Bags, Storage, and Transport - Large Format Friday

Okay so you’ve got a large format camera, some lenses, holders, and all the other pieces of “fluff” you need to start shooting. How are you getting your camera from where it is now to where it needs to be?
Lens Wraps: Tenba Lens Wraps mpex.com/catal...
Ground Glass Protector: Canham Cameras - canhamcameras.c...
www.ebay.com/s...
Shoulder Bag: Tenba Messenger 15", newest version is the DNA series mpex.com/catal...
Hard Case (small): Pelican 1510 w/ padded dividers mpex.com/catal...
Hard Case (big): Pelican 1630 w/ pick 'n' pluck foam
Camera Backpack: LowePro Super Trekker AW II, newest version is the Pro Trekker 650 AW
Questions? Send me an email: [e-mail]
Content by Mat Marrash: www.matmarrash...
#largeformat #filmphotography

[@GreggObst]

I just started a project where I'm going to be documenting the endangered old-growth forests here in the Northeast with the Canham 5x7 and a Nikon D850. I quickly came to the same conclusion about the F64 xtra large backpack that you did. The F64 is not meant for that kind of hiking and has no considerations for adjust weight distribution. I had to come back and re-watch this to make sure I wanted to invest in the Lowerpro Super Trecker AW II and I came to the same conclusions that you did. I ended up buying one last night on eBay and paid more for shipping it then the bag itself but I still think it will be worth it because it's a project enabling tool. I should have that in time for the weekend. Thanks again Mat for putting out super helpful content like this.

[@MatMarrash]

Glad to help and I think you made the right call on that Super Trekker AW II! I've been putting mine through the ringer for five years now and it doesn't show signs of stopping. The most underrated feature on it is the adjustable straps at the top of the shoulders. Once you've got the bag sitting on your hip bone and cinched up, pull those shoulder straps until you stop feeling the bag sagging down on your lower back. Stay safe and happy hiking and shooting!

[@trshaffer]

I use surplus US military back pack for my speed grafic and gear. This is surplus gear of an older style called ALICE that has a number of different size pouches for film holders, etc. The tripod straps on at the bottom. There are also places to attach other items like a canteen, ammo pouches for small parts, etc. This has served me well over the years, although my 4x5 monorail is a bit much for the medium pack, but will go in the large size one.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the tips Tim! When I was looking for a new backpack years ago, one of the trips I made was to an Army surplus store. IIRC, the only thing I didn't like about the frame packs I saw there was there weren't any large enough for a fully kitted-out 8x10.

[@jhague13]

Yes! What a great topic. Mat, you are winning the internet by sharing your experiences and using real world examples! I use similar means to transport my 4x5, medium format, and 35mm gear. Pelican 1510 (1514 w/dividers), Pelican 1610, LowePro bags, and the occasional Think Tank messenger bag when trying not to draw attention to myself. When hiking I use a REI Flash 62 pack, a Peak Design Camera Cube insert, and the essentials like food and water. I have found that the hiking pack is able to distribute the weight onto my hips and off of my shoulders. I’ve found that sometimes I just go with the camera and tripod over my shoulder, light meter and loupe around my neck, and film holders in the back pocket. Thanks again!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Jeb! That's a pretty filled-out carrying kit you've got, and I totally agree with the simple tripod-over-the-shoulder way of working (especially when close to the car!).

[@jhague13]

Mat Marrash It’s enough, and too much at the same time! There are times where my Crown Graphic and six film holders in a messenger bag is the beginning of a great day. I wanted to say thanks for the lens review video that you posted a few months back. I was in my local camera store and they had a lens that looked like a 90mm f/8 with caps on. I asked to get a closer look and it was actually the Schneider 121mm f/8 that you reviewed. SOLD!

