Film Choices for Backpacking

[TGR Laguna]

Quickloads have been a great choice for backpackers over the years as they seem to represent the lightest weight alternative when carrying and managing film in the field. However, when Fuji discontinued quickloads in 2010, this alternative has largely disappeared or has become much more expensive for the ever dwindling supplies that remain. I'm sure some have been far-sighted enough to sock it away, but for those of us that haven't, my question is how one might best manage film and film changing while in the field?

[vinny]

Graftmatics.
Film holders. Changing bag.

[Bill_1856]

I've used Grafmatics for years, and was amazed when told (on this forum) that ordinary Riteway/Fidelity holders actually weigh less. I weighed mine and, indeed, they do!

[Robert Oliver]

Once my quickload supply ran out, I just went 6x12 and 6x17 roll film backs on my last few trips.

Shooting 120 in a roll film back is pretty easy... can carry a lot of 120 film for the weight of 10 holders.

I've been investigating the use of Grafmatic holders...

I'll most likely be just carrying film holders and reloading them in my sleeping bag on my next trip... (which is WAY past due)

[VPooler]

I second the opinion on roll holders. You can take a ton of 120 with you without worrying about changing bags or taking dozens upon dozens of holders with you.

[Heroique]

Three variations on the sans-Quickload theme – Cascade and Olympic ranges of Washington:


1) For an afternoon backpacking trip, I’ve carried six holders, no changing bag. But usually two.

2) For a trip of five nights – when hiking to a new location each night – I’ve carried one holder plus changing bag. The Ries stays home, the Manfrotto comes along.

3) For a trip of ten nights – when pitching my tent once and staying at that location – I’ve done it both ways above. If easy to get to, the 1st way. (I’ll even bring my Ries, since the daily photo trekking will be done w/ photo equipment only.) If difficult to get to, the 2nd way.

To this day, I’ve never carried a digital camera on any hiking trip, but that day may come.

For the most strenuous trips, when a camera is mandatory, it’s the Nikon EM + 24mm/2.8 AF-D.

[dave_whatever]

I've used Grafmatics for years, and was amazed when told (on this forum) that ordinary Riteway/Fidelity holders actually weigh less. I weighed mine and, indeed, they do!

Really? I've just weighed a few of my holders and a grafmatic, loaded and in the plastic bags I keep them in to keep dust out.
3x Fidelity Elite/Lisco Regal weighs in at 571g
1x Grafmatic (Singer USA) weighs in at 494g

So for me to carry six sheets of film ready to shoot, using three standard filmholders is 15% heavier than using a grafmatic. Obviously its not a dramatic weight reduction but its there. And of course the grafmatic takes up about half the space of three filmholders.

[Bill Burk]

My choice is two Grafmatics and a changing bag and a bag of boxes that help me organize the film in the changing bag (N, N-1, N+1, fresh film).

At the very last minute I decide whether it is going to be one Grafmatic or two, depending how well I kept the rest of my pack weight under control.

[Otto Seaman]

Never hike longer than your number of film holders, don't mess up or do dumb shots. Edit harshly.

[Lenny Eiger]

I have a small REI backpack that I got and I stuck in some of Bruce's boxes (backpacker.com). They are supposed to be for long lenses, but they hold 6 holders each. I carry my 4x5 camera in my hand on the carbon tripod, with one lens attached and ready to go (the 150). I have one other lens in the backpack, a tiny 240 A. I have one of those weigh-almost-nothing BTZS hoods, a loupe, light meter, cable release, pencil and some water/food. The pack, fully loaded weighs less than 10 pounds... and if I am only going for a couple of hours I can take 6 or 8 holders.

Of course, this is a solution for a day hike vs an overnight, but recently I did 10 miles up in the mountains... it was a bit much. A 5-10 mile hike is plenty of distance from the car. I don't worry about holders... or ready-loads... I can carry a 10 pound pack without even thinking about it...

8x10 and larger is another story, of course.


Lenny

[ROL]

Once my quickload supply ran out, I just went 6x12 and 6x17 roll film backs on my last few trips.

Shooting 120 in a roll film back is pretty easy... can carry a lot of 120 film for the weight of 10 holders.

I've been investigating the use of Grafmatic holders...

