WTB: Film Changing Tent for 8x10

[John Hamlen]

Starting out into darkroom-less 10x8 photography and need a film changing tent large enough to load and unload the film holders and processing drum. However, the price of new tents is truly frightening
http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/product.as ... ging-Tents
(And those prices exclude VAT!).
Any pointers much appreciated!

[deadpan]

Not sure what it's like, but calumet do one too that I beleive might fit 8x10. You would have to make your own mind up dimentions wise. The alternative I guesss would be to make an MDF box with sleeves like that tents have...but I guess that depends upon whether you want to travel with it, how handy you might be with a saw, and whether you could eliminate all the dust caused by the saw after sawing etc. Or...build your own changingroom/ darkroom in your house etc.

It might be cheaper to import one from Badger Graphic in the states??

[Joanna Carter]

Not sure what it's like, but calumet do one too that I beleive might fit 8x10.

You are thinking of this one. It is excellent value and, although I have only ever used it for 5x4, I am certain you could get 10x8 in there. Above all, a very good price.

[Peter B]

I'm not sure how much help I can be on this, but I have used the Calumet one in Joanna's link to unload a 5x7 filmholder into a Paterson Orbital, so I'd think you might get away with loading an 8x10 carefully. I've also got a Fuji Darkbox like the one at the expired ebay link below, and it has substantially more room for loading film into a number of DDSs, but it's not what you'd want to drag round on your hols and it needs a decent table or bed to be set up on. I've seen them going for a good bit less than that one fetched.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FUJI-DARK-BOX-FDB ... 0451815188

[John Hamlen]

Thanks deadpan - A saw? What's a saw?! Not that handy I'm afraid

Thanks Joanne - That does seem very good value compared to the Harrison tents. Will think hard about whether a clumsy bloke such as myself will be able to load 10x8 dark slides and tanks within its petite space.

Thanks Peter - That is encouraging, though I still don't trust my level of dexterity! Shame Calumet don't do a size up from that. Though I guess at less than £50 it might be worth a punt and go for a resale here if it doesn't fit the bill for my 10x8 fiddling. That Fuji tent does look interesting. Plenty of room there! Portability isn't as important for me as pack-it-small-and-shove-it-in-the-back-of-the-cupboard-size. I will keep my eyes pealed for any more that come up.

Cheers guys!

[Joanna Carter]

John, I am wondering if anyone in our group lives close enough to you and has a Calumet that you could try out?

[Robin Wait]

John,
I have the Calumet changing room. I find unloading 8 x 10 into a Patterson orbital tank is fine (you have to bend the film backwards as you remove it to gain sufficient clearance) but loading it is a bit of a pain, though it can be done. I tend to borrow the darkroom at work for this. For 4 x 5 and 5 x 7 there is no problem at all, and it's sufficiently portable to take on holiday.
regards
Robin

[patawauke]

It works well for 4x5 and ok for 5x7, don't try loading grafmatics-a frustrating (and unsuccessful) experience with this changing room! It's very light and portable, but not easy to pack, being quite large when flattened out. For 8x10, it's worth checking out the US suppliers for a Harrison, the price difference vs our friends Robert White is usually huge.

[John Hamlen]

All sorted! Have just bought an immaculate looking Harrison tent from Phil.
Very smooth transaction and obviously well looked after. Thanks Phil.
John

[Phil]

A pleasure, John - good luck with the 10x8!