[@LaViejaConsolada]

You gonna love this: I'm the owner of a beautiful 4x5 Shen Hao, and she's carried inside a laptop bag: fluffy, cozy and protective for a very affordable price. And It gives me room for the focusing cloth, the loupe and the notebook. I'm sure that I can find bigger ones with space for some film holders and bits and bobs, but I use what I got around my house. :-)

[@MatMarrash]

One thing I've always said to folks shopping for photo-specific gear is the photo branded stuff always costs way more new than other hobbies. There's way more folks out there that need laptop bags, glad you found one that's well padded and works!

[@Guscastillonj]

Photo walk Sundays In NYC! Hope that’s coming back when this is all over!

[@MatMarrash]

I'm dying for a large format photo walk!

[@AtlantaTerry]

You can make your own lens wraps from items found at stores such as Dollar Tree. They have two different fabrics to try. One is a yellow microfiber cleaning cloth and the second is a larger white very soft fabric used for polishing cars. I bought some of their Velcro hook 'n loop self-adhesive stickers and attached them to the corners of the yellow cleaning cloth. Instant "lens wrap". Wash and dry any fabric you buy to get rid of any lint or fuzz left over from manufacturing and shipping.

[@markwisniewski1011]

Thanks for the info, but have already purchased a 15"x 15" ProOptic wrap from Adorama, it is fairly well made and only cost me $10. I will keep your suggestion in mind when I need another.

[@Stewyg80]

Nice listings of LFstuff. These wrappings are awesome. Ordered 4 more of theme in 40x40. Had my Technika boards only normal in my bag so far.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Georg, I love those little neoprene wraps for all things photographic. You'll find 'em in my LF kit as well as all my digital photo and video bags.

[@MichaelWellman1955]

Great topic. As an owner of a 4x5, 8x10, 8x20 and 14x17 I have bags. Storage bags, backpacking bags and film holder bags. My two ULF cameras are Richard Ritter cameras so they are no heavier than my Wisner 8x10.. Though I will admit the larger the camera the less likely I will travel far from my vehicle. I am looking getting a trailer to attach to my bike to be able to travel on trails and the city to get to area's easier than my vehicle. Love Friday's

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Michael! Oh man your ULF's are Ritter cameras?! Those cameras are so incredibly light and strong. Let me know how you end up kitting out for biking, I live near a bike trail and want to use it some more!

[@MichaelWellman1955]

@@MatMarrash I'll keep you posted. Trying to find a nice used one which in this covid environment is proving more challenging (like everything else).

[@andyvan5692]

great video Mat, I've got myself a 5x7" Linhof Technika 3 kit, with 3 lenses and a reducing back for 4x5" ; and yes, I got the pelican 1630 case, as it was tall enough to fit the 5x7" camera into, as well as fit in the other gear it is big, but for the protection it offers, esp. for such a rare camera and lenses, best insurance you can have.

[@tangyorange6509]

YES. I loved this I take around my monorail 4x5 in a big check luggage roller. There is a top zipper that is just big enough to take everything out of rather than unzipping from the halfway point. I just cut foam to fit all my kit in there, and it works well! Wish I could make it a backpack though cause the wheels are a bit hard when not on pavement. Just got my lens taco wrap yesterday and I love it.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks! Have you looked into those straps that can covert a luggage roller to a backpack? I considered one for the Pelican a few years ago but have never seen one in person.

[@laurencegoldman4639]

Thanks. Very helpful. Would be great to see KZbin on adapted baby stroller.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the comment Laurence. I've got a feeling one of these days the size of the camera is going to force me into one!

