Loaded 4x5 Film Holder or not Loaded for a trip

[Jacques-Mtl]

Hi everyone,
Next year I will travel to Europe and I will bring my 4x5 equipment with me. I keep asking myself a question concerning the film holders. I don't know if I should load 25-30 film holders and keep them with me in the cabin or if I should buy a changing tent, bring a couple of holders and a couple of empty 4x5 film boxes a load and unload the holder as needed. If I bring them loaded there is less chance for dust but it is much more heavier.

What would you do? Can you give me your thoughts?

Thank you Jacques

[djdister]

When I traveled to Scotland from the US this year, I took about a dozen 4x5 holders, a changing tent and several boxes of film. There was no way I could limit my shooting to just what I could carry in loaded holders, so loading o was the only real option. I was also lucky enough that the bathroom in the location could be made lightproof, so I used that instead of my tent most of the time. I also had a couple of empty boxes for bringing the exposed film back, of course.

[mdarnton]

Two Grafmatics and a couple of boxes of film should do it? I would count on finding dark bathrooms along the way.

[Bob Salomon]

Why take a tent? Just learn how to load in a changing bag.

[Preston]

I agree with Bob. A changing bag would be perfect. They fold up small and weigh next to nothing. I'd suggest 5 holders (or as many you would need for a day's photography) along with the items you need to clean the holders, and a couple of film boxes.

--P

[David Swinnard]

Changing bags... just my opinion here, but I have, in the past, personally gone to some lengths to blacken small rooms enough to change film holders in (while on the job) to avoid using a changing bag if at all possible. Dust, damp clinging fabric, seriously restricted motion, itchy nose, etc., etc... I used them enough to know I never want to use another one.

Years back I got a good (REAL good) deal on a nice Harrison changing tent (from a film student with a change of heart) but haven't needed to use it yet, at home or on the road. But when I travel with the 4x5, it comes along for the ride just in case.

[Vaughn]

I used a changing bag for 6 months on an over-seas trip with the 4x5 and 5 holders. Doable.

I just used the same size changing bag for some 5x7. It worked, but barely. Some work on the technique is needed and some way to hold the top of the bag up would be nice.

Shorter trips, perhaps a week in Death Valley, I take about 20 8x10 holders and 4 or 5 11x14 holders loaded up -- that's it (perhaps the Rolleiflex, too).

[Alan Curtis]

On a recent trip to Northern CA I took 25 loaded 4x5 film holders, one box of film and one empty box. My plan was to find a sufficiently dark bathroom along the trip to change film. Sure enough I found a windowless bathroom and at night it was as good as my own darkroom.

[Jacques-Mtl]

Thank you all for your comments it is really appreciated.

[Ari]

I ordered the large Harrison changing bag for travel, I keep the tent for home use.
A few weeks ago, a clever member here suggested buying an old Meccano set and bringing it along.
The idea is you make a cube with the Meccano set, insert it into the changing bag, and you have a lot more room for your hands and holders inside the bag.
And the Meccano pieces, disassembled, take up very little extra space.