How do you carry your 8x10 holders?

[Dan Quan]

Hello all, I am just getting back into shooting LF and I'm working out all the little stuff about carrying and accessing my gear. I think I'm pretty squared away, but in case i missed anything, how do you all carry your holders, and while we're at it, your loupe, meter, compass, viewing filter etc?

I appreciate your sage wisdom and advice.

 

[Jesper]

Usually in a Lowe Pro Super Trekker

 

[Dan Quan]

Usually in a Lowe Pro Super Trekker

Sweet, that looks really compact.

 

[JLP]

Tamrac Explorer 8. Holds 7 lenses (some are tiny) and all the other small gadgets but not filmholders. Cary the filmholders in a shoulder bag.

 

[Dan Quan]

Tamrac Explorer 8. Holds 7 lenses (some are tiny) and all the other small gadgets but not filmholders. Cary the filmholders in a shoulder bag.

I suppose I should have started, huh...

B&J 8x10 w/ext rail, cloth and my only lens live inside a Tenba case, I think it's an old projector case.

Film holders and a Domke holder of filters go in a Mountainsmith Tour FX with a no slip Kata strap, it holds 7 comfortably.

758DR, small gray card, Palm e2, compass, Tiffen viewing filter, wista loupe and ViewCatcher all go in a Camelbak FlashFlo and are each tethered with badgemates.

And if need be this can also fit in a North Face Alpha Aurora which also carries the tripod, but its heavy and i'm old.

So, what am I missing or overlooking?

 

[Jesper]

The Tamrac Explorer 8 is a nice backpack (I use one for 4x5) but it is too small for an 8x10 set.
The Super Trekker is just large enough for a Wista Field 8x10 setup but I doubt it holds a bench camera (ok, I carry some large lenses like Super Angulon 165/8 and Symmar 360/5,6).

You might need an assistant.

 

[Toffle]

Sounds like you have a very similar camera to my kit. (B&J 8x10, extension rails, etc.) Everyting, camera, holders, accessories fits into a Calumet case of roughly 18"x14"x22". I regularly take my this kit into the field in a Schwinn bicycle trailer. The trailer works well as a push cart and folds up well into the back of my car. Using this, I can negotiate just about any terrain and get to locations I would never be able to carry my kit to.

 

[DBP]

For the holders by themselves - a cheap vinyl briefcase

 

[JLP]

The Tamrac Explorer 8 is a nice backpack (I use one for 4x5) but it is too small for an 8x10 set.

That's interesting! Happy that my 8x10 Chamonix doesn't know that because it's been carried around in an Expedition 8 for 4 years.

The B&J is another story, had one of thoes and you would relly need to invest in a Donkey or a Sherpa. I am not aware of any backpack that is large enough.

 

[Colin Corneau]

I have an old Lowe Pro backback that came with a separate laptop bag. It's a shoulder bag but fits 8x10 holders perfectly...same sort of rectangular shape.
Not sure how practical it is to have a separate bag just for the holders but it works for me. I can fit 4 or 5 in there - lots of camera bags/backpacks have laptop holders or compartments now.

 

[jp498]

For my 8x10 B&J, I mostly carry it by the strap on top.

For outdoor winter use (which is the season I most like for photography), I have a jet sled that will carry everything I need in any format. Here's it's outfitted for 4x5.

Mostly the B&J doesn't go far from the car; other cameras are more backpackable. If I want to backpack a camera, I'd take the 4x5 or invest in a more compact 8x10.

8x10 holders go in a plastic anti-static ziplock to prevent dust. I have laptop sleeves to hold two holders, which is enough for an hour of shooting. If I'm on a big adventure, I can put three of these sleeves and a box of film in a 1500 pelican case.

 

[RPippin]

Ford F150 with the extended cab works well for me and my Kodak 2D, film holders, tripod and lenses. There's even room for lunch if I pack it right.

 

[Dan Quan]

Thanks, some really insightful ideas, course, some not so much too...

 

[Leigh B]

Zone VI shoulder cases, six holders per. Work fine, last long time.

- Leigh

 

[removed account4]

a big plastic lucite big holds my szabad 8x10, holders, cloth, rubber hooded loupe, unused meter ...
everything but the tripod

 

[CollinB]

I do it via 2 methods, depending on the situation.
For simply hauling them around I have this case, sort of like an Anvil or Cabbage, that holds the 8x10, lenses, and holders.
It's great for doing a location shot.
But out in the field, if I only need a modest number with me, an inexpensive laptop computer bag works great. They're just a couple $$ @ thrift shop or garage sale and easily replaceable or upgradeable. A lightweight cordura-type holds 3-4 nicely.