[@jimfitzgerald7287]

Matt, nice information. It does take time to sort out what works when it comes to bags. I've done just about everything you talk about here. I'm only shooting 8x10, 8x20 and 14x17 now and I have bags for every system. I found a used Mindshift first light 40L bag for my 8x10 system. I'm not very tall ( 5' 7") and shrinking I find it fits me well and has a great adjustable padded system just like the Lowe bags you have. I can only take two lenses but one of them is my Cooke XVa triple convertible so realistically I have four lenses. I can get a couple of holders in the bag as well. I cary an old cooler bag for holders as well. My 8x20 system is in a rolling duffle which I've padded myself and holds three lenses and two film holders. At 70 years old I'm finding I need to roll stuff more to save my back and or work a bit closer to the car. The 14x17 system goes into a large Granite Gear portage backpack which I love. The suspension system is adjustable and I can carry it on my back for some distance. I'll carry two lenses, one of them the Cooke, two film holders and assorted stuff and still have room. It can get heavy for me but not insane. I also have a rolling hand truck that folds up nicely that I can strap any of the systems to if needed and it works well off trail as the wheels are large enough. It can be a little difficult on rough terrain but I still manage. Keep up the nice videos, I just found you.

[@MatMarrash]

Jim, oh my gosh thanks for the comment! I LOVE your carbon printing work and have been following your home built cameras for years. Your tip on x-ray film as a carbon tissue support changed the game for me. :) Thanks for your tips on traveling light as far as LF and ULF are concerned. Also, how do you like the XVa? Does it fair well on ULF and 8x10?

[@bthemedia]

Very well done Matt 👍 Covered nearly every key point I would want to pass along and even more in a very informative and friendly way. 😃

[@MatMarrash]

Awesome, thank you!

[@alanhuntley55]

Nice overview of the various options available for hauling camera gear. I use an F-stop Pro ICU XLarge for my Arca-Swiss 4x5 outfit and photobackpacker camera/lens cases for my 8x10 outfit. Both of these outfits are easily swapped in/out of a Kelty P1 backpack, as needed.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Alan! The F-stop Pro bags and inserts have always been so mysterious to me since I've never seen one in person. I was always taken back by price and opted to buy film instead. Glad to hear they're doing good work for you!

[@themaestro7922]

I also enjoy the large-format hair.

[@MatMarrash]

It's a package deal here on LFF! ;)

[@iNerdier]

I would just like to say thank you for these, the positivity and enthusiasm that you have for large format is wonderful and as a relative beginner to it I have learnt a lot from your videos. Personally for my 5x4 I use a second hand peli with wheels that I laboriously made dividers for with corrugated plastic (from house sale boards) and some foam I found. It’s not the prettiest but it’s worked well and was a cheap / recycling way to do it.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the comment! Sometimes the best tool for the job is DIY or made of found materials.

[@AtlantaTerry]

Hey, I have been wanting to make some dividers for my case too. I "saved" a couple political campaign signs made out of corrugated plastic boards. Now I need to wrap them with foam and fabric like the originals were. Do you have any tips or a KZbin video on this subject? Thanks.

[@iNerdier]

@@AtlantaTerry just measure and cut. Can’t really offer a tutorial, it’s just shaping to fit!

[@guenin]

Thanks for another excellent video full of useful tips. I've used various things as padding inside of non-camera bags to protect gear from clothing to packing material to cheapo camera bag inserts from ebay. But obviously specialty type bags like the Lowepro you mentioned are nice if you have specific needs.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks! The only thing I dislike about a big bag like the LowePro is how much it stands out from a duffel or hiking bag. With a photo-branded bag, you're making it very clear that there's a lot of gear in that bag.

[@tamasnemeth2161]

Sadly I don't travel too much with my LF systems anymore, but once upon a time I was doing mountaineering with my monorail 4x5 (Cambo SC) in the Alps in Europe. 5000 feet climbs using a custom built backpack - a very cheap one (less than $100). My back didn't always like it. But I still own that backpack, and occasionally log a bit more heavy geared 4x5 (Sinar P2), with digital back. As my neighborhood is flat, I don't too much climbing, just regular trekking 5-8 miles. On the other hand I carried my Speed Graphics with a single lens 2 filmholders inside my regular computer backpack for daily random shoots.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the comment Tamas and wow for mountaineering with a monorail!!

[@josephbrunjes6585]

I agree about the shoulder bags. I used to carry my Chamonix 4x5 into NYC with a large Domke shoulder bag and I was constantly shifting it from shoulder to shoulder. I have large Tamrac backpacks for 4x5 and 8x10 and a Granite Gear Portage pack for 11x14.

