best material for darkcloth?

[koh303]

I think this came up a while back, but i was never able to follow up on the recommendations in that thread.

Can someone suggest a cordura/nylon type material for making a nice durable darkcloth?

[seabee1999]

I am not sure if you are looking for this, but a few months back, my wife made a darkcloth for me made of black denim material from Jo-Ann Fabrics store. She took my old, somewhat lightweight and not great nylon darkcloth, doubled over the material and sewed the denim to my old cloth. It works great, super sturdy and very dark for viewing the GG. I think we paid around $12-$16 for about 2 yards. I hope this helps a bit.

R/
Dave

[Drew Wiley]

There are several past threads on this subject. My no. 1 choice by a country mile is black Goretex, but it's hard to find.

[Tim Meisburger]

I've never used an actual barkcloth. Just a black t-shirt. This is probably why my pictures suck...

[Liquid Artist]

I have 2 pieces of curtain black out cloth sewn together.
One Black, and one White.
However I would have preferred a Neutral Gray fabric rather than white.

[John Olsen]

I've never used an actual barkcloth. Just a black t-shirt. This is probably why my pictures suck...
Oh sure, blame the poor darkcloth. Actually, a jacket or a blanket can work fine, but an official darkcloth with weighted hems makes you official and actually helps when the wind comes up. I think a t-shirt is too small, unless you're really immense.

[Liquid Artist]

I agree with Tim, a T-Shirt works just fine.

However it's kinda like riding a cow to church.
It may work but you don't want to be seen doing it.
The Large Format thing seems to be as much about using Traditional ways, as capturing good images.

[Bruce Barlow]

I've never used an actual barkcloth. Just a black t-shirt. This is probably why my pictures suck...

+1. Walmart, $3. I bought two and doubled them up. Put a drawstring and a lacelock in the bottom hem. The neck fits around the camera when the camera is my 4x5. The neck fits around my face and the bottom tightens around the back of my 5x7 or 8x10.

Cheap, easy, light, serviceable.

My pictures don't suck because of that. There are many, many other reasons.

[Doremus Scudder]

There are several past threads on this subject. My no. 1 choice by a country mile is black Goretex, but it's hard to find.

I prefer white Gore-Tex, lined with a black, non-slip material on the inside and equipped with Velcro to allow closing. I got my Gore-Tex from an online outdoor retailer.

Best,

Doremus

[Matt Stage]

I got a lightweight Nylon Taffeta Black/Silver from Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics. http://www.owfinc.com/fabrics.html They do not link to a page for the item but it is described as: "Lightweight Nylon with Urethane coating and DWR. Uses: Lightweight clothing applications where waterproof fabric is needed." Works for me -- very well.

[John Layton]

Love the t-shirt idea! ...and I'll definitely be saddling up that cow come Sunday!

[mike rosenlof]

my darkcloth is some kind of medium weight cotton twill. one white, one black, sewn together. very little light gets through. no velcro, elastic, weights or other features, just a big cloth square.

[denverjims]

I had been using one self-made of fairly heavy curtain blackout material but thought I'd go to a lighter nylon that would fold smaller & be lighter to carry. Big mistake for me!

Shooting on the mostly windy High Plains, lighter nylon made for distractions. Adding weights to the bottom helped some but the material around the camera and my head was fluttering constantly with the wind. I have since gone back to the heavier blackout material. Who knew the weight & stiffness would be a net plus?

[vinny]

I use the 2 t shirt method and a diy Ultrabounce cloth with magnets for my 8x10.

[Drew Wiley]

Weights plus wind equals risk of a broken groundglass or black eye. Velcro is smarter. T-shirts, denim, etc equals lint and heavy when wet. Guess you like spotting.

[moltogordo]

I have bought a couple of darkcloths - both black nylon on the heavy side, with elastics and such. They worked fine. Never tried gortex but I would think it would be super. However, I find a black fleece hoodie I have to be as good as a 'real' dark cloth.

I'm a big guy (4 or 5x, depending on the article) so there's lots of material there.

Perhaps the best system of all might be a prism viewfinder. Never used one on a 4x5, but I have one for my Mamiya C330 and it's really the cat's meow.

[LabRat]

I was shooting yesterday using an old thin (rayon?) B&J cloth... There was a stiff breeze,and it kept wrapping around my face, but I discovered something interesting...

Although not totally dark through the weave, I noticed A/ that the breeze blowing through it kept me cooler, and B/ I could see a little through it so I could be more aware of my surroundings around me... (Like that weird car over there with the guy checking me out...)

Hmmm....

Steve K

[denverjims]

....through it so I could be more aware of my surroundings around me... (Like that weird car over there with the guy checking me out...)

Hmmm....


Everyone - step away from the 'Reply' button!

[analoguey]

I'm curious about the reasoning for the black plus White layer Or silver/grey layers.
For reflecting heat away? Or something else?
Learnt from experience?


my darkcloth is some kind of medium weight cotton twill. one white, one black, sewn together. very little light gets through. no velcro, elastic, weights or other features, just a big cloth square.




I got a lightweight Nylon Taffeta Black/Silver from Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics.
Works for me -- very well.

QUOTE=Doremus Scudder;1250989]I prefer white Gore-Tex, lined with a black, non-slip material on the inside.

Best,

Doremus[/QUOTE]




I have 2 pieces of curtain black out cloth sewn together.
One Black, and one White.
However I would have preferred a Neutral Gray fabric rather than white.

[towolf]

My mother one time sewed a darkcloth for my father, but he was complaining about it fluttering in the wind.

I remembered that curtains used to have these cords with lead beads sewed into the hems.

http://i.imgur.com/lodYOZv.jpg (http://imgur.com/lodYOZv.jpg)

My mother actually had some lengths of these and I was able to thread this cord through the seams on three sides. It makes the cloth relatively heavy, but it’s pretty nifty. Throw one side with a cord on top of the camera and it will stay there.

[Wayne]

People who use T-shirts are an embarrassment. I use an old heavy duty black insulating duofold long-sleeved shirt.