How many holders and film do you bring when shooting away from home ?

[chopsteeks]

I have 6 holders....but really do not want to carry more as more weight to carry.

So I am thinking of bringing films so I could load more if needed.

Anyone doing the same ? Advices ?

Thanks.

[Frank Petronio]

Try to work in orders of 5 since film comes in quantities of 10.... it is nice to load an entire box.

It is really based on your style/attitude. For a lot of landscapes I will just make one exposure, portraits usually 2-6 per set-up, more if I think I've goofed up or if it is a commercial subject that needs to be covered.

[vinny]

As many as will fit. Tons and lots of film (different varieties).

[David A. Goldfarb]

For 4x5" if I'm traveling, I usually take four Grafmatics (6-sheets each) for a longer trip, and if it's a long enough trip to merit it, I'll bring additional film to load and boxes to unload, or if I need to be more compact, I have a box with a set of dividers with tabs that I can feel in the dark that I can use to organize film by development time for when I come home. For a short trip, I may take two Kinematic holders, 10 sheets each.

[Frank Petronio]

FWIW I finally tried some of the Toyo film holders after 29 years of using everything else. If you can find and afford them, they are the best.

I use four Grafmatics on the road too but I think I am going back to conventional holders, I find they slow me down to a better pace - with the Grafmatics it is easy to overshoot.

[Ed Richards]

If you are driving, load and bring what you have. I try to keep 20 loaded holders in the car. For a serious trip I will load 40.

[Bill_1856]

I usually take Three Grafmatics, but learned from a recent post that ordnary double film holders, such as Riteway or Fidelity, actually weigh less for the same number of sheets of film.
Why the hell does film come in 25 sheet boxes?

[Vaughn]

For just the day, I'll carry 5 to 7 8x10 holders -- that is what will fit in the pack with the camera and two or three lenses. I usually come home/end-the-day with some unexposed film, but not always. On the road I take all my holders loaded up -- up to 20 holders.

[jcoldslabs]

I've got a case/bag that holds 10 8x10 holders and so that's what I bring. I tend to keep them all loaded and stored in the case while I'm at home so I can "grab and go" if need be.

For 4x5, I dunno, 20-30 holders depending on destination and intended time spent in the field. I shoot a lot of expired Polaroid sheet film, so one box of 20 and a 545 film holder and I'm good.

Jonathan

[Serge S]

FWIW I finally tried some of the Toyo film holders after 29 years of using everything else. If you can find and afford them, they are the best.


Thanks for the heads up, I was wondering about those.

I'm heading to Acadia at the end of the week so this post is of interesting...as I was wondering how many to load up and ended up stocking up & will probably bring 12 holders of HP5 (one box worth) & 5 with the new Portra 160.

Serge

[mdm]

Usually 6 5x7 holders are enough for me, and since I have only 2 11x14 holders thats all I take, but dont feel the need for more. I never mix formats, its one or the other.

[Leigh]

These comments may not be generally relevant because:
1) I never load/unload in the field, only in the darkroom.
2) Due to mobility issues I'm never far from the van when shooting, usually less than 50 yards/meters, so no back-packing.
3) I experiment a lot, frequently with filters, and often make extra exposures to compare different developers or as safeties.
4) For me, "away from home" means driving a few hours max and returning the same day. I don't do multi-day excursions.

So anyhow for 4x5, I have 18 locking Riteways always loaded with Acros, plus 18 Toyos always loaded with Velvia.

Another group of 18 locking Riteways are loaded with "specials", like infra-red or other films I'm playing with, or FP4+.

- Leigh

[John Flavell]

I make one long trip a year that entails flying there, and then driving back. I order film and have it shipped there and this year I'll take 10 of the 23 4x5 holders I have. I load and reload with a bag I keep with the camera. The camera gets carried on with me in a backpack and wrapped in two HUGE lens wraps for padding. I shipped the tripods last year, but I'll probably check it this year.

[evan clarke]

I carry a full arsenal with me at all times, 4x5 up to 11x14. I always have around 80 4x5 holders, 20 5x7 holders, 10 8x10 holders and all my 11x14 holders..

[Peter Gomena]

I own about 30 or so 4x5 holders. For an extended trip I will load them all, usually 5 with Portra 160 and the rest with black-and-white. If in doubt, pack along a good changing tent.

Peter Gomena

[Dan Henderson]

My first long shooting trip after moving up to large format I took all 20 holders that I owned at the time, loaded with the same film. I always shoot both sides of a holder on a subject that interests me enough to set up the camera and compose a shot, so after several days I needed to reload holders in the field (a campground in that case.) I found reloading holders to be a nuisance, and keeping track of what exposures were what for developing when I got home to be a major pain. So now whenever I get a chance I pick up more holders. Where holders are concerned my motto is "too much is never enough."

Conversely, if I want to shoot a subject close to home and I have at least 2 holders loaded up, no problem. One holder to make the exposure, one for backup in case I really mess up.

[biedron]

FWIW I finally tried some of the Toyo film holders after 29 years of using everything else. If you can find and afford them, they are the best.

Frank,

I am curious what makes them better than other film holders? I've seen others make similar comments about the Toyos, but have never seen one myself.

Bob

[Roger Cole]

Road trip, I carry all of my holders, loaded. Day excursion from home, I carry as many as I think I might need, maybe 6 holders plus Polaroid back.

Loading up my new-to-me Grafmatic with E100SW for my next trip. Been keeping that 50 sheet box of film in my freezer, might as well use it.

[Tim Meisburger]

Interesting thread. I have about thirty holders, but seldom take more than six, unless I am going somewhere special. Instead, I take a dark bag and a box of film. I seldom shoot more than twelve sheets a day, and normally reload in the evening. On holidays, sometimes I'll shoot more, and either take twelve holders, or carry the bag and load on the fly.

[austin granger]

Twenty, forty, EIGHTY holders? Man, you guys have some serious arsenals indeed! Fully loaded for me is eight holders and if I shot that in a day, I'd be very happy. If I'm traveling I bring my extra film and a box for exposed sheets, along with a changing bag, and reload when I get back to the hotel, or tent if that's the case.

[Frank Petronio]

Yeah If I shoot 40 sheets in a day, even portraits, then someone else is paying for them. You guys must be swimming in tons of film to edit and print ;-p


I am curious what makes them better than other film holders? I've seen others make similar comments about the Toyos, but have never seen one myself.

They are basically the same design as Liscos and Fidelities but much better built with nicer quality plastic. Everything is smooth yet tight, and they feel more robust. Not that I have had many problems with the traditional holders (typically a cracked dark slide, dried out hinge, dirt) but the Toyos are simply "nicer".

[Roger Cole]

Twenty, forty, EIGHTY holders? Man, you guys have some serious arsenals indeed! Fully loaded for me is eight holders and if I shot that in a day, I'd be very happy. If I'm traveling I bring my extra film and a box for exposed sheets, along with a changing bag, and reload when I get back to the hotel, or tent if that's the case.

Well I think when it said away from home most of us are thinking about multiple day trips. I own 11 holders plus a Graphmatic. On an upcoming four day trip, staying at a secluded lake house, I'm taking the lot. 22 sheets of neg film plus the Ektachrome in the Grafmatic. No way can I shoot it all with the other things I have planned (I MIGHT be able to shoot it all if it was a photography-only trip) but this way I have the maximum selection. I will have TMY-2, Fomapan and maybe some Efke 100 black and white, Portra 160 color neg, and Ektachrome 100. Oh, plus some Fuji FP-100C but that's mainly for proofing for the Ektachrome shots, so I'm not really counting it. I will have the film for most situations I might encounter and I'll be unlikely to run out of one particular type (except maybe the Efke - I got it free, have never used it before, and wouldn't mind trying it but I'm not loading up a lot of holders with it. Maybe four sheets total.)

If I shot eight shots of 4x5 in a day I'd be flying too. But over four days - might as well have a selection.

I don't even own a changing bag/tent and don't really want one. I only load holders in the darkroom, table carefully wiped down, air cleaned going, wearing long sleeved vinyl dust-cleaned jacket even. Even so I occasionally get dust. That's why the Ektachrome goes in the Graphmatic - I hear they are more prone to dust, which makes sense to me, and the transparencies will be scanned where it's easily dealt with. All the negatives will be optically printed so that film is carefully loaded in carefully cleaned holders, as clean as I can make it.

[Frank Petronio]

That's a lot of different film, I could never decide what to use.

[Roger Cole]

That's a lot of different film, I could never decide what to use.

Mostly what I shoot is TMY-2, and at least half of it is that. I've been experimenting with some Foma because it's cheap and does have a nice look to it sometimes. When I shoot color sheet film it's Portra 160. (Honestly, because I got a good deal on it.)

All the rest is play around stuff - the Ektachrome and, if I take it, the Efke. The gentleman I bought the Graphmatic from threw in a partial box of Efke. Might as well try it out. But anything really good I see on the gg. will be shot on the films I KNOW and use all the time - meaning TMY-2 for black and white and the Potra 160 for color. Then, while I'm at it, I might expose some Foma or Efke or Ektachrome just for fun. I bought the Ektachrome before Ilfochrome was discontinued planing to get back into that, then it's sat in my freezer while I wondered whether to sell it or shoot it. But I finally decided to shoot it and scan the results.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Toyos seem to be made to tighter tolerances. The film doesn't move around, and the film rebate looks the same from one sheet to the next.

[Bill_1856]

I don't really need many sheets of film. For all the routine stuff I shoot roll film or digital. I only bring out the LF for something extraordinary (which means that it's often not used at all).

[Noah A]

When I travel it's usually for 2-3 weeks in a country halfway around the world. So in that case I'll usually carry ten holders in my camera backpack and another 5-10 in my checked baggage (they're unloaded, of course).

I carry a changing tent and usually around 300 sheets of 4x5 Portra 160. It's quite a treat when I stay in a hotel with a windowless bathroom that I can easily make light-tight. But often I need to use the changing tent. Sometimes the bathrooms in the cheap hotels I stay in aren't so nice ;(.

Often I shoot half-days, for instance I'll go out in the morning for the early light and then head back to the hotel before heading out to shoot again in the evening light. In that case I'll often just take the ten holders that easily fit in my camera pack. If I go out for an entire day or if I'm headed to some location that was difficult to get to, I'll bring more loaded holders in the outside compartment of my pack or in a small secondary bag.

So to answer your question, yes, I do bring extra film and re-load my holders during a trip. Every day in fact. Just don't forget a few extra empty boxes to put the exposed sheets in!

[Adrian Pybus]

Locally I just take 5-10 but if going on a longer trip I take all I have. Currently only 15 but it seems I should try the toyos ...

[BrianShaw]

So I am thinking of bringing films so I could load more if needed.

Anyone doing the same ? Advices ?


I estimate how many sheets I might shoot and load that many film holders. Then I often do as you suggest, and bring film and a changing bag too.

[BrianShaw]

Well I think when it said away from home most of us are thinking about multiple day trips. I own 11 holders plus a Graphmatic. On an upcoming four day trip, staying at a secluded lake house, I'm taking the lot.

Aren't you recently married? If I were you I'd take a lot less camera gear!

[Roger Cole]

Aren't you recently married? If I were you I'd take a lot less camera gear!

1. Yes.
2. Geez man, it's four DAYS. Plus my wife needs time to write (poetry and, most recently, some fiction too) and insists I take time for my art. We sort of made that agreement early on, each of us gets/takes time for art.

Besides, she moved in almost a year before we married, and we dated and took several road trips before that. I didn't take so much camera gear then. :D

We're visiting my folks too, and they're getting up in years. I want to document those travels and times, thus the 35mm, and I'm doing that mostly on slide film while I can, and can have slide shows for...[gulp] future generations.

Besides man, the trip is four whole days. "Strong am I in the Force...but not that strong." :D

[Leigh]

Hi Roger,

Enjoy your trip... days and nights. :D

- Leigh

[Roger Cole]

I have to get with the program of doing more of my art. She's sold several poems and a story this year. Poetry pays peanuts when it pays at all, but as a matter of principle... ;)

[joselsgil]

I have 6 holders....but really do not want to carry more as more weight to carry.

So I am thinking of bringing films so I could load more if needed.

Anyone doing the same ? Advices ?

Thanks.

If you are talking about 4X5 film size. 6 holders is ok, but you may need to add a few more. Get yourself a good film changing bag/tent, so that you can reload your holders. It is best to do this at night to avoid any possible fogging and the tent/bags tend to get hot too.

It really depends on what and where you are going to be photographing. If you are doing long day wilderness hikes, the 6 to 12 holders, plus the film tent and extra film. If your vehicle is within walking distance, then you can have extra holders loaded in the vehicle. If you are photographing in an urban area, you can leave the tent/bag in your vehicle or hotel room.

This all changes if you have an assistant(s) with you. They can help carry some of the equipment to ease the load.

[hiend61]

For 4x5 and a 1-3 days shooting trip, I carry 10 loaded film holders and 20-40 extra film sheets. For 5x7 and 8x10 I carry 5 loaded film holders and 20 extra film sheets. I carry a changing bag with me. Years ago, when all my pro shooting was LF, I carried up to 500 extra film sheets for a 4-5 weeks shooting trip, and in the middle of the trip my film retailer usually sent me 300-500 extra sheets to location. Of course I sent exposed film to the lab twice a week, and once-twice a week I received my film precessed to check the results. Those glorious film days...

[Graham Patterson]

There are a couple of things I try to do:

Make sure I have some holders loaded at all times, at least with my general purpose film.

Carry the 6x9 roll film holder as a backup. I will likely have a TLR or the little Fuji rangefinder with me, so the film is not an extra.

I usually carry half-a-dozen during the day, and sometimes reload on overnight trips. I try to avoid it, though.

[John Rodriguez]

I own 12 4x5 holders but usually carry 7 as that's the most I can fit while carrying 4 lenses including a tele. If I don't carry the tele I can bring all of them. Most of the time I'm shooting during the magic hours so only so many shots are possible. I rarely take more then 1-5 shots, so it really all comes down to how many types of film I want to carry. Usually I have Acros, Astia, and Portra or Ektar, and right now I'm also working through boxes of HP5+ and Velvia 100F.

[SpeedGraphicMan]

I only have 5 holders... So that is my only option.

A darkroom changing bag is a big help.

[lab black]

Day trip- 8x10...4 holders
4-7 day trip 8x10...14 holders
----------
Day trip Larger formats... 2 holders
4-7 days Larger formats... 6 holders

[Ari]

I'm leaving soon for 3 months across Europe.
On the film side, I'm taking three Grafmatics, a film changing tent, two empty film boxes, and lots of film.

[Tony Evans]

4 x 4x5 B&W = 8 Shots. Plenty for me, my Patterson does 4 tacos.