Poll: Photographer's Dark Cloth/Hood

[OptiKen]

I recently started shooting 9x12 in a Maximar 207/7 and focusing is definitely a challenge on the ground glass, so I began to search for 'help'.
Which brought me to wonder, "Do people still use those black fabric hoods to hide under while they focus their cameras?

​

 

[AgX]

I guess only few medium format photographers do so...

 

[mudfly9]

When I'm shooting large format, which is mainly at weddings these days, I use a black jumper. I put it on neck first and leave it around my neck. Then, when I need it, I can quick pull out the body of the jumper and throw it over the body of the camera and I've got instant darkness. Admittedly I look pretty ridiculous with it around my neck but that often makes it a good ice breaker when doing portraits.

 

[paul_c5x4]

I picked up a length of shower-proof material from a local haberdashery - Black on one side and white(ish) on the other. Sewed a cloth dressmakers tape along one side and an elasticated drawstring around the end that goes over the camera. In all, works quite well and doesn't flap around in strong winds.

The tape comes in handy when doing calculations around bellows extension with close-up/macro shots.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I only use a dark cloth when I am using a Speed Graphic as a view camera. There is no need for a dark cloth with the Graflex Model D.

 

[removed account4]

i use a dark cloth for ground glass cameras and have used them with tlr's ( on tripod when too bright outside )
but don't use them with 35mm cameras
i use a cheap piece of black fabric ( felt ) purchased for about 4$ at the fabric store
been using it for 20 years, never saw the need for anything expensive.

I only use a dark cloth when I am using a Speed Graphic as a view camera. There is no need for a dark cloth with the Graflex Model D.

unless you have the hood and cover removed
and use the camera as a studio portrait camera with a hood and magnifier

 

[Trail Images]

With Wista 4x5 Field Camera......yes, always. A home made unit after fussing with 2 different store bought I did not like.....:munch:
With Mamiya RB67 ProSD...........no, however, I use a Prism with a magnifier on it. Also wear a wide brim hat too......

 

[WetMogwai]

I mostly use a Blackjacket focusing cloth (http://www.quietworks.com/FRAMES_FILES/BJ_SPECIFICATIONS/BJ_NEW_HOME_FRAME_.htm) when using a large format camera. The only exceptions are when light falling on the back of the camera is dim enough that I can see without it. This happens most often with the Speed Graphic, which has a hood of its own.

 

[Alan Gales]

I use a BlackJacket focussing cloth with my 8x10.

http://www.quietworks.com/FRAMES_FILES/BJ_SPECIFICATIONS/BJ_NEW_HOME_FRAME_.htm

I've never needed a focussing cloth with any of my medium format cameras.

 

[Kirks518]

I only use it on my 4x5 view camera. Can't see a thing on the ground glass without it. My cloth is a towel that I grab from the linen closet.

For MF or 35mm, I use either the vf, wlf, or prism. Never needed a cloth for the med/small formats.

 

[Ian Grant]

I rarely use a dark cloth although I always carry one with my LF cameras. However the secret is having good bright screens, I make my own.

OptiKen the original screens on pre-WWII cameras are usually not very bright, I replaced or re-ground all the screens on my 9x12 cameras and other plate cameras and now they are much very easier to use and focus.

Ian

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Since the thread starts from the 9x12cm format, and it's fairly obvious that most dark cloth users are shooting LF or a view camera (mostly LF, but maybe MF or MF back on an LF camera), I've moved this to the LF forum.

 

[Dr Croubie]

Not on a 4x5, for that I've got my Toyo Focussing hood (or whatever it's called, you can see it in the pic (there was a url link here which no longer exists) and in-use at the bottom of (there was a url link here which no longer exists)).

My 8x10 came second-hand, with what can only be described as 'window glass meets power sander'. It worked, only just, and was so freaking hard to see that I bought a dark cloth, a huge one. It could double as a cape for a dracula halloween costume (and it's red on one side, black on the other). Except that I keep forgetting to bring it along with me when I shoot 8x10, so more often I just use my jacket. Now I've got a Steve Hopf Borosilicate glass in it I might not need the cloth, but I'll still keep it because it looks cool using it compared to a jacket (if I could only remember to bring it along).

