Guys, don't drop the ball. Go get your bag checked for leaking TODAY!

[Sharktooth]

Go get your changing bag (dark bag) and check for light leaks, now. This is prompted by two incidents, one just recently here at Photrio, and another about a year ago at the Large Format Photography Forum. I’ll be posting about this on both sites.

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/strange-problem-with-my-developed-film.201108/

https://www.largeformatphotography....the-source-of-this-light-leak-on-my-negatives

In both cases, the changing bag was found to be grossly leaking light, but it took a long time, and considerable cost, to discover the primary issue. Like most people, I never considered changing bags to be a major problem, but in both these cases the changing bags were relatively new, so they were never suspected.

Testing your bag is very easy. You just need a bright flashlight to put inside your bag. With the room lights off at night, put your hands in the changing bag and turn on the flashlight. Move the flashlight around in the bag, and see if you can see any light coming through. Hopefully you don’t see any light coming through anywhere, but if you do, then those are leak points where light could come through to expose your film in unexpected ways.

It looks like changing bags have become very popular now with new film users, since you can develop film in a tank without needing a darkroom. With digital film scanning, this now becomes an attractive option for many people.

Over the decades I’ve collected several changing bags of varying size. I have one in my large format camera pack, to act as some camera padding, but also for emergency use if I need to load film holders in the field.

I decided today that I’d better check all my bags to see if they’re safe to use. The news was not good. The bag that I keep in my camera pack was leaking light at the zipper, and the material used in the sleeve sections was semi translucent. I found two other bags that were full of leaks and should never be used, but they looked fine cosmetically. I found a couple of bags that had a few pinhole leaks that could probably be O.K. in a darkened room, or could possibly be patched. Fortunately, I did find a few good ones, and I’ve put them in plastic zip-lock bags with the date tested. Age is not the primary consideration. Only one bag that I have has a manufacturer’s label. That one was a very large Burke and James bag that was still light tight. That one had to be as old, or older, than me.

One thing that I was shocked to discover is that only one of the layers is light tight. I thought the double layer bag was a safety measure to protect light leaks if one layer goes bad. This is NOT the case. In every single bag I checked, one of the layers is a very thin woven material that provides no light protection at all. I can see the whole flashlight through it. It’s about as effective at blocking light as a one stop neutral density filter. I couldn’t believe it, but that’s they way they’re all made.

Anyhoo, film is too expensive these days to be farting around with, so go check your changing bag.

 

[BrianShaw]

Great reminder and a fun rainy-day activity, too!

I tend to use my changing bags in a dark(ened) room just to be sure.

 

[4season]

I'm on my 3rd film-changing bag: Original was something that my dad had purchased years previously, and I marveled at how long it had lasted, at least until it failed. Then there was the not-cheap Photoflex Changing Room that I purchased new but ended up discarding a few years ago, because the light-proof coating had become crumbly. Too bad, because the rest of it looked tip-top. In both cases, it was impossible not to notice that something was amiss, because the bags were filled with "crumbs".

 

[DREW WILEY]

I always used a thin secondary liner inside my changing tent anyway - a thin black poly kitchen trashcan liner. That also served to keep the inside of the tent especially clean and free of lint; and it was very easy and inexpensive to carry a few spares.

 

[BrianShaw]

Doesn’t the trash bag make your hands sweat?

 

[runswithsizzers]

I put a cardboard box inside my changing bag. I have cut an opening in back of the box to pass supplies into the box from the zipper side. Obviously, the front of the box needs to be open for my arms, but the box adds an additional layer of light protection on at least 4 sides. It also elevates the fabric away from the work area which makes the process more comfortable and less sweaty for me.

I don't quite trust the bag to be totally lightproof, so I turn off the room lights and cover the windows while using the changing bag. The room is not in total darkness, but dim. May or may not help, I don't know, but I can see what is going on inside the bag just as well with the lights off as I can with them on. ;-)

Inspired by this thread, I did just check my changing bag with a bright flashlight in a dark room (without the box), and no leaks! I can see light through the zipper, but there is a flap to cover the zipper, and that works. My bag is the Patterson brand bought from B&H almost exactly 4 years ago for about $30(US). It does not get used more often than about once per month, and I keep it inside a plastic garbage bag when not in use. But I think these things fail from age as much as wear, so I plan to check mine more often.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[mshchem]

I've never used a changing bag. Is there a foolproof version made? My hands would sweat.

 

[BrianShaw]

I also close my eyes when using a changing bag. Probably doesn’t help but certainly doesn’t hurt.

 

[mshchem]

I also close my eyes when using a changing bag. Probably doesn’t help but certainly doesn’t hurt.

I used to do this when loading film reels. Not so much now that I have IR goggles

 

[grahamp]

I have to take my watch off to use my changing bag. For some reason the luminescent marks are always at their brightest just before I need to use the bag.

 

[Sharktooth]

A sweaty bag is definitely uncomfortable, so sweaty hands in your changing bag could be a problem as well.

 

[Sharktooth]

I put a cardboard box inside my changing bag. I have cut an opening in back of the box to pass supplies into the box from the Izipper side. Obviously, the front of the box needs to be open for my arms, but the box adds an additional layer of light protection on at least 4 sides. It also elevates the fabric away from the work area which makes the process more comfortable and less sweaty for me.

I don't quite trust the bag to be totally lightproof, so I turn off the room lights and cover the windows while using the changing bag. The room is not in total darkness, but dim. May or may not help, I don't know, but I can see what is going on inside the bag just as well with the lights off as I can with them on. ;-)

Inspired by this thread, I did just check my changing bag with a bright flashlight in a dark room (without the box), and no leaks! I can see light through the zipper, but there is a flap to cover the zipper, and that works. My bag is the Patterson brand bought from B&H almost exactly 4 years ago for about $30(US). It does not get used more often than about once per month, and I keep it inside a plastic garbage bag when not in use. But I think these things fail from age as much as wear, so I plan to check mine more often.

Thanks for the reminder.

In the link I posted from the Large Format Photography Forum, the original poster said his leaky bag was a Paterson. I got the impression that it wasn't that old, but Paterson's been around for a long time, so who knows. It's a good thing to check with any brand, since it's better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Sharktooth]

I've never used a changing bag. Is there a foolproof version made? My hands would sweat.

Nothing is foolproof, since you can't see what you're doing in a changing bag, or even a darkroom. You've got to plan things out in advance. A tent style gives more free space for your hands, but they're subject to deterioration as well. The key is to check them before you put the film inside.

 

[abruzzi]

I have one of those self supporting ones that folds into a disc then unfolds into a cube. I've never actually used it. I bring it when I travel with an LF camera, but I leave with usually a bunch of film holders loaded, and so far I've never had to use it. Otherwise I use my darkroom.

 

[snusmumriken]

When I was a teenager in the 1960s, I had no darkroom and had never heard of changing bags. I used to load my Paterson tank under the bedclothes with the room lights off, but with street lighting unavoidably visible through the curtains. It’s a suffocating practice, so I don’t recommend it, but the conclusion I draw is that very low light levels can be tolerated briefly, whereas bright light penetrating through pinholes cannot.

 

[250swb]

I think a changing tent works better than a bag although like them all it can be sweaty on a hot day. But like this one marketed by Calumet you can stand a Paterson tank upright in it, have all your reels and scissors and film arranged inside where you can easily feel for them, and it's less likely to harbour dust.

https://www.wexphotovideo.com/calumet-film-changing-room-bag-1629684/

 

[koraks]

I've always found my chanting bag uncomfortable and annoying to use. While its effective, it needs to be used properly. Ensure the zip isn't exposed, and that the double pairs of elastic armbands are riding up the arms and spaced appropriately. I've also always preferred to use the bag in a dim (not too brightly lit) room. Used that way, I've never had an issue with it, other than the inherent discomfort that comes with the territory.

 

[reddesert]

I have been using changing bags to load film reels since the 1980s, and the bag I started with was likely acquired by my father around 1970 or so. Some changing bags are really old and the coating on the fabric is deteriorating. Typically, I think, one layer is made from fabric with a rubberized or plasticized coating to make it lightproof like a blackout curtain; the other layer is fabric to protect the first, and is tightly woven but not light proof.

Try turning the bag inside out and looking for little flakes of material coming off. Also look through the layers as suggested above. One of the layers should be completely opaque and if there are patches admitting light, the bag should be retired.

For the past several years I've been using a bag I got in the 1990s that seems fine, though I haven't checked it recently. When the fabric coating starts to go, you may be able to tell because it will get kind of crinkly and little bits start to come off, like a backpack coating that deteriorates.

 

[SodaAnt]

I’ve never owned or even used one. A dark closet or bathroom at night is far superior.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Doesn’t the trash bag make your hands sweat?

I avoid small bags for that reason. I use the larger "Changing Room" to avoid that problem. https://www.freestylephoto.com/25001-Photoflex-Changing-Room

 

[albireo]

Go get your changing bag (dark bag) and check for light leaks, now. This is prompted by two incidents, one just recently here at Photrio, and another about a year ago at the Large Format Photography Forum. I’ll be posting about this on both sites.

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/strange-problem-with-my-developed-film.201108/

https://www.largeformatphotography....the-source-of-this-light-leak-on-my-negatives

In both cases, the changing bag was found to be grossly leaking light, but it took a long time, and considerable cost, to discover the primary issue. Like most people, I never considered changing bags to be a major problem, but in both these cases the changing bags were relatively new, so they were never suspected.

Testing your bag is very easy. You just need a bright flashlight to put inside your bag. With the room lights off at night, put your hands in the changing bag and turn on the flashlight. Move the flashlight around in the bag, and see if you can see any light coming through. Hopefully you don’t see any light coming through anywhere, but if you do, then those are leak points where light could come through to expose your film in unexpected ways.

It looks like changing bags have become very popular now with new film users, since you can develop film in a tank without needing a darkroom. With digital film scanning, this now becomes an attractive option for many people.

Over the decades I’ve collected several changing bags of varying size. I have one in my large format camera pack, to act as some camera padding, but also for emergency use if I need to load film holders in the field.

