First road trip w/ 4x5 and film storage suggestions

gphoto120 · Jun 14, 2010

I'm taking an extended 3 week trip and will be bringing my newly aquired Wista. (I'm also new to 4x5 as well) Any suggestions on storage of film ....should I try to keep it in a cooler and let acclimate to ambient temps? Or just try to keep it at ambient? I'll be in New Mexico and Colorado.
Thanks for any tips etc
GP

BenZucker · Jun 14, 2010

Have Fun shooting. Keep the film in a cooler if you want. I would just avoid leaving it in the hot car if your not in it. Otherwise you should be fine. 3 weeks isn't that long, your film won't get ruined.

RPippin · Jun 14, 2010

Remember to bring empty film boxes with the black plastic bags to store film you've shot with the info on them for development. Also I've found the Harrison changing tent to be invaluable for unloading and loading film. I picked up one of those cooler/heater things you plug into a power outlet in your car to be helpful when I've got film in my truck for long periods of time. The inside of a vehicle can get right hot during the day. Bring more film than you think you will need. You can always bring home the unexposed film, but finding more on the road won't be easy. Shoot lots of film and have fun.

Martin Aislabie · Jun 15, 2010

Avoid leaving film in a hot car if at all possible - "cooking" never does film any good but 3 weeks isn't going to ruin in either - just do what you have always done in preserving your film stock under such conditions.

If you can, leave the film in your Motel/Hotel room where ever possible.

Changing film at the end of each day on a field trip takes longer than you think - I clean my Darkslides carefully before unloading and again re-loading with film.

I also wet dust my Changing Tent before and after reloading - to cut down on the accumulating dust and fine grit that seems to get everywhere

It might also be necessary to occasionally clean your camera - both inside and out - depending on how windy and dusty it is.

If you are shooting B&W you may want to bring spare empty film boxes with you and use them to segregate film for N, N+ & N- conditions.

RPippins advice about extra film is good - you might come across once in a lifetime scene & lighting.

Have a great time & post some images of your adventures

Martin

djhopscotch · Jun 15, 2010

I use 50 cal belt ammo cases, you can get them at army surplus stores. They are environmentally sealed and they can hold 4x5 holders as wells as the film boxes.

olleorama · Jun 15, 2010

djhopscotch said:
I use 50 cal belt ammo cases, you can get them at army surplus stores. They are environmentally sealed and they can hold 4x5 holders as wells as the film boxes.

Last time I handled .50 belt boxes they were stacked inside a sisu, and I remember them as really heavy, even when they were empty. Unless the US forces have adopted plastic cases I would go for an ordinary hard case cooler bag, or a pelican case or something. Everything lighter than heavy gauge steel cases really.

djhopscotch · Jun 15, 2010

olleorama said:
Last time I handled .50 belt boxes they were stacked inside a sisu, and I remember them as really heavy, even when they were empty. Unless the US forces have adopted plastic cases I would go for an ordinary hard case cooler bag, or a pelican case or something. Everything lighter than heavy gauge steel cases really.

I use them to store film in the car, i don't find them to be too heavy or bulky. They do a good job keeping film safe during car trips.

gphoto120 · Jun 15, 2010

Thanks for your suggestions and advice !
Gary P

Vaughn · Jun 16, 2010

I use an ice chest (but no ice). I am usually camping and I open the chest up at night to cool it down and keep it closed as much as possible during the day.

trudee yama · Jun 16, 2010

If you are flying and if possible, order 4x5 film and have it shipped to your destination a couple of days prior to your arrival date. Saves you from potential airport nightmares.

photobum · Jun 16, 2010

I use a very old and beat up Omaha Steak foam cooler. These are much thicker than the coolers you can buy in the store. The top is held on by a strip of duct tape, looks funky. I leave it open at night by the air conditioner, then sealed up in the van during the day. Works for me. A matching cooler holds the camera bag. Hide in plain sight. The tripod goes under a blanket.

mikebarger · Jun 16, 2010

I'm making my first 4x5 road trip to Topsail Island for a week, then a week in the Smokies on the NC/TN border.

I was lucky enough to make a good score on holders on a store closing sale, hoping I don't have to unload/load on the road.

I have a small keyboard vacuum I plan to bring and igloo coolers for the film.

Mike

frednewman · Jun 16, 2010

Hi GP - One other suggestion is when storing exposed negatives - I would recommend putting each 4x5 negative in a 4x5 negative sleeve to prevent scratching of your negatives. I found this out the hard way - if there is any dirt, no matter how small will cause scratches on your negative just from the movement of the car.

Fred Newman

mikebarger · Jun 16, 2010

Good call Fred!

Mike

Vaughn · Jun 16, 2010

frednewman said:
Hi GP - One other suggestion is when storing exposed negatives - I would recommend putting each 4x5 negative in a 4x5 negative sleeve to prevent scratching of your negatives. I found this out the hard way - if there is any dirt, no matter how small will cause scratches on your negative just from the movement of the car.

Fred Newman

And I had some high humidity static discharges happen between negatives (4x5) stored in a film box when I bicycle toured in New Zealand for 5 months. I might have been able to avoid that by just sticking some padding in the film box to keep the film from rattling around in the box.

Vaughn

Dan Henderson · Jun 17, 2010

Martin Aislabie said:
I also wet dust my Changing Tent before and after reloading - to cut down on the accumulating dust and fine grit that seems to get everywhere

Martin

What is "wet dusting?" I recently acquired a changing tent but have not had the need to use it. I will be taking it on a trip next week.

Thanks,
Dan

clayne · Jun 17, 2010

Dan Henderson said:
What is "wet dusting?" I recently acquired a changing tent but have not had the need to use it. I will be taking it on a trip next week.

Thanks,
Dan

Damp rag wipe-down basically.

lilmsmaggie · Jun 17, 2010

These packs look like something worthwhile investigating: http://www.icepackstore.com

They are usuable and have multiple uses:

Cut into individual cubes and used in lunch boxes.

Cut into a strip of six or seven cubes long and wraped around thehead for headaches
or used on the neck for neck pain

Cut to size to fit small coolers; for larger coolers, create an ice
blanket by putting one sheet on bottom and one on top

Used in a sealed cooler or container when shipping perishables such as seafood or chocolates

If icing down beverages in a cooler, add wet ice to fill in around cans, then cover with ice packs to keep the ice frozen for hours (and drinks much colder!) not to mention film.

Martin Aislabie · Jun 17, 2010

clayne said:
Damp rag wipe-down basically.

An old Linen Tea Towel or something similar is good - you need to make sure what ever you choose doesn't leave almost as much of itself behind as you wipe up dust.

The black material at the bottom of the changing tent is very good at showing up specs of dust and dirt - just make sure you don't sweep them into the folds of the front zippered flap otherwise they fall back inside when you do up the zippers

Martin

First road trip w/ 4x5 and film storage suggestions

Advertiser

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency