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Would you pay $175 for a dark cloth - even a nice one? Perhaps not, if
you had these tips on making your own from a dark tee shirt to having a
local seamstress make one for you at a small fraction of the top of the
line dark cloth costs.
From: Dan Whitsell whitsellzzz@texas.net
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Dark cloth - still looking
Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2000
$175 sounds like a lot for a dark cloth. My wife made mine for about
$15 in materials cost. I selected opaque rayon, (white for one side,
black for the other), she added velcro for attaching to the camera,
and voila! It's probably not as light as the nylon but it drapes
nicely.
Maybe you could find the material you want it made from and have a
tailor or someone who does alterations sew it for you.
How much can that cost?
I am curious, though, how dark cloths typically attach to the camera.
From: Deirdre Wiseman admwiseman@mailhost.day.ameritech.net
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Dark cloth - still looking
Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2000
Dan Whitsell wrote:
> $175 sounds like a lot for a dark cloth. My wife made mine for about > $15 in materials cost.
Your wife made yours? I had to make my own. I did sew two silver
dollar size washers in the corners of mine. Helps alot on windy days.
Arch
From: keysal@aol.com (KEYSAL)
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Dark cloth - still looking
Date: 07 Jan 2000
After reading about how one shooter would just take a Black Tee Shirt and
slip the neck around the film back to use as a dark cloth I tried it and
became convinced it is the best way.
I am going to further put a metal grommet through the neck stitching and
put a shower curtain hanger through it so I can hang it on my tripod when
its not around the back. Normal dark cloths seem to be unwieldy kites that
let in way too much light from underneath making me clutch the draped
corners in one hand to cut off the light. For eliminating stray light and
creating a dark ground glass back for focusind the Tee Shirt works
perfect.
Keysal
From: s.d.stokes@att.net (Sheldon D. Stokes)
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Dark cloth - still looking
Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2000
(KEYSAL) wrote:
> After reading about how one shooter would just take a Black Tee Shirt and slip > the neck around the film back to use as a dark cloth I tried it and became > convinced it is the best way.
I did that out of nessesity (poverty is a bitch), and I really like it a
lot. The dark cloths I've tried don't close up under you very well and
while that's not a problem for focussing wide open, it can be when stopped
down for a final check.
> I am going to further put a metal grommet through the neck stitching and put a > shower curtain hanger through it so I can hang it on my tripod when its not > around the back. Normal dark cloths seem to be unwieldy kites that let in way > too much light from underneath making me clutch the draped corners in one hand > to cut off the light. For eliminating stray light and creating a dark ground > glass back for focusind the Tee Shirt works perfect.
The problem I've found with closing the cloth with one hand is that now
you only have one hand to hold the loupe and focus and adjust the camera.
Not enough hands.
I use a pocket T-shirt, and I use the pocket or the neck hole to hang the
shirt on one of the big rubber knobs on the bogen 3047 head I use.
I encourage everybody to try a t-shirt, it's a great dark cloth.
Sheldon
From: tjkphoto@aol.com (Tjkphoto)
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Dark cloth - still looking
Date: 07 Jan 2000
KEYSAL wrote:
> For eliminating stray light and creating a dark ground glass back for >focusind the Tee Shirt works perfect.
. . . until you put it over a cold camera and breath into it. You'll
practically pass out from holding your breath in that shirt, trying not to
frost the glass. You'll need to find a way to keep your mouth out of the
system, and not breath through your nose, which takes some getting used
to. Even then, the heat and moisture from your face can shaft you. Winter
demands so much of the photographer! :-)
P.S. I'm not anti-shirt, this is just a qualifier based on my experience with
them.
From: tjkphoto@aol.com (Tjkphoto)
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Dark cloth - still looking
Date: 07 Jan 2000
Regarding dark cloths:
I second the white outside/black inside approach. I
also use Velcro. Velcro on the camera isn't pretty, but the convenience
is great. I even Velcro a bit of the bottom edge together to make somewhat
of a tube. With Velcro, you can walk around with it stuck to the camera,
the whole works slung over your shoulder. That speeds things up a bit
while you are desperately relocating during changing light. You can also
rearrange it on the camera to block mist or drizzle while you're waiting
for the perfect moment. For me, heavier works better - doesn't flop in the
breeze so much. Better too big than too small. I wrap the folded camera in
it before putting it in the backpack after tearing down (a little extra
protection). Tight-weave fabrics don't pick up many burs or as much sand.
