How many 8x10 film holders in the field ?

[Luca Merlo]

I am passing from 4x5 format to 8x10 and since I deem that 8x10 is much slower in composing and in the field operations, I am curious to know how many film 8x10 holders do you have or use in a session in the field.

[John Kasaian]

Luca,
It all depends on how far away from the car I travel. I'f I'm working close by my vehicle I'll have as many as twenty holders stashed in coolers (no ice) or other storage boxes. If there is a short hike involved IIRC I can carry six holders comfortably in my day pack (jansport equinox) or long hikes I honestly don't remember how many holders I can stuff into my Lowepro Trekker AW (I don't take many long hikes anymore.)

[John Kasaian]

Remember you can also keep one holder in your camera as well as a lens reversed on its board on board your camera For down and dirty quick shots all you need are two hands--one to carry your camera and another to carry the tripod and you'll have two shots when you get there---sort of like a derringer!

[tim atherton]

10-12 for an hour or two

[Walter Calahan]

I don't find shooting 8x10 much slower than 4x5. In fact for me, the larger GG makes it easier to quickly determine the composition.

I usually back 10 to 20 holders depending. I use a 3 wheeled jogging stroller for long distance walks or hikes.

[Jack Flesher]

Man, you guys burn up the film! When I shoot LF, a really big day in the field might be 20 frames (10 holders worth). Maybe as many as 30, but honestly I can't remember the last time I shot that many...

[Oren Grad]

My f.64 backpack will comfortably hold 3 in the front pouch, which is fine because my hiking range is fairly limited and I'm usually not out for more than a couple of hours at a time. I'll often have another case with a few extras back in the car, but I rarely go back for them.

I think it was Winogrand, when asked about missing pictures while he was reloading the camera, who said there aren't any pictures while he's loading the camera. Likewise, there aren't any pictures when I've used all my holders. ;)

[David A. Goldfarb]

I usually have 3-5 in my pack, and if I have a car to go back to, maybe more in the car--up to 12 or 15 in total. If I had Mido holders, I'd carry more. I don't find 8x10" slower than 4x5", but I do shoot more judiciously, because it's not as easy to carry as much film.

[eddie]

i am taking a trip to the tetons and yellowstone. i am bringing all 10 of my holders. i will also have my changing bag so i can easily load more. if i plan to go on a long hike i may bring the changing bag and more film. the film and box weigh less than more holders.

eddie

[Vaughn]

I am a slow shooter most of the time -- I enjoy just looking around and being there. So a full day of photographing for me is about 5 to 6 set-ups. (I do a lot of pre-setup editing!)

I can carry 5 to 6 8x10 holders in the attached daypack of my camera pack, plus a couple more inside the pack if I know I will away from the car all day. But on the average, I have 6 holders with me.

My camera pack is a non-photo full size traveler's backpack. Inside the pack is my Zone VI 8x10, 3 to 4 lenses, darkcloth, meter...and if I am hiking back after the light has left, I also put my Reis double tilt tripod head in there, too, to lighten the pod in my hand. The pack has two fold-away side pockets...each is big enough to carry two one-quart water bottles...this is where my water and snacks for the day goes. (if there are dependable water sources, I'll take just one water bottle and a water filter.)

In the car I will have ten+ holders, besides the 6 in the pack.

Vaughn

[MIke Sherck]

I usually carry nine 4x5 holders when I'm using that format, or four 8x10 holders. The rest of my holders are in the car. If I have less than 12 holders for a day's 8x10 shooting, I worry that I don't have enough. I've never used 12 8x10 film holders in a day, so I guess that makes me a worry-wort! :)

mjs

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'm most likely to shoot lots of 8x10" film for a portrait shoot than for landscapes, since there are more random factors that can ruin an otherwise good shot (blinking, moving out of focus, change of expression, etc.).

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

For a few hours of camera work, I usually carry seven holders. There is nothing magical about this number, rather it is the number which easily fits into the small satchel I carry. The camera, tripod, lens, hood, and darkcloth are carried on one shoulder and the satchel with the holders, lightmeter, and notebook is hung on the other.

