does 4x5 film sleeve light proof ? do they exist?

[Richard Wasserman]

If its possible for me to scratch a negative I will certainly do it. So I always need to minimize handling. The box is a better solution for the manually challenged

I'm a member of your club! Plus, with boxes you don't need to deal with all the loose clipped film corners floating around.

[Jac@stafford.net]

I'm a member of your club! Plus, with boxes you don't need to deal with all the loose clipped film corners floating around.

I presumed that the film is clipped in the field in a changing bag. However it we may just as well use separate boxes.

I'm thinking getting into the box business.

[Drew Wiley]

Boxes have their own problems if space is critical, like in an airline carry-on or backpack. Use only high-quality triple-clamshells like from Kodak. Some film boxes actually leak light at the corners once the film is removed from the inner packing. Then I polish the box edges and lacquer the boxes to prevent any wear or lint during use. This helps mainly with unexposed film in the changing tent, but prolongs change-out boxes too. I allow the lacquer to cure (outgas) several months before use. But with respect to the alternate method, there is no issue with little bits of clipped corners etc if you use my particular method, which is to always linethe film tent with a thin black poly wastebasket of appropriate size. You just shake this off; and extras weigh very little. Then I carry a few alcohol-only disposable finger wipes and nitrile finger cots, and have a portable cleanroom. Or will, once again. I'm using up the last of my Quickloads this summer.

[Richard Wasserman]

I'm thinking getting into the box business.

Great idea Jac! I have a number of boxes I can sell you cheap.

[Lenny Eiger]

I have a box for N, another for N-1, N-2, N-3, N+1 and N+2. It is a very simple system. The weigh almost nothing. I have enough holders to go for a full day or two before I have to reload. The amount of extra wight these empty boxes represent when traveling is less than a single holder's worth. The benefit is that if you actually use a zone system, you can do it properly, and tune your development to something very exacting.