I'll most likely be just carrying film holders and reloading them in my sleeping bag on my next trip... (which is WAY past due)

I heartily '+1' the film, but not the method. If you're going to shoot 120, why bother with an LF setup? How often do you really need movements in the backcountry (prunes, lighter and tastier, are good for that anyway)? The slight LF movements sometimes needed to establish near–far relationships are mostly entirely within the extra DOF gained with MF cameras and lenses. Not to mention, reduced wind shake.

[ROL]

Never hike longer than your number of film holders, don't mess up or do dumb shots. Edit harshly.

That's fine advice (:p), until you come across that once in a lifetime shot in a difficult and/or distant location, where the light, atmosphere, wind, yada, yada, yada, conspire against you from the time you see IT to the time you are able to set up and trip the shutter. Then you have to take the shot anyway with somewhat less then all those factors still extant, and less becoming likely with each passing microsecond. Then, the wind stops. Another exposure. Then, the light you thought couldn't be better becomes ethereally transmogrative (don't bother looking it up, I made it up 'cause it sounded right :rolleyes:). Another shot. Then, you look behind you before breaking down (you always do that, right?) and IT's much better than your last shot, so you spin the camera around level, expose, and shoot as quickly as possible before another IT goes away. Damn, forgot to adjust filter factor, bellows length, double exposed last holder 'cause you forgot to reverse the slide, yada, yada, yada. So you begin to take down and... Damn!!! – look around to the original scene and IT is even more incredibly incredible! Why-oh-why didn't I stay wit that set up?!? Set up once more while the light fades at, well, the speed of light. Everything's changed! Where's your light meter? ...Oh No!!...I muuust haave one laaast sheet! I, I know it. :(. Half a day's film holders used for one "scene". Of course, I'm not saying this has ever hapened to me.

"Edit harshly" – puleeaze. A realist brings sufficient film and a way to change it. Are you sure you've ever backpacked with a camera?

Happy Independence Day.

[tgtaylor]

Back when I started exploting the Sierra Nevada with a camera I would come across a view that resonated and "wow" grabbed the camera and took a shot. About 10 steps further it appeared even better and another shot. Ten more steps and it looked even better and another shot...well, you get the picture. If I showed all in a slide show you'd say, "well why didn't you take it from there in the first place?" But how are you going to learn that without having had that experience?

Thomas

[Heroique]

...About 10 steps further it appeared even better and another shot. Ten more steps and it looked even better and another shot ... well, you get the picture.

Another beginner’s mistake – not expecting to see any shots when you’re returning on the same trail, and therefore having no remaining film when you discover the best shot of the hike!

[TGR Laguna]

The fireworks have now died down here on the west coast and I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a happy Fourth.

A lot of good feedback here. One of the principal questions comes down to how much film is enough. When day hiking, I normally pack six holders, which seems to be enough even when I get caught in one of those shifting light "ah ha" moments. Backpacking, however, is a different animal. I'm much too old and cranky to carry anything more than absolutely necessary...in my case, a Reis tripod would never make it out of the house:-). And six film holders would not make it either. So how many are necessary. I've figured three, maybe four if I have a way of reloading during the day. The Grafmatic idea is a good one. I don't own one, but I did weigh three Fidelity Elite film holders and confirmed the weight provided by dave_whatever. And, yes, a 77 gram reduction counts. As it happens, I recalled that Chamonix is offering 4x5 holders made from carbon fiber, which turn out to weigh 140 grams each. As compared to the Fidelity Elite, these would shave about 20% in weight and are even lighter that the Grafmatic option( albeit a bit more pricey). So, if I figure on three holders (450 grams) and another 200 grams for boxed film, the only thing remaining is a method of loading in the field.....in daylight.

I have a changing tent which would do the job nicely, but it weighs over two pounds and won't make the cut. The lightest solution I can come up with reverts back to a method I used 25 years ago: a plastic garbage bag and a few well chosen Tinker Toys. The Tinker Toys are very light and used to build a frame one slides into the bag with the film and the holders. Even a 3 mil bag, however, lets in light, so a dark cloth is used over the top (while in a tent). The the total weight of this setup is about 300 grams, so I'm all in at about two pounds. Not great, but not too bad. Maybe I could add a fourth holder....just in case.

I was hoping to find a more high tech approach, but perhaps in a world of shrinking options, simple tricks will suffice. Anyone have a better/lighter idea?

[Robert Oliver]

So carrying 3 Grafmatics instead of 9 film holders would save you 1/2 pound. Definitely a weight to be considered. Not sure if the risk/hassle of a jammed septum is worth 8 ounces of saved weight. I've heard they can be problematic from time to time.

