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Thread: What is about the right size for a dark cloth for a 4x5" camera?

  1. #11
    multiplex
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    Re: What is about the right size for a dark cloth for a 4x5" camera?

    hi atlanta terry

    i have a couple of drk cloths
    they are all from jo ann fabric, and were cheap as dirt
    made of felt. i think one is about IDK 4' wide (whatever the roll is )
    and maybe 4-5" long.
    been using these things for almost 30 years never gave me trouble
    and if they get trashed or lost or used for something else .
    they cost about $2 or did the last time i bought one.

    sounds like youir design will be a good one !

  2. #12

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    Re: What is about the right size for a dark cloth for a 4x5" camera?

    Quote Originally Posted by dpn View Post
    1 XXL black cotton t-shirt inside 1 XXL white cotton t-shirt. Necks and sleeve edges glued together with fabric adhesive. Light, cheap, breathes, and works great.
    Me too! I put the neck around camera's back (is a V type neck so larger than usual) and go inside the "tube". Short sleeves are leave open or closed with a knot. It's lightweight and not too warm to use.

  3. #13
    Jac@stafford.net's Avatar
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    Re: What is about the right size for a dark cloth for a 4x5" camera?

    Reminds me of Abe Lincoln's answer when asked how long a man's legs should be. "Just long enough to reach the ground." Aristotle answered the same when asked how long a man's penis should be.

  4. #14
    multiplex
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    Re: What is about the right size for a dark cloth for a 4x5" camera?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jac@stafford.net View Post
    Reminds me of Abe Lincoln's answer when asked how long a man's legs should be. "Just long enough to reach the ground." Aristotle answered the same when asked how long a man's penis should be.
    i've heard russian friends say the same for water in tea: you know how to make perfect tea - just enough water...

  5. #15
    Retired photographer
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    Re: What is about the right size for a dark cloth for a 4x5" camera?

    When I was a college student in 1964, I was living in New York. Made a trip to Rochester to see the Kodak George Eastman Museum. Yousuf Karsh was there visiting that day and I got my nerve up to say hello to him. I had purchased earlier, a copy of his wonderful book, Portraits of Greatness. He was talking to a gentleman about his dark cloth and I overheard the conversation. He mentioned that his assistant, Hella Graber, had made him a dark cloth apparently out of red velvet material. Later I saw photos of the cloth with his camera. I estimated the cloth was about 40 x 50 inches in size. Ten years later, I recalled his dark cloth and it inspired me to have one made since I did not like the commercial ones like everyone had. I found a shop in Los Angeles that specialized in custom embroidery. I picked out two fabrics, one being black and the other, a cardinal red/burgundy velvet. The woman at the shop made the dark cloth 40 x 50 which was perfect for my cameras. However, I had her connect the two fabrics with a gold thread design about 1/2 " wide and I also had her embroider my initials in gold thread at the corner of the cloth on the velvet side. My wife went ballistic when she saw how much I spent to have it custom made. However, it is the only one like it on the planet and it has been a conversation piece at many of my photo shoots. It has served me well for 45 years.Click image for larger version. 

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  6. #16
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: What is about the right size for a dark cloth for a 4x5" camera?

    Depends on the weather and length of the camera with the bellows extended. Do you just need a darkcloth, or something larger that functions like a rain cover too? Since I am routinely outdoors, it's the latter for me. ... But linty T-shirts and textured materials that hold contaminants??? Give me a break. I use solid black Gore-Tex fabric - breathable, waterproof, tough, lightweight, no lint, and easy to clean.

  7. #17

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    Re: What is about the right size for a dark cloth for a 4x5" camera?

    Quote Originally Posted by Anthony Dennis View Post
    When I was a college student in 1964, I was living in New York. Made a trip to Rochester to see the Kodak George Eastman Museum. Yousuf Karsh was there visiting that day and I got my nerve up to say hello to him. I had purchased earlier, a copy of his wonderful book, Portraits of Greatness. He was talking to a gentleman about his dark cloth and I overheard the conversation. He mentioned that his assistant, Hella Graber, had made him a dark cloth apparently out of red velvet material. Later I saw photos of the cloth with his camera. I estimated the cloth was about 40 x 50 inches in size. Ten years later, I recalled his dark cloth and it inspired me to have one made since I did not like the commercial ones like everyone had. I found a shop in Los Angeles that specialized in custom embroidery. I picked out two fabrics, one being black and the other, a cardinal red/burgundy velvet. The woman at the shop made the dark cloth 40 x 50 which was perfect for my cameras. However, I had her connect the two fabrics with a gold thread design about 1/2 " wide and I also had her embroider my initials in gold thread at the corner of the cloth on the velvet side. My wife went ballistic when she saw how much I spent to have it custom made. However, it is the only one like it on the planet and it has been a conversation piece at many of my photo shoots. It has served me well for 45 years.Click image for larger version. 

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    Hi Anthony, I enjoyed your story. Can't hide with a large format camera anyway, so I figure that there's nothing but upside to showing some style

  8. #18
    Maris Rusis's Avatar
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    Re: What is about the right size for a dark cloth for a 4x5" camera?

    If you are going to get it sewn for you organise some fairly light stainless steel chain to be incorporated in the hem. This edge weighting is much better and safer than corner weights on a windy day. And also get a dressmaker's cloth measuring tape sewn along one edge. Beats carrying a separate tape for measuring bellows extension.
    Photography:first utterance. Sir John Herschel, 14 March 1839 at the Royal Society. "...Photography or the application of the Chemical rays of light to the purpose of pictorial representation,..".

  9. #19

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    Re: What is about the right size for a dark cloth for a 4x5" camera?

    Made my own 4x5 and 4x10 in waterproof black on one side, white on the other, cloth. Doubles as a light rain cover. Size is 60'' by 35'' but it's not rectangular. Both back corners are cut.

  10. #20
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: What is about the right size for a dark cloth for a 4x5" camera?

    I don't use weights, just velcro.

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