How to carry 50 film holders (4x5) ?

[davidb]

I am looking for a way to carry 50 holders on an upcoming road trip.

I would prefer one bag or one "something".

I have a smaller bag to carry 15 holders but I am looking for something bigger.

Any suggestions ?

[Vaughn]

Ice chest...put in one layer, standing up right, then a layer of closed cell foam, then the next layer.

Or two smaller ice chests, then as you use one ice chest full, use that one as the 'Exposed" chest.

Helps keep the film at a more constant temp, hard-sided to protect from impacts.

I do this with 8x10's on road trips...don't have 50 of them, though!

Merry Christmas

[BrianShaw]

... or the bag you already have, 15 holders, a changing bag, and a couple of empty film boxes. (That is what I do and it works just fine for me).

[Walter Calahan]

A mule.

Seriously, get a 3-wheeled jogging stroller so you don't have to carry all that weight.

Put it all in a large Lightware case, or similar product.

[Turner Reich]

One thing not to do is put them in a cooler or hard case that has room to spare around them. I did with 8x10's about a dozen. The first time I went to get them out the dark slides had shifted out about an inch on most of them. Be sure to put in a towel, and don't trust the slide lock pins either.

[Gene McCluney]

Just 50? and 4x5? Weenie! I carry about 75 5x7 holders in felt-lined old cases, but of course I don't take the whole couple of boxes out from the car. I remove just a few to carry to the photo site.

[neil poulsen]

One thing not to do is put them in a cooler or hard case that has room to spare around them. I did with 8x10's about a dozen. The first time I went to get them out the dark slides had shifted out about an inch on most of them. Be sure to put in a towel, and don't trust the slide lock pins either.

It's always a good idea when carrying a large number of holders to put a rubber band around each one. Bands that are about 1/4" wide and about 3" long unstretched work well for 4x5. You can remove and replace the rubber band each time you photograph with the given holder.

[Maretzo]

:D Quickload or Readyload!

[evan clarke]

I have 3 large luggage stlye camera cases, 1 Tamrac and 2 Kipling. I never liked them for my roll film cameras but they make great soft side filmholder cases. Seems a little spendy but I already had them..EC

[Wayne]

Mido. You can carry a couple hundred. If you can get em. What ever happened with their "rebirth"?

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=19771


Wayne

[Alan Davenport]

It isn't "one something" but I have a couple of ammo cans -- not 50 cal -- that will hold something like 20 to 25 4x5 film holders each.

If it were me, I'd take 20 film holders and a changing bag...

[rwyoung]

It's always a good idea when carrying a large number of holders to put a rubber band around each one. Bands that are about 1/4" wide and about 3" long unstretched work well for 4x5. You can remove and replace the rubber band each time you photograph with the given holder.

Ditto the rubber bands. I usually have a bunch of them loose in the bag. They can be strung together to make bungies and do all kinds of wonderful things.

[Joseph O'Neil]

Don't forget zip lock bags. Whatever container or size of holder, I find changes in humidity or moisture do the most damage to film, so keeping your holders in ziplock bags helps a lot.

I personally use a collapsable, soft sided zippered cooler bag. Inexpensive, already resistant to water & moisture, and like otehrs have said, throw a towel or your darkcloth on top to prevent film holders from shifting around.

Never used the rubber band idea myself, but I like it and will remember it
joe

[Paul Fitzgerald]

davidb,

Calumet makes pouches for 4x5, they velcro shut like lens wraps, are padded and each holds 10 holders. They fit into a cooler well and the darkslides can't open. They also have a belt loop if you want to carry them on site that way.

[jnantz]

a tenba car case can hold a camera, a ton of film holders,lenses and whatever else you have.
i use this one (http://www.tenba.com/p-477-car-case-ccv45.aspx) ...

have a nice trip!
john

[evan clarke]

Don't forget zip lock bags. Whatever container or size of holder, I find changes in humidity or moisture do the most damage to film, so keeping your holders in ziplock bags helps a lot.

I personally use a collapsable, soft sided zippered cooler bag. Inexpensive, already resistant to water & moisture, and like otehrs have said, throw a towel or your darkcloth on top to prevent film holders from shifting around.

Never used the rubber band idea myself, but I like it and will remember it
joe

I bought 2000 3M, perfectly sized, antistatic bags from an online source for about $30. They are just great for my holders...EC

[keith english]

I like the ice chest, but keep them vertical, and the padding and rubber band is not a bad idea. Only put the number you need in the camera bag if your hiking from the car. Keep the exposed ones in the cooler. That lowers your weight on the trail.

[davidb]

thanks everyone.

I have two of the calumet film holder cases and they hold 8 each.

Then this weekend in target, I found an Eddie Bauer diaper bag that will hold a dozen holders on the inside, plus my spot meter, loupe, and filters on the outside. It's a great little bag and will work for when I am away from the car.