I think the minimum amount of film I would want ready to shoot would be about 18 shots. I can only imagine having to reload holders as Santa Clause, Bigfoot and Elvis stop in front of you to pose for a picture.

I took 60 sheets on my solo, 5 day Rae Lakes trip. I finished the trek with a couple of unexposed sheets, but wish I would have had a few smore... Passed up a couple of pretty cool shots just because I kept thinking there was a better shot around the bend.

9 holders would be 3.77 pounds. 3 grafmatics would be 3.27 pounds.

Readyload/Quickload had it's own issues too... took up a fair amount of space. I can't remember how many Readyloads you had to carry before it was more efficient to carry 9 or 10 holders and boxes of film.

These weight concerns become less significant if you can share some of your sheter/kitchen/first aid with a friend.



Really? I've just weighed a few of my holders and a grafmatic, loaded and in the plastic bags I keep them in to keep dust out.
3x Fidelity Elite/Lisco Regal weighs in at 571g
1x Grafmatic (Singer USA) weighs in at 494g

So for me to carry six sheets of film ready to shoot, using three standard filmholders is 15% heavier than using a grafmatic. Obviously its not a dramatic weight reduction but its there. And of course the grafmatic takes up about half the space of three filmholders.

[Robert Langham]

I shoot 5X7 and don't go on any LONG hikes, though I have packed it to the Diving Board at Yosemite and spent many nights in a sleeping bag cover with a pad at Shiprock. I've got an F64 pack. I take 8-10 holders- very heavy, and a changing bag and film. I reload after dark on the pad. I'd rather shoot too much film than miss a shot. Just too hard to get somewhere.

The tripod is the real bear, even a Gitzo with carbon fiber legs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM3FElHofic

Here's some of that ethereal light. Notice the horizon is dark on one side....then dark on the other. You have to keep shooting and can really burn through the film holders. I asked Ansel once why he didn't shoot the second side of the holder at Hernandez and use it to test developing. He'd thought about it and replied "I SHOULD have!"

98223 98224

[Drew Wiley]

I still have a small inventory of Quickloads, but otherwise am keeping the options open. I have a couple of nice Harrison film tents and am familiar with using them.
On a couple of long trips in the high Sierra I experimented with Horseman 6x9 holders. I hate printing roll film, but got some wonderful shots anyway, and am getting
some excellent prints - not really big prints of course, but I have more than enough 8x10 shots on hand to keep me busy for a long time anyway, when I want to
print big. For dayhiking I generally use either a Sinar Norma 4x5 or my 8x10 Phillips. Next year I'm planning a three-week backpack in steep terrain, so may resort to
a cheap trick like having someone younger haul some of my food, so I can devote more room to film. I'm not really eager to be carrying an 80 lb pack at retirement
age, at least for three weeks straight! ... don't mind it for dayhikes, however.

[Peter York]

I use 2-3 grafmatics and the smallest harrison changing tent, which weighs about 2 lbs. I switched to an ultralight tent and other equipment to minimize the weight, but the pack is still about 60 lbs for a 2-4 day trip.

I have some negatives from a changing bag that are unuseable due to dust, lint, etc. That experience convinced me that changing tents are the only way to go.

[Drew Wiley]

Oh.... a sixty pound pack.... something on my wish list for old age. The ultralight tent helps, but only for summer... I'd hate to be in a serious storm above timberline
with one of those (mine is reasonably comfortable in a downpour or temporary snowstorm if I can tie it down well, but no substitute for my Bibler, which weighs twice
as much). And I invested in a 800-fill Patagonia goosedown sweater, which is just as warm as my old down jacket. ... but gosh, I miss Quickloads. I tried my old
Mido II holders on one trip - compact, but only about a 35% weight savings, and some light leaks near the corners, sometimes insignificant, but sometimes enough to ruin the composition. If I can find time to test all these Mido holders individually, maybe only particular ones will be suspect. Once cannot conveniently use a
film tent under just any conditions. The last two long trips had wild weather half of every day - a lightwt tent would work with a film tent only if it had a big
vestibule. ... but I'm tired of spending money on gear.... need it for gas and film!

[Bill Burk]

My standard changing bag weighs 9 1/2 ounces in a Ziploc bag.

I swear by two Grafmatics, allowing myself to shoot one a day, two on a remarkable day. I carry 6 extra septums because I do occasionally bend one.

