Horse Blanket or ??

[AnselAdamsX]

I'm getting an 8x10 Sinar P which I will be using outside and I'm wondering what people use for a dark cloth if anything. I have a blackjacket hybrid for my 4x5 Wista SP. I found it to be very hot (my only complaint). So more often than not I just use the built in hood of the Wista SP and shaded the GG with my hand when I used the loop. I've read the BTZS hood is hotter than the darkjacket in threads here. How about the Harrison Dark Cloth? I've also seen an ebony that goes over the entire camera and acts as a lens shade but it was a bit pricey.

Thanks
Chris

[Richard Wasserman]

I'm a big fan of the Harrison dark cloths and have a couple of them in different sizes for various cameras.

[Daniel Stone]

I owned(yes, sold it) the Harrison LARGE dark cloth. It was HOT under there, IMO. I try to shoot at dawn/dusk, but even then, I found it to not breathe all that well, especially with overhead sun.

It sure blocked light, but it sure kept the heat in.

Currently I'm using a DIY-sewn job that I used for 4x5. Its small(too small), but I'm gonna try out one of those tube-style 8x10 ones. Supposedly they breathe better, and block light from the bottom too due to having velcro on the bottom.

If you wanna go "Ansel Adams" (pun intended, as per the OP's call-sign ;)), then a "horse blanket" is what I'd use. But if you want an easier viewing experience, try to find something that breathes better. Preferably cotton(less chance of static vs man-made materials such as polyster)

-Dan

[jayabbas]

I use the Sinar bag bellows with round opening to accept Sinar monocular. Clips right on the back of camera and excludes all light ... ready to fine focus, just take off monocular piece and through the opening stick a Toyo loupe and focus -- done. This I do on 4x5 Sinar Norma.

[Jim Noel]

I have a beautiful 5x8foot dark cloth for the 7x17. I also use it for the 8x10. It is black satin on the underside, and heavy white material on the outside with weights in the corners.
The cloths are no longer made as the maker became incapacitated.

[Ari]

It's ultra-easy to make your own; you can use a variety of lightweight, breathable materials, as well as tailor it to whatever size you wish.

[TheDeardorffGuy]

Ditto Ari! Each of my cameras has one specificly for it. A white rayon on the outside and a black tee shirt material inside with some weights in the corners. never gets hot inside

[BrianShaw]

Ditto, also... except i've used weighted strip (used for curtains and drapes) along the entire perimeter.

[Adamphotoman]

Use a wide angle 4X5-8X10 bag bellows and the bino-magnifier with face shield.
They all clip into each other. take them apart for transport or to compose.

you could consider a lightweight front standard too.

Grant

[Drew Wiley]

I use a big sheet of black Goretex. It's water repellant, breathable, low-lint, very
durable, and quite comfortable. The problem is, I don't know if Goretex is still made in
black.

[Uri A]

My 2c:

I've owned most of the fancy ones (not a Harrison) and the fellow who sold me my P2 even included one he made from a bellows frame and some hi-tech material which clips to the rear screen and is a beautiful piece of engineering.

What do I use? A crappy old threadbare torn-in-half single black cotton bedsheet that I had in my bag to wrap the front standard in :)

In my experience (and I'm in Australia shooting in summer in broad daylight here) all the multilayers and enclosed/tube designs just stop airflow and make it steamy in there. Even though my crappy sheet is almost translucent in it's thinness, it's plenty dark enough in there and I never get as hot as I did under the "breathable fabrics". If I need it extra dark for a moment i hold the corners together with my left hand and focus with my right.

I do have the $ to buy whatever darkcloth I want, but I personally prefer my sheet to all the fancypants alternatives (some of which I've already sold on this forum).