Changing bag poles

[Jac@stafford.net]

Full disclosure: my college (1970) friend who was at the Chicago Art Institute introduced me to the cardboard box trick. She was smarter than I.

http://www.digoliardi.net/carol_c.jpg

[premortho]

And better looking, too!

Full disclosure: my college (1970) friend who was at the Chicago Art Institute introduced me to the cardboard box trick. She was smarter than I.

http://www.digoliardi.net/carol_c.jpg

[Drew Bedo]

I have both a bag and a tent. Each has an up-side and a down-side. I use the tent when I can, and the bag when I must. One packs light(er) and small while he other has room to work in but is heavy and lapacks larger.

I like them both for their indevidual Up-Sides.

I started in LF changing 8x10 fiml for medical imaging in a full-up darkroom of a major teaching hospital with enough flat counter space to launch the Doolittle Raid. For me, anything else is make-do.

[C. D. Keth]

How about tinker toys?

[gleaf]

Cat soft side pop up play cubes. 15 inch per side. Needs be an industrial size changing bag.

[Rollinhofuji]

I acquired a used Photoflex (Calumet branded) about 2 years ago and found it to be quite good. On my one, the bottom is fairly level (not bent), but it sometimes is a PITA to unfold it - the main point is that you may not fold/de-assemble it so that it looks pretty and can be easily stuffed, but simply unfold it and crumple-stuff it right as it lies. Otherwise, the internal structure is severely messed up and it always takes me at least 5 minutes to put everything in place (usually I give up after 5 minutes, then magic happens and it unfolds totally easy at once. Probably I´m just too stupid). The size is ok for 4x5 (film box, stack of film holders, scissors) but probably not convenient for anything larger than 5x7.

I heard the new version has some kind of self-unfolding mechanism, similar to a pop-up reflector or pop-up tent. It is still available new and costs about half the price of a harrison (or even less).

Main reason for the harrison is probably the fact that it folds to a very compact size. Photoflex is very flat once folded, but still has a large diameter of roughyl 50cm (at least mine).

[Peter Gomena]

I've had a Calumet/Photoflex for several years and find it's just fine for 4x5, 5x7 and even whole plate.

[5063]

I've been using my changing bag a lot here recently and found it's a pain in the ass. The Harrison tents look super sweet but there's no way I'm paying that much for one of those. I have a generic 27"x30" bag and was wondering if anybody has ever built a cube or something similar to put in the bag to make it pop up and have more space. I read about this before but can't seem to find it.

A friend made for me the frame of a cube with PVC pipe and I insert that in my changing bag to hold it up.

[IanG]

A friend made for me the frame of a cube with PVC pipe and I insert that in my changing bag to hold it up.

I have an article from over 20 years ago about making light boxes from thin tube designed for kites (I scanned it a year or 2 ago), I have a large changing bag and figure a frame like you've made would be ideal in this thinner stronger material. Just need to find a local stockist.

Iahn

[StoneNYC]

Get a small hula hoop, cut it in half and put the parts at right angles. Stick the ends into the corners of the bag. Tape together at the top. All this inside the bag, of course.

But I like Gitting's box idea. It is rugged and cheap, and replacement parts are everywhere!

or pay: http://www.calumetphoto.com/product/...KrTCj-zgCZThr8

This makes the most sense weight wise, and appears to pack well in a hiking backpack.