When you 8 x 10 users travel, how many film holders do you use in the field?
When you 8 x 10 users travel, how many film holders do you use in the field?
I own 27 and take as many as possible.
I take as many as I can carry with me on a backpack. If I need more and i can take them I will take all. Also important if shooting from the car is taking a Harrison tent to reload in case you run out.
5 holders- 3 for B & W, 2 for Color.
Sometimes love just ain't enough.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pierre506/sets/
When I'm flying I take 5 in a book bag. (And the changing tent/more film.)
Short Drive: 6
Medium Drive with one overnight: 14
Road trip: 23
If it's more than a day trip I always bring my changing tent and another box of film.
I typically fly with 4x5 instead. But recent TSA policy changes have certainly made pro camera travel of any type a lot more convenient. No hassle at all this last trip. Straight thru all the lines. I'm a pretty conservative shooter, and might take only one or two shots on any given week. If I were packing the 8x10, I'd carry four holders at the most - two with b&w and two with color, then if needed, add the Harrison tent and change-out boxes to the carry-on. The biggest problem I contemplate when flying with 8x10 is the risk of losing anything checked in, like a big tripod. Theft from checked baggage still seems to be a major problem with many airports. If they'll steal golf clubs, they'd probably steal a pro tripod. With the 4x5, I can simply collapse a sufficient graphite tripod right into the carry-on, along with everything else.
When I was using conventional holders, I took 6 with my 8x10" Gowland. Since I acquired some Mido holders, now I can take up to 15 or so. I can fit the camera with three lenses and maybe 3 or 4 regular holders or maybe 10 Mido holders and small accessories in a knapsack made for a laptop computer, tripod on a strap over my shoulder. If I'm working from a car, I can keep a some in the car, and swap them out as I use them.
Generally when traveling by air, I pack my holders empty in my checked luggage and carry a box of film in the pocket of my knapsack where I would otherwise carry my holders, then I load when I get to the location.
Drew,
What are the recent changes? I've never had a problem with the TSA and am curious—I'm flying to Las Vegas and Portland, Oregon in February.
Originally Posted by Drew Wiley
Richard - I typically fly out of Oakland, which is a lot less hassle than SF. And airports can differ a bit. But it used to easily be a 50/50 chance of TSA pulling you
aside and opening up all your gear and checking everything - looking thru lenses, meters, swabbing filmholders, etc. - a significant delay, though in my case they
were always polite and very careful to repack everything exactly as they found it. Now they seem to experimenting with expediting things, keep the line moving
fluidly, and largely ignore folks whom they "profile" as low risk. This time they simply did a quick swab of the outside of my cordura carry-on, which seems to have
been routine with everyone in the line. No fuss about the unusual gear at all. But be careful with Portland - pilferage from checked-in luggage is very common there. Don't check in any kind of camera gear or electronics. They get into stuff at Oakland too. In fact, I don't think I'd trust any airport in that respect. But Portland is especially bad, and the TSA doesn't seem to give a damn about it. Getting a claim processed is slower than continental drift. If I were to air travel with
my 8x10 system instead of 4x5, I'd leave the big Ries tripod home and at least try to get my Feisol collapsing graphite tripod on board the passenger section. It's
a bit too long for a regulation carry-on, but you do see people sneaking analogous things like small but otherwise overlength golf bags or baby carriages on board ... I'd just check with the specific airline first.
Drew, do you carry loaded film holders through the checkpoints? I am thinking they may want to pull the slide? Or will they accept film is in it?
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks