I'm curious if anyone has any reccommendations for palm software for large format photography. I'd like to find a good database-like program to record information for each sheet, like shutterspeed, aperature, film speed, holder number, date, development factors (N, N+1, etc.), and misc. notes. Basically something to take the place of a notepad in the field.

In addition, I'd be interested in hearing what other software people have found useful.

-- Andrew Cole (laserandy@aol.com), December 19, 2000

Answers

I have started using a digital voice recorder to record field notes. It can be voice activated and totally hands free!

-- Glenn Kroeger (gkroeger@trinity.edu), December 19, 2000.

I have tried a couple of different Palm apps available from Palm HQ web site but in the end it was too much hassle and a microcassette recorder I had in the drawer fit the bill. 15 seconds of talk versus 2-3 minutes of working with Palm Graffitti

-- David N. VanMeter (davidvanmeter@columbus.rr.com), December 19, 2000.

I use a graphite archival digital recorder to take the notes when I need to. A #2 pencil & acid free note paper. But, check with Darkroom Innovations/The View Camera Store if you want up to date info on Palm Pilots. Fred Newman knows these things inside & out.

-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), December 19, 2000.

I find it easiest to take notes with a sharpie directly onto the ziplock bags that I pack my film holders in. This prevents me from losing little pieces of paper, or notepads. Later, I'll transfer all relevant data to the back of my last draft/artist print with a pencil.

Tony

-- Tony Pulsone (pulsone@media.mit.edu), December 20, 2000.

Check out http://members.tripod.com/~PalmPhotographe/index.htm. I've used it for about 6 months, and think it's great. It's also a lot less expensive than the software sold by Darkroom Innovations.

-- Chris Patti (cmpatti@aol.com), December 20, 2000.

The View Camera Store (advertises in View Camera and Shutterbug magazines) sells the Palm loaded with Phil Davis' program. I believe, though I'm not sure, that they also sell the program separately. I've not used the program with the Palm but I believe it's basically the same program that used to be sold for the Casio pocket computer, which I used for many years. It's an excellent program that does a whole host of things, including keeping a complete record of each photograph. Among other things, it automatically cranks filter factors, bellows extension, and reciprocity adjustments into the exposure determination, functions as a timer, determines aperture necessary to obtain a given depth of field, etc. etc.

-- Brian Ellis (bellis60@earthlink.net), December 21, 2000.

Zero, nada, nothing. I do not use anything to record field notes. I thought that maybe I was just lazy but it seemed to me that nothing could be done about the exposure I made to film. It is what it is. The only changes you can make to the negative is via printing. MANY NOTES in printing. I just completed a week long workshop with Alan Ross. He keeps no field notes either(sure made me feel good).Just to make me feel better I purchased PhotoLogger. There are several modules that let you set lens, f-stops, cameras, filters and so forth. I have never used it, although it looks good in my Palm and appears that it has all the information that one would need for note taking.

Good Luck Gary

-- Gary Brennan (garyb57@yahoo.com), December 27, 2000.