Stop Light Leaks - Use your dark cloth

[Jim Noel]

Why don’t people learn how to use a Dark Cloth correctly?

I see post after post concerned because of light leaks.

When I was 7 years old a photographer friend gave me my first large format camera, a 4x5 Speed Graphic. He also gave me a dark cloth which was larger than I was. My memory says it was somewhere aaround 5 feet square. One of the admonitions he gave me was to never
use a too small dark cloth as they only lead to problems. I have never forgotten that.

Later in life I went out to photograph with Cole Weston. Cole was a good six feet plus. When he set up his old Calumet 8x10 and pulled out his dark cloth I was amazed. When draped over the camera the cloth touched the ground on both sides, it must have been 12 feet long.. He
focused and then with the cloth draped over his head he leaned over the film box and removed one of the old holders he inherited from Edward, then slid it into the camera. The moral of this paragraph is keep your film holders in the dark and stop worrying about light leaks.

Look at photos of photographers of the past. My vision of them is they were usually draped with a very large dark cloth. Learn from them.

I recently completed my 88th trip around the sun, and I still use large and ultra large cameras. Almost every time I see other LF photographers, I see people with the tiniest cloths imaginable. I have little doubt that these same people are the ones who write into the forums wondering why they have light leaks. Often included in their post is,"I checked the bellows with a flashlight and found no leaks."

Well, surprise, surprise there are a lot of other places on the camera where light is attempting to enter. The only way to be assured of keeping it out is to use a large cloth, and use it correctly. I know they are difficult to find, but they can be made. Have one made out of good
materials and you won’t ever need another one.

My primary dark cloth is 5x8 feet. I have a little 5x6 foot one which I sometimes use with the 5x7 when I am in a studio.

Here are some common errors and solutions.
1. Get rid of the handkerchief and get a big cloth, no less than 4x6 ft for 4x5 camera; at least 5x7 feet for 5x7 and larger camera.
2. Do not Velcro it to the rear edge of the camera, or clamp it there. Drape it all the way to the front standard so it covers all of the bellows as well as the back of the camera.
3. Carry your holders in a light tight container and keep it in the dark of the cloth when open.
4. Never have your holders in the light, keep them covered.
5. Forget those devices which fasten to the back of the camera and provide a nice dark view of the glass. They serve only one purpose, focusing in the dark. They do nothing to protect from light leaks, one of the primary purposes of a dark cloth.

[Mark Sampson]

Well said, sir. Good advice!

[karl french]

6. Get off my lawn.

[Thalmees]

Well said, sir. Good advice!
+1 INDEED.
.

... Almost every time I see other LF photographers, I see people with the tiniest cloths imaginable. ...
Thanks so much Jim for your time writing this important thread.
If you also just noticed the tiniest three legged object below the camera:confused:! That's another story.
April joke this year came supporting the trend on tripods.
PROJECT ICARUS: https://www.3leggedthing.com/icarus
Do not know if they are serious! It's second of the month!
Thanks again Jim.

[John Layton]

I also went out with Cole back in the day - he behind his "Green Monster" C-1...and yes, a pretty substantial dark cloth!

...but I do tend to be extremely careful not to leave anything draped over the camera which might catch even light movements of air - which, in most cases it seems for where and when I choose to photograph, are almost always present.

Otherwise...and especially while working in blazing desert sunlight on a still day - yes indeed...a dark cloth often goes over the camera, black side in, white side out.

[Leigh]

Hi Jim,

Great guidelines.

I always do a full drape because sh*t happens, regardless of how careful or meticulous you are.

And it always happens with a once-in-a-lifetime shot that can't be repeated.

- Leigh

[BrianShaw]

88th solar orbit and still photographing... good for you. I hope to emulate you one day.

[Randy]

For many years now I have covered the bellows and rear standard with my dark-cloth during exposure, but I have always felt it was overkill on my part. I am glad to find out that others with more experience than me have the same habit. I have been shooting LF since the early 80's and can not remember the last time I have had a "light leak". Matter of fact, my 8X10 camera is about 90 years old, original bellows, uses odd sized wooden film holders (so the plastic ones I use are smaller than the camera back call's for), but because I always cover the bellows and rear standard with my dark-cloth, I have not had a light leak in almost 20 years of use.

I may start using a dark-cloth when I shoot digital...

[Merg Ross]

Excellent advice, Jim. Thanks for posting.

I was given similar advice when 12 years old,and it has served me well for sixty-plus years. The Weston's were famous for using lots of cloth; I think Cole probably the most!

My first 4x5 camera in 1953 (Brand 17)

163377

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Jim and Merg, sound advice. I have large dark cloths for all of my cameras for the very reasons you speak of. The one for the 14x17 is huge!

[Vaughn]

I thought one was just suppose to use one's black t-shirt? :cool:

I can just hear the t-shirt guys, "Yeah, it's the ones that have 6 pound darkcloths that complain about getting old and how they can't carry their cameras very far anymore!"

[LabRat]

Excellent advice, Jim. Thanks for posting.

I was given similar advice when 12 years old,and it has served me well for sixty-plus years. The Weston's were famous for using lots of cloth; I think Cole probably the most!

My first 4x5 camera in 1953 (Brand 17)

163377

Who is it this time Batman??? Riddler, Joker, Penguin??? :-)

But I think your "growing pains" outgrew your tripod...

Did you have time for puberty while chasing your dream while growing up???

Great you stuck with it!!!!!!!

Keep up the good stuff!!!!

Steve K

[Jim Graves]

I thought one was just suppose to use one's black t-shirt? :cool:

I can just hear the t-shirt guys, "Yeah, it's the ones that have 6 pound darkcloths that complain about getting old and how they can't carry their cameras very far anymore!"

+1 here ... great advice obviously to always use an ample dark cloth ... but it sort of depends on how you shoot.

I started out with LF while backpacking ... cutting the handle shorter on my toothbrush to save weight. In 14 years of LF shooting ... 4x5, 5x7, whole plate, and 8x10 ... I've never used a dark cloth. Always a light weight black jacket or hiking rain jacket and diopters on my glasses for focusing close to the glass.

I use the jacket to shield the back of the camera when I pull the slide. I'm also extremely careful pulling and replacing the slide. Then I hang the jacket over the back of the bellows and camera as I'm shooting.

I'm sure I've probably lost a shot or two from light leaks (but I don't remember any) ... but I know I've lost a number of shots from the classic list of other bonehead LF errors that we've all made.

There's just no way I'm hauling an oversized dark cloth around with all the other LF gear ... maybe if I'm shooting in a studio or right next to my car ... but that's not how I normally shoot.

[Pfsor]

There's just no way I'm hauling an oversized dark cloth around with all the other LF gear ...

Don't worry, you're not the only one. In more than 25 years I used a small dark cloth maybe twice or so (at the beginning, before I tossed it out of my bag). And I was selling my photographs for the same long time. Go figure.

[Vaughn]

I like a large darkcloth and am more than willing to carry it. But I spend a lot of time under it behind the camera. I print full frame, so I spend a lot of time composing. And in Death Valley last month, the white side was very nice to have...kept me, the camera and film cooler. I have used the darkcloth to keep the camera semi-dry when a waterfall shifted in the wind and came right on top of me. I have used it to keep warm during long exposures at night. And I can pick my nose under it without anyone knowing...

[John Kasaian]

Wise advice.

[Bruce Barlow]

I have a really big black T-shirt, stuffed inside a really big white T-shirt. It fits over the back of the camera. My sister kindly sewed up the armholes. I put a shoelace and a lock-lace thing through the bottom hem. It's nice not to have all the light coming from below - I have tunnel vision, so to speak.

Works for me.

[Vaughn]

True, Bruce -- light reflecting off the ground at one's feet can be obnoxious.

