Dark Slide: fully removed or partially in?

[StoneNYC]

Let's start with the fact that I'm relatively new to LF photography.

Purchased my equipment from various sellers, and for the most part it all seems really great shape. But after traveling and shooting in Maine and other places, I found that sometimes the negatives have some issues, and the only thing I can relate it to is some kind of light leak issue, most likely with the holders.

I have to shoot with a full dark sheet over the camera, but sometimes I don't like if I'm in the middle of the street and want to make sure I don't get run over by a car but I can't see. However that doesn't seem to make a difference in terms of any issues.

But I am thinking that the way that I remove my dark slide may come into it, I keep reading back-and-forth information about it so I'm asking you guys, is it okay to remove the Dark side fully, or do the felt insides sometimes wear out over time and is it best to leave it partially in the holder sticking out?

I would think that if you left it partially in, there's a chance the edges of the entrance could have light leak and could cause more problems, also in high wind situations that would cause the camera to have more vibration.

I noticed that my Polaroid back holders there is a white inked line to indicate where you should pull the Darkside out to and then leave it without fully removing it while still not interfering with the image. Which is what made me think that you should be leaving the Darkside partially in, in the first place, before that I thought you were always supposed to remove it fully

So what's the verdict? Thanks!

[Jerry Bodine]

Since you have to fully remove the darkslide in order to turn it around with the dark tab facing outward after the exposure, why not do that?

[Jim Graves]

Some more experienced hands will weigh in I'm sure ... but there are several things about dark slides and light leaks.

The problem I had when I first started was unintentionally pulling the holder away from the back slightly as I either pulled or replaced the dark slide ... this is a particular problem with older cameras where the spring backs are not quite as tight as they were when new.

I now routinely press against the back as I pull and replace the dark slide.

I ended up testing the light-tightness of the dark slide slots by putting the camera in a dark room with a fresh film in the holder, pulling the slide, shining a flashlight at the dark slide slot, replacing the dark slide ... and then developing the film to see if there was light coming through the slot.

You can also leave the dark cloth over the holder as you pull, expose, and replace the slide.

One issue with not completely pulling the slide is wind ... on windy days the unremoved slide can work like a sail and jostle the camera during the exposure.

[Harold_4074]

I used to routinely remove the dark slide completely and lay it across the top of the bellows (as a reminder to put it back in...) until a few bad experiences with either forgetting to re-insert it, or re-inserting without turning the dark side out, convinced me that the best way (at least when indoors) is to pull the slide, turn it around, and put it back in just past the light trap. If the holder is worn to the point where I no longer trust the light trap, or when working outdoors, I leave the slide out but pull is under the shadow of the focusing cloth and leave the cloth across the back of the camera until it is time to return the slide.

[Leigh]

I attach my dark cloth to the camera with clothes pins, and leave it in place throughout the shoot.

When the film holder is in, it's completely covered by the dark cloth, so no light leaks can happen.

- Leigh

[Daniel Stone]

Withdraw completely. I don't remove the holder from the camera until I've finished writing my exposure notes in my notebook.

I use a very lightweight, light-tight piece of rubberized nylon cloth as a darkcloth, and I leave it attached to the camera until I'm done shooting and want to move or pack it all down.

But film holder comes out after exposure notes have been made, not before.

cheers,
Dan

[Shawn Dougherty]

SLIGHTLY off topic... but knowing we have the same camera I would caution one other thing to watch for with film holders. Once you close the bail arm on the camera with a film holder inserted there will be a little bit of 'play' in the position of the holder itself. You can actually move the holder out (the direction you would use to remove it from the back) or in (the direction you would insert the holder from the back). For proper registration you want it 'in' as far as it will go (without any undue force of course). Try it, put a film holder in and then pull / push it. There should be about a 1/8 inch of play. I have made checking this a part of my "routine" when making exposures. If it's in the "out" position your composition will be off by the amount the holder is out of position. I wasted a couple sheets on this when I got my Toyo.

P.S. Of course you should ONLY be moving the holder around while the darkslide is still in the whole way.

[E. von Hoegh]

Let's start with the fact that I'm relatively new to LF photography.

Purchased my equipment from various sellers, and for the most part it all seems really great shape. But after traveling and shooting in Maine and other places, I found that sometimes the negatives have some issues, and the only thing I can relate it to is some kind of light leak issue, most likely with the holders.

I have to shoot with a full dark sheet over the camera, but sometimes I don't like if I'm in the middle of the street and want to make sure I don't get run over by a car but I can't see. However that doesn't seem to make a difference in terms of any issues.

But I am thinking that the way that I remove my dark slide may come into it, I keep reading back-and-forth information about it so I'm asking you guys, is it okay to remove the Dark side fully, or do the felt insides sometimes wear out over time and is it best to leave it partially in the holder sticking out?

I would think that if you left it partially in, there's a chance the edges of the entrance could have light leak and could cause more problems, also in high wind situations that would cause the camera to have more vibration.

I noticed that my Polaroid back holders there is a white inked line to indicate where you should pull the Darkside out to and then leave it without fully removing it while still not interfering with the image. Which is what made me think that you should be leaving the Darkside partially in, in the first place, before that I thought you were always supposed to remove it fully

So what's the verdict? Thanks!

Fully removed. for two reasons. 1) You're less likely to get lightleaks through the trap this way. 2) You won't have 20 square inches of someting sticking out to bump into and lift the holder off the back, ruining the film.

[Jody_S]

1) You're less likely to get lightleaks through the trap this way.

Speaking from experience, yes it's a bad idea to leave it in. You might get away with it a few times when your film holders are new.

[StoneNYC]

Thanks guys, fully out it is!

The reason I said that sometimes I don't put the dark cloth on in danger situations like I said in the middle of the street or something when I'm shooting and need to watch for cars, I have the black jacket instead of a regular dark cloth. You have to put yourself fully in it in order to use it, which makes it that much more difficult and dangerous to get out of fast in an emergency.

If clothes pins would actually clip anywhere on my camera that would be a great solution but it's all metal and there aren't many good spots to clip to, plus the black jacket seems a lot more light tight and the lens I have that is an F/8 is already hard to see on the GG.

And thanks for confirming the light tightness is better when the slide is fully removed.

And Shawn I always wondered if it mattered since I did notice the play in the back, thanks, fully in it is.