Is it a bad idea to put undeveloped 4x5 films in a paper bag as extra protection

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Mar 4, 2019

This is kind of a hard thing to ask and explain, but I'm on vacation with a 4x5 camera and I only really have a three storage options: a tri x box with all three layers and some extra cardboard that came with the film, a royal x pan box with only two layers (I may keep this stored in a dark place as well, and an ilford 8x10 paper box with no dark bag- but paper bags were suggested as a last minute alternative. Are paper bags a good idea (I'm flying home saturday so there's time to figure this out), or do any of you experienced 4x5ers have any wild but useful film storage ideas? I'm open to anything that's not super expensive.

MattKing · Mar 4, 2019

I'd suggest multi layered small black garbage bags in the 8x10 box.

BrianShaw · Mar 4, 2019

I would not use the 2-piece box.

I would use the 3-piece 4x5 box. I’m assuming that there will be no unexposed film that might get mingled with exposed film. I’d also use a rubber band or tape to make sure the box stays closed while in transit.

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Mar 4, 2019

BrianShaw said:
I would not use the 2-piece box.

I would use the 3-piece 4x5 box. I’m assuming that there will be no unexposed film that might get mingled with exposed film. I’d also use a rubber band or tape to make sure the box stays closed while in transit.

yea, I'm a bit concerned about the two 2 piecers, but today alone I got three n-2s, an n-1, an n, and an n+1. I'm going to need all the extra storage I need. The three piecer has already been designated for the -2s and already has its own rubber band.

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Mar 4, 2019

MattKing said:
I'd suggest multi layered small black garbage bags in the 8x10 box.

I'll keep this in mind, but I've got more shooting to do and don't know how my development variety will be.

BrianShaw · Mar 4, 2019

TheGreatGasMaskMan said:
yea, I'm a bit concerned about the two 2 piecers, but today alone I got three n-2s, an n-1, an n, and an n+1. I'm going to need all the extra storage I need. The three piecer has already been designated for the -2s and already has its own rubber band.

Clearly... you don’t have enough boxes for how you are shooting!

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Mar 4, 2019

BrianShaw said:
Clearly... you don’t have enough boxes for how you are shooting!

I was sure this was going to happen, so I was going to borrow some boxes from one of my photography professors, but he forgot.

Bill Burk · Mar 4, 2019

Don't do any N-2, just put them in with N-1 and develop them N-1... You probably metered wrong haaa.

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Mar 4, 2019

Bill Burk said:
Don't do any N-2, just put them in with N-1 and develop them N-1... You probably metered wrong haaa.

I'm very new to large format, but... I got two minus 3s before my vacation (no access to negatives right now as proof but...) one turned out fine, the other was thin but still had detail. I've had some good results with minus 2s as well.

Bill Burk · Mar 5, 2019

I have a plastic bag sealer that I used to make several 4x5 black bags (I think they were about 4 1/2 x 8 and could fold over) from thick black plastic bags that graphic arts film came in (I had several of these lying about).

I carried a set of four empty boxes (N-1, N, N+1, N+2) and a box of fresh film. The empty boxes each had a black bag inside (so I didn't depend on the box being light-tight).

I was joking somewhat about not bothering with N-2, one day in the mountains in bright daylight I metered only 5 stops of range, which would mean N+2 but I realized that it was silly for a bright scene to be treated as a scene that was flat. So I put that in the N box.

Even if you had a real N-2 situation... if you developed it as N-1 then you're basically only setting yourself up to need Grade 3 instead of Grade 2.

You're still adjusting development to fit the scene, just not as much. You'd be moving in the right direction. And that's what matters to me.

esearing · Mar 5, 2019

Snip the corners of your film with scissors or a nail clipper and put them all in the triple box. When holding with notches in upper right:
N+3 upper left and right
N+2 upper left
N+1 upper right
Normal No snip
N-1 lower right
N-2 lower left
n-3 lower left and right

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Mar 5, 2019

I've got a busy shooting day ahead of me, so I'm probably going to grab some black bags.

removed account4 · Mar 5, 2019

esearing said:
Snip the corners of your film with scissors or a nail clipper and put them all in the triple box. When holding with notches in upper right:
N+3 upper left and right
N+2 upper left
N+1 upper right
Normal No snip
N-1 lower right
N-2 lower left
n-3 lower left and right

+1

jim10219 · Mar 5, 2019

Stick them all in the triple box. That's the safest place for them. Then, cut out some dividers to keep the films separate. Look for some gloss paper, preferably unprinted. That way you don't get any scratches or free fibers on your film. You can then clip the corners of the dividers to tell which is which. You can clip one with a rounded corner, one with a flat corner, one with a jagged corner, and leave one with not corners clipped. That would give you five categories to choose from. You can then decide when you get home how you want to process them.

Also, get some masking tape to tape the box down. That's what I do when I travel with my 4x5.

Doremus Scudder · Mar 5, 2019

No need to snip or divide, just note carefully the order of the film from top to bottom and sort them later. Use the triple box and tape it shut. I've done this many times with zero light-strike problems. When I go on longer trips and need to transport film this way, I now carry three triple-layer boxes, one marked N, one for N+ and one for N-. In the plus and minus boxes, I'll stack film with the N+1 and N-1 negs on the top, respectively, and the higher numbers underneath... that is, if I bother to unload the holders with extreme developments at all. Often, I'll just unload the Ns and that will give me enough reloaded holders to finish what I need. I only very, very rarely need N+2, but occasionally need up to N-3 or 4.

BTW, if you are traveling by air and want your exposed film hand-inspected (in the USA only), tape the box shut and mark it plainly, "Exposed Film: Open Only in Total Darkness." Put it in a plastic bag, but don't seal the bag as you'll have to take the box out in order for the TSA to swab it. Do make sure the TSA agent knows that the box may not be opened. If they insist on scanning it, don't argue, just let them run it through the scanner. I've had exposed film scanned numerous times with no ill effects.

Best,

Doremus

TheGreatGasMaskMan · Mar 5, 2019

the way things have been going, maybe I don't have to worry about this- today I had four shots, three -1s and a -2, if I can empty a darkbag out of my unexposed box, then I can keep the majority of my films separate should this n- trend continue, but I did buy some black garbage bags in the event I need to use my double 4x5 box.
But there's never any guarantee...

Sirius Glass · Mar 6, 2019

Whichever you choose, put it in carry-on and not in the checked luggage.

Is it a bad idea to put undeveloped 4x5 films in a paper bag as extra protection

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