[mdm]

When you are trekking, everytime you set up and make a photograph, you use time. So its not possible to cover large distances and make many exposures. To expose 20 sheets of film in a day is a major accomplishment, say 1 sheet per km on average. I did that once and it took from dawn to dusk on a winter day with some considerable walking in the dark either side. So if you are moving a short distance more holders may be required (more time to see), a long distance or a very difficult hike would require fewer holders (less time to see), alone you will see more than in company too. For a multi day trip I would go with 4 holders max. I just looked at Jim Brandenburg's book where he made 1 exposure a day from the autumn solstice to the winter solstice and published the result. Accept you will miss many good photographs and enjoy the trip instead, what you do bring home will be full of the joy you experienced in seeing.

[E. von Hoegh]

The fireworks have now died down here on the west coast and I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a happy Fourth.

A lot of good feedback here. One of the principal questions comes down to how much film is enough. When day hiking, I normally pack six holders, which seems to be enough even when I get caught in one of those shifting light "ah ha" moments. Backpacking, however, is a different animal. I'm much too old and cranky to carry anything more than absolutely necessary...in my case, a Reis tripod would never make it out of the house:-). And six film holders would not make it either. So how many are necessary. I've figured three, maybe four if I have a way of reloading during the day. The Grafmatic idea is a good one. I don't own one, but I did weigh three Fidelity Elite film holders and confirmed the weight provided by dave_whatever. And, yes, a 77 gram reduction counts. As it happens, I recalled that Chamonix is offering 4x5 holders made from carbon fiber, which turn out to weigh 140 grams each. As compared to the Fidelity Elite, these would shave about 20% in weight and are even lighter that the Grafmatic option( albeit a bit more pricey). So, if I figure on three holders (450 grams) and another 200 grams for boxed film, the only thing remaining is a method of loading in the field.....in daylight.

I have a changing tent which would do the job nicely, but it weighs over two pounds and won't make the cut. The lightest solution I can come up with reverts back to a method I used 25 years ago: a plastic garbage bag and a few well chosen Tinker Toys. The Tinker Toys are very light and used to build a frame one slides into the bag with the film and the holders. Even a 3 mil bag, however, lets in light, so a dark cloth is used over the top (while in a tent). The the total weight of this setup is about 300 grams, so I'm all in at about two pounds. Not great, but not too bad. Maybe I could add a fourth holder....just in case.

I was hoping to find a more high tech approach, but perhaps in a world of shrinking options, simple tricks will suffice. Anyone have a better/lighter idea?

If you're going overnight, you may be able to safely dispense with a changing bag/tent. Unless it's a full moon or near one, it gets dark in the woods. Change the film at night, I've done this in a leanto with 100% success.

[Heroique]

Change the film at night, I’ve done this in a lean-to with 100% success.

I’ve done this several times – for extra precaution, I’ve always tossed a dark nylon tarp over my tent.

Best changing tent I’ve ever crawled inside! ;^)

Just make sure the tent floor is clean (perhaps sponged) – it’s astonishing how much dust gets airborne with slight movements.

However, if I can bring enough holders so no field loading is necessary, that’s always my preference.

[tgtaylor]

For multi-day trips with 4x5 sheet film, consider carrying not more 4 holders, 1 or 2 50 sheet boxes of film, 1 empty film box to store exposed sheets, and a Harrison Pup changing tent. My back country kit consists of the above with:
1. Toyo-Field 45CF w/150mm Apo Sirona-S lens attached (~4lbs)
2. Gitzo GT-0540 6X carbon fiber tripod w/Gitzo 11877M ball head (~2.3lbs)
3. Pentax Digital spot meter in Zone VI holster (~?).

Thomas

[C. D. Keth]

Black plastic trash bag (make sure it's not the kind with baking soda inside for odor reduction) and load at night. It's super lightweight and keeps things dark and clean. You can also just bring your changing tent and leave the poles at home.

[Peter York]

The ultralight tent helps, but only for summer... I'd hate to be in a serious storm above timberline.

He he...

I love the Big Agnes Fly Creek, but it is wimpy and the single spine makes it susceptible to collapsing in high wind. I learned this the hard way at the Pawnee Buttes. I had to get out and adjust guy lines all night, with the "thunk thunk thunk" of gas drilling in the distance. It was not the experience I was hoping for.

