Apple Watch users: can you wear one in the changing bag?

JerseyDoug · Jul 16, 2022

My father wore a wristwatch with luminous dots and hands. He always took it off before he went into the darkroom. That memory was implanted in my very early childhood so I always did the same when I had my own darkroom and continue to do so now in my employer's darkroom and with my Apple Watch and my changing bag.

bags27 · Jul 16, 2022

BradS said:
I'm pretty sure you're going to have to take it off fairly frequently (perhaps, daily?) to charge it....no?

You're right, of course. I hadn't thought of that.

winger · Jul 16, 2022

I have an Apple watch (and love it). I take it off and put it in my pocket or leave it on my desk when I'm dealing with film. You have a lot of choice when making the different faces for your watch. I have one that's my "normal" face with a timer, the local temperature, and my activity, but then I have one that's just the time and it shows in red. I put it on that when I print. My biggest issue with mine is that it only registers steps if my arm is swinging, so it's even nudged me to stand up and move around when I've been standing the whole time in the darkroom (I don't really need to swing my arm when walking three feet from the enlarger to the sink).

oliton · Jul 17, 2022

Do not wear it when dealing with film or paper. Even if it has a dark mode or whatever, why take the risk? You wouldn't want to take the risk of ruining some potentially sweet images (unique instants) for something this trivial. I've been working with film for 35+ years and the only jewellery I wear is a watch (I've owned an Apple watch for a couple of years now). I have always taken it off as soon as I process film or paper. No unwanted light source ever should be a mantra.

Alan Edward Klein · Jul 17, 2022

BradS said:
What does need have to do with it?

mama says that a properly dressed gentleman always wears a wrist watch and a pocket knife....and a cowboy boots and cowboy hat when in Texas.

I rarely use a watch now that I'm retired. But when I go out for a nice dinner or to an affair and get dressed up, I put on a watch to add a little class. I skip the cowboy boots and hat.

Helge · Jul 17, 2022

Why would you‽
It’s no big deal to remove.
Even light from the blood pressure meter will fog film.
Why even consider taking the risk?
Not to speak of getting the watch scratched up.

Helge · Jul 17, 2022

A darkroom and development timer would be heaven sent though…

Sirius Glass · Jul 17, 2022

Alan Edward Klein said:
I rarely use a watch now that I'm retired. But when I go out for a nice dinner or to an affair and get dressed up, I put on a watch to add a little class. I skip the cowboy boots and hat.

A New York Cowboy? Wasn't there a movie about that with Dustin Hoffman and some ~~limestone~~ rhinestone cowboy?

IMoL · Jul 18, 2022

I always remove mine before using the dark bag. The "sleeves" of my bag are so tight that I doubt I could get my left hand in without taking my watch off first anyway.

krylovsk · Jul 18, 2022

IMoL said:
I always remove mine before using the dark bag. The "sleeves" of my bag are so tight that I doubt I could get my left hand in without taking my watch off first anyway.

Same with me. Besides, it’s summer here and when the film refuses to load fast it quickly starts getting sweaty inside and my hands get swollen.

DREW WILEY · Jul 18, 2022

No worse than carrying around a grenade with the pin already pulled. Are people actually married to these devices? Or are they now irremovable? Even if you could be certain it won't light up, there is still a risk of it scratching your film inside the changing bag. Doesn't make sense.

Here's a story for Brad. Up there directly above Sonora Pass, I had just set up my 8x10 camera and tripod aimed at that big dark pinnacle behind Blue Lake and in front of Leavitt Peak. Then of all things, an eccentric German hiker came stumbling up the path staring at his GPS device. He almost tripped over my tripod, was startled, and asked "Vere ish the lake, vere is the lake?" The lake was right in front of him. Then he looks at my setup and scolded me, "How dare you deshecrate nature vish that big thiiiing?" I merely smiled, and replied, "Nice GPS; is that the model John Muir used?" Incidentally, one can see all the way down to the highway itself from that spot, so route finding should be easy. The fellow sneered at me, and attempted to walk the final forty yards or so to the lake while once again staring at his GPS, but soon tripped over a log. Damn gadgets. ... Anyway, he did make it a bit further to the lake, which he finally discovered by falling into it ! Luckily, it was the shallow end.

qqphot · Jul 18, 2022

You can put it in theater mode (swipe up from the bottom, scroll a bit, tap the theater happy/sad mask icon) and it will remain completely dark until reenabled by pushing the crown and repeating the operation. I've loaded hundreds of feet of film into reloadable cassettes and developing reels this way, no issues.

bags27 · Jul 18, 2022

qqphot said:
You can put it in theater mode (swipe up from the bottom, scroll a bit, tap the theater happy/sad mask icon) and it will remain completely dark until reenabled by pushing the crown and repeating the operation. I've loaded hundreds of feet of film into reloadable cassettes and developing reels this way, no issues.

Thanks! That's what I intend to try!!

Alan Edward Klein · Jul 18, 2022

qqphot said:
You can put it in theater mode (swipe up from the bottom, scroll a bit, tap the theater happy/sad mask icon) and it will remain completely dark until reenabled by pushing the crown and repeating the operation. I've loaded hundreds of feet of film into reloadable cassettes and developing reels this way, no issues.

I've silenced my cellphone, I thought, only for it to go off at the most inopportune times.

DREW WILEY · Jul 19, 2022

A ball pein hammer works well for that, Alan.

Apple Watch users: can you wear one in the changing bag?

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