Developing while travelling

[jason_curole]

Hi all,

 

I have seen a few posts similar to what I am going to ask, but I think my

question is somewhat different. In 6 months my wife and I leave to travel in SE

Asia/Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, etc.) for 6 months-1 year. I plan on taking my

4X5 view camera and a good bit of TMX/TRI-X sheet film. The crossroads I am at

is when and how to develop this film. We will be backpacking (actually living

out of backpacks, not really backpacking per-se) and staying at the cheapest

places we can find. I have read posts of photographers using darkened bathrooms

for tray development, but, based on the brief traveling we did in Costa Rica and

Nicaragua, low-light bathrooms, much less light-proof bathrooms, aren't all that

common (in our price range). Given the length of the trip I am very reluctant

to put off development till the end. I suppose I could stockpile film and every

two weeks or so find a place with a low-light bathroom and stay the night.

 

In addition, there is the issue of chemicals. Right now, I use D-76 and tray

development. I suppose I could carry a couple of packs of D-76 and pick some up

in the bigger cities (also, my father/mother-in-law will ship supplies as

needed), but this means carrying jugs or containers of some sort. If anyone has

any brilliant ideas or complications I have missed please speak up!

 

And no, despite my wife's desires, I am not leaving the camera at home.

 

Thanks, Jason

[john_shriver]

HC-110? Mix directly from the syrup, don't make a stock solution. Or lots of quart pouches of D-76, mix/use/throw. But for D-76, remember you need hot water to mix it, then you need to cool it down.

 

Maybe consider investing in some sort of daylight tank, like the Jobo 2509 reel with 2521 tank, used as an inversion tank. Or, more rugged, and does 12 sheets at a time, is the old Nikor 4x5 sheet film tank, about $150 to $190 used on eBay.

[edward_vargas1]

Some of the major problems you will have are unexpected rain, temperature, humidity,

clean water, drying the film and some others I can't think of. I would recommend testing a

two bath developer, like AB55 from Cachet temperature range 65 - 85 degrees -

processing at night is the best time because it is cooler but humidity will be a problem for

drying, Jobo 2521, holds 6 sheets, or 2553, holds 12 sheets tanks and 2509N reels - you

may want to buy 6 of these; buy the biggest changing bag you can buy or you can buy a

darkroom clothe, from Porters, to make a tent using PCV piping to carry. For storing the

chemistry you will have a problem since you are traveling around the country problem on

foot to some places and the weight factor. One factor to consider in your travel that each

stop should be a week or so to allow you to process you film and to dry. Staying in the

cheapest place isn't go help if you do not have a good place to process the film. Why not

consider a 120/220 film magazine for the 4x5. I know if I were traveling I would take an

Arca Swiss 6x9 Compact Metric with the adaptor for 4x5, Gitzo 5500 with arcatech ball

head and other items - Gerber multi tool.

 

 

http://acratech.net/miva/merchant.mv?

Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AOS&Product_Code=ubh

 

http://acratech.net/miva/merchant.mv?

Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AOS&Product_Code=ubh

 

http://bayimages.net/tech/equipment/acratech-ultimate-ballhead.html

 

Good luck.

 

If you want more ideas email me at edward.va@mac.com

[edward_vargas1]

For this one.

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/acratech-leveling.shtml

[hitam_jantung]

You'll have to be very committed to this idea to pull it off. Flying with liquids is a big problem, and carrying powders through the Golden Triangle in your backpack is asking for trouble. If you're determined, I recommend the following:

 

Don't carry chemicals with you, ever; either liquid or powdered. Stockpile your film until you can spend a few days in a major city Buy your processing chemicals there, process your film there, and move on, leaving the chemicals behind. I recommend the Jobo 2521 tank and 2509 reel, used for rotary processing as intended, with the minimum possible chemical requirements. You'll find everything you need in Saigon, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta, etc., etc. Protect your film and negs from moisture by keeping them in an airtight container w/dessicant. If your view camera is not a tropical model, protecting it will become a full time job, or it will become sacrificial equipment, or both. I recommend something cheap, lightweight, self-casing and semi-disposable, like a Crown Graphic, and a few grafmatic holders. I suspect you'll want to shoot handheld some of the time, so a fast film like Kodak Tmax 400 or Tri-X might be handy. I can't imagine attempting what you propose, myself, and whatever images you return home with you will have earned. You'll have to be very committed to pull this off, and I wish you the very best of luck. I hope you'll publish your work that results from this ambitious project, and I look forward to seeing it, if you do.

