Beater Kits

[K. Praslowicz]

I had a thought this morning when I woke up that I should try to put together an extra 4x5 kit or two, and then leave them scattered about at places I'll be at on any given day. Under the desk at work, back of the car, etc..

I keep a 6x9 camera strapped to my body at all times, but on a semi-regular basis I happen across scenes that I feel would be far better treated with a 4x5. Just not often enough that I want to lug around my kit everywhere I go.

I'm thinking the following per kit could be scraped together very cheaply.
1 - Anniversary Speed Graphic.
1 - Press or Russian barrel lens.
2-3 cut film holders
1 - Tiltall tri-pod

Anyone else out there obsessive enough to do this?

[Michael Roberts]

Well, I've been known to keep a similar kit in the trunk of my car...but never under my desk or strapped to my body at all times. So, you've got me beat in the OCD race!

Mine is a naked Crown Graphic tucked in a padded cooler bag with a nylon strap, and four other press lenses in the zippered section on top. A 2lb Slick pro tripod and a black t-shirt for a darkcloth. Another sandwich-bag type padded cooler bag holds 5-6 4x5 holders.

[jp]

I keep a kit like that in my car, and use it regularly because I have it.

Tiltall tripod. $25 home depot generic looking case. Speed graphic, original optar lens that has been CLA'd, 203mm lens, 4-6 film holders in antistatic bags, Yashica TLR & Film. I taped a piece of black foam pipe insulation around one leg of the tiltall so I don't have to hold on to bare metal in the cold winter when I trek out with it.

I was just out this morning after dropping my daughter off at school and headed to work, the sun was slowly burning through a cloudy sky and the horizon was clear, and the harbor and lighthouse was all cold and dark looking. Foreground was all deep snow. Digital didn't have the range of highlights to get the gloomy ocean and the delicate glowing cloudy sky, so I parked, climbed down over the snowbank with the TLR and shot some tym2 film. Other times, such as when I have more time, I'll use the speed graphic and shoot a 4x5 or two.

I don't need dark cloth because I have the metal flipout hood over the groundglass on the speed graphic. In the summer, I sometimes keep a loaded color fujiroid back in the case too. Light meter lives in my jacket pocket this time of year, but goes in the case during the summer.

[Drew Bedo]

If you are willing to use a press camera with nominal movements, why not a Polaroid conversion (110 family, 900, etc) with a Grafmatic choder? Compact, handholdable . . .ditch the tripod. It will pack small (ish).

[Heespharm]

I have a gowland pocket view a rodenstock grandanon 150, Schneider angulon 90mm 6.8, sometimes a 180mm fujinon w, orange filter, with cheap tripod, soligor spot meter and grafmatic just for that purpose... Fits in a small messenger bag I had from college... Not much room for movements but it'll do in a pinch... Haven't used it yet but I just put it together 2 weeks ago... Sometimes my canonet lives in there too!

[Kuzano]

I have a gowland pocket view a rodenstock grandanon 150, Schneider angulon 90mm 6.8, sometimes a 180mm fujinon w, orange filter, with cheap tripod, soligor spot meter and grafmatic just for that purpose... Fits in a small messenger bag I had from college... Not much room for movements but it'll do in a pinch... Haven't used it yet but I just put it together 2 weeks ago... Sometimes my canonet lives in there too!

Love the Gowland Pocket...also made for Calumet by Gowland for a Calumet Pocket....
Great 3 pound breakdown monorail. Tricky on locking down the friction lock movements, but imminently usable, particularly for backpacking.... You can put together a 10 to 15 pound pack with 2-3 lenses, half a dozen loaded holders, loupe, dark cloth, etc.

Wide variance on construction... I've never seen two identical. Different movements, but plenty of them.

Nice.