John Layton
5-Jan-2016, 12:36
Issues I have with currently available dark cloths:
1. Those that remain attached to camera during exposure can act as vibration-inducing sails, even in a light wind.
2. Those that feature elasticized openings and/or velcro for securing to a camera’s back can be tedious to install/remove without disturbing movements.
3. Flat cloths, without some provision for sealing into a “tube” (using velcro, buttons, clothespins, etc.) allow too much light to enter from bottom…truly a pain when working in snowy-bright conditions.
4. Cloths that look/act like a “jacket” seem too complicated, but I’ve never tried one so maybe I shouldn’t jump to this assessment?
5. Biggest pain: condensation (from breath/body moisture) inside the cloth…fogging up the focussing screen, my closeup glasses, or both (grrrr!)
So…My ideal focussing cloth/hood would:
1. Secure to the camera back in a manner which effectively shields from light, and yet would be easily removable (prior to exposure) without disturbing camera adjustments. Alternately, if not removable, this cloth/hood should at least be able to fold flat against the back of the camera prior to exposure where winds are present.
2. Be designed (perhaps tapered?) in a way which would effectively seal the viewing end around my eyes, perhaps also incorporating a built in head strap and closeup glasses for binocular viewing - while keeping my nose and mouth out of the bag entirely to minimize condensation.
3. Be reasonably lightweight, but of heavy enough material and of a design (again…tapered? or maybe like a bellows?) to minimize wind-flappage (flappidge? flappadge?)
4. Despite the above requirements, would allow me to move my head around….at least enough to allow viewing the focussing screen from different angles.
5. Fold flat (or flattish) for transport.
6. Be white/light on outside, black/dark on inside (naturally!)
In December of 2004, I was invited by my good friend Paul Wainwright and the staff of the Mt. Washington (NH) observatory to spend a week on the summit of that mountain, so that I could test my then-current L-45A camera design - in what amounted to hurricane force winds and well below zero F temps. The camera worked great - but my dark cloth was useless! My answer at that time was to create a tapered viewing hood out of duct tape - which allowed for viewing/focussing, and some (limited) head movement, while effectively spilling wind and allowing me to keep my breath away from the focus screen/close up glasses. After focussing, this makeshift hood folded up flat against the back of the camera - secured by more duct tape…in a way which prevented it from further flapping.
But my duct tape hood was really crude - and my sewing skills aren’t all that great. So my first question: does my “ideal” focussing cloth already exist? And (second) if not…would there be enough interest in a dark cloth incorporating the features/principles I’ve mentioned (and maybe a few that I haven’t thought of) so that someone out there might be motivated to move forward and create it? Thanks!
1. Those that remain attached to camera during exposure can act as vibration-inducing sails, even in a light wind.
2. Those that feature elasticized openings and/or velcro for securing to a camera’s back can be tedious to install/remove without disturbing movements.
3. Flat cloths, without some provision for sealing into a “tube” (using velcro, buttons, clothespins, etc.) allow too much light to enter from bottom…truly a pain when working in snowy-bright conditions.
4. Cloths that look/act like a “jacket” seem too complicated, but I’ve never tried one so maybe I shouldn’t jump to this assessment?
5. Biggest pain: condensation (from breath/body moisture) inside the cloth…fogging up the focussing screen, my closeup glasses, or both (grrrr!)
So…My ideal focussing cloth/hood would:
1. Secure to the camera back in a manner which effectively shields from light, and yet would be easily removable (prior to exposure) without disturbing camera adjustments. Alternately, if not removable, this cloth/hood should at least be able to fold flat against the back of the camera prior to exposure where winds are present.
2. Be designed (perhaps tapered?) in a way which would effectively seal the viewing end around my eyes, perhaps also incorporating a built in head strap and closeup glasses for binocular viewing - while keeping my nose and mouth out of the bag entirely to minimize condensation.
3. Be reasonably lightweight, but of heavy enough material and of a design (again…tapered? or maybe like a bellows?) to minimize wind-flappage (flappidge? flappadge?)
4. Despite the above requirements, would allow me to move my head around….at least enough to allow viewing the focussing screen from different angles.
5. Fold flat (or flattish) for transport.
6. Be white/light on outside, black/dark on inside (naturally!)
In December of 2004, I was invited by my good friend Paul Wainwright and the staff of the Mt. Washington (NH) observatory to spend a week on the summit of that mountain, so that I could test my then-current L-45A camera design - in what amounted to hurricane force winds and well below zero F temps. The camera worked great - but my dark cloth was useless! My answer at that time was to create a tapered viewing hood out of duct tape - which allowed for viewing/focussing, and some (limited) head movement, while effectively spilling wind and allowing me to keep my breath away from the focus screen/close up glasses. After focussing, this makeshift hood folded up flat against the back of the camera - secured by more duct tape…in a way which prevented it from further flapping.
But my duct tape hood was really crude - and my sewing skills aren’t all that great. So my first question: does my “ideal” focussing cloth already exist? And (second) if not…would there be enough interest in a dark cloth incorporating the features/principles I’ve mentioned (and maybe a few that I haven’t thought of) so that someone out there might be motivated to move forward and create it? Thanks!