Heavy backpack...

George Papantoniou · Aug 3, 2006

I just (at last!!!!) got the backpack I was waiting for the 8x10 I recently bought (you can see it here: (there was a url link here which no longer exists) )
It's a Lowe Coputrekker AW plus (ironically designed to be used with digicams, it even has a place for the laptop - which is perfect for storing the film holders, BTW)...

I placed the camera, two Fuji lenses (420 + 250), two film holders, one light meter, one package of film (25 sheets), a cable release and the tripod (wooden Berlebach) in (and on) it and guess what ? It's too heavy !!! It weighs 16 kg... And this is without the 4x5 reducing back - and film and holders - (I won't need it anyway)...

How much do your 8x10 backpacks weigh ? How do you keep the weight down ?? Do you do any special exercise in order to be able to lift them ?

blaze-on · Aug 3, 2006

You're supposed to pack those things?

My 8x10 never leaves my side...but I never venture more than a hundred yards from the car.

Actually 35 lbs for an 8x10 pack sounds "reasonable", though the carrier may likely not be..I believe toting that IS the exercise..

I'm actually going to rig an external frame pack (remove everything else) for attaching whichever outfit I use, be it 4x5 or 8x10. I just haven't figured out the best way to do so yet.

Regards,
Matt

Tom Hoskinson · Aug 3, 2006

George Papantoniou said:
I just (at last!!!!) got the backpack I was waiting for the 8x10 I recently bought (you can see it here: (there was a url link here which no longer exists) )
It's a Lowe Coputrekker AW plus (ironically designed to be used with digicams, it even has a place for the laptop - which is perfect for storing the film holders, BTW)...

I placed the camera, two Fuji lenses (420 + 250), two film holders, one light meter, one package of film (25 sheets), a cable release and the tripod (wooden Berlebach) in (and on) it and guess what ? It's too heavy !!! It weighs 16 kg... And this is without the 4x5 reducing back - and film and holders - (I won't need it anyway)...

How much do your 8x10 backpacks weigh ? How do you keep the weight down ?? Do you do any special exercise in order to be able to lift them ?

My 8x10 backpack is an internal frame Kelty Redwing (Volume 3300 c.i.) my fully loaded pack weight runs from 18 pounds (with 1 lens) to 26 pounds (with 3 lenses).

Fully loaded means:
1. 8x10 Wehman with only the 8x10 back
2. 4 loaded 8x10 film holders
3. 300mm Docter Optics Apo Germinar lens
4. Pentax analog spotmeter
5. 8x10 Blackjacket
6. Loupe
7. Cable release

I carry a Gitzo Carbon Fiber Tripod with Arca-Swiss ballhead attached to the backpack (not inside the backpack).

Optional lenses: 110mm Aspheric SSXL , 150mm Aspheric SSXL , 355mm G-Claron, 480mm Schneider Apo Artar.

I'm only 72 and I do a lot of walking in the mountains to keep in shape.

wfwhitaker · Aug 3, 2006

Lenses and film holders are usually the culprits. They add a lot of weight and there's usually a tendency to take lots of each. But you're pretty minimalist in both categories by most standards. I'd lose the box of film unless there's a darkroom or a changing tent somewhere along your path. Wooden tripods are great until you have to carry them somewhere.

No one ever said this would be easy. Re: my similar post under ULF.

Cheers,

Roger Hicks · Aug 3, 2006

George Papantoniou said:
I just (at last!!!!) got the backpack I was waiting for the 8x10 I recently bought) It's a Lowe Coputrekker AW plus (ironically designed to be used with digicams, it even has a place for the laptop - which is perfect for storing the film holders, BTW)... ?

Kyrie George (to be old-fashioned),

Yes: a gorgeous bit of kit, isn't it? I have one. Why do they call it 'Digital' (or 'Computer', etc.) when it's so good for real cameras?

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)

BWGirl · Aug 3, 2006

Hey George!
You say it's too heavy... but is it too heavy when you have the pack on & the belts and harnesses are adjusted properly? Or is it just too heavy when you pick it up?

My pack, which holds my 35mm Canon, Hasselblad, an extra lens for each, filters for each, an extra film back and assorted other goodies (like film) weighs 20-23 pounds without the tripod. I'd be hard pressed to carry it around too long, but I can carry it on my back quite a long time.

naturephoto1 · Aug 3, 2006

This is also the importance of a good fitting pack and frame and harness system. If the pack and harness are not adjusted and fit properly there is a problem. Another problem that may arise during the carrying of the pack is a slippage of the harness adjustments etc.

This is part of the reason that I just bit the bullet, accepted the extreme cost and had a McHale Pack custom made and fitted for me to my size/design:

http://www.mchalepacks.com/

My pack though quite expensive is easily the most comfortable pack to carry heavy equipment and/or backpacking equipment any distance (60-65 pounds comfortably for many many miles). That includes any of my Lowe Pro, Mountainsmith, and Black Diamond packs that I own and any other pack that I have ever tried.