 

[LMNOP]

I've been using a plaid wool blanket from my car trunk's emergency camping kit.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

So as to the original question, with my 4x5" or 2x3" view cameras, I sometimes use a plain, old-school darkcloth, but often I just use the folding hood on the camera and try to wear a wide-brimmed floppy hat to shield the groundglass a bit better from the sun, since it's often behind me. The darkcloth provides a better viewing experience, but if I'm shooting a smaller view camera, it's probably because I'm trying to be more compact and carry less stuff. With 8x10" I have a BlackJacket. For 11x14" or 7x17" I use the traditional darkcloth.

With the plain darkcloth, I find it easiest to fold it in half white side in, and drape it over my shoulders like a cape, and then when I need to view the groundglass, I flip it over my head and the camera and gather it up with one hand under the camera and let my eyes adjust to the dark to compose. If I block out all the stray light and wait to adjust, I find I can manage with slow and wide lenses fairly well. When I check focus with the loupe, I don't find it as necessary to block out all stray light, so I've got one hand to hold the loupe and one hand to turn the focus knob on the camera and refine tilt/swing movements.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

I have a number of cameras with different configurations of ground-glass and Fresnel screen. Most of my lenses are slower (f/8-f/9 for the very wides and very long, f/5.6 for more "normal" focal lengths).

I find I don't need the dark cloth for situations where all of the following criteria are met:
1. The scene is well-illuminated. 2.There's not a lot of light hitting the camera back. 3. The lens focal length is in an intermediate range (135mm to 210mm). 4. I have a good Fresnel screen in place.

This happens during daylight hours outdoors with my Wista DX and Wista Fresnel quite often.

For shorter lenses (65mm-100mm) or longer slower lenses (240mm f/9, 300mm f/9, 450mm f/9) and in any situation in which the subject is not brightly lit, I find myself under the dark cloth.

FWIW, I always carry a dark cloth, just don't use it when I can get away with not. That said, I don't compose on the ground glass, but instead use a viewing frame. I have my framing figured out before I set up the camera. I just need to know that the image I want is on the ground glass and what my focus points are going to be. After that, I don't even bother to view the entire gg image, but just fine focus with the loupe.

For architectural shots where the verticals and horizontals are important, I'm usually always under the dark cloth using the grid lines on the ground glass to align the shot.

I have homemade dark cloths: White Gore-Tex on one side, non-slip black material on the other, Velcro sewn along all sides, no weights in the corners and big enough to cover me and the camera in a sudden rain or crashing wave.

Best,

Doremus

 

[Alan Gales]

I've been using a plaid wool blanket from my car trunk's emergency camping kit.

And I thought my BlackJacket cloth was hot in the summertime!

 

[nosmok]

I use an old flannel shirt. Thinking of getting something a little better but this does OK.

 

[ic-racer]

My 8x10s are un-usable without the dark cloth. My 4x5 has a pop-out hood and I have an extended magnifier that fits in the hood.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Strange survey. Didn't know anyone made cameras without darkcloths. Seems like you're being gyped if that's the case. Do other kinds of
cameras work only at night, when it's unsafe and you need to defend yourself with a selfie stick? But when it comes to real cameras and real darkcloths, I'm definitely not of the "lint is it" mentality. My favorite darkcloth is made of midweight black Goretex: no lint, breathable,
lightweight, waterproof, extremely durable. Velcro on the corners. Weights are for people who want either their groundglass smashed in a
wind, or one of their eyes put out.

 

[meisburger]

I may be the only person so cheap, but I just use a black t-shirt. I put the collar around my neck and just pull the shirt over the camera to compose. I have a nice Rodenstock loupe that I can usually use for fine focus without the cloth.

 

[ajmiller]

I use a black t-shirt (XXX Large) too and use it the same way. I've sewn the sleeve holes also.

I may be the only person so cheap, but I just use a black t-shirt. I put the collar around my neck and just pull the shirt over the camera to compose. I have a nice Rodenstock loupe that I can usually use for fine focus without the cloth.

 

[palewin]

With my 4x5 I always use a black t-shirt, but the reverse of what meisburger and ajmiller do: I stretch the collar around the camera back, which holds it in place, and put the body of the shirt over my head. One advantage over a regular dark cloth is that the t-shirt doesn't blow around in the wind. The disadvantage is that the collar won't stretch around anything much bigger than 4x5.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Oh yeah. T-shirts. Nothing more fun that spending endless hours spotting negs and prints due to cotton lint.

 

[removed account4]

hi drew

how would viewing the gg using a t shirt get lint all over the film?
putting the film through the tshirt into the camera?

never heard of that before ...