Want to Buy WTB/WTT: 8x10 film boxes

[DanielStone]

hey all,

I'll be assisting Michael A. Smith and his wife Paula in Iceland during their workshop this summer, and I'm expecting to shoot a good bit myself when I get the chance. However, since I'm still quite new to shooting 8x10, I'm in need of some 8x10 film boxes. Preferably for free(I'll gladly cover shipping though), 10sht or 50sht. No need to be pretty, just light-tight.

not to be picky, but if you have any *efke 100* boxes? That's my preferred emulsion. Maybe ???

many thanks

-Dan

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Something tells me that if you're assisting Michael and Paula this summer, he's going to have you using his system (even for your own work) of keeping the sheets in order with notes to keep them organized and developing by inspection, which doesn't require lots of film boxes, though I think he's mentioned that he does sometimes segregate sheets roughly, for instance, if he knows that there is a batch of shots that will definitely require extended development. And as long as you have such an opportunity to learn to develop by inspection with someone who knows how, you might as well take advantage of it.

Now in general if you don't have lots of boxes or just don't want to deal with lots of film boxes when traveling, and you are using the Zone System or something like it, what I do is to use tabbed dividers that I can organize in the dark, and I can keep -2, -1, N, +1, and +2 in the same box. The dividers are just the cardboard inserts packaged with film and the top divider gets a tab on the top and one in the upper right hand corner along the righthand side, so I know which way the stack should be oriented, and then the subsequent dividers get a sequence of tabs down the righthand side. If I'm shooting a lot of film over a more extended period, I can split the stack into multiple boxes as I load film into holders and generate newly emptied boxes.

 

[DanielStone]

thanks David,

just had my 1st go at developing by inspection last night, so far, looks good! Worked with just one negative(8x10), but I exposed a few other sheets, which I'll do tonight in batches of 2 sheets/run.

the only problem is though: my dad bitches at me about "water usage". Living in Los Angeles has its downsides, especially when it comes to living with your parents(which I still do while in school). And using the 2nd bathroom(which has to be a "functional bathroom, leaving no trace of developing film when you're done") has its disadvantages too(being WAY too small to be really functional, 3rd<fixer> (tray sitting on the top of the toilet seat lid). and having to wash my film in the bathub, in an 8x10 tray.

I am now doing a wash similar to the 'ilford method', with multiple changes of water(about 20 total, 1min each) soak 1min-->agitate 1min(change of water in between)-->soak 1 min, etc.....

but because I have to use it after EVERYONE has gone to bed, its usually around midnight-2am when I can start my developing run.

Not very much fun, but its what I have to deal with right now.

I like the Zone system, but the developing by inspection really lets me fine tune EACH negative(in theory, I'll give you a more accurate answer after I've done it for a year or so) so it maximizes EACH shot. Also, since I'm a college student, my budget is REALLY limited(yes, I just splurged and purchased a KMV, but that was almost 6 months of saving to get it, and LOTS of watching on ebay) so I can't afford to purchase lots of film/paper to do extensive testing. I just look at the negatives now, and if I get adequate shadow detail, I know my ASA setting on my meter is good. If my highlights are blown, I know I need to reduce development. This is my zone system.

Somehow, I feel my jobo tanks might only see 4x5 film from now on, mostly color(E-6/C-41). 35MM/120 will be in steel tanks.

working in 8x10 is much nicer for DBI than 4x5(which I tried about 6 months ago, 4 sheets @ a time, disastrous results I'm afraid , gouges and all)

I'll get through it though. Just need to persevere

but the boxes(I don't need a lot, I was going to just separate each type of negative(low contrast situation, high contrast, normal contrast) so I can gang them up for runs.

thanks

-Dan

 

[BenZucker]

I don't know what it's like in LA, but in NYC have just gone to one of the big labs and asked for boxes.... They were allmost allways down to help me out.

 

[DanielStone]

I'll definitely check those out. Going to the beach w/ friends, I'll need to make a stop .

thanks ben

-Dan