4 x 5 camera 'dark cloth' for HOT climates recommendation

[sperera]

.....me again! so I live in a hot climate.....Gibraltar and Spain is where I normally take pics...summer and spring are hot.....what you all recommend for a dark cloth to put over myself when Im out there? again...countless times asked but they bring out new products all the time so perhaps something recent beats them all!!

 

[guangong]

At one time dark clothes were available with a white exterior sheet to reflect sunlight and black on interior. If not commercially available, very easy to make.

 

[BrianShaw]

Back in the olden days it was recommended by some, Fred Picker in particular, to have a dark cloth with 2 sides: black inside and white outside. I made one like that out of a lightweight cotton so it would breathe somewhat. It works okay in hot climate. No matter what, though, seems to me that the best approach is to minimize how long one is under the cloth.

 

[sperera]

indeed minimise the time under hahaha one could even use a black tee shirt...stick the head hole onto the camera and put your head in via the waist band haha

 

[Ian Grant]

When I shoot in Turkey & Greece I carry a small black dark cloth, 24"x36", but I also have a focus hood, and the screen & fresnel are nice and bright are easy to compose and focus with.

Personally, I find weight critical working in the heat, often staring early in a morning and finishing as the temperature rises to the high 30ºCs toon odd occasions 40ºC+ as I'm finishing.

Ian

 

[BrianShaw]

indeed minimise the time under hahaha one could even use a black tee shirt...stick the head hole onto the camera and put your head in via the waist band haha

I’ve heard about the T-shirt technique. I’d do it the other way… head through neck band, backward, and the waist hole over the camera. Quick release and a safety factor against loss if there is wind!

 

[abruzzi]

The Harrison dark cloth is silver on the outside. I shoot in New Mexico where we easily exceed 100 degrees for much of the summer and that works well. The other option--some camera manufacturers made good self contained hoods so you don't have to use a dark cloth. The 4x5 Sinar can mount a bag bellows on the cround glass, then there is a magnifying glass the clips into the bellows.

 

[loccdor]

It strikes me that you could also consider an umbrella mounted to your camera or tripod, perhaps with a SmallRig clamp. That would block much of the hot sun while not generating heat against your skin. Then you could use a thinner black cloth in addition. Would not be recommended for strong wind.

 

[Nitroplait]

A late friend and photographer of mine living in Texas used a dark cloth with a silvery side. Don’t know the brand or if it is still made, but it should be possible to find a similar reflective material for a DYI project.
I seem to recall Alec Soth using a similar one in a YouTube video.
A battery operated fan mounted near the tripod head blowing air towards his face was another trick to keep focusing and composing bearable under the dark cloth in the Texan summer.

 

[sperera]

thanks for all the comments

 

[Rick A]

I use a Harrison Classic for my 8x10. It's silver on the outside and black inside, a bit uncomfortable in high temps but livable. I also have a Black Jacket focusing cloth for my 5x7, white and silver outside, also somewhat uncomfortable in high temps, again livable. You simply need to limit your time under the covers.

 

[Kino]

Maybe carry a Space Blanket for those really unbearable days to throw over a lighter-weight focus cloth?

Although the people around you (if there are any) might not care for that solution!

 

[jk0592]

The blackjacqet focusing cloth is also quite confortable, with a pale exterior and is very convenient.

 

[juan]

In Florida where I shoot, its the air temperature and humidity that are problems. More than a few seconds under the cloth leads to condensation on the ground glass. I have dark cloths with one side white. I have BTZS cloths I have tried the black t-shirt (with my neck through the hole and waist over the camera). All are hot I've found I have to look for a few seconds, then pull out, repeatedly.

 

[Luckless]

Given that our mouths and ears aren't light sensitive, I feel like the best solution would be one that doesn't try to block the light from them.

A standard dark cloth's main two advantages are that they're relatively simple to construct without specific tailoring and fairly easy to carry while still giving you a soft connection to the camera to avoid excessive vibrations or accidental pushing while offering really good light blocking.

