both ends. No power, no laptop backup. Can you manage with M digital?

It depends on how much you intend to shoot and the temperature you will be working in. For such an assignment I could use my 1Ds II with two batteries and store files on my Epson 2000 with three batteries. That is under temperatures warmer than 20 C. To have the same capacity with my M8 I would need three to four batteries, to be on the safe side. - A great advantage with the M8 is it's charger's car charging capability. At really low temperatures, say, like staying in a hut in the Norwegian mountains, Spitsbergen, Antartica etc. you have to double that battery capacity.

[mgcd]

Portable Solar Panels

[jaapv]

My solution: eight batteries. Plus, the camera will recharge from a 12 V power source, such as a car battery. The cigarette lighter cable and two small cables plus crococodile clips to connect.

[benkelley]

Originally Posted by mgcd

Portable Solar Panels

Here's another idea....
http://store.solio.com/s.nl/it.A/id....7&category=109

pretty small: 198 x 68 x 18mm

Don't know if it would even work, but might be worth looking into.

[Skippy Sanchez]

All good advice above. Also, shoot like you're shooting film:

*Turn off the screen preview
*Don't chimp, at least until you're on the airplane headed home
*Be very selective in what you choose to shoot, as though each frame costs $5.oo
*Shoot DNG only,not DNG+jpg. It saves space on your cards & conserves energy
*Bring lots of cards and protect them diligently.
*Use auto-off when you're likely to be shooting for awhile. Waking the camera from sleep mode uses less energy than firing up from off.

[charlesphoto99]

I'd also want to have a back up body. For the price of an M8 one can buy an M6TTL (or original M6 or even a Voigtlander) and a heck of a lot of film and processing. I know, I know, it's not digital, and "I don't shoot film any longer because it's expensive and a pain" etc etc but it may come down to shooting film or shooting nothing at all. Having a dead in the water M8 might be a lot more pain than carrying around a few rolls of film and dealing with processing and scanning later. Plus all of your wonderful wide lenses do what they were designed to do!