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Data Back on xd7

Started Dec 9, 2018 | Discussions
Barry Duggan Photography
Barry Duggan Photography Senior Member • Posts: 1,344
Data Back on xd7

Can anyone shed some light on what is a 'Data Back'

Is it purely to print the date/year on the exposed frame of film?

Thanks

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Regards,
Barry.
Twitter - @barrydduggan
Website - barryduggan.com
Email - barrydduggan@gmail.com

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Michael Fritzen Veteran Member • Posts: 6,741
Re: Data Back on xd7

Hi,

yes, as far as I remember that's the main and only purpose to imprint by light the data to the shot.

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Cheers,
Michael Fritzen

Barry Duggan Photography
OP Barry Duggan Photography Senior Member • Posts: 1,344
Re: Data Back on xd7

Michael Fritzen wrote:

Hi,

yes, as far as I remember that's the main and only purpose to imprint by light the data to the shot.

It seems to add a lot of extra bulk for a feature that in 2018 is kind of redundant. You agree?

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Regards,
Barry.
Twitter - @barrydduggan
Website - barryduggan.com
Email - barrydduggan@gmail.com

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sybersitizen Forum Pro • Posts: 24,268
Re: Data Back on xd7

Barry Duggan Photography wrote:

It seems to add a lot of extra bulk for a feature that in 2018 is kind of redundant. You agree?

I don't know if it's redundant. How else would you embed the date on your film? But do you even want the date embedded on your film? If so, consider that it can't be set beyond 1997!

neilt3
neilt3 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,008
Re: Data Back on xd7

Barry Duggan Photography wrote:

Michael Fritzen wrote:

Hi,

yes, as far as I remember that's the main and only purpose to imprint by light the data to the shot.

It seems to add a lot of extra bulk for a feature that in 2018 is kind of redundant. You agree?

Most people didn't need this function in the 70's , even less need it now .

It's really intended for scientific purposes where dates or codes needed to be recorded on the negative to identify each shot .

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Michael Fritzen Veteran Member • Posts: 6,741
Re: Data Back on xd7

Barry Duggan Photography wrote:

It seems to add a lot of extra bulk for a feature that in 2018 is kind of redundant. You agree?

Well, back in film times average photographer might have exposed some 10th of rolls of film, each 24-36 exposures. So from own experience I know that other than those usual shots taken on fixed days like birthdays, holidays and so on, all those who didn't take written note about the images taken (when / where/ what) had a hard time if they wanted to keep track about their photography. For some years I did this my numbering the b/w film stripes in the holders and some very brief discription about the shooting. Today's EXIF info, especially when it holds GPS data and IPTC data is added, allows for precise organization as well as for fast and specific search operations.

From my POV, even if the data backs from film times still work with 2018's data (which they could not according to syber) , a photographer wanting to go back to shoot analog again would need to return also to the old methods of keeping track - perhaps with the aid of some new tools like smartphone for GPS tracking, voice recording for image info, spread sheet or data base to keep the info. I never liked the idea of the imprint in "normal" photography because it got visually too dominant, destroying the visual impression. I'd compare it to today's too large copyright remarks / logos.

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Cheers,
Michael Fritzen

FrancoD Forum Pro • Posts: 19,261
Re: Data Back on xd7

Barry Duggan Photography wrote:

Can anyone shed some light on what is a 'Data Back'

Is it purely to print the date/year on the exposed frame of film?

Thanks

Things were very different 40 years ago.

Most customers bought them with the intention of taking one shot with the date on and then switching it off.

not that it always worked so we used to have requests on how to get rid of that date in prints.

It was mostly another gadget that people could buy.

not long after , some cameras came out with the data back as a standard feature.

At the time that was a selling point...

yes the Quartz bit was the data back.

On this one you could get the date or the time printed.

neilt3
neilt3 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,008
Re: Data Back on xd7

Michael Fritzen wrote:

From my POV, even if the data backs from film times still work with 2018's data (which they could not according to syber) , a photographer wanting to go back to shoot analog again would need to return also to the old methods of keeping track - perhaps with the aid of some new tools like smartphone for GPS tracking, voice recording for image info, spread sheet or data base to keep the info. I never liked the idea of the imprint in "normal" photography because it got visually too dominant, destroying the visual impression. I'd compare it to today's too large copyright remarks / logos.

Sybercitizen is referring to the data back for the XD7 only having the year up until 1997 , not data backs in general .

That one works by having three rotating dials aligned in one position with an LED to "flash" it onto the film .

Later camera model were electronic with buttons and an LCD screen ( think 1980's Casio watch ) , ones such as the Programme back Super 70 & 90 for the Minolta 7000AF and 9000AF were very sophisticated .

Not just data imprinting , but you could adjust the settings for the Programme mode of the camera , and also included an intervalometer that also woke up the flash gun to get the capacitor charged ready for the shot in advance .

I'm not sure what the date goes up to from these 1985 models , but would have run much later than the ten years earlier XD7 back .

.

Regarding on if it's possible to have data imprinting still with film cameras , of course it is !

You just need the right kit .

My Minolta Dynax 7 can imprint the film up to 31st December 2039 !

You don't need a smartphone app to copy stuff down , Minolta already thought of this in 2000 .

The camera was available with the Data Saver DS-100 which attached where the lens goes and transferred the EXIF data to a smart card which could then be transferred to you PC on a spreadsheet .

Skip forward another 15 or so years and modern software is available in the Meta 35 software ; http://www.meta35.com/

.

Film still very usable , you just need to do your homework to find the right kit to do the job .

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Hike Pics
Hike Pics Senior Member • Posts: 2,917
Re: Data Back on xd7

I think there are a few Nikon F models that printed between the frames.

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FrancoD Forum Pro • Posts: 19,261
Re: Data Back on xd7

Chinon had one that could print up to 30 characters.

not popular at all but it was there.

Jemijona New Member • Posts: 1
Re: Data Back on xd7

Barry Duggan Photography wrote:

Can anyone shed some light on what is a 'Data Back'

Is it purely to print the date/year on the exposed frame of film?

Thanks

It can do that, but it can add some more data. The month has as well as 1 to 12, A to G. The year has as well as 79 to 99, A to I.

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