If I am photographing non-animates I usually only use three or four of the holders before I am ready call it a day. If I am photographing people I can easily burn through all fourteen sheets in thirty minutes. In either case, fourteen sheets is the most I can comfortably develop in an evening, so I try to never carry more.

[walter23]

I just bought an 8x10 and 4 holders. I figure that's enough to start out with, and enough for a lot of stuff. With digital I'm looking for opportunities 99% of the time. With 4x5 I'm half planning ahead and half looking for opportunities and usually shoot 6 to 8 shots on an outing. I figure I'll shoot less volume with 8x10 but I'll be basically able to keep up with my 4x5 habits with 4 holders.

Today I went out with the 4x5 and took 3 shots (I carry 9 holders, usually about half B&W and half colour slides). I'm content with that, I know two of them will be beautiful. The third was shot as an experiment in film development (for cyanotype / van dyke alt process stuff) but the composition was nice.

[Robert Hall]

I use all of them. :)

When I am out in the truck, I have 40 loaded. Many times I can use them all in a day, sometimes I don't use more than three.

[Geert]

6. That's the number of holders that fit into an Eagle Creek Cube that I use to protect my holders from dust.

G

[scott_6029]

start with 8-12..

[John Kasaian]

Luca,
It all depends on how far away from the car I travel. I'f I'm working close by my vehicle I'll have as many as twenty holders stashed in coolers (no ice) or other storage boxes. If there is a short hike involved IIRC I can carry six holders comfortably in my day pack (jansport equinox) or long hikes I honestly don't remember how many holders I can stuff into my Lowepro Trekker AW (I don't take many long hikes anymore.)

I have to add that it also depends a great deal on the subject matter! Like you mentioned, I find 8x10 requires more thinking than shooting. For example, if I'm going to an area where I need to photograph a lot of subjects---say a national park with a lot of intersting geological formations, I'll take a lot of holders unless for some reason I can't---in which case I'll take a changing bag and a box a film and maybe 6 holders. For general bopping around though, I'm happy with 3 or 4. I figure if I can't score at least one "keeper" out of six exposures then I'm just not doing my part!

[Luca Merlo]

Thanks to all of you for the answers. Best regards from Italy

[Ole Tjugen]

I use all of them. :)

When I am out in the truck, I have 40 loaded. Many times I can use them all in a day, sometimes I don't use more than three.

I use "all of them" too. All six. And the four 18x14cm holders, two boxes of film 8one in each size), and a changing bag.

[John Bowen]

I take 30 8x10 holders with me for a full day of photography. I've never run out, and I guess that is the point. I'd rather have 10 too many with me than be 1 short.

[archivue]

two... and i try to have 100% success ;-)

[Jim Grimes]

I went out yesterday for a few hours of 8x10 shooting and did more scouting than photographing. I didcovered an old road along the Delaware River that runs through a historic area. The light was wrong for the scenes that interested me, so I figured I would take my time and make notes for another day's photography, but at a different time. I did manage to take two images that I think should be good ones.

BTW, I had 22 8x10 film holders with me. I just like to be prepared for any eventuality.

[Scott Squires]

I don't find shooting 8x10 much slower than 4x5. In fact for me, the larger GG makes it easier to quickly determine the composition.

I usually back 10 to 20 holders depending. I use a 3 wheeled jogging stroller for long distance walks or hikes.

I agree with Walter. I find I can setup and shoot my 8x10 much faster than my 4x5. With the large GG I can setup the shot, get all my movements done and the scene in almost perfect focus just lookinng at the GG and just use the Loupe to verify sharpness. I take 20 holders on a one week trip and that is usually plenty.

Scott

www.scottsquires.com

[erie patsellis]

I'm with Soctt and Walter, it is faster to set up and shoot, I will typically bring 20 or so holders for a days outing, sometimes use 1 or 2, sometimes I reload in the field. (which I hate doing). Typically, I have 3 or 4 holders loaded with Ultrafien cont. tone dupe film, and split the rest between Foma 200 and TXP.


erie

[Chris Strobel]

I carry six holders myself, but if somebody wants to donate a few, I'll carry those too :D

[Andrew O'Neill]

A good day for me is 6 sheets of 8x10...that's not including backups...which I rarely shoot.