How many film holders do you bring for a day out?

[r.e.]

Further to the post just above, this is the behind the scenes video. Note that everyone involved in the shoot is relaxed, no indecision, no fretting, no tension. I think that that is the direct result of the planning that went into making the photograph.

[Two23]

I regularly go out on all day drives in the Dakotas on Saturday and usually Sunday. I take about six 4x5 holders per day. If 8x10 I only take two. I've now standardized on only shooting Ilford FP4+. My subjects are always static so speed doesn't matter. Having one film makes processing much easier. My Stearman SP-445 tank holds four sheets and that's in the back of my mind as I take photos. I don't want to fill it for just two or three sheets.


Kent in SD

[Mark Sampson]

My old Tamrac bag will hold 12 4x5 holders if I stuff it full. That's plenty for a day of personal photographs; it's not often that I use them all.
I must own at least three dozen holders; they accumulate over time, and when I shot color as well as b&w, I needed more.
When I was shooting architecture professionally I had them all loaded and carried in their own case, and sometimes used them all. Quite a different set of circumstances!

[Kiwi7475]

For backpacking, Grafmatics are nice if you tend to shoot more than 6 sheets per outing. They carry 6 sheets each in about the weight and size of 1.5 regular holders, so the difference between carrying 3 regular holders and a grafmatic is not huge, but not zero, but if you need 8-12 exposures then 2 grafmatics take a lot less volume than 6 holders in a backpack, and so on.

[Doremus Scudder]

How many holders to take on a day hike and how many holders to own and have ready are two different questions.

When I'm out for a 4-6-hour day hike somewhere, I carry six holders. When I used to backpack more, 2-5 days at a time, then I carried Mido holders or Readyloads (now discontinued) and about 30 sheets worth (figuring 5-6 exposures a day on average).

When I'm on road trips photographing, I'll still take just six holders with me, but I've got a cooler in the car with 50 holders, loaded and ready. These I change out as I expose film till I get to the point where I only have a few left, at which time I'll reload. If it's a longer road trip, I carry extra film and empty film boxes for the exposed film and change film either in a darkened motel bathroom or, on occasion, on a clean garbage bag laid out on the sleeping bag inside my tent in the middle of the night. For shorter trips, when I haven't exposed close to 100 sheets, I'll reload at home in my darkroom

So, the real question for the OP is not how many holders to carry in a day, but how many you need to have ready for the photographing you plan to do before you have a chance to reload holders. That depends a lot on how often and how intensely you photograph and what the intervals you need between reloading possibilities are. I'd certainly get 15-20 holders to start with, especially since one can buy good used holders in larger batches for $5 each.

Best,

Doremus

[Dugan]

I typically do day hikes, and usually have 6-8 4x5 holders loaded with B/W film, as well as 3-4 holders loaded with color...just in case I see a scene that screams out to be shot in color.

[maltfalc]

Cost is certainly a criteria and the price of 4x5 color film and processing would be prohibitive for me. I process my own BW film and intend to do the same with the 4x5 sheets.
My initial thought is to burn some Formapan to get the hang of it (which cost less than half of everything else), and then use Ilford FP4+ going forward as it is my preferred film in other formats.

get some x-ray film. ten times cheaper than anything else. and buy however many holders you manage to find for sale at the lowest price per holder.

[Kiwi7475]

Just a comment that X-ray is a great option, but it’s not the panacea.

It’s very a delicate film, getting it from dray to dry without scratches takes some effort and frustration. I still get surprised sometimes after all these years.

And the tonality is OK but it’s not like other films.

By all means a good way to get started cheaply.
And you can always use it - I still do! But when I want the best prints, I reach out for something else altogether.

[Jody_S]

How many film holders do you bring for a day out?

As many as I can fit in the bag/case/backpack. That normally works out to 7 for 4x5, 5 for 5x7, and 4-5 for 8x10. I had 3 holders for my 11x14 before I sold the kit.

[LabRat]

It depends, but your answer will depend on a few trips out to see what your average is per day...

I keep 8 4x5 holders loaded and ready when I go out, but possible I could use more when conditions/inspiration will allow... I rarely keep the Grafmatic holders loaded, as I hate when I shoot one or two sheets that session, and have to wait another day to shoot the remaining sheets later, and start the session with less than a fully loaded holder... But if on a trip, all holders + Grafmatics are loaded so less chance film changing out there might be needed...

Steve K