Darkcloth...

[Dorothy Blum Cooper]

I've seen some references in my search on Apug, but no real 'how to's' on the subject. I'd love to make my own if I could. Are they (darkcloths) pretty straight forward? Have any of you made your own? Recommendations? Do's, don'ts?

 

[Konical]

Good Evening, Dorothy,

A couple of yards of black fabric (reasonably heavy) from any dry-goods department will do the trick and cost almost nothing. Some small weights sewn into the edges here and there, or a little Velcro, might be a worthwhile addition. At times (such as when I have gone off and forgotten my darkcloth), I've been able to get by with the bill of my baseball cap; other makeshifts have proven adequate in emergencies. Maybe someday I'll buy a "real" darkcloth.

Konical

 

[df cardwell]

The big trick for an 8x10 darkcloth is to make it big enough to get back from the groundclass so you can look at the image at a normal viewing distance... like on a wall. Many shooters are just too close, and only see the details, but lose the coherency of the picture. Like on a wall !

 

[smieglitz]

Doroty,

I made several from an aluminized nylon I purchased online through Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics (owfinc.com IIRC). It is very lightweight, black on one side and silver metallic on the other. For my 11x14 I made a tube about 80 inches in circumference with a drawstring on one end to close around the rear of the camera. It is whatever width the bolt was (58" ?) and is the best darkcloth I've ever used. I loop the end with the drawstring around the rear of the camera and climb inside the other end. There is so much extra material that I can easily get my arm outside to focus and the excess material simply collapses around me to block extraneous light. It collapses down to a very small size because it is so lightweight, yet lightproof. It is also so large that I use it as a reflector or subtractor for portraits once I have the focus set.

It was easy to make. I first made an open hem for the drawstring and a closed hem on the other end, then simply sewed the center seam.

It also makes for a quick water-resistent cover in case of rain and it could also probably double as one of those emergency "space blankets".

As far as do's and don'ts, just make sure whatever you make is large enough and can be secured to the camera. There is nothing more annoying than a too small darkcloth that keeps slipping from the camera or your head. It also helps to have it reflective (white or silver) on the outside and black inside to keep cool. Some suggest weighted corners but that's just a broken groundglass waiting to happen IMO.

Joe

 

[Alex Hawley]

Dorothy, save your time and effort-get a Blackjacket. Best thing that's ever come along in my opinion. Look in the APUG sponsor links.

 

[Flotsam]

Ive been using this: (there was a url link here which no longer exists) self designed, home-made for years and it works great and cost practically nothing.

It's made out of a light, slippery fabric that is easy to move around under. It very light tight, Black on one side Gray on the other. The elastic keeps the cloth securely on the camera and yet is easy to attach and remove.

It is sewn closed for several inches back from the GG which keeps reflected light from hitting it from below while allowing you plenty of access to loupe the glass

I haven't used in high winds but I think that a couple of small pony clips on the back corners would probably weight them sufficiently to keep it from flapping around.

The drawing is not to scale but shows shape and detail.

 

[johnnywalker]

I bought some blackout cloth (normally used as a window curtain) at a fabric store and had a neighbour sew a white polyester/cotton fabric to it. Cost a few dollars, and works like a charm.

 

[nworth]

I haven't done it yet, but somebody suggested making (adapting) a darkcloth so that you could wear it as a short cape while setting up, then quickly flipping it over your head to focus. It sounds like a real good idea. All it takes is a strap (or two) so you can fasten it around your neck.

 

[Charles Webb]

I have heard and read wonderful things about the "Black Jacket", but continue to use my 30 or so year old hunk of black velvet. When I think of all the other goodies I could buy for the price of a Black Jacket I seem to feel that maybe my ole horse blanket isn't so bad after all. I think I have experienced all the bad episodes every else has had with a rectangle of cloth
in the wind but still can't justify releasing that much cash to buy the best.
I downloaded a copy of the drawing that Flotsam posted and right now believe my next focusing cloth will follow his pattern. Charlie...........

 

[pelerin]

Dorothy, save your time and effort-get a Blackjacket. Best thing that's ever come along in my opinion. Look in the APUG sponsor links.

Perhaps it's just my having used a variety of "high mileage" holders over time but I always use the focusing cloth to cover the holders light trap when I pull the blind from the holder. I like the way the "tube" designs solve the problem of light leaking in at the bottom but is it possible to insert, expose, and remove the holder without uncovering it?
Celac.

 

[Bob F.]

Here's mine for a 4x5 - I expect it will scale up for an 8x10 etc... It has evolved from a horse-blanket in a piecemeal manner over the last two years. Being wider at one end allows the material to drape over the head and shoulders and being thinner at the camera end makes for less material flapping about in the wind.

Material is a lightweight waterproof fabric from an outdoor materials supply company (in this case, http://www.pennineoutdoor.co.uk/). It is breathable (which does not actually work in this situation - ho hum) and black with a soft ("plush"?) finish on one side. Unfortunately, I can't remember what it is called... The material is doubled to make it fully light-tight (I suspect this is why the "breath-ability" doesn't work).

The business end uses an elasticated cord with a locking toggle as used on outdoor clothing. There were two thicknesses available, I used the thinnest. The cord makes sure of a tight fit over the back of the camera and the toggle allows you to adjust the overall length of the cord to adjust the tension and to suit different camera backs.

Materials: Two pieces of suitable material of the size shown (add extra for seams). A bit more for the tube collar. Elasticated cord. Locking toggle. Sew-able Velcro (or large plastic press-studs).

