Making a darkcloth

[MIke Sherck]

I made my focusing cloth out of two pieces of inexpensive cloth I bought from the fabric store. 4' x 5', just sewed a white piece and a black piece together (by hand!) one evening while watching something typically forgettable on TV. Then I took it outside and sprayed the white side with water proofing spray. I've used it for seven or eight years now and it works fine. In the field I fold it into sixths and use it to pad my shoulder when I'm carrying the camera attached to the tripod over my shoulder.

A focusing cloth doesn't have to be light-tight, like a camera bellows. You're just making some shade to make the ground glass easier to see (you're enhancing contrast.) There's nothing special about a focusing cloth - a dark t-shirt or sweatshirt works fine (although I get the giggles every time I see someone using one -- a photographer's ass sticking out the back, the view camera poking out the front as the head, and two teats hanging down. Sorry, just the mental image is cracking me up again...

Mike

[reellis67]

I've been using a towel (no joke!) and it seems fine to me. Washable, light, cheap, great for hitchhiking - never go out without your towel!

- Randy

[Leonard Evens]

A single dark T-shirt (from Lands End and made of fiarly heavy material) works fine for me. But if you combine a dark T-shirt with a white one as John suggested, you will get as much light proofing as you need, the light T-shirt will reflect sun on a hot day, and it ought to have enough ventillation to keep the gg from fogging up.

[BruceN]

Very informative thread - just saved me a bundle. I'm pretty sure I've got both black and white t-shirts lying around...

Bruce

[Joseph O'Neil]

I've been using a towel (no joke!) and it seems fine to me. Washable, light, cheap, great for hitchhiking - never go out without your towel!

- Randy

Until my mother made me a nice, heavy canvas darkcloth, that is exactly what I did too. In fact, if you are travelling, and forget your dark cloth, a quick trip to the closest Wal-mart and a couple bucks later, you are all setup. If you get caugt in the rain, I find a spare towel in the car is a lifesaver too. Just remember - dry off your gear before you dry off your hair.

As for hitchiking, I think that one went over most people's heads. Probally because Arthur Dent never shot large format.

joe

[Bob Gentile]

"... As for hitchiking, I think that one went over most people's heads. Probally because Arthur Dent never shot large format..."

He would've, but he never had the right guide.

This all sounds like a lot of fuss when Calumet sells a $35 dark cloth for 4x5. By the time you go to a fabric store, buy the fabric, factor in your time...

[Amund BLix Aaeng]

Here in Norway a dark cloth isn`t really an option, so I mostly use my Harrison dark cloth as shown when it`s raining. I used it like that last night ,in rain for a 4 minute exposure. I got wet, but the camera was dry, and the photo came out good

[Paul-Owen]

Before you run out and make one make sure that you check out the BlackJacket focus cloths - excellent design and VERY lightweight AND waterproof too.

[David_Senesac]

When I needed to buy a dark cloth, I didn't like off the shelf products because they were too large, weighing too much, and presenting large areas that breezes might move. Did not like light coming up from below. Thought the generic way to adapt to view cameras ie velcro was probably going to require a modification on my own model. And thought they were rather pricy. So found a cheap and improved solution though everyone that sees it laughs when they see what I did.

I bought a pair of large black elastic bicycle lycra shorts for about $15. The size of the elastic waist was a bit smaller than the circumference needed to snuggly surround my view camera's back standard plus adjustment knobs. The elastic waist easily attaches snuggly around the back of my camera in a couple seconds. I view into the shorts through one of the leg holes. I chose a size larger than I could slightly stretch over my chin and forehead then closed it up a bit for use. I added a thin piece of slightly rigid flexible plastic atop to help keep the viewing hole open. The second leg hole is useful for ventilation and for reaching up through to say bring up a loupe to view the groundglass. I added a plastic tube near where my mouth rests so that on cold days I can breathe through the tube and not cause fogging. Note I prefer 3x reading glasses to loupes. At the sporting goods store, I selected the shorts that blocked the light well as the light blocking varied considerable between models. ...David

[evan clarke]

A good fabric is gabardine, a lighty and supple..it hangs nicely..EC