McHale relies on a custom fitting testing to make sure packs fit properly. Unfortunately McHale is now only making about 200 packs a year and will not ship out of the US and/or Canada.

Rich

Nick Zentena · Aug 3, 2006

Does anybody know anything about the Gregory Whitney ?

Amund · Aug 3, 2006

My pack weighs 12-13kg I guess.
f.64 extra large backpack with:
Wehman 8x10
250mm Fujinon
Sekonic L-558
7 filmholders
Harrison Dark cloth
I carry the Gitzo 1325 in my hand or over my shoulder.

David A. Goldfarb · Aug 3, 2006

My 8x10" kit probably weighs about the same. The camera is light, but I carry more lenses. Everything goes in a knapsack for laptop computers, and the tripod goes on a strap over my shoulder.

Usually I've got--

8x10" Gowland Pocket View
120 Berthiot Perigraphe/168 Dagor/8.25" Dagor/10" WF Ektar/12" Dagor/19" Artar
3-5 filmholders
Half-darkslide pano mask
Traditional darkcloth
3" and 4" filters and holders
Minolta Flashmeter III
Sunnto compass-clinometer (an excellent tool for aligning and leveling a floppy camera in the field)
cable releases
small tools and spare parts and other knick-knacks

The tripod is usually a set of Bogen 3233 legs and one of a few different heads, but with the Gowland I can get away with a Tiltall if I leave the 19" at home and don't plan to shoot any macros.

That 10" WF Ektar is in an Ilex 5 shutter, but the 12" and 19" are barrel lenses that fit on the front of the same shutter by means of a single adapter ring, which saves space and weight. The three smaller lenses are all on Technika boards, and the 10" is on a Sinar-sized board. A 12" Dagor in barrel is still a heavy lens, so I'm thinking I might look into replacing it and the 19" with 300mm and 450mm Fujinon-C's and find a more compact 10" lens for the field.

mgb74 · Aug 3, 2006

Here's one example of what a prior poster was talking about:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Pro...productId=47901735&parent_category_rn=4500534

I've taken a number of extended trips (5-6 days in mountains) with 50-60 pound packs (more accurately, 55-60 lb packs shrinking to 40-50 lbs as the food gets eaten). I think there is great value in a quality pack properly fitted by knowledgeable staff.

But I think a custom pack may be overkill unless you have a body shape very much out of the norm and are traveling long distances.

My assumption is that most 8x10 users will be essentially making day trips with their load. If not, that changes the equation.

Tom Hoskinson · Aug 3, 2006

mgb74 said:
Here's one example of what a prior poster was talking about:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Pro...productId=47901735&parent_category_rn=4500534

I've taken a number of extended trips (5-6 days in mountains) with 50-60 pound packs (more accurately, 55-60 lb packs shrinking to 40-50 lbs as the food gets eaten). I think there is great value in a quality pack properly fitted by knowledgeable staff.

But I think a custom pack may be overkill unless you have a body shape very much out of the norm and are traveling long distances.

My assumption is that most 8x10 users will be essentially making day trips with their load. If not, that changes the equation.

Here is my day trip 8x10 camera pack (5 - 10 miles with about 4000 - 7000 ft of elevation change).

http://www.kelty.com/kelty/index.cfm?cid=411&fuseaction=Packs.ShowProduct&type=Pack&ID=152

Harrigan · Aug 3, 2006

I dont know what my full kit weighs but I just finished modifying an old century camera for wide angle shooting and it weighs only 5 pounds. I think George has the beasty Zone 6 which I've read is 14 pounds? I carry the century over my wista 8x10 if I'm backpacking and it saves 5 pounds of camera. The downfall of this old camera is its damn ugly and the movements are a bit limited. Of course I dont use much movement for landscapes anyway and carry small barrel lenses 150mm, 210 and sometimes a 240mm a couple of film holders and other misc.

HerrBremerhaven · Aug 3, 2006

Hello George,

I don't have an 8x10 camera, but I use the same pack for my 4x5 outfit. The laptop slot works quite nicely for Kodak Readyload or Fuji Quickload films, which are actually near 10" length; so side by side two boxes, a box and one holder, or two holders in the laptop area take up the room of 8x10 film.

The one thing I don't like so much is the tripod carrier on the LowePro. It is in the centre back, which places the weight a bit far. So what I did was get a tripod sling. However, it would be nice to figure out a rig that would hold the tripod on the side of the bag.

Did you get an Slip-lock add on bags, like water bottle holder or phone holder? Seems some of the accessory items could make this a good bag. I mainly chose this LowePro since it fits within most airline carry-on dimensions.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio
<http://www.allgstudio.com>

Early Riser · Aug 3, 2006

For LF I shoot 4x5 readyload and 6x12cm roll film and use several case configurations depending on whether I fly to the general location or drive. If I drive the case is a lightware 1420 Backpack, if I fly it's a F64 Large back pack. The Lightware holds more stuff for me but is slightly too big to get on a plane without a hassle.