As for pack weight, with a 4x5 system, I doubt you could get much lighter than 60 lbs. and be relatively comfortable. I'm not a weight zealot though. On the other hand, I have no intention of packing a ham, potatoes, turnips, frying pan, etc.

[Drew Wiley]

Although I had practiced with the Fly Creek tent, my first live experience was trying to set it up in the middle of the night at 10,000 ft in a blizzard. That certainly
taught me the importance of rigging it before dark. And despite airing it out well in advance, it turned out to be oversaturated with pthalate plasticizers, just like
many Chinese goods, and I ended up with a rash on my hands after having to spend every nite setting it up and sleeping in there. In clear weather, I don't use a tent at all. A far cry from my Bibler, which can be set up from the inside in a storm, and will take almost hurricane force winds. By my second trip (equally wet) the
tent had sufficiently outgassed, and I got setup proficient, and stayed cozy. But I'm keeping the Bibler for really nasty conditions. I've only gotten down to 60lbs
once, and that was at mid-altitude in a short-term forecast where I simply threw a little emergency plastic tarp in the pack. I pretty surprised at how fast I could
get around on easy ground. That was in Emigrant Wilderness where I was coaching a beginner backpacker, not yet ready for prime time.

[Peter York]

The first time I used the Fly Creek was at Blanca in the Sangres. I pitched it next to a mining ghost town and some glass on the ground cut through the bottom fabric. The next day a chipmunk chewed through the netting on the door to get at a pack of instant oatmeal I accidentally left in the tent. After that, it lasted two seasons before succumbing to the wind (and my temper tantrum) at the Pawnee Buttes. I now have a new one that I will treat gingerly. It basically is the anti-Bibler, but it is so light. I will probably end up with a Bibler for the harsher altitudes/weather/seasons/etc.

[Drew Wiley]

I reinforced the bottom of my Bibler with some woven truck wrap, attached with velco tabs. It's an expensive tent and sometimes in an emergency I've had to pitch
it over rocks with sharp edges. But man with that thing take weather and a heavy snow load! True expedition quality. I've already had too many indoor swimming pools, and once even had a tent shatter from rime ice. But to be really functional, the Bibler needs an accessory vestibule to cook under etc. when the weather is
wet. The Fly Creek is just so lightwt; and in the Sierras, many summer nites are clear... you get afternoon rain and hailstorms, then things clear up at sunset. The
last three years have been a bit of an exception for me - snow, hail, sleet, rain every day... wonderful photography weather for that 10% of the time you can
actually set up a view camera - but cumulatively, way more shots than I'll have time to print anyway. I have a friend testing a Hilleberg as an alternative to the
Bibler, and another friend has been testing some new designs for Black Diamond. ... but the original Bibler is still the tried and true.

[Robert Oliver]

Not the way I backpack... I usually get up and shoot before dawn. Make breakfast, pack up camp then get on the trail to my next destination. Don't shoot much through the day unless something gets really good, but make sure I'm somewhere cool to shoot to capture the evening magic light. Hopefully I arrive in time to get camp setup before the light gets good... then eat after I'm done shooting. I would guess if everything is right, I easily shoot 10-20 shots a day at that pace depending on weather/scenery... (2 shots for each setup) I think I would be comfortable with minimum 5 holders, 10 would be ideal but heavy.

I'm comfortable with 10 mile days, and still have plenty of time to shoot and even sneak in a nice lunch time nap on a rock somewhere. I usually plan to stay two nights in an especially scenic area... My external frame pack is usually around 50 pounds... assuming it will go up a bit with film holders. Haven't actually tested my sleeping back for darkness, but the hefty garbage bag sounds like it would work. I carry a Chamonix 45-n1, 3 lenses (90, 180, 300) inside of a MountainSmith Kit Cube Traveller. My dark cloth is my rain jacket. ( http://mountainsmith.com/index.php/camera/cases/kit-cube-traveler.html ) Looking for an ultralight daypack that will fit it and my film holders.

still haven't done a trip using film holders, the last trip I took I only took a 6x17 roll film back.

Hopefully I'll get a trip in this summer so I can work out a reloading workflow.


