Experiences with changing bags and tents?

[Bruce Watson]

I just got back from three weeks in the field. Just about every day I did the "film holder dance" using my Harrison pup tent. Wouldn't go without it. Unless a miracle occurs and Kodak puts Tri-X in readyloads that is.

As to weight and size - mine weighs just under 2 pounds and can be scrunched into just about any space available. Well worth the trouble to take on a trip.

[Ted Harris]

Chris,

You may also want to check out the Red Wing Changing Room. Similar to the Harrison tents but folds up totally flat. I've been carrying one around in my truck for years for emergencies. No problems when I have had to use it.

[paulr]

" ... PRACTICE using the thing before you are forty miles from town with twenty holders to change."

this might have helped me quite a bit!

[Christopher Perez]

Many thanks to all who responded.

If I go the changing bag/tent route, I might be able to keep the dust to a minimum. But practise first and carry enough holders for an entire day.

If I go the Readyload/Quickload route, all it involves is the cost of the new holder and 3x to 4x the cost of self load film. Dust would be minimal to non-existant.

Hmmm... I need to work this out a bit more... I guess I'll start by working with the superlight weight 4x5 kit first and in a month try a new holder/film approach. By September I'll be more than 14,000 miles from home, and I'd better have practiced quite a few times before then...

Again, thanks!

[Mark_3632]

Totally off topic, but what the hell.

Robert,

That image you linked too is F*&king amazing. I bet the print in real life is 100 times better.

[Ted Harris]

This has all been about tents and changing bags but, cost aside, there is no comparison with Quickloads/Readyloads. In addition to solving the dust and debris problem they cut way way down on weight and space. I can pack a 4x5 field camera, 40 sheets of film, the holder, a meter and 3 lenses (Usually 110 - 180 -3oo) and a short tripod and head and still carryon everything I need for a trip of 3-4 days.

[Christopher Perez]

Ted, you get to the thing I didn't fully explain in my original post. I was trying to decide how to proceed. The cost of film rises dramatically when moving to Readyload/Quickload. What I'm trying to find is a balance of reasoning so I can work one direction or the other.

If changing tents/bags are dusty, "fiddly", or a pain to use in the field, then maybe I'll just eat the cost of Readyload/Quickload.

On the flip side, I am very attracted to carrying something entirely self contained and very light. I will be working with an old Anba, a DigiSix meter, light tripod, 90Angulon, 150Germinar-W, 200Nikkor as a super-lite kit. Its beginning to make sense to me now that adding a Readyload/Quickload film holder and several boxes of (admittedly) expensive film might be worth it, if for no other reason than avoiding dust and keeping over kit weight to an absolute minimum.

Thanks for the evolving conversation and shared thoughts.

[Robert A. Zeichner]

Thanks Mark, and yes, if I do say so myself, the actual print is even more so.

I forgot to mention in regard to the black photo paper bag I pack, I do cut the sides on these so the actual piece of unfolded plastic measures more like 16 x 40.