Intermediate large format questions/photography misadventures

[Joe Kashi]

I need to get back into the "tent" and try and figure the film out for sure.

The bigger issue: How is there no off-the-shelf bag that will hold just the camera body? I went to Kenmore Camera today and drug every insert/accessory pouch out and measured them. Nothing. They have the full range of F-stop ICU's on the shelf, most of the Shimoda inserts, plenty of the Tenba byob series, mindshift gear and some other brand I can't remember. Plenty are tall enough, but none are also wide enough. I then stopped at one of the bigger Fred Meyer stores and looked at soft cooler bags/luch bags. Again, nothing that made sense.
I've watched an older youtube video showing the f64 XL backpack. An 8x10 takes up 80 percent of that thing. There's another pack called the Evoc CP-35L. I've seen one person use that for 8x10 but again, the camera takes up 80-90 percent of the bag. The Evoc also retails at north of $400. In that price range, I think I would look at the F-stop 50 liter packs but that kicks us back to inserts that don't hold the camera anyway.

Do I actually hike that far away from camp/car with 8x10? I guess that's going to be what I have to figure out. If I don't "need" a few hiking essentials, the f64 would likely be fine.

I ended up buying an audio mixer carry bag from BH for my Ritter 11x14 and that seems to work well. The Ritter is a relatively compact field camera when folded. Maybe an audio mixer bag on a bare pack frame like the old Keltys?

 

[MTGseattle]

Joe,
That's a valid path for sure. 11x14 kicks you into even worse carrying options. Hiking/backpacking packs just aren't designed around having to carry rigid boxes inside the pack. If you think about any of the modern camera "inserts" that can accommodate 8x10 or bigger, you need likely a 50 liter pack minimum just to fit the insert but most packs of modern design are not wide enough across the back for the big inserts.


I want to steer back towards lenses for a bit. The Fujinon A 240mm f9 and the Schneider G-Claron 240mm f9. Are they comparable enough that either one at the right price is a solid choice or is one or the other worth a longer search for the right sample?
From a bit of reading it looks like the Schneider has a pretty conservative published image circle. It also seems like many users preferred the sharpness/contrast of the Fujinon. I feel like this is a comparison that has likely been beaten to death, but lens usage info and actual technical specs are scattered all over the place. Are the Macro capabilities of those 2 lenses where the extra cost becomes worth it vs that other Fujinon W 250mm that covers 8x10. 10mm focal length is pretty negligible to my mind.
I see a few references to G-clarons that are not coated? I know about the Fuji and its either single or multi-coated generations.
I also read that while the Fuji can perform well up close, it's not optimized for 1:1.
Unless I am mixing up information, the most recent G-Clarons and the Fujinon A are both Plasmats I guess. What design is the Nikkor 210mm AM/ED ? Is it too different to get added to the consideration?

I'm not sure why I'm on here rambling about lenses, I need to get cracking on a UV exposure unit. There was a NuArc 26-1k for sale locally, but I want something portable, so diy it will be.

Great news; my Canham rear standard repair is done. I'm off to send Keith some money so I can get that camera outside.

 

[MTGseattle]

My Canham 8x10 is back in working form. Will I have any time to wreck some film over the next few days? That is the real question.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Wreck away!

 

[MTGseattle]

On it.

 

[Vaughan Bromfield]

Wait, you haven't tried Whole Plate (6.5" x 8.5") yet!

That's an unjustified assumption. I have a WP back for Rittreck View 5x7, both glass plate and sheet film. I didn't mention it because it seemed rather immodest.

 

[MTGseattle]

The team at Glazers couldn't fix my Mamiya 6mf cameras. I'm trying to decide whether to kick them down to Precision camera works or not.
While in Glazers I had to do a double take.
In the used film gear case they had; 2 Xpan bodies, a Fuji G617, a Horseman sw612, and a Fotoman 620. Apparently, all of it came in via 1 person.

 

[AnselMortensen]

While in Glazers I had to do a double take.
In the used film gear case they had; 2 Xpan bodies, a Fuji G617, a Horseman sw612, and a Fotoman 620. Apparently, all of it came in via 1 person.

Probably kept the Technorama...

 

[MTGseattle]

Slight segue. What do people use for 8x10 film holder storage in a stationary situation? I'm talking at home, or just not at the actual site. Lets say you own 10 or more, you're not going to throw that many in your pack (at least I doubt it, and I'm certainly not), but it may be advantageous to have that many loaded and ready on a road trip. I've seen fleeting images of a soft-sided case (maybe the old zone vi one?) that was sized perfectly and looked to have a semi-rigid soft divider between each holder.
There has to be something out there.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have a soft-sided cooler that I picked up at Costco years ago. It snuggly holds all 16 of my 8x10 holders.

 

[MTGseattle]

Ooh. Good tip. I'll look into those. Igloo looks to have one that's almost perfect.

