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MCMUG
1-Nov-2011, 21:11
I want to consult that whether it is practical to change 20x24 film in a tent, just like the practice of 8x10 film changing? Of course, the tent for 20x24 should be larger enough, e.g. 90cm x 180cm x 90cm. Thanks a lot!

jayabbas
1-Nov-2011, 21:34
A mistake or light leak will get a bit costly I would surmise. Tents and changing bags make me sweat ( as in nervous ) - my problem. That big a sheet of film would certainly be challenging in a tent.

Daniel Stone
1-Nov-2011, 21:39
Try loading your holders in the dark w/ paper cut to 20x24". Not very easy IMO. Now think of loading that in a cramped tent. My largest format is 8x10.

You might want to look into portable darkroom tents if you can't get access to a light-tight room regularly

just a recommendation

-Dan

Vaughn
1-Nov-2011, 21:59
I have a changing bag that is about 38x48 stretched out flat -- a bit less in use, probably. Might be tough for 20x24, but I might use it for 11x14! I just would need to rig up some sort of PVC pipe frame inside

How about an actual tent? A small cheapo backpacking dome tent, with a big piece of black-out cloth to go over it. Climb right into the sucker! That is basically what I did in the camper shell of my import pick-up -- draped some blankets over the windows at night and had a clean sheet (kept in a tight bag to keep it clean) to put in front of me to change the holders on. Worked great in the Alabama Hills since there was no other lights out there but the stars!

Vaughn

cyrus
1-Nov-2011, 23:23
Fuji made a collapsible changing tent -Fuji Darkbox FDB12 - that is HUGE. I have one. But I don't think it is large enough for 20x24

http://www.shetlink.com/classifieds/shetlink-classified-adverts.php?ad_id=51318&sid=8958136dfaef89262bdcfe6171ffe863
(That's just FYI - not mine.)

Jobo also made a very large changing tent #6775 which is a bit smaller but more easily carried around

cyrus
2-Nov-2011, 07:51
PS there's a Fuju darkbox on ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/fuji-frontier-dark-box-minilab-noritsu-mini-lab-agfa-/310330173780?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item48411ea954

John Koehrer
2-Nov-2011, 11:38
I've got a Fuji box. It's not big enough for 20X24, 8X10 plenty of room, 11X14 may be iffy.

mrladewig
2-Nov-2011, 12:19
I think you'd need a changing tent you could climb inside for this job.

Tracy Storer
4-Nov-2011, 16:46
Probably not practical for 20x24.
Think about it, start with the length of the holder, add the length of the withdrawn darkslide out one end, then add the length of the film off the other end.....that's 72", then think about the limited reach changing bag/tent sleeves offer.

Vaughn
4-Nov-2011, 17:18
One would not have to draw the darkslide out more than a few inches to load or unload; and the film bowed when inserted. So one could get away with a lot less than 72 inches...50" or so should do it if you had some vertical space, too. It would be tight. In an emergency the changing bag I have might work for 20x24.

sanking
4-Nov-2011, 18:00
Having loaded 12X20 film in a Harrison tent, and 20X24 film in a room with plenty of space, my personal opinion is that it would be highly impractical to load 20X24" film in a changing bag or tent, unless it were a very large tent one could enter.


Sandy King

MCMUG
6-Nov-2011, 19:55
Probably not practical for 20x24.
Think about it, start with the length of the holder, add the length of the withdrawn darkslide out one end, then add the length of the film off the other end.....that's 72", then think about the limited reach changing bag/tent sleeves offer.

Thanks for your opinion, I plan to design 4 sleeve for 2 person working together to change a film.

Ben Syverson
6-Nov-2011, 20:21
If you're shooting 20x24, you should be able to afford to lightproof a small room in which to change film.

bobherbst
6-Nov-2011, 21:15
In my humble opinion, changing 20x24 film in the field is very doable. For 12x20 field work, I used a Harrison jumbo tent with the ULF "wings". It spreads out to more than 72" from pocket to pocket. The "wings" are a special order item. I bought a simple 72" aluminum fold-up camping table from Cabellas and changed film under the stars in the desert for a week on the White Rim Road, and another week in the Maze district of Canyonlands. The tent with the wings will accommodate 20x24, but you will have to plan out the sequence in your work flow. I changed four 12x20 holders in the tent at a time, sometimes 6 holders. There is plenty of room front to back and to the sides.

One benefit of the Harrison tent is it is light-tight enough to be used in the daytime in an emergency, even in the desert. Changing film is always better done at night in the field.

Changing film in the field is never as easy as in a darkroom, but if you are shooting 20x24 in the field, you are already a glutton for punishment. Good luck!

Bob Herbst
"One who has returned to medium format."



I want to consult that whether it is practical to change 20x24 film in a tent, just like the practice of 8x10 film changing? Of course, the tent for 20x24 should be larger enough, e.g. 90cm x 180cm x 90cm. Thanks a lot!

Tracy Storer
10-Nov-2011, 09:31
One would not have to draw the darkslide out more than a few inches to load or unload; and the film bowed when inserted. So one could get away with a lot less than 72 inches...50" or so should do it if you had some vertical space, too. It would be tight. In an emergency the changing bag I have might work for 20x24.

In fact, pulling the darkslides all the way out IS often necessary to ensure the end of the film gets seated under the lip at the top.(under the darkslide / lighttrap cover)
As for "bowing" the film.....you might be surprised how "floppy" a sheet of film can be when it's six times the area of an 8x10.