Avoiding breaking ground glass while hiking.

[Kevin Kehler]

I recently purchased a Lowepro Rover Pro hiking backpack, as I am getting into doing more hiking. Since I am wanting to take my 5x7 with me, I have become concerned that the ground glass might break once everything is loaded in the bag and I start walking. Is there a practical way of protecting the glass? I would fold the camera up as much as possible but should I put some cloth over the glass or put the back in a separate compartment to ensure it's safety? Even a large padded envelope? I have a 4x5 back I bring as well. Just the camera, holders, tripod and bag are almost 30lbs already, so I am trying to keep the weight down.

Thanks.

 

[Tom1956]

If the groundglass is at all recessed in the frame, how about getting a sheet of thin wood of some kind at the hobby store, cut it to size, and jam it in the frame, perhaps with some foam or something attached to the edges so it will keep itself jammed in there but easy enough to snag a corner and pull it out. Or use some big rubber bands around the camera to hold it there.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Buy or make yourself a ground glass protector that slips in like a filmholder and covers the outside of the glass as well.

See here Dead Link Removed for one example. Many other places (View Camera Store, Calumet, etc.) have them as well. Google is your friend.

Best,

Doremus


www.DoremusScudder.com

 

[Jim Noel]

Firewall plywood from the hobby shop is an answer. Don't rest it on the glass. Hold it against the back of the camera with rubber bands.
Another alternative, and even lighter, is thin plastic from a plastics dealer. Hold it above a heat source, be careful you are not too close, and bend it so that one side can be slid into the camera where the film holders go.

 

[Terry Christian]

I made a protector like the one Tom1956 mentioned. I cut two pieces of Lexan plexiglas, one slightly smaller than the other to fit into the camera like a film holder. I then made a hinge out of gaffer's tape to connect them, and i use a ball bungee to wrap around them and the ground glass on the camera. It works well for my Calumet monorail.

 

[Ian Grant]

On many LF cameras the focus hood doubles as a screen protector. I'd not seen the protectors Doremus links to but they look ideal.

Ian

 

[pgomena]

I made a protector for my 8x10 a few years ago by cutting a piece of scrap 1/8" mahogany plywood ("lauan" or 1/8" "door skin") to the appropriate size and shape with a kraft knife and gluing a piece of felt to the side that faced the glass. I put 4 small pieces of Velcro on it and the frame that holds the glass to hold it in place. Total cost about $2.00.

 

[Kevin Kehler]

Thanks everyone, some great ideas. For reference, it is an Agfa Ansco field camera (not a monorail), so the rear extension can fold up to offer some protection. More or less, what I am hearing, is the basic idea of a insert that wraps around but does not actually touch the glass (or only the padding/felt) touches the glass. Does this provide enough protection from the regular bumps/knocks that walking would give? Perhaps the glass is stronger than I think but I just don't want to drive for 10-hours, hike for 5 and can't take the picture because of broken glass.

 

[cliveh]

Bubble wrap?

 

[Ian Grant]

As it's an Agfa Ansco I'd make a bublle wrap piece - card/bunbble wrap to place between the rear extension and the camera back. I use 10x8 agfa Anscos and I don't envy you the weight !!!!

Ian

 

[BMbikerider]

I made a holder for my car type Satelite Navigation screen to fit onto my motorcycle. These are not as robust as the motorcycle versions so need protection. I hand carved a cradle out of expanded polystyrene into which the items fits quite snuglyand this gives it all the protection it needs.

So get yourself self some expanded Polystyrene and make a holder for your glass. It will survive anything almost that you care to throw at it.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Place some thin closed cell foam padding between the glass and the holder once fitted; it will afford some shock protection. I would be surprised if anything breaks as I sometimes walk with others here using a 4x5 kit and never broken anything. You'd have to be pretty rough with the pack: falling, jumping, crashing, banging against trees, rocks etc., to bring about damage. A camera falling off a tripod head (I have seen it happen...) is an entirely different matter.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I've used polycarbonate, acrylic, and hobby plywood. Velcro buttons can be used to keep the barrier in place, or some camera backs will have
some kind of other feature to keep the protective piece stationary. I wanted to do something a little cooler looking for my 8x10, so took some
copper-clad PC board - thin, strong, and very stiff - and did a swirly true verdi gris color treatment on it. Guess I "spit-toned" it!