[Cor]

It's all sound advice..but but I use a darkcloth only for focussing, never during an exposure (too windy most of the times). I am convinced if your camera's bellows, ground glass/film holder and your film holders perform as they should AND insert and remove film holder and darkslide with care and caution, there should no be a need for extra light shielding (oh and let the sun NOT shine directly on the felt trap of the inserted holder) there should not be any problem (and I haven't had any in 20 years..but I should not tempt the Photo Gods I guess..;-)..)

best,

Cor

[Kleiny41]

I know this is an older thread but do folks have recommendations for commercially available oversized dark cloths? Or good instructions for crafting your own?


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[John Kasaian]

I know this is an older thread but do folks have recommendations for commercially available oversized dark cloths? Or good instructions for crafting your own?


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Steve Simmons has sewing instructions in his book Using the View Camera. My home made dark cloth is celebrating it's 21st birthday soon.

[Kleiny41]

That’s great! I use the Simmons book often.


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[Tin Can]

How big?


Harrison Silver Classic Dark Cloth is available in very big sizes.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?InitialSearch=yes&N=0&Ntt=Harrison+Dark+Cloth&c3api=4680%2C309713679542%2Charrison+dark+cloth%2Cp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0sCE2uDy4AIVi6_ICh3oUwA0EAAYASAAEgJcCfD_BwE

[Doremus Scudder]

My homemade darkcloth is white GoreTex fabric on the outside, lined with non-slip, lightproof black fabric. It has Velcro all around the edges, loops on one side, hooks on the other. It's about 3x4.5 feet (but you could choose any size you like). It's waterproof, cool in the sun and doubles as a reflector (white side), light absorber (black side), rain poncho and superman cape :)

I got the GoreTex fabric from an outdoor store online and shopped for the black fabric at the local fabric store. The edge sewing I had done by a shoemaker on his industrial sewing machine since my wimpy one wasn't up to the task of sewing through all the fabric plus the Velcro strips.

Best,

Doremus

[Gadfly_1971]

I'm a big fan of Wanderer Photogear dark cloths. They're handmade in a variety of fabrics and sizes. They also make film holder cases in a couple of sizes and configurations.

https://www.wandererphotogear.com/

[Pfsor]

The dark cloth's function from the dawn of photography was not originally to stop or prevent light leaks in bellows or film holders - they were constructed in such a way so as not to be leaking light in the first place. The dark cloth's function was to help photographers to compose and to focus the image on the ground glass in daylight, lenses were slow in that time.
Just saying.

[Vaughn]

Ah, to be photographing at the time when cameras, bellows and film/plate holders never leaked! Men must have been men, too! Humidity never changed and caused wood to shrink or swell. Bellows were branch and cactus proof, too, I hear. But I was only a little bigfoot back in those days. I thought about giving Watkins a big scare...give him a little inspiration since that is the point where he had his big wood box set up on sticks. But he had a fellow with rifle watching his back...hate those things.

The 100+ year old 5x7 camera I use now probably was a bit light-tighter 100 years ago! I need a bigger darkcloth for 11x14...the Calumet one I use for 8x10 is just barely sufficeint.

[bobbotron]

Ah, to be photographing at the time when cameras, bellows and film/plate holders never leaked! Men must have been men, too! Humidity never changed and caused wood to shrink or swell. Bellows were branch and cactus proof, too, I hear. But I was only a little bigfoot back in those days. I thought about giving Watkins a big scare...give him a little inspiration since that is the point where he had his big wood box set up on sticks. But he had a fellow with rifle watching his back...hate those things.

The 100+ year old 5x7 camera I use now probably was a bit light-tighter 100 years ago! I need a bigger darkcloth for 11x14...the Calumet one I use for 8x10 is just barely sufficeint.

Haha, people probably just dealt with all that back then, and new how to mitigate it. I'm sure people complained about this stuff back then too!

[Vaughn]

Haha, people probably just dealt with all that back then, and new how to mitigate it....

By keeping their darkcloth over the camera! LOL!

[Willie]

The Morley Baer wrap. His answer to light leaks with his old 8x10.