My kit usually consists of:

Sinar F2 modified to be smaller, a custom bellows and a Canham Compendium.
2 sinar zoom backs, usually a Zoom and a Zoom II
kodak readyload back
polaroid back
120 film, readyload film, polaroid

90mm Grandagon
135mm Sironar-S
180mm MM Sironar-S
240 APO Ronar
300mm APO Ronar
360mm Nikkor T
500mm nikkor rear element
720mm nikkor rear element
and either a 65mm Grandagon, 250mm Imagon or 210mm Sironar-S

Zone VI meter
Linhof multi focus viewfinder
a dozen 67mm filters
Zeiss 8x42 binoculars and or Swarovski or Leica laser rangefinder

Gitzo 1548 CF tripod
Sinar pan tilt head

The weight is usually about 45 pounds plus the tripod. The rail clamp for the camera is usually attached to the tripod head and I use it like a quick release. I also carry a lot of other bits but they're usually carried in my vest or jacket and there's a bunch of other things that usually stay in the car or a shoulder bag.

Dinesh · Aug 3, 2006

Early Riser said:
My kit usually consists of:

Sinar F2 modified to be smaller, a custom bellows and a Canham Compendium.
2 sinar zoom backs, usually a Zoom and a Zoom II
kodak readyload back
polaroid back
120 film, readyload film, polaroid

90mm Grandagon
135mm Sironar-S
180mm MM Sironar-S
240 APO Ronar
300mm APO Ronar
360mm Nikkor T
500mm nikkor rear element
720mm nikkor rear element
and either a 65mm Grandagon, 250mm Imagon or 210mm Sironar-S

Zone VI meter
Linhof multi focus viewfinder
a dozen 67mm filters
Zeiss 8x42 binoculars and or Swarovski or Leica laser rangefinder

Gitzo 1548 CF tripod
Sinar pan tilt head

What? No Sherpa?

Tom Hoskinson · Aug 3, 2006

How about a Llama (with 90% probability at 60% confidence)?

Early Riser · Aug 3, 2006

Dinesh said:
What? No Sherpa?

Dinesh, I'm working on that part. It does get worse though. Because I shoot long exposures I also carry sand bags. Fortunately most of the time I work near the car, but i've also hiked with sand bags. When I fly, or if I'm in a sandy region, the bags are empty of course.

dphphoto · Aug 3, 2006

Try seperate bags for the camera and the holders. This doesn't reduce the weight (obviously!) but makes it more manageable.
I got a Mobile Cinema bag from the guy selling them on eBay a couple of years ago. Don't know if they're still available, but equivalents are easy to find. The bag holds seven holders comfortably, with enough space in the top for a darkcloth.
Right now I have my 8X10 'dorff and one lens in a seperate hard plastic case, with meter, cable release, loup, etc. After that recent article in View Camera, I'm thinking about the Cabela Foul Proof Bling Bag ($80.00 plus shipping). Much cheaper than most "camera" bags. Dean

Eric Rose · Aug 3, 2006

My kit weights 45lbs not including my tripod. I backpack with it all over the Rockies and anywhere else I happen to be photographing.

Regular visits to the gym are a must.

Jim Fitzgerald · Aug 3, 2006

My 8x10 kit all fits into a Artic Zone 14x14x14 cooler bag! I put extra padding in the thing and it works great. I've only gone 1-2 miles from the car with it. It has a shoulder strap that I put extra padding on and with everything inside it comes in at 39 pounds! The tripod and any extras I carry in my other free hand. I do workout with weights and do lots of squats and leg work. At 55 yrs. I think it is good to stay in shape for large format. I have a Gregory Realty back pack that will swallow it up but haven't put that system together yet.

Stay Focused....or Soft Focused!!

Jim

Helen B · Aug 3, 2006

My suggestion, in addition to the good advice from others about equipment, is to stop thinking that your load is heavy. Your mental attitude is far and away the most important thing. Though this sounds flippant, and I apologise for that because you do not deserve flippancy, I'm not saying this flippantly, or from lack of experience.

Best,
Helen

naturephoto1 · Aug 3, 2006

Another thing to make sure is that the equipment is properly loaded and balanced in the backpack. If equipment is not balanced well the pack will not carry properly or as comfortably.

Rich

raucousimages · Aug 4, 2006

I have a good REI pack for my 4X5 but the 8X10 is carried in a Dodge truck or a Pellican case on a cart.

Maris · Aug 4, 2006

22 kilograms or about 48 pounds American.

Tachihara 810HD triple extension.
Fujinon-W 300/5.6 lens.
Schneider 121/8 Super Angulon.
Pentax analogue spotmeter.
Three double-dark film holders.
Focussing cloth and groundglass loupe.
Finder frame.
Manfrotto 028 tripod, 239 head.
Black Wolf custom compartmented travel pack.
Cable releases, filters, etc
Zone card for impromptu roadside seminars.
Big raincoat for me and the pack.
Food and water.

How many times have I been out all day with this set and come back empty, no film exposed. I shudder to think. At least I did not waste materials and darkroom time making photographs I did not care about.

Heavy backpack...

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency