Name Your Tip

**Scott Fleming** · 23-Jan-2006, 18:00

Had this idea while I was out shooting this evening. Yes I actually had my 4 x5 set up in an almost remote location (I can almost drive to) out here in the boonies AND I made nine whole exposures.

Anyway I was looking at my backpack laying on the rock cliff I was perched on and saw something I don't see in all those shots where people show us thier kits and setups. It occured to me that most of us do something unique to ourselves regarding our kit or our setup or whatever ... that could be useful to others.

I use rags. I'm very fond of soft white terry cloth 'hand towels' and I use them in several ways. I get the ones at Home Depot .... they're about 16" square. I wash them a couple times to soften them up. I roll them up and use them as spacers in the bag where a velcro devider doesn't fit. I wrap things like GNDs (in their own case) in them for extra padding. When I lay the collapsed VX 125 in the center of my bag, with a lens in it, between the various velcro deviders I use - I drape a nice soft rag over it and then loop my cable realese loosely around the lens so it's right there for ready use when I set up. AND I always throw a couple more somewhere in my kit as they come in handy in a myriad of ways.

That's my little tip. Anybody else got one to add?

**Steve Hamley** · 23-Jan-2006, 18:18

Scott,

Dry fire the shutter before pulling the dark slide/readyload envelope and listen. Makes sure the shutter is closed, shutter functional, not on "T" when you want "B", not on 1/125 when you want 1/5, and if you use cable releases with disk locks, that the disk lock isn't on (If you're on "T" or "B" it kills a sheet of film).

Jack Dykinga recommended in one of his books to check the GG post exposure to make sure nothing shifted. Haven't felt a need to do that with my particular camera, but in very early, very late light, and changing conditions, check the post exposure reading against exposure settings. Light can change a stop or more in just a minute or two.

Steve

**jnantz** · 23-Jan-2006, 18:43

windshield wipers make the best squeegees.

i've been using the same one since 1981 ... its been so long since i
bought it, don't even know where its twin is ..

**Kirk Gittings** · 23-Jan-2006, 18:47

I keep a small light disk, black on one side and silver on the other, folded in my case. I primarily use it to let the wind "skate" over my camera. With it I have been good for 2 second exposures in a strong wind. But it is also useful as a reflector at times, a gobo, a rain shield, a signal device, a frisbee, a UFO prop (flies better than a hubcap), a fan when its hot and a really dorky looking sun hat.

**Walt Calahan** · 23-Jan-2006, 19:03

I use a "Johnson Pitch & Angle Locator" bought at my local Ace Hardware store to make sure my ground glass and lens are exactly parallel. Especially useful when I've got the camera bed at an angle so the standards are not locked into the detents.

**Ed Richards** · 23-Jan-2006, 19:10

> Dry fire the shutter before pulling the dark slide/readyload envelope and listen. Makes sure the shutter is closed, shutter functional, not on "T" when you want "B", not on 1/125 when you want 1/5, and if you use cable releases with disk locks, that the disk lock isn't on (If you're on "T" or "B" it kills a sheet of film).

Great tip! This is a common path solution to lots of problems, including the weird copal 0 problem that if you do not have the preview lever all the way down, it can let the shutter fire but not open. The tip off is that it sounds funny and you can see it is not opening, but that is harder to notice from behind the camera.

My tip is to process every other sheet in the holders, i.e., if you have a tank that holds 6 sheets, take one sheet from 6 holders, then the second sheet on the next batch. Then if there is a screw up, you have less of a chance of losing all the shots of any given subject. (Assuming you take more than one shot of anything.)

**Scott Fleming** · 23-Jan-2006, 19:30

Ooooooooooo! These are great!

Keep em comin.

**ronald lamarsh** · 23-Jan-2006, 19:58

I do quite a bit of backpacking here in the northwest, often times the weather can be bad especially near or on the Pacific Crest in September. Although it has nothing to do with my camera setup I truly enjoy a cup of expresso in the foul weather but it gets so cold and windy that my stovetop maker won't brew, so........... I use my tripod wrapped with a spaceblanket to form a teepee to shield my cooking setup. If it gets really bad and you have a rather large tripod you can use the same setup as an emergency shelter!

**Mark_3632** · 23-Jan-2006, 20:01

Cotton Diapers

Padding for lenses, Seperators, Knee Pads, Reflectors, bellows sag support, Super absorbant bellows mop for unexpected rain storm, butt pad for when those rocks are too hot or cold to sit on while waiting for the light to happen

Oh yeah, covering the babies butt to avoid messes is a another use for these little wonders.

Baby syringe doser and bottle stopper, the kind with the flip top lid and a little hole for inserting the syringe tip, for chemicals (make sure you mark the ones you use for chemicals) Best 4 bucks I have spent for measuring developer.

**Robert Skeoch** · 23-Jan-2006, 20:02

This is my best tip,

I use Ilford Multigrade paper for the contacts that I put in my file, but instead of using 8x10 size sheets I simple order the paper in 8 1/2 x 11. It's not a regular photo size but Ilford makes it and Kodak made it for years. I worked at a government agency once and we used it there. It was very popular with the government.

Anyway, the larger size gives you room to 3-hole punch the contact as well as making sure all the negs are on. Very useful for 35mm 36 ex. which I find a little tight on 8x10.
-Rob Skeoch