[lee\c]

how about a big box?

lee\c

[sultanofcognac]

I use a slave! Don't have to pay them, they don't dare complain and they're disposable! Unfortunately, I happen to be the only slave in my (and my wife's) immediate vicinity, but nevertheless! :p

For 4x5 I use a thermal padded bag for taking cold foods on a trip (not sure what they're called), which holds 24 - haven't sussed out the 8x10 solution yet.

[Doremus Scudder]

I second the cooler idea. Mine holds exactly 50 4x5 holders and lives in the car on long trips. Each holder is in its own quart-size ziploc bag, which keeps darkslides in place and dust out. I carry six or seven with me on day hikes. I rotate through the holders in number order and reload when I get to 100. For reloading, I usually find a hotel room with a windowless bathroom and spend an afternoon or evening unloading, cleaning and reloading. I carry empty film boxes marked N-1, N, and N+1; N-more and N+more holders don't get unloaded, even if the "offending" exposure is only on one side. The number of these is always small, so I can still load 80+ new sheets. It rare for me to shoot more than 150 sheets or so even on a three-month photo safari (guess I'm picky...)

Hope this helps,

Doremus Scudder

[ki6mf]

that many holders will take up all the space in most bags. I have an older version of an Uncle Mikes Range bag designed to hold pistols and ammunition. It holds 25 4X5 film holders. The older version does not have all the side pockets and is a bit slimmer

http://www.uncle-mikes.com/products/field_bag.html

[Lenny Eiger]

two things. One, you don't need 50 holders. There is this thing called a changing tent that makes it all obsolete... If you want...

As to everyone and their rubberbands..... you don't need to do this. All you have to do is turn the holders on their side and the dark slides never bounce out....


Lenny

[Ari]

I have a few Grafmatics, they dramatically save on bulk and weight.
The only drawback is they don't give you that classic film holder black margin.

[Chauncey Walden]

50 sheets? That's only 5 Kinematics worth. A school lunch bag will hold that.

[Allen in Montreal]

David,

I can understand you not wanting to reload holders if the trip is to a dusty, dirty type location.

You don't mention hiking or should straps so based not needing to worry about those elements.

I have never carried 50 at once, but if I were to try it, I think I would use a Liteware flash case, 2 choices, the three pocket, two layer style. 6 holders per large zip lock, 50 holders will take about 2/3 of the case and the other section for misc stuff we always seem to collect. Or the 2 compartment style where again, 6 holders per zip lock, stacked, 50 should fit nicely.

Well padded, it zips closed tightly and has the wrap around handle for easy carrying.



I am looking for a way to carry 50 holders on an upcoming road trip.

I would prefer one bag or one "something".

I have a smaller bag to carry 15 holders but I am looking for something bigger.

Any suggestions ?

[photographs42]

Like others here, my film holders go into Zip Lock bags as soon as they are loaded with fresh film. I put two holders in each bag because when I decide to make an exposure, I make a back-up exposure from a different film holder.

When I was taking road trips with the 4x5 I slept in the car or a tent most of the time and didn’t want to deal with changing film in a light tent. I have about 75 holders and (because I was doing this mostly in the Southwest) I kept them in a cooler that is refrigerated with power coming from the cigarette lighter. I have no idea where I bought this cooler but they are probably still available somewhere.
Jerome

[neil poulsen]

I made a cart for my backpack from an old, two-wheeled golf cart I was given as a kid. Very big wheels that do a great job of absorbing shocks. There's space on this cart to add a container to hold the additional film holders that you describe.

But 50 holders! That's a lot. Consider getting a Harrison change tent. There's a good one suitable for 4x5 that not too large. There's also one big enough for changing 11x14 holders.

[tgtaylor]

I 4th the Calumet film holder cases. I have two Calumet and two F64 holder cases. The latter is a little better IMO as it has a zipper closed top which is guaranteed to keep out all dust and a web pocket on the front side to keep notes, etc. Both the Calumet and F64 will attach to your pack/belt for hiking and the F64 also comes with a strap if you want to hang it from your shoulder instead.

[Ed Richards]

I have 60 holders and I perfectly understand why do not want to mess with reloading on the road. Besides, you never know when you run into something interesting and need 100 sheets ready to go.:-)

I use six pack coolers, which hold about 15-18 each, depending on whether the cooler has a hard liner or is softsided. The hard liner ones are just tall enough for the holders and the soft lid sit on the top of the holders so the slides do not migrate. The soft side ones cushion the shocks which also keeps the slides in place. The coolers have a shoulder strap, and you can shoot out of them if you want. Great for handhelp with you Graphic or Technika. I use a Kineses belt with their 4x5 holder pouches, which hold 6 each.