When you are trekking, everytime you set up and make a photograph, you use time. So its not possible to cover large distances and make many exposures. To expose 20 sheets of film in a day is a major accomplishment, say 1 sheet per km on average. I did that once and it took from dawn to dusk on a winter day with some considerable walking in the dark either side. So if you are moving a short distance more holders may be required (more time to see), a long distance or a very difficult hike would require fewer holders (less time to see), alone you will see more than in company too. For a multi day trip I would go with 4 holders max. I just looked at Jim Brandenburg's book where he made 1 exposure a day from the autumn solstice to the winter solstice and published the result. Accept you will miss many good photographs and enjoy the trip instead, what you do bring home will be full of the joy you experienced in seeing.

[TGR Laguna]

It's clear you all must be younger and stronger as a 60 pound pack is out of the question; however, to say it cannot be done for less is not quite accurate. Excluding food and water, my core backpacking setup for the Sierras in the summer weighs 20.7 pounds including a bear vault (and my Kindle). And it's very comfortable. Of course, this is not a 4-season setup and I rarely camp above tree line, but it's is staunch enough to handle most anything one might encounter in 3-seasons. With water and food for 4 days, I generally leave the trailhead at about 27 pounds. Before anyone raises serious concerns about my sanity, I will share I was a rated leader with the Sierra Club back when they still sponsored hikes into the back country. My snow and ice checkoff involved camping at Baldy Bowl in January in a 40mph blizzard. I own the Big Agnes Fly Creek, but I echo the sentiment already expressed in saying I doubt it would stand up in anything over 25mph. I do not normally carry it.

Photo equipment is added to this setup. I use a Chamonix 45-N1, 3 lenses (90, 150, 240), a Blackjacket dark cloth, a Gitzo carbon tripod, and a spot meter. If I were to add a Harrison changing tent, four holders and film, the gear would weigh about 13 pounds, so I'm all in at 40 pounds.

BTW, not sure about the size of the MountainSmith setup, but the Osprey Hornet 25 is the one I use as a summit pack and it weighs 19 ounces.

[Drew Wiley]

I'm sure my little Fly Creek has handled winds over 40MPH without issue, but it was well staked out. It's becoming a popular tent for Sierra summer backpackers, or
early fall. I'm fine with it if I'm around timberline or otherwise semi-sheltered (by a big rock, for instance). Not something for out in the open atop a pass. I also use
a Goretex-covered sleeping bag, which won't take rain itself, but is resistant to condensation or frost - dries off really fast if I camp in the open and wake up with
the bag covered with frost (quite common in the mtns). I kinda have a target of packing 60lbs by the time I hit my 70's; last year I was still packing 75 lbs for a two weeker. I always carry a little extra gear for the possiblity of getting trapped awhile by a storm or other kind of emergency behind some remote pass, or in case someone else in the party, or a stranger, forgets something essential. Sometimes I get a long way from any established trail. In autumn I often carry a spare jacket even on dayhikes, because I've encountered naive people wandering the trails who just don't realize how fast the weather can change. But don't get me
daydreaming ... I'm still trying to make up my mind where to go this September... thinking about the Rubies in Nevada... there's sure some beautiful rock there....

[Drew Bedo]

I have been wishing that someone would re-engineer the Mido concept into a workable product.

In these days of 3-D printing additive manufacturing, I would think that a plastic Grafmatic would be a winner too.

I am waiting and wanting a Wanderlust TravelWide . . .light weight to carry. They will come in a 90mm and a 65mm model. and no bellows to blow out in a high wind.

[Otto Seaman]

You could always hire Drew to carry a small RV up to your campsite.

As for the Grafmatics, I was a big fan until I had two well-maintained ones come apart on me on same shooting session. Sometimes the glue that holds the felt inside comes off and things just go to Hades in a hand basket. They get old and glue dries up, metal gets worn. These were nice clean ones with parrafinned slides and I'm an experienced user. Or I was, I won't have them anymore.

I'd opt for the trash bag at night changing tent if I were going ultra light... you really don't have to be 101% light tight, just 98%.

The Harrison Pup Tent is wonderful but you could carry a lot of loaded holders instead of it, at least ten or more....

[Bill Burk]

I had engineered plans for a lightweight changing bag made of black 1.1 Silnylon, but abandoned the concept when I set the fabric on the densitometer (compared to the black rubberized nylon fabric of the changing bag).

Instead, my concept turned into an apron with six pockets which I lay inside the changing bag. The apron holds my boxes of fresh and exposed films. So as I do the changing out of Grafmatics, the shots get sorted by N-number.

Otto, I've had the opposite experience with Grafmatics... I bring a few spare septums because they occasionally jam. But otherwise I find them reliable.