But for a bit more design and build effort than a dark cloth we can do the same thing without having to breath into a hot stuffy bag.


The prototypes I was playing with are in a box somewhere, but the two options I was playing with were:

- 'fitted chimney hood': Still trying to come up with a design that folds down nicely, fits around my glasses well enough, and lets me use a mirror in landscape or portrait, but that last bit is probably not important if you don't want to use your camera in a low angle framing.

- Frame and Darkbag: Simple sleeve that goes around the camera and fits to a frame I took off a pair of ski goggles I popped the lenses out of. Sleeve has a little frame to hold the back end open and can quick connect to the goggles with a few magnets. A loupe on a stick I can work from outside the bag makes it easy to use and hard to misplace, while the goggles keep a solid fit that gives me both hands free and works well enough with any hat I wear. [It just looks... very very, lets say 'odd'.]

With either style an open shade cloth over top might still be useful, but since I wouldn't be breathing into a closed or semi closed space while using it, I figure it would be cooler and less of an issue.

 

[Vaughn]

An umbrella on a stand (or handy assistant!), casting shade on your camera and darkcloth-covered head?
Most my high temperature work has been a dry heat. The humid stuff bareable by keeping the time under the darkcloth completely dark to a minimum. The same is true for sub-zero C temperatures, tho I thought a snorkel might be nice to keep the GG from icing up.
I have the classic black/white Calumet darkcloth...just big enough for 8x10. Not too heavy, but not light-weight, and there has been a couple times when I have used it to keep warm when the desert air temperature drops in the winter once the sun sets...and I'll miss the shot if I go back to the car to get a jacket.

 

[DREW WILEY]

One option is that I had a layer of thin white ripstop nylon sewn to a black layer.

My other option, despite being all black, is surprisingly comfortable in the heat because it's breathable and lightweight :
Black Goretex fabric. It's also lint-free and waterproof, but a difficult fabric to find.

Another option to consider is poly trucking wrap that's white on the outside, black on the inside. It's lightweight, and miles of it are thrown away each year (or in recycle bins) at big lumberyards and freight warehouses. It's the same stuff as some cheap ultralight tents are made of - a version of breathable house wrap like Tyvek; semi-waterproof.

Cotton fabric or T-shirts make no sense to me. Too much lint.

 

[Sal Santamaura]

My solution: no dark cloth. Maxwell HI-LUX Ultra Brilliant screen plus AR-coated cover glass. Folding focus hood. Even with an f/9 lens in bright sunlight, no problem composing and focusing.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

The Italians have an answer, made of fine leather, a good loupe and a rubber eyepiece, perfect under the Mediterranean sun:

 

[DREW WILEY]

Now all you need are some Polka dancers to go along with that accordion.

 

[blee1996]

Since I already own a lightweight dark GoreTex raincoat for hiking, I use it as dark cloth too. Not only is it water proof and wind proof, it is breathable as well so less likely to cause condensation problem.

 

[guangong]

I use a Harrison Classic for my 8x10. It's silver on the outside and black inside, a bit uncomfortable in high temps but livable. I also have a Black Jacket focusing cloth for my 5x7, white and silver outside, also somewhat uncomfortable in high temps, again livable. You simply need to limit your time under the covers.

That sounds better than my suggestion of a white surface. Time marches on.

 

[jeffreyg]

Like Juan I live in Florida and have two white over black focusing cloths It’s hot and humid. Dress cool but none the less it’s the mosquitoes that love to get under the cloths. Still life’s in an air conditioned room is the way to go.

 

[Roger Thoms]

The Italians have an answer, made of fine leather, a good loupe and a rubber eyepiece, perfect under the Mediterranean sun:

View attachment 370126

Another option depending on what camera you have is a binocular reflex view with a magnifier.

Roger

 

[Philippe-Georges]

Now all you need are some Polka dancers to go along with that accordion.

The alternative are slavish squires to hold the black drag fluttering in the wind...

Oh, and the Italians don't dance the polka but the Tarantella, which is more 'provocative'...