I decided today that I’d better check all my bags to see if they’re safe to use. The news was not good. The bag that I keep in my camera pack was leaking light at the zipper, and the material used in the sleeve sections was semi translucent. I found two other bags that were full of leaks and should never be used, but they looked fine cosmetically. I found a couple of bags that had a few pinhole leaks that could probably be O.K. in a darkened room, or could possibly be patched. Fortunately, I did find a few good ones, and I’ve put them in plastic zip-lock bags with the date tested. Age is not the primary consideration. Only one bag that I have has a manufacturer’s label. That one was a very large Burke and James bag that was still light tight. That one had to be as old, or older, than me.

One thing that I was shocked to discover is that only one of the layers is light tight. I thought the double layer bag was a safety measure to protect light leaks if one layer goes bad. This is NOT the case. In every single bag I checked, one of the layers is a very thin woven material that provides no light protection at all. I can see the whole flashlight through it. It’s about as effective at blocking light as a one stop neutral density filter. I couldn’t believe it, but that’s they way they’re all made.

Anyhoo, film is too expensive these days to be farting around with, so go check your changing bag.

Great advice, thanks - will do.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Go get your changing bag (dark bag) and check for light leaks, now. This is prompted by two incidents, one just recently here at Photrio, and another about a year ago at the Large Format Photography Forum. I’ll be posting about this on both sites.

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/strange-problem-with-my-developed-film.201108/

https://www.largeformatphotography....the-source-of-this-light-leak-on-my-negatives

In both cases, the changing bag was found to be grossly leaking light, but it took a long time, and considerable cost, to discover the primary issue. Like most people, I never considered changing bags to be a major problem, but in both these cases the changing bags were relatively new, so they were never suspected.

Testing your bag is very easy. You just need a bright flashlight to put inside your bag. With the room lights off at night, put your hands in the changing bag and turn on the flashlight. Move the flashlight around in the bag, and see if you can see any light coming through. Hopefully you don’t see any light coming through anywhere, but if you do, then those are leak points where light could come through to expose your film in unexpected ways.

It looks like changing bags have become very popular now with new film users, since you can develop film in a tank without needing a darkroom. With digital film scanning, this now becomes an attractive option for many people.

Over the decades I’ve collected several changing bags of varying size. I have one in my large format camera pack, to act as some camera padding, but also for emergency use if I need to load film holders in the field.

I decided today that I’d better check all my bags to see if they’re safe to use. The news was not good. The bag that I keep in my camera pack was leaking light at the zipper, and the material used in the sleeve sections was semi translucent. I found two other bags that were full of leaks and should never be used, but they looked fine cosmetically. I found a couple of bags that had a few pinhole leaks that could probably be O.K. in a darkened room, or could possibly be patched. Fortunately, I did find a few good ones, and I’ve put them in plastic zip-lock bags with the date tested. Age is not the primary consideration. Only one bag that I have has a manufacturer’s label. That one was a very large Burke and James bag that was still light tight. That one had to be as old, or older, than me.

One thing that I was shocked to discover is that only one of the layers is light tight. I thought the double layer bag was a safety measure to protect light leaks if one layer goes bad. This is NOT the case. In every single bag I checked, one of the layers is a very thin woven material that provides no light protection at all. I can see the whole flashlight through it. It’s about as effective at blocking light as a one stop neutral density filter. I couldn’t believe it, but that’s they way they’re all made.

Anyhoo, film is too expensive these days to be farting around with, so go check your changing bag.

A word from the wise is sufficient.

 

[Sharktooth]

I think a changing tent works better than a bag although like them all it can be sweaty on a hot day. But like this one marketed by Calumet you can stand a Paterson tank upright in it, have all your reels and scissors and film arranged inside where you can easily feel for them, and it's less likely to harbour dust.

https://www.wexphotovideo.com/calumet-film-changing-room-bag-1629684/

When I saw the Calumet name I immediately assumed it was some old stock, since Calumet went bust in the U.S. about 10 years ago. When I looked it up on Wikipedia I found out that Calumet is still a going concern in the U.K. and Europe. They were certainly a well respected equipment supplier on this side of the pond, but how are they regarded these days on your side?

 

[Zathras]

I avoid small bags for that reason. I use the larger "Changing Room" to avoid that problem. https://www.freestylephoto.com/25001-Photoflex-Changing-Room

View attachment 347191

Hey Sirius, Thanks for posting this! I just ordered on for myself, thanks to your post.

 

[albada]

I'm on my 3rd film-changing bag: Original was something that my dad had purchased years previously, and I marveled at how long it had lasted, at least until it failed. Then there was the not-cheap Photoflex Changing Room that I purchased new but ended up discarding a few years ago, because the light-proof coating had become crumbly. Too bad, because the rest of it looked tip-top. In both cases, it was impossible not to notice that something was amiss, because the bags were filled with "crumbs".

Your post prompted me to check my Photoflex Changing Room purchased in the 1990s.
Perfect.
No sign of crumbs, nor could I see any way that crumbs could be created, as the entire interior is synthetic cloth. Perhaps yours was an older design that used foam that dried out.

Mark