About dark cloth

[jeroldharter]

It has been a while since I visited this thread but I struggle with the focusing cloth issue also. I have had a regular horse blanket type cloth with weights but that was unwieldy and huge. I have a BTZS which is nice with some cameras (Toyo field) but does not work well with others (Canham, Arca) and is very hot in summer and humid in winter.

I recently bought a Black Jacket focusing cloth. I have not had a chance to field test it but wow. What a piece of work for a focusing cloth. This thing is nice. It has great features for attaching it securely to the camera. It is relatively compact and lightweight. I bought the hybrid model. The cost seems high (compared to a T shirt) but you get what you pay for with this one. I am actually excited to try a focusing cloth? Something seems odd about that but this is a nice piece of gear and worth checking out.

[Paul O]

Blackjackets are excellent and in my opinion as close to the "perfect" darkcloth as you're likley to get. They take time to get accustomed to but a bit of perseverence and they are very natural in their use. I like them

[knjkrock]

This seems to be the best thread I could find looking through the archives. Anybody have any new experiences? I need one for 8x10 and 4x5. Not really wanting to DIY. The Harrison look like a good product. There is a saitta on eBay. Wish they were available new. Any experience with the ones from China. I am large/tall so fear the btzw will be tight.

Regards and thanks.

Ken

[neil poulsen]

I got a tube style 4x5 dark cloth off EBAY. It has elastic at one end to fit snug around the back of the camera. There is a Velcro splitter along the length to more easily adapt it to you. Outside is silver and inside black, all synthetic material. Nice aspects are that it packs thinly, and is easy to keep clean.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

I have something similar, but medium gray on the outside, which I prefer. It was designed for 5x7, so it works great on my 4x5 rail camera.

. . . I am large/tall so fear the btzw will be tight. . .
Ken

Up the size a little, as I did. BTZS has them in varying sizes from 4x5 on up. (5x7, 8x10, etc.) I'm considering 11x14 for 8x10.

[John Kasaian]

Quick and cheap? Blackout curtain cloth cut to size.

[Alan Gales]

I use a Blackjacket with my 8x10. Underneath they are as dark as you would ever want. They are a little fussy to use at first until you get used to them. You slip your arms in them. I wear my loupe around my neck so it is easy to use in the Blackjacket.

I used a BTZS for 4x5. Not near as dark as a Blackjacket but a little faster to use.

I highly recommend either. It just depends if your priority is total blackness or speed of use.

[Jim Andrada]

@Ken

I'm on the large side myself and no problem with the various Blackjacket/BTZS type cloths. Now if I could just get a drone that would carry the camera etc and maybe hold the dark cloth as well I'd be ecstatic.

[Alan Gales]

@Ken

I'm on the large side myself and no problem with the various Blackjacket/BTZS type cloths. Now if I could just get a drone that would carry the camera etc and maybe hold the dark cloth as well I'd be ecstatic.

No, no, no. You got it all wrong, Jim. Get one of those drones with a digital video camera. You then fly it over your neighbor's pool the next time they are skinny dipping!

[Kinografx]

X2 (or 3?) for the black t-shirt. A heavy weight one sized xl or bigger, the neck stays put around the camera back, arm hole for holding a loupe, the only thing better is if it has a cool graphic printed on it!