If you're like me, the thing is going to end up on the ground sooner or
later, with equipment or lunch spread out on it (white side down). Also
doubles as a serape if your windbreaker isn't heavy enough. Easily
washable fabric makes sense, too. Mine smells as bad as old trailboots
after a sweaty-headed Arizona summer.
From: msherck@aol.comimagine (Msherck)
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Dark cloth - still looking
Date: 07 Jan 2000
>I mean, I really do not want to attach self-stick velcro in case the sticky >stuff doesn't come off clean when you have to remove it, and then if you just >throw the whole cloth over the camera, it doesn't stay.
I made my focusing cloth out of a fairly heavy cotton fabric and used the
heat sensitive Velcro stuff to stick Velcro onto the cloth, not the
camera. I just drape the cloth over the camera and stick the two corners
closest to the camera's back together. *grin* Works pretty well.
Mike
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Dark cloth - still looking
From: radiojon@means.net
Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2000
$175 for a dark cloth? Been to a fabric store lately? I'll bet you can get
two pieces and have a seamstress sew them together for a total of $35.
John
From: "Harry WELLBORNE" Benelatus@hotmail.com>
To: rmonagha@mail.smu.edu>
Subject: Focussing cloths.
Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2001
Hi there,
I am in the process of preparing to take my first large format =
photographs.
Instead of purchasing a purpose made focussing cloth, I =
bought a ladies' black cotton velvet skirt in a charity shop and =
un-picked the back seam. I was then able to machine stitch the lining to =
the "new" side seams. The cloth will be held in place with inch wide =
black elastic. Resulting in a practical low-cost focussing cloth, with =
minimal expense and effort.
best wishes,
Harry
From: "Bruce Grant" bgrant@mbcnet.com>
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Managing ones darkcloth
Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002
For those still interested in old-fashioned flat dark cloths, I suggest two
enhancements.
1. Go to your local fabric store and buy a length of bead chain (small lead
shot in shrinkwrap tubing, made for weighting the bottom of drapes) long
enough to run around the entire perimeter of the cloth, then sew it into the
hem of the cloth. This provides enough weight to keep your dark cloth from
blowing off while you are focusing, yet distributes the weight evenly,
unlike simple weights at the corners, which can get to whipping around
dangerously in a brisk wind.
2. While at the fabric store, also buy a soft cloth tape measure. Stitch
this along one edge of the dark cloth. Presto. You'll never have to carry
around a big steel tape measure on your belt and be mistaken for a building
contractor again.
--
Bruce Grant
bruce@wellsgrant.com
Most problems are multifactorial and most solutions incremental.
"Tony Galt" galta@uwgb.edu> wrote...
> I am new to view camera photography and have been fooling around with
> my new Shen Hao trying out the swings, tilts and shifts and exploring
> the mysteris of focus. The darkcloth I have is rather heavy and has
> velcro running all along one short end and velcro tips on the other
> end. I haven't found a satisfactory way to attach this to the camera
> securely yet. Either the cloth slips over the lens or falls off the
> back. There are no clips or anything designed for this on the camera.
> Does anyone out there have any good tips about how to manage such a
> darkcloth. So far my explorations have been inside, but tonight I'm
> loading some holders and plan to go shoot some film shortly. I am
> concerned the darkcloth will be a problem outside with wind, if I
> don't figure out how to best attach it to the camera.
>
> Tony Galt
From: M C Daily mcdaily@indy.rr.net
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: where do you buy ground glass?
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002
For LF bellows material, I have used black rubberized raincoat material
from JoAnn fabrics (when they have it). For shutter curtain material:
try Micro-Tools, PO Box 6505, Vacaville CA 95696, 707.446.1120,
www.micro-tools.com. In the catalog, pg. 99.
Michael
Richard Knoppow wrote:
(snip)
> On another post, I can't help with shutter cloth, I've been trying
> to find a source of rubberized or plastic coated cloth myself for both
> focal plane shutters and for building bellows. Most fabric stores
> have no idea what you are talking about. I've found some frustratingly
> close material in stores selling upholstering materials, but it was
> too stretchy. Since cloth FP shutters are still made and certainly
> bellows are still made, someone must be making the right cloth.
> ---
> Richard Knoppow
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