 

[eli griggs]

Harris Teeter cold bags are good, I use on for films, especially with freezer cold packs but, if your goal is a longer cooler ice without a lot of cost, make some rectangular cake pan ice blocks by freezing water with unrolled cotton wool battens, throughout the ice block, then bag them up in double Ziplock or Glad freezer bags or and use vacuum sealed plastic next to the ice.

The 'ice' this creates will remain frozen solid, much longer, than regular water ice.

Even if you use premade commercial or medical soft or hard plastic ice packs, do yourself a favor and double bag them, so no leakage can get into your holders, film or paper.

A tight fold of Gorilla Vinyl Duct Tape over each 'zipper' opening is not a step to far keeping things reusable and the freezing fluids on the inside of you baggies

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have a soft-sided cooler that I picked up at Costco years ago. It snuggly holds all 16 of my 8x10 holders.

I have an insulated backpack with slots for chemical blue "ice" blocks.

 

[AnselMortensen]

I bought a purpose-made carrying case for (5) 8x10 holders from China on Ebay a year or so ago.
It seems well made, works well, has dividers, and has a locking flap to keep dust out.
Not particularly cheap, it cost about as much as a plastic 8x10 film holder, IIRC.

 

[MTGseattle]

I've got 1 RPT 3 holder case, and 2 of the very similar "photobackpacker" cases. Unless I solve my overall backpack problem, only 1 of the other cases can come along per trip. I thought 1 large case to hold everybody until I grab the three I want might make sense. Or if I acquire any more holders.
@eli griggs is that whole ritual to keep films safe during peak summer if you have to leave stuff in the car or did we segue into general cooler strategy?

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Personally, I've never bothered with ice in my cooler bag, even when working in very dry, Canadian prairie heat, up to 40C. Film is quite durable.

 

[MTGseattle]

I wonder how badly a modern film holder would deform if left on a dashboard in that kind of weather? Salvador Dali clocks?

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I wonder how badly a modern film holder would deform if left on a dashboard in that kind of weather? Salvador Dali clocks?

 

[AnselMortensen]

I'd be worried about condensation if using ice packs.

 

[eli griggs]

I've got 1 RPT 3 holder case, and 2 of the very similar "photobackpacker" cases. Unless I solve my overall backpack problem, only 1 of the other cases can come along per trip. I thought 1 large case to hold everybody until I grab the three I want might make sense. Or if I acquire any more holders.
@eli griggs is that whole ritual to keep films safe during peak summer if you have to leave stuff in the car or did we segue into general cooler strategy?

The cold bags I mentioned will do quite well in summer heat (I'm in the south of N.C.) which is why I choose to use them) but I also am not above keeping a hard shell cooler.in the car for cameras and if there is a need, the film bag, too.

Also, Yeti makes a cold bag, IIRC.

 

[eli griggs]

"eli griggs[/USER] is that whole ritual to keep films safe during peak summer if you have to leave stuff in the car or did we segue into general cooler strategy?"

Both, as the cooler bag can keep film from freezing in winter as well, sans the ice pack or any kind of heating.

I suppose, all said and done, this thread is really about stabilizing film in extreme environments.

 

[MTGseattle]

That local ad for the vintage Kelty got deleted after I contacted the seller. I wasn't holding my breath since it was a pretty old ad.
I did however get lucky with an old ad for a 16x20 enlarging easel last year. I'm not sure why it hadn't sold, but I count myself lucky on that one.

It's an unofrtunate state of the world economy: I looked into making my own modern (lightwieght, water-resistant) darkcloth, and it wasn't economically feasible vs what exists off the shelf.

{Film holder discussion moved to OP's other thread: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...aphy-misadventures.198423/page-6#post-2760572}

 

[DREW WILEY]

You could try simple thick black polybags at night, like 20X24 print paper comes in, but obviously well rinsed first. Harrison tents are great. I add an inner liner consisting of a thin black poly kitchen wastebasket liner, which can be easily shaken out between usages. That can be suspended from the inner "ceiling" of the tent with a small clothes pin. Those are so lightweight that you can carry spares. I also add little alcohol wipes for my fingers, plus if necessary nitrile finger cots. Any film boxes, new or change-out have been pre-treated with Krylon clear acrylic spray to deter cardboard dust. I have a couple sizes of Harrison, but haven't actually traveled with them for a long time. There was quite a phase when convenient 4x5 Quickload and Readyload sleeve were still available. No more, of course.

 

[Chuck1]

The fuji dark tent(intended to load rolls of paper in minilabs) is huge, if you can get one for a reasonable price snag it.

 

[Maris]

I'll second Chuck 1 about the Fuji Dark Tent. I have one that I use for loading and unloading stacks of 8x10 film holders in the field. It's the best and biggest self supporting "changing bag". Mine cost $100 from a closing down minilab.