[@MatMarrash]

Hey Joby thanks for the tip! Wow, I'm looking at the Granite Gear website right now and those packs look awesome for ULF. Their cooler liner is perfect for ULF holders up to 16x20. Thinking really bad thoughts now...

[@josephbrunjes6585]

Mat Marrash My Granite gear portage pack will hold the 11x14, 3-4 holders, 2 lenses, and accessories. While the pack allows me to carry everything, I don’t think it was designed to be used for long distances... which is fine. That much weight is difficult for me to carry around for too long. I tested it out on a college campus and it was a workout.

[@CM-cb2km]

I opted for a light weight solution for my Intrepid 8x10. A 17" Laptop Fjällräven Kånken backpack for camera, two film holders, one lens, dark cloth and a spot meter. I carry the tripod in my hands.

[@MatMarrash]

Those Intrepid kits are so light they often feel like you left out the camera! I admire your restraint in taking two holders at a time.

[@jessejenkins6930]

Great video as always Matt. I love my tenba backpack for LF. Which I actually bought from midwest photo a few years back. Although I’m considering getting the next size up and retiring my old one. Since I’ve now upgraded to 8x10. It’s a pretty tight fit trying to cram all those 8x10 holders in their. Lol!!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Jesse! 8x10 can definitely be a squeeze in that size bag. My first 8x10 back was a beat-up Jansport backpack and a garage sale suitcase full of holders. Still to this day haven't tried outfitting a bag that holds the camera, lenses, and holders.

[@richardmoore8899]

Who knew a discussion about bags could be interesting ? I didn't know that hiking bags in particular could be so technical. Too many camera bags are OK to stuff things in but a roll around like ferrets in a sack when you carry them. An eventual move to LF and a desire to avoid messing up my ageing back means for once I have to seriously think about how I'm going to carry this stuff. I doubt (check back on this) I will go for 8x10 but as you suggest - even a 4x5 and associated kit is not travelling light. So for once I'll spend some money that will not only fit the gear but enable me to carry it in a way that is more comfortable. So thanks for some good pointers.

[@MatMarrash]

Glad this video could help, Richard! If you want to learn more about packing a bag for efficiency and weight distribution, talk to hikers and your local outdoor outfitters. There are usually free classes for packing a bag to save on space and help distributing weight. Saved my back big-time!

[@BillMcCarroll]

Great tips Matt, would love to hear some of your advice for traveling by air with a large format kit, more specifically how you manage to safely take film through TSA.

[@MatMarrash]

That may need to warrant an entire LFF episode, if and when I'm airborne again!

[@chuanlu]

Great video! I use osprey atmos 65 with peak design cubes for long hikes, and osprey Kamber for short ones. Kamber has worse suspension system compared to Atmos, but it has a back opening feature which is really convenient when you need to access the gear often.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the comment! Those larger Osprey packs are nice and have a comfortable belt system.

[@Manuparis]

I have a chamonix 4x5 with 3 lenses. I use a f-Stop Tilopa to carry them with 5 or 6 holders my black clothe and all my accessories.

[@MatMarrash]

Another vote for f-Stop gear, they are a very popular bag for large format!

[@Manuparis]

@@MatMarrash exactly. Nick Carver from KZbin has also a nice bag but they stopped to produce them.

[@scottbecker4474]

Matt, I’d be wary of “knocking around” large format lenses, despite being wrapped in padding. All leaf shutters with large front lens groups are susceptible to being bent out of alignment (where the front and rear lens groups are no longer parallel/coaxial to each other.) Wide angle lenses are especially vulnerable to this. Once the shutter body is bent, it’s extremely difficult to shim/realign. This is why you see “crash bars” on cameras like the Fuji GS645s or Fuji/Linhof 6x17. Love your videos!