[Mike in NY]

I know the good ladies at Joann Fabrics were watching me with curiosity last weekend as I milled through the aisles draping my head looking for the most opaque black fabric while holding it up to the flourescent lights (to supplement by BTZS hood). So many choices at $4/yard, $6/yard, $9/yard, $12/yard... I finally found the most supple, low sheen, wrinkle free, light weight cloth imaginable. Incredibly opaque for such light weight cloth. Finally, I found it... at $24/yard. Ouch!

[Keith Fleming]

Merg,

This is off topic, but looking at your photo I would say it was taken in the Spring of 1953 based on the length of your trouser legs. I remember that before the school year began parents would buy kids' clothes that were a little too large--but they would be outgrown by spring. Also, the fact your right trouser leg is rolled up indicates you rode a bike and rolled up the trouser leg to ensure it did not get caught in the bike chain.

Great portrait, by the way.

Keith

[Vaughn]

A darkcloth is nice insurance for the weak springs of my 110 year old 5x7. I would not gotten this 5x7 image in Zion without a darkcloth. I did the light in the bellows trick, but did not look in the right places -- where the bellows attach to the front standard. Light leaking in from 3 of four sides...especially if I used front rise (which was down all the way during the test, or I might have noticed the leaks). The darkcloth saved me. Camera repaired back at the cabin with glue and black aluminium -- and repairs lasted thru Chile, too.

I will often put the darkslide on top of the bellows, but under the darkcloth and create a sunshade on three sides of the lens.

I have less problems under the redwoods in that low light, but with long exposure times of 10 seconds to 30 minutes, I still keep the camera covered.

[tgtaylor]

Why don’t people learn how to use a Dark Cloth correctly?

I see post after post concerned because of light leaks.

When I was 7 years old a photographer friend gave me my first large format camera, a 4x5 Speed Graphic. He also gave me a dark cloth which was larger than I was. My memory says it was somewhere aaround 5 feet square. One of the admonitions he gave me was to never
use a too small dark cloth as they only lead to problems. I have never forgotten that.

Later in life I went out to photograph with Cole Weston. Cole was a good six feet plus. When he set up his old Calumet 8x10 and pulled out his dark cloth I was amazed. When draped over the camera the cloth touched the ground on both sides, it must have been 12 feet long.. He
focused and then with the cloth draped over his head he leaned over the film box and removed one of the old holders he inherited from Edward, then slid it into the camera. The moral of this paragraph is keep your film holders in the dark and stop worrying about light leaks.

Look at photos of photographers of the past. My vision of them is they were usually draped with a very large dark cloth. Learn from them.

I recently completed my 88th trip around the sun, and I still use large and ultra large cameras. Almost every time I see other LF photographers, I see people with the tiniest cloths imaginable. I have little doubt that these same people are the ones who write into the forums wondering why they have light leaks. Often included in their post is,"I checked the bellows with a flashlight and found no leaks."

Well, surprise, surprise there are a lot of other places on the camera where light is attempting to enter. The only way to be assured of keeping it out is to use a large cloth, and use it correctly. I know they are difficult to find, but they can be made. Have one made out of good
materials and you won’t ever need another one.

My primary dark cloth is 5x8 feet. I have a little 5x6 foot one which I sometimes use with the 5x7 when I am in a studio.

Here are some common errors and solutions.
1. Get rid of the handkerchief and get a big cloth, no less than 4x6 ft for 4x5 camera; at least 5x7 feet for 5x7 and larger camera.
2. Do not Velcro it to the rear edge of the camera, or clamp it there. Drape it all the way to the front standard so it covers all of the bellows as well as the back of the camera.
3. Carry your holders in a light tight container and keep it in the dark of the cloth when open.
4. Never have your holders in the light, keep them covered.
5. Forget those devices which fasten to the back of the camera and provide a nice dark view of the glass. They serve only one purpose, focusing in the dark. They do nothing to protect from light leaks, one of the primary purposes of a dark cloth.

