If you had no batteries, would you stay home?

[Heroique]

It is still possible to navigate at night [w/o a flashlight] although usually not a good idea.

With a pack of LF gear on back + tripod in hand, especially after a productive, exhausting day of shooting, I’d add stress and say "almost never" a good idea! Worse: not even providing oneself with the option of artificial light.

Whether Washington mountains or Nebraska prairies, full moon or new.

Night-hiking for its own sake – now that's a different story. ;^)

[AuditorOne]

Heck, I would probably do a better job! Instead of being so worried about using my meter to find the best exposure I would likely focus more on framing my shot a bit better.

I shoot sunny 16 very successfully all the time with my smaller cameras, and have for many years. But everytime I bring the 8x10 it seems I suddenly need all kinds of hi-tech backup!

This was a great question! I think I should worry less and shoot more.

[Vaughn]

I'd miss my spot meter exposing under the redwoods...you would think after exposing sheet film along the same creek for over 35 years, I would have a clue (along with my notes for every negative exposed) as to what to set the shutter. But the light is not very consistent. Using my notes I could get close, with a higher percentage of un-printable negatives as a result. My development is tied closely to the SBR, so I'd have to get a little more general in the developing, too. Using a battery-less meter would get me in the ballpark, but generally they are not as accurate in the low end where my readings usually are.

Presence and thickness of the fog, time of day/season, height of the redwoods, percentage of crown cover, and all -- too many factors! There is no "Sunny-16" under the redwoods! A bit easier if one has sky around, like in the mountains or desert! My wind-up pocket watch serves to time my exposures -- usually in the minutes. Counting out 30 minutes is a drag.

I have had the opportunity to practice my night navigation without a flashlight many many times...redwoods, mountains and deserts. I try to remember to toss one in the pack.

[David A. Goldfarb]

No problem exposing with sunny 16 and other rules of thumb.

For long exposures, just remember your favorite march. They're usually 120 beats per minute, except for circus marches, which are faster. If you subdivide 16th notes in your head, you'll be more accurate than most old shutters as 1/4 sec or longer, and with practice even at 1/8 sec., if the shutter can go that fast.

No batteries required.

[Heroique]

About 80% of the time I do not take a meter with me.

I know I'm not the only one who wants to hear about the other 20%!

It might even be an unassailable argument for batteries (if the meter requires them).

Maybe as good as Vaughn's statement above: "there is no sunny-16 under the Redwoods."

How does temperature factor into your metering equation?

Just a guess, it's probably a remark about battery efficiency in the cold, and hence the meter's reliability.

[Greg Miller]

With a pack of LF gear on back + tripod in hand, especially after a productive, exhausting day of shooting, I’d add stress and say "almost never" a good idea! Worse: not even providing oneself with the option of artificial light.

Whether Washington mountains or Nebraska prairies, full moon or new.

Night-hiking for its own sake – now that's a different story. ;^)

Have you actually tired it? I almost always carrying a pack with 30+ lbs. and a tripod in hand. Its actually safer than hiking with a head lamp. With a headlamp you are constantly having to change the bean from your feet to up the trail (especially difficult when the trail is climbing because "up the trial" is a lot higher than your feet). If you are using your night vision, your peripheral vision can avoid a lot of this and thus is safer. Plus you gain vision to the side as well. If I'm hiking at night with night vision, and find a condition where I must turn on the headlamp, I find that to be disturbing until I can turn the night off and regain night vision.

[Heroique]

Not sure I can help you, but based on the conditions you've shared, one idea I might suggest is a headlamp designed with a diffuse beam, not a tunnel beam (big difference!). If you're unhappy after trying it out, I'd say stick with your current habits unless you find something better. In the end, it's a call that should always be based on a sound understanding of hiking conditions, gear performance, and personal abilities.

[Greg Miller]

Not sure I can help you, but based on the conditions you've shared, one idea I might suggest is a headlamp designed with a diffuse beam, not a tunnel beam (big difference!). If you're unhappy after trying it out, I'd say stick with your current habits unless you find something better. In the end, it's a call that should always be based on a sound understanding of hiking conditions, gear performance, and personal abilities.

I was actually asking if you have tried hiking by moon/starlight.

I have hiked with a variety of headlamps and lighting patterns. The problems are 1) you have to physically move your head up and down constantly to see the terrain at your feet and the trail ahead. You never see both at once. 2) You;re eyes adjust to the brightness of the headlamp, so you cannot see to the side, and when you move your head up to see the trail ahead you can no longer see the terrain at your feet (and vice versa).

When hiking with nightvision you can look midway down the trail and see the trail ahead and the terrain at your feet at the same time. This is actually much safer. Its easy to observe if you watch people in both situations. The people hiking with headlamps will stumble quite a bit more often than those hiking with nightvision.

[andre]

In Belgium, 6 out of 7 days, the afternoon sky is uniformly grey at EV8.
No worries at all.

[Heroique]

I have hiked with a variety of headlamps and lighting patterns...

If your gear choices and hiking habits are working well for you, I say keep with it!

I'll only alert you that the woods can get darker than human vision can adapt to.

And repeat the importance of coordinating hiking conditions, gear performance, and personal abilities.

In Belgium, 6 out of 7 days, the afternoon sky is uniformly grey at EV8. No worries at all.

Add a healthy dose of rain and mist, and it sounds like Seattle this time of year.