[@marloncrutchfield1625]

That was a great video Matt! I just picked up two used bags in F 64 for my 4 x 5 camera and a pelican 1620 for my 8 x 10 camera system.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Marlon! Although I was hard on the F.64 for a very large 8x10 kit, I did overload it. I'm betting for 4x5 (what it was designed for) it will serve you well!

[@marloncrutchfield1625]

Mat Marrash thanks Matt - I got them both for 80.00!!! The pelican is for my 8x10 and the f64 is for my 4x5 - I love your KZbin channel - it’s been a while but I’m back to large format!!! Thx again!!!

[@67jmadison]

Helpful video, Mat! I'm still just using a hiking pack for my Intrepid. I know I need to get something better if for no other reason than organization.

[@MatMarrash]

I know a lot of photographers (not just LF) that love their hiking bags for the weight savings and ability to add camelbak water bottles. Bags are one of those interesting facets where there are so many out there but still never one bag that solves every photographer's needs.

[@AtlantaTerry]

As I write this today, it is early September and here in the United States it is time to go back to school. Many stores have their annual "Back to School" items on the shelves. One very useful item is a soft insulated lunch bag, they make a perfect carrier for 4x5" sheet film holders. Take some of your film holders to the store to see which ones best fit your needs. They can also be useful for large format lenses, too. Seeing that I already have a couple soft bags, I may just wait until October when those padded lunch bags go on sale to pick up a couple more. If you miss out, check with thrift stores such as Goodwill in a couple months.

[@MatMarrash]

Hey Terry thanks for the comment and tip on the padded lunch bags, what a great idea!

[@ianbabcock5951]

MacSports WTCX-100 Extended Wagon is a collapsible "beach cart" that is long enough to fit my wood Berlebach tripod!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the great tip Ian!

[@B3D5X]

Check eBay for vintage bags. I got a great Photo Trekker from the 90s for $25. Has waist and chest straps and all that. Great for 4x5, a couple lenses, filters, and half a dozen holders. I found putting the camera at the *top* of the bag pushed the weight more to my hips. Putting it in the bottom put a huge strain on my lower back. YMMV. I use a 4-wheel wagon for transporting all my wet plate gear when I go out in the field with it.

[@MatMarrash]

Hey Nick thanks for the tips! I'm right there with you on used gear. Bags can have insane markup when buying new. I may try re-distributing weight in the bag configuration, since it can get top-heavy when there's more than 3 lenses (about the same weight as the camera).

[@travelingtriathlete446]

I don't shoot large format (yet) but I do have a Mamiya RB67, and I use an f-stop gear backpack

[@MatMarrash]

I've heard many good things about these bags, they seem to be very customizable and with solid support.

[@bitbonk]

Which padded lens wrap would you suggest for outdoor backpacking and hiking activity and what size would I need for my small-ish Fujinon A 180mm f/9 ? Thank you yet again for your help with all of this “fluff”. 😉

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the question! You probably wouldn't need much larger than a 6-8" padded wrap. The real limiting factor would be if it's on a lens board larger than a Linhof-Technika size board.

[@bitbonk]

@@MatMarrash I’ve seen you use Tenba wraps, do you recommend them? It looks like they don’t make such small wraps.

[@derekkonigsberg2047]

I've managed to fit my entire 4x5 kit (including film holders) into a Mindshift Firstlight 30L, and I'm quite happy with it. However, I've avoided lens wraps because I'm worried that they'd make my 3 lenses just a bit too bulky to comfortably fit in the bag. Instead, I just have the dividers arranged to make pockets for them, where I've crammed some foam into the bottom for support. (Custom-shaped form-fitting foam inserts would probably be the best, but I'm not really sure how to pull that off.)

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the tip Derek! Working at a camera shop, I've sold plenty a Mindshift bag and they're made quite well. Also one of the few backpacks that doesn't need to be placed on the ground to have full access. For custom foam inserts, I would suggest looking into TrekPak inserts: www.pelican.com/us/en/discover/trekpak/

[@derekkonigsberg2047]

@@MatMarrash Divider inserts aren't really much of an issue. Its more wanting something to cradle the lens (while its mounted on the board) so its not flopping around in its pocket.

