Last edited by r.e.; 19-Jan-2022 at 14:28.
i'd order a wanderer dark cloth, but the funny fabrics are almost all out of stock
I received the Wanderer dark cloth today and I'm very happy with it. The material seems to be high quality and it has some substance. It isn't going to flap around in a breeze. Dimensions are 36" x 56" (91cm x 142cm), and I think that 36" is plenty over my head. I also ordered the optional snaps ($12). As Ryan Gillespie says in the quote in post #6, the snaps make the front of the dark cloth a bit "tube-like". They help the dark cloth hold shape around the rear standard, and also block some of the light from below. I think that it's $12 well-spent.
Re the photo of my camera below, I attach the dark cloth around the camera's back (frame, bale, ground glass), but not around the function carrier and rail.
Last edited by r.e.; 20-Jan-2022 at 06:16. Reason: Added photo.
Couple of photos of the Wanderer dark cloth with my 8x10 camera. The dark cloth consists of an outer blue fabric and an inner black twill fabric, probably both cotton or a cotton blend. The dark cloth hugs the standard due to a cinch cord, which is visible in the first photo. See the drawing in post #6. I like the fact that there's no Velcro. Wanderer's Instagram Page has photos showing its dark cloths with a wide variety of cameras.
Last edited by r.e.; 20-Jan-2022 at 18:17.
Might look into making your own or having one made.
Ours is black breathable water/windproof fabric backed by a light grey capilene type cloth on the other side.
In a pinch it can keep us warm as well as keeping the photo gear dry.
A friend sewed it for us, sealing the seams. Still working well and looking good after a lot of use.
” Never attribute to inspiration that which can be adequately explained by delusion”.
Last edited by r.e.; 20-Jan-2022 at 21:14.
Your endorsement helped me make the decision. I think the fact that Ryan shoots large format himself comes through in the design. I assume that it's a small business, and I'm happy to support it. The quality is good, and it's nice to see someone making dark cloths that aren't black and white with swaths of Velcro to make them work.
I'll be on the lookout for fabric for a second. For an 8x10 dark cloth, he needs 1⅓ yd x 1⅔ yards (~1.2m x 1.6m) of material. He'll supply the black twill liner. I think that the price that he's quoted me is quite reasonable.
I just got a Wanderer 2 weeks ago. I'm impressed with the quality of the material and stitching. It's a fairly heavy piece of material and can stand up to a decent breeze. I've taken it out and stuffed in back into my pack quite a bit over the past 2 weeks and it still holds it's shape and looks clean (cold temps, some mist, dropped on the forest floor, etc...). I did not opt to get the extra snaps. I used a bull-clip for the 1st week, and I just sewed on some Velcro tabs...they work well. In retrospect, the $12 would have been worth saving me the time it took to get the tabs and sew them on.
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