A couple of years back I bought the large Harrison dark cloth (54x94") to use with the 8x10. i used it once and came to the conclusion that it was too big. Ever since it was kept stored in the metal case I store the camera in. A couple of time I toyed with the idea of selling it but never did. Reading Jim's post and the responses to it has motivated me to start packing the big dark cloth and try to make it work for me. After all I did want a large cloth when I bought it.

Thomas

[Merg Ross]

Merg,

This is off topic, but looking at your photo I would say it was taken in the Spring of 1953 based on the length of your trouser legs. I remember that before the school year began parents would buy kids' clothes that were a little too large--but they would be outgrown by spring. Also, the fact your right trouser leg is rolled up indicates you rode a bike and rolled up the trouser leg to ensure it did not get caught in the bike chain.

Great portrait, by the way.

Keith

Hi Keith,

Good job, inspector! You are correct in your analysis. And yes, I rode a bike, not only to school, but all around the Bay Area. My buddy and I used to ferry across to San Francisco from Oakland, talk to the painters on the Golden Gate Bridge, and camp in Muir Woods National Monument for the night. Probably illegal even then, but we were only fourteen and didn't know better. Try that today! Loved that 3-speed bike!

[Ben Horne]

I come from the standpoint that if there is a problem with your camera or film holder where you are getting light leaks, it's best to deal with it at the source and resolve the issue rather than simply covering it up.

I only drape my camera with my dark cloth if I'm shooting in the rain — otherwise, I feel like it gets in the way and becomes a burden in the wind. The last time I had a light leak, I tracked it down to a particular film holder. I retired that holder and I haven't had any issues since then. Problem solved. Maybe it's just me, but I can't stand the feeling of using a camera I can't trust. I need to have confidence in the camera, the lens, and the film holders. That gives me peace of mind so I can concentrate on taking the photo, and not the camera itself.

[tgtaylor]

A couple of years back I bought the large Harrison dark cloth (54x94") to use with the 8x10. i used it once and came to the conclusion that it was too big. Ever since it was kept stored in the metal case I store the camera in. A couple of time I toyed with the idea of selling it but never did. Reading Jim's post and the responses to it has motivated me to start packing the big dark cloth and try to make it work for me. After all I did want a large cloth when I bought it.

Thomas

Here's a couple of images of the big Harrison dark cloth in action on a recent shoot in San Francisco:

https://live.staticflickr.com/7812/32604306857_abeffe3d58_n.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/7855/32604306837_95d96ccc24_n.jpg

As you can see the cloth is big and has a tendency to slide off the camera unless balanced over the camera or "tucked in." I didn't practice with the cloth - just packed it in the pack and draped it over the camera. Another photographer out hunting for pictures with a high-end digital SLR saw me and came over to photograph the camera and helped me to set-up the cloth. I told him that I was going to print the negative (5x7) as a platinum print and explained to him the printing process but from his look I was speaking Greek or something. But the cloth, as big as it is, folds compactly and fits in the backpack like the smaller BTZS cloth. I need to spend some time with this cloth to figure it out.

Thomas

[pepeguitarra]

I am very good at losing the dark cloth when packing and it falls from the tripod. The smaller the faster they get lost. Recently I bought on large dark cloth that covers the whole camera, covers me, and allows me to stay under the rain while shooting. It is hard to lose this one.

[Jim Noel]

Looking good, Thomas.
Jim N

[Neal Chaves]

I haven't used a dark cloth for years. Shortly after I began 4X5 in the mid 70s, I started using the excellent Linhof bag magnifier. Since then I have always either made my own neoprene viewing hoods for 8X10 or I use the excellent factory Toyo viewer on my Toyo 4X5s. I don't like to get under a dark cloth in the field or in the street for reasons having to do with the asinine behavior of other humans, and just in general I find dark cloths slow and cumbersome, especially in the wind. I make sure my bellows are light tight and my camera back and holders are in good shape. Out in bright sun, I always position the camera back so that I load opposite the sun and I never have trouble with light leaks. Your experiences might be quite different.