How many holders and film do you bring when shooting away from home ?

[Roger Cole]

Aren't you recently married? If I were you I'd take a lot less camera gear!

1. Yes.
2. Geez man, it's four DAYS. Plus my wife needs time to write (poetry and, most recently, some fiction too) and insists I take time for my art. We sort of made that agreement early on, each of us gets/takes time for art.

Besides, she moved in almost a year before we married, and we dated and took several road trips before that. I didn't take so much camera gear then.

We're visiting my folks too, and they're getting up in years. I want to document those travels and times, thus the 35mm, and I'm doing that mostly on slide film while I can, and can have slide shows for...[gulp] future generations.

Besides man, the trip is four whole days. "Strong am I in the Force...but not that strong."

[Leigh]

Hi Roger,

Enjoy your trip... days and nights.

- Leigh

[Roger Cole]

I have to get with the program of doing more of my art. She's sold several poems and a story this year. Poetry pays peanuts when it pays at all, but as a matter of principle...

[joselsgil]

I have 6 holders....but really do not want to carry more as more weight to carry.

So I am thinking of bringing films so I could load more if needed.

Anyone doing the same ? Advices ?

Thanks.

If you are talking about 4X5 film size. 6 holders is ok, but you may need to add a few more. Get yourself a good film changing bag/tent, so that you can reload your holders. It is best to do this at night to avoid any possible fogging and the tent/bags tend to get hot too.

It really depends on what and where you are going to be photographing. If you are doing long day wilderness hikes, the 6 to 12 holders, plus the film tent and extra film. If your vehicle is within walking distance, then you can have extra holders loaded in the vehicle. If you are photographing in an urban area, you can leave the tent/bag in your vehicle or hotel room.

This all changes if you have an assistant(s) with you. They can help carry some of the equipment to ease the load.

[hiend61]

For 4x5 and a 1-3 days shooting trip, I carry 10 loaded film holders and 20-40 extra film sheets. For 5x7 and 8x10 I carry 5 loaded film holders and 20 extra film sheets. I carry a changing bag with me. Years ago, when all my pro shooting was LF, I carried up to 500 extra film sheets for a 4-5 weeks shooting trip, and in the middle of the trip my film retailer usually sent me 300-500 extra sheets to location. Of course I sent exposed film to the lab twice a week, and once-twice a week I received my film precessed to check the results. Those glorious film days...

[Graham Patterson]

There are a couple of things I try to do:

Make sure I have some holders loaded at all times, at least with my general purpose film.

Carry the 6x9 roll film holder as a backup. I will likely have a TLR or the little Fuji rangefinder with me, so the film is not an extra.

I usually carry half-a-dozen during the day, and sometimes reload on overnight trips. I try to avoid it, though.

[John Rodriguez]

I own 12 4x5 holders but usually carry 7 as that's the most I can fit while carrying 4 lenses including a tele. If I don't carry the tele I can bring all of them. Most of the time I'm shooting during the magic hours so only so many shots are possible. I rarely take more then 1-5 shots, so it really all comes down to how many types of film I want to carry. Usually I have Acros, Astia, and Portra or Ektar, and right now I'm also working through boxes of HP5+ and Velvia 100F.

[SpeedGraphicMan]

I only have 5 holders... So that is my only option.

A darkroom changing bag is a big help.

[lab black]

Day trip- 8x10...4 holders
4-7 day trip 8x10...14 holders
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Day trip Larger formats... 2 holders
4-7 days Larger formats... 6 holders

[Ari]

I'm leaving soon for 3 months across Europe.
On the film side, I'm taking three Grafmatics, a film changing tent, two empty film boxes, and lots of film.