 

[Bertil]

Carrying equip: Lowepro #? , roughly 50 x35x 25 cm (20"x12"x10"), shoulder bag (Nat.Geography)

Camera equip: Sinar P1 8x10 with front multipurpose standard long legs, Schneider Symmar-S 5,6/240, Nikkor-M 9/300, Apo-Nikkor 9/360, Apo-Nikkor 9/480, Apo-Nikkor 11/760, Sinar bihind the lens shutter, 1 extra 4X5 bellows, extra multipurpose standard, four rails (30 cm ,12"), Lee filter holder with bellows, Lee filters, loupe, dark cloth, Seconic L-608, 10 8x10 film holders, Sinar panorama head with rail holder, simple monopod with extra rail holder (for extra stability with long bellows), Kern tripod, or Schiansky mod 131.

So, how to deal with this? Well no optimal solution, but 2 alternative that I have used:
Alt 1: Rear holder, front standard and 1-2 rails on tripod with head and rail holder; in the lowepro: filmback with frame and standard 8x10 bellows, Symmar 240, Apo-Nikkor 360 and 480, Sinar shutter, extra 1-2 rails, and the rest of small things together with 2 film holders; occasionally, shoulder bag with more film holders, coffee and sandwich.
Allt 2: Rear holder, front standard and 1-2 rails on the tripod with head and rail holder; in the back pack: film back with frame and standard 8x10 bellows, Nikkor-M 300, Apo-Nikkor 760, Sinar shutter, and the rest of small things together with 2 film holders and occasionally the monopad with rail holder; in shoulder bag: extra bellows and extra multipurpose front standard, more film holders, (hopefully coffee and sandwich).

Not tried alternative: get yourself a bigger and better backpack! Like this alternative, but haven't made up my mind how big.
/Bertil

 

[k_jupiter]

Tamrac Cyber 6 will hold a Deardorff V-8, two film holders, an extra lens, shirt for darkcloth, and a meter. The Bogen 3036 tripod of course goes over the shoulder.

tim in san jose

 

[MTGseattle]

I'm bumping an old thread. I think there are some things available that may not have been back in 2011.

Film Storage — Stone Photo Gear

www.stonephotogear.com

Photobackpacker seems to have stuff back in semi-regular production? You have to love those ebay listing url's.

Cascade Film Holder Case for 4x5, 5x7, 8x10. (Film Holders not included.) | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Cascade Film Holder Case for 4x5, 5x7, 8x10. (Film Holders not included.) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

The Tenba "byob" series is worth a look also. Not necessarily for film holder storage alone.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I carry the whole nine yards in a true US-made vintage Kelty external frame pack. Simple fomecore dividers separate the 8x10 Phillips folder camera from the filmholders and darkcloth. Each film holder is in its own plastic bag. Lenses are wrapped in bubble packing in side pouches. Bottom compartment holds jacket, lunch, water bottle etc. I always have a rain parka along too. Meter and filters in another side pouch. Room to spare. My big Ries wooden tripod is attached to the back with bungee cords, or if a collapsible carbon fiber instead, simply tucked under the top flap. Been toting my gear this way for half a century.

If necessary for a longer trip, extra holders back in the truck are kept in a small picnic cooler.

 

[DWThomas]

I use an old laptop case I have that just fits about four of them. (So far) I only shoot 8x10 in a pinhole camera and only own five holders, so four in the case and one in the camera and I'm good to go!

 

[mshchem]

I carry the whole nine yards in a true US-made vintage Kelty external frame pack. Simple fomecore dividers separate the 8x10 Phillips folder camera from the filmholders and darkcloth. Each film holder is in its own plastic bag. Lenses are wrapped in bubble packing in side pouches. Bottom compartment holds jacket, lunch, water bottle etc. I always have a rain parka along too. Meter and filters in another side pouch. Room to spare. My big Ries wooden tripod is attached to the back with bungee cords, or if a collapsible carbon fiber instead, simply tucked under the top flap. Been toting my gear this way for half a century.

If necessary for a longer trip, extra holders back in the truck are kept in a small picnic cooler.

That Kelty frame pack puts you in the 60's and 70's. I had one I ordered from REI, I bought a bunch of stuff from REI in the day. Didn't do much serious backpacking though. Usually a cheap nylon tent, a neat 2 burner propane stove. Lake Superior, wind and rain, listening to public radio from somewhere in the UP. That's livin'!

My 2 door 68 Chevy hardtop, I should have slept in the trunk

 

[abruzzi]

I find I don't need a lot when I am shooting 8x10. I modified a mixer bag to hold the camera, lenses, light meter. The front pouch on the mixer case will easily hold two film holders., whichis usually more than enough.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

If I'm hiking some where, I am able to carry five 8x10 holders in my f.64 backpack. This backpack was not designed for long distance humping, and by the time I get to destination, my back and shoulders hate me. When driving to a location, I keep the holders in a soft-sided cooler. I like driving to locations...

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I have a LowePro SuperTrekker (I think that's the model) that takes my Canham 8x10 Wood Field, three-ish lenses, light meter and dark cloth. I have a separate bag that has a shoulder strap that can swallow up to 10 holders, or say 5 holders, my meter, and dark cloth. I found the bag for the holders on Ebay IIRC. Either that or Amazon. It wasn't marketed as a film holder carrier per se and it doesn't have a brand name on it for me to suggest you to look for.