[aplumpton]

I would rethink your equipment and film, if you have that opportunity. I assume you

will be flying rather than travelling by ship, and Tri-X is more susceptible to airport

X-ray damage than slower films (don't expect every airport to allow hand verification

of your films). Acros or another 100 ISO film would probably be fine. Continuous

travel between countries and the need to keep you baggage light suggests using a

lighter 120 film camera. I would opt for a rangefinder, possibly a 6x9 Fuji, or two of

these of differing focal lengths (65 and 90mm lenses), or a Makina 670 or a Mamiya 7

and a few lenses. With more than one body you could rate your films differently to

cover different lighting conditions. With 100 ISO or slower film you would probably

not notice a great difference with 4x5. A 120 SLR may be an option, especially if you

use graded ND filters or a polariser with your B&W film and usual B&W filters.

 

Powder chemicals (develope and fixer) are best for lightness. A changing bag and a

lightweight Paterson reel tank work fine, with a hose connection for washing.

 

A light 120 camera can also be set on a lightweight tripod like the small i343or a

small carbon fibre unit, which fit easily into a bag or backpack.

 

To avoid loss (theft), an unobstrusive old cloth bag and Calumet camerawraps can be

used to package your gear. Taping out camera labels and markings with black

electrical tape is a good idea.

 

No doubt a 4x5 will give you more flexibility than a 6x9 or 6x7, but it and the film

holders will slow you up when you want to be concentrating on the image itself and

you may not want to bore your wife unduly by longer photo shoots.

 

I envy your trip. Have fun and enjoy the beauty of differing human cultures.

[pc_b]

Jason, with all due respect, I think you are dreaming.

Is your wife your photo assistant in your business at home? If not, you risk your marriage.

 

You plan on living cheap, ok. Can you then explain to your wife that you shoot 100-200USD worth of film/dev per day?

 

It's _very_ hard to find darkrooms for a day-rent. Or do you really want to lug around a portable darkroom, water filters, drying chamber and all? I mean, what are heaps of 4x5s worth if developed inconsistently? Fixed/washed only so-so. With dried-in lint all over the neg even?

 

In my book, the only way of doing 4x5 while backpacking is by sending exposed film out and getting fresh film through mail as well. Do your parents (in law) have a big, empty freezer?

 

The alternative: if you really need shift get yourself an Alpa MF system. It's expensive. Then again, you probably own a couple of lenses in the 75 to 200mm range which could be remounted on Alpa plates. Plus a 48mm and your set for your trip (maybe 6000USD all-in-all). Sorry, no tilt, yet...

 

Best,

Pete

[nbg90455]

Jason,

 

Wow, very ambitious (and very enviable!), and I thought I was ambitious for lugging all my stuff (Arca 4x5, JOBO 2521, 2 gallon jugs of TMax RS, a couple of boxes of TMax 100 etc., etc.)with me for a two-year stay in Delhi...

 

Anyway, my suggestion would be to enquire on this list about pro-level labs along your route (and I can start by giving you a recommendation here in Delhi if you want, just contact me offline), and to manage exposed film by getting them developed whereever you can. You probably will get inconsistencies between labs, but at least each sheet is developed semi-decently.

 

I wouldn't carry chemicals or tanks in backpack -- too much hassle and too much risk for messing things up. How would you feel if you found out that you just messed up a bunch of film, because of a cracked daylight tank, or some errant light in a not-so-dark bathroom while tray-developing?

 

Pro-labs are hard to find, but they do exist in major cities. I would also recommend "keeping things simple" by selecting just one slow-speed B&W film (e.g. TMax 100). Color film and higher-speeds film will be more temperature-sensitive and/or X-ray-sensitive. Also, definitely get an 8x10-sized changing tent -- in hot climates, you will go insane loading 4x5 film holders in a 4x5-sized changing bag/tent -- too much heat buildup...

