Backpacking 11x14

[skopar]

Anyone out there have a good way to carry an 11x14 in the field? I have a Korona 11x14 with 600mm Tessar and a couple holders, and want to get further than 100 yards/metres from the car.

Thanks. David

[mark_sampson]

There was an article on this exact subject in "View Camera" magazine

about ten years ago. email them for back issue info. If you use

11x14, you must know Brett Weston's saying from his 11x14 days:

"If it's more than fifty yards from the car, it's not photogenic".

[kevin_kolosky]

you may have to go outside of the photographic world to find what you

need. if you look at a cabelas fall catolog you will see carts that

are used to pack out deer and elk after they have been shot by

hunters. I am sure that you could make good use of one of these to

haul around your 11 x 14, and especially so if you were going to stay

on trails.

 

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Kevin

[michael_kadillak6]

The cart option is a very viable one as long as you do not go into

designated wilderness areas. It is illegal to have any "wheeled"

mobility in these areas. The only two other options are backpack

frames or horses. The horse option is not a bad one when you really

want to get back in. I have a cross buck saddle and panniers that

work like a champ and I just walk the horse in with all of my gear.

 

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Cheers!

[wilhelmn]

You just attach it to your hair shirt.

[nathan_congdon]

I backpack 12X20 with a backpack frame intended for packing deer meat

out of the woods. I can lash the camera, holders and a lens bag back

there and carry the tripod. I wouldn't want to run the Boston

Marathon that way, but it's quite viable for carrying the rig a few

miles, especially as the pack frame has a good shoulder harness.

 

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Nathan

[michael_mutmansky1]

Nathan's got the best answer, in my opinion. I think that a wheeled

cart is an effective way to move around if you have a bad back, or

if you are not able to carry the gear, but it is really a

compromise. You can't go too far off pavement with a wheeled cart

without it turning into a real hassle.

 

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I use a panel loading backpack for my 7x17, and it enables me to go

anywhere I want, and it is comfortable to permit long day hikes

without trouble.

 

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I am planning to put together a pack frame for my 12x20 to do the

same thing. There's nothing complex to it, but I recommend that you

figure out a way to protect the camera a bit, or else it will start

looking beat up pretty quickly from being lashed to a frame.

 

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I fabricated some filmholder 'pockets' and a camera 'pouch' out of

some quilted nylon fabric that I found at the sewing store. That

way, the gear can be lashed together without direct metal to wood

contact. The fabric is two pieces of nylon, with some batting

between, which is then quilted together with an approximately 1 inch

square grid of stitching. Because it was finished on both sides, it

made an easy assembly into pochets for filmholders. I made the

pockets with a divider in the middle to hold two filmholders each.

 

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In the case of the 7x17, I then found a pack that would fit the

camera and four holders. The 12x20 is much too large, however, so

I will go the pack frame route for that one.

 

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---Michael

[peter_chipman]

The Eureka Sovergien packs are huge! (7,000 cubic inches) with a nice

wide opening on the top. I think I used a E.S. II, didn't use it

with an 11X14, but did have a everything AND the kitchen sink in it.

 

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Pete.

 

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P.S. They're also very reasonable.