Instructions: The main sheet is made from the two pieces of material sewn face to face along the edges except for the short end seam. It is then pulled inside out through the short end so the soft face of the material is on the outside.

The tube collar through which the elasticated cord is threaded is made from a 4" wide strip that is about 4 inches shorter than the short end of the main sheet. This gives an overlap when used on the camera that helps keep the dark in. Sew this in to a tube as shown in cross-section and finish each end to stop it unravelling. Once sewn up, the tube is sewn to the short end as shown, closing that end of the sheet (turn in the edges of the main sheet as shown to get a neat(ish) finish...).

The shock cord is threaded through the tube collar (you will find you need a lot less cord when you attach it to the camera, but start with 30-34" to keep life simple). Thread both ends through the locking toggle. The business end is now tube shaped.

Sew-on Velcro is used to hold the two edges together with a gap for the hand to reach in with the loupe. Place the tabs on the Inside of the cloth on the overlap part at the same depth in from the edge as the depth of the overlap. The other Velcro tabs go on the Outside of the cloth along the opposite edge. In conjunction with the cord, the Velcro creates the "tube" of the darkcloth.

Exact placement for the Velcro is best done by putting the nearly finished cloth on the camera and finding the best locations for your setup by trial and error. You could try replacing the Velcro with large plastic press studs which should last longer and won't pick up fluff and lint. For a sinister version, put the Velcro tabs on the other sides...

That's about it (blimey! This post grew like Topsy!). Any experienced sewers please feel free to correct my methods to get a better finish - especially at the collar end

Cheers, Bob.

 

[Monophoto]

At the Large Format Conference last Spring, Paula Chamlee said that she makes the darkcloths that she and Michael use. Her suggestion was to attach some red yarn at the center of the long edges. That way, its easy and quick to find the long edge when using the darkcloth.

 

[noseoil]

Simple darkcloth

Dorothy, I've made 2 now, a 4x5 and an 8x10. I use newspaper taped together for a pattern to get the shape I want first. It is cheap and "fool proof" when it comes to trial and error, as any bad cuts can be re-done simply and without fuss. The basic shape I used for both was a semicircle. If you picture the long side (diameter of a semi-circle) as the attaching part on the camera, then the circular part goes around you. Because I live in the desert, I used a white side and a black side. In cold weather I would have used a heavier material, or perhaps an electric blanket with a very long extension cord.

The attaching edge is similar to Bob's, it uses elastic shock cord and a plastic spring-lock (camping store variety, like used in back packing equipment) sewn into a hem along the long edge. I "borrowed" a small handfull of bb's from my son for weight along the hem of the circular portion. They seem to migrate to the lowest part and act as a weight in a breeze, without being too dense in any one place. I then place velcro along the straight portion of the edges that meet at the bottom of the camera (the "neck" with the shock cord, outboard edges of the semi-circle) for a short distance to keep light from coming in the bottom, which would otherwise be open. Just make sure it is large enough to allow for a good view away from the ground glass.

Enclosed is a small cartoon of the design. Not up to Bob's drafting standards, but it works well enough. Best, tim

 

[df cardwell]

Dorothy: are you going to be shooting people with this camera ?

If so, having an 'old fashioned' dark cloth will be good, being able to crawl underneath, then toss it off your head to pop out and talk to the victim is handy. That said, a heavier weight fabric improves a 'blanket style' cloth.

Dark on the inside, and NEVER dark on the outside !

.

 

[photobackpacker]

As you have probably surmised, there is no shortage of "Passionate Personal Preferance" in this area. Here are mine:

If you are shooting outdoors in winter or in other low humidity environs, avoid nylon dark cloths. The static electricity is very annoying.

If you are shooting in areas tending to be windy, light weight slippery cloth is very hard to work with.

Avoid putting weights in the corners of a dark cloth - the force generated by a wind-whipped weighted corner is enough to take out a ground glass or leave impressive bruises.

A dark cloth should be light excluding. Sounds obvious but many of the commercially available dark cloths aren't.

I made my dark cloth out of black ultra suede with white cotton on the other side. The untrasuede is totally light excluding. The micro-fiber composition causes it to be extremely slip-resistant. Look for black ultrasuede on ebay and you will avoid the rather breath-taking fabric store costs.

 

[waynecrider]

I use a couple of tabs of velcro to attach a peice of fabric to the camera. I like having the film holder insertion point open.

Now that I think about it, I wonder if I could adapt a viewing hood off a Graflex? Now that would be trick. Sort of like a viewing screen hood for a digi camera, but larger.

 

[Dorothy Blum Cooper]

First, I can't thank you all enough for the detailed and very informative descriptions on where and how to obtain and make a darkcloth ( I love all the drawings!!!). This all has been quite enlightening!

It might have helped had I stated in my original post, that I am in south Louisiana...during our summer months (which are usually 10 months out of the year ) it can get quite humid along with the sun's heat. So yes...the dark cloth being lighter in color on the outside would definitely be an asset to me.

As for my subject matter...while it can vary, I make photographs of people more than landscapes, architecture, etc. I'm thinking I'll attempt to make my own darkcloth (I sew plus I'm quite industrious...love hand-work). I would probably make it on the larger side to have easier enter/exit access.

Thank you again, gentlemen. Your knowledge and skill is appreciated.

 

[Bob F.]

The other option in the heat is to use a monocular reflex hood such as the Cambo which is fairly reasonably priced if you can find one used. I adapted one to fit my Shen Hao with some of the ubiquitous Velcro...

Cheers, Bob.