paul_skiba Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 I ran across this PhotoVision System on the web. You load your film holders in a standard tent but you can "see" what you are doing in the tent. The system includes an infrared emitter/camera and a TV-like monitor. The emitter/camera looks down from the roof of the tent and you watch the film go into the holder, on the external monitor. System with monitor costs $160. See details at http://www.photovisionir.com Comments on the usefulness of this system? I am just starting out in LF and have no experience loading holders. I will be using 5x7 B&W film. Thanks Paul Skiba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian yarvin Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Paul: It could take you as much as forty or fortyfive minutes to learn the correct technique for holder loading and during that time, the system you describe might be useful. But you won't need it afterwards. A brief demonstration from an experienced holder-loader would be much more useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david l. Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 For about 4 years now I've been loading my 8x10 film holders in a Harrison Pup Tent using a different infrared detector...my fingers. (It took about 25 minutes of practice with a discarded piece of flim to get the detector calibrated.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don_miller2 Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 I thought this was a joke until I checked the link. Talk about technology overkill. If one cannot handle loading film then LF is going to be way too "physical" anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_lazarus Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Just work with a exposed piece film in the light with your eyes closed until you get good at it. Then expect to loose a few sheets later on down the line. LF is not cheap! Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvp Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Well, it's cool, I'll give it that. It's also, IMHO, money badly spent. With that gizmo, you'll have additional setup time every time you want to load film, plus you'll be tethered to power (even if it's batteries.) When part of that system fails you'll be fumbling in the dark. OTOH, with a little practice you will quickly learn what's going on inside the tent. Practice with no tent, and your eye's closed. Open you eyes as needed when you hit a snag, figure out what went wrong and do it again. It won't take long and you'll be comfortable in the dark. And you just saved at least a hundred dollars, now go buy some film! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric rose Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 A trap looking for an inexperienced mouse IMHO. take the advise offered above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_greant Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 being both cheap and adventurous I didn't want to waste any of my new film when I first got started.. so I carefully read some instructions I found online (read them two or three times) darkened the bathroom and went to it.. Wasn't till 50 or 60 sheets later that I finally misloaded one... and in a year of shooting LF I've only misloaded one. <p> Point is, (like everyone else's above) it's pretty darn easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhananjay_n Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 The funny thing is they might actually garner some market if they decided to make some modifications and target it towards the "development by inspection" crowd - as it is, the TV monitor would probably fog the film, but with an IR viewer, it could work. Maybe that is unfeasible or someone in a conference room said "Hey, if we market it as something to help load film, we get a much larger segment of the market." Cheers, DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_photo Posted October 5, 2003 Share Posted October 5, 2003 I would think that most films have some sensitivity to IR and that the emitter would cause some exposure. I've got an IR viewer and a huge "invisible" IR light source but haven't tried anything like this. I practiced loading with a scrap sheet of 4x5 with eyes open to get a feel for it then went for the changing bag. Only occasional problems with defective holders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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