 

Enjoy, and show us some results when you are done ;-) !

 

Mike

 

P.S. If you go the 120 route, you still need to worry about the developing, so you are not gaining much, except you may not need a tripod. If you do take the 120 route, also consider old 6x9 folders. They are (almost) pocket-sized, and you get a decently-sized negative to print from...

[pc_b]

Hi Jason,

 

just realized that Alpas ALWAYS need lenses with focussing mount. Consequently there is no way of re-plating your LF lenses. Sorry!

 

Cheers,

Pete

[edward_vargas1]

Jason,

 

You are sure being awful quiet. Any thoughts as to what you are thing as what has be

recommended? I believe an Arca Swiss 6x9 Compact Metric view camera would be the

best way to go.

 

http://www.camerareview.com/templates/reviews.cfm?camera_id=183

 

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Flmk

 

 

http://houston.craigslist.org/pho/558597304.html

 

http://www.teamworkphoto.com/index.php?

main_page=product_info&products_id=12312

 

http://www.galerie-photo.com/a-visit-to-arca-swiss.html

 

NO, I am not a salesman or rep for Arca Swiss. This is the view camera I intend to buy and

use when I travel abroad.

 

Good luck.

[jason_curole]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for your many responses; sorry it has taken me so long to get back. PC B, no offense taken; I also think I am dreaming, but why live if you can't dream. At this point I am going to stick with a 4X5 view camera. I understand that MF would be lighter, easier and quicker, but I don't want to buy new gear without trying this approach first. I bought the camera used ($350), so if I have to sell it in Asia I won't lose much (even if I give it away, I won't lose much). The lenses (the valuable part of my setup) can always be shipped back to the US ($50-100 via FedEx). If I can't make the LF work I will probably try and pick up a MF camera. There will be fewer options, but I will take the risk.

 

Others mentioned that a view camera will slow me down; my wife and I agree that this is all right (even ideal). We plan to take our time and hope to settle down at some places for a week to a month; we have 12-15 months (maybe even longer), why hurry? Also, if I go with a MF camera I still have to deal with film development and will want to carry a tripod for sunset/sunrise shots; thus, all I save is a little weight (probably less than 10% of my total backpack weight) and setup time, but at the cost of image size. Yes, I won't be able shoot on the go, but we will buy a pocket digital for that.

 

Someone also mentioned 100-200 USD worth of film and developer per day. According to my calculations this translates into at least 100, 4X5 shots per day. I seriously doubt, even on days that I devote entirely to shooting, I will expose this much film per day; if I do, then this could possibly be the best vacation ever.

 

As for developing, my thoughts lean towards the following. Tanks for 4X5 development are running >$200 on eBay and the more I think about it the less I want to carry a developing tank, bottles, etc. I think I would rather stockpile film and every two months or so ship the stockpiled film back to the states. My wife's mother has more refrigerator/freezer space than she knows what to do with so that is not a problem. In addition, I plan to occasionally shoot duplicate B+W images and have these developed at pro labs along the way. These will primarily serve as a quality control check on the equipment and film. I also plan on trying to shoot transparencies (maybe color negative?); I will have these developed at labs as well and they will serve as an additional check on equipment. Certainly any film that might be x-ray sensitive can be bought at the pro-labs; we don't plan on flying once we arrive in Bangkok. I suppose the one kink to work out here is whether FedEx x-rays packages.

 

I have 6 months before I leave so I plan on trying to backpack with the camera, etc. In addition, this entire plan is flexible. If I have to modify it on the go I will. If this works out I will definitely post when I return, although I think the magnitude and beauty of 4X5 is somewhat lost in low resolution-web friendly digital images.

[edward_vargas1]

Jason,

 

Visit Kinesis: http://www.kgear.com

 

I used their backpack when I traveled to the Czech Republic and Germany. Since you plan

to stay with sheet film I wish you luck.

 

Have you considered going to APUG, http://www.apug.org

and this website asking if any Americans or photographers living in the countries can help

you out in you planning? Even news organizations.

 

Good luck