[@MatMarrash]

Oh okay, that makes sense. I wonder if you'd be able to purchase separately those "U" shaped pads that come in bags intended for longer lenses?

[@tylerlongfellow230]

I use the F.64 backpack and love it!

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Tyler! I may have been too hard on the F.64 bag; I really did overload the poor thing.

[@tylerlongfellow230]

@@MatMarrash not that you'd be able to do it with an 8x10 in the F.64 bag, but I keep my heavy items, like my camera, in the top compartment. That way the weight is on my shoulders and not my lower back. I can definitely see how the bag could hurt your back, especially with no adjustable lumbar support. Great video! I love what you're doing! I really enjoy watching your videos. They're more of "here's what I know" instead of "look what I did". Great content!

[@RogerHyam]

You missed the most important stuff! Your bag must have room for something to eat and drink. It is tough to be creative when you are not only tired from carrying a heavy bag you are also hungry and thirsty. I pack a small flask of coffee and something like oat cakes. Also a must have for me is a sitting mat to keep my bum dry! I use very slow glass plates so exposures minutes long. I open the shutter and sit down with a coffee for a while.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks Roger, haven't done long haul photo hikes in a while, food and drink become big considerations then! The sitting mat is a good idea, when I use my Pelican case I use that for a seat or like an apple box in the studio.

[@enigmatic_lee]

Thank you Matt! Learn a lot from your videos and start getting into large format recently. May I ask you what size of Tenba lens warp are you using for your lenses? I’m considering purchasing 12 inches or the 16 inches one for my lenses.

[@MatMarrash]

Thanks for the comment! Unless you're packing huge lenses, the 12" wraps should be plenty large. All of my lenses but one use the 12" size, and that's for lens boards of Sinar size 139mm or 5.25".

[@enigmatic_lee]

@@MatMarrash Thanks for the answering. I share your channel and videos to my friends here in Taiwan recently and we all love your LFF series! I also heard the episode you interviewed by Analog Talk podcast, and I want to thank you for your making this community so great.

[@MatMarrash]

@@enigmatic_lee Much appreciated, I'm honored to be surrounded with such a supportive part of the film photography world!

[@dominiquepierre-nina4581]

Hi Matt, sorry I am late to the party! but how do you protect your sheets of unexposed film while going through Airport security. I am asking as I will soon be traveling with my 4x5 and a box of Ektar and Ilford HP5. Looking forward to hear your thoughts , Regards Dominique Pierre-Nina.

[@markwisniewski1011]

What size lens wrap are you using? I'm looking to wrap my Cambo 4x5 lens board with a small copal 0 lens mounted to it and want it to fit without too much excess material.

[@MatMarrash]

Hi Mark thanks for the question. All of my lenses are mounted to Sinar lens boards that are 5.5" square, so most of them need to have a 12" wrap for comfortable transport. If you're using lens boards that are smaller, go with a smaller size wrap, but as a rule you'll want the wrap to be ~2x the longest dimension of your lens and board combination.

[@AtlantaTerry]

Mark, I also have a Cambo 4x5" but most of my lenses are mounted on Crown Graphic lensboards. (There really is no reason for the Cambo lens boards to be so large that I can see.) Then I have a Cambo to Crown Graphic board mounted on the front of the camera which makes it FAR easier to transport my lenses. Look on eBay for a pre-made Cambo lens board with an adapter for whatever small lens boards you want to use: Linhof, Crown Graphic, Sinar, etc. Notice that I said "most". The only two lenses not on Crown Graphic boards are my 75mm and 90mm lenses because they will be used with a Cambo bag bellows and short rail.

[@njc2o]

When your hair is ULF

[@LaurRants]

When the ULF hair hits

[@MatMarrash]

YES!

[@luciolibanori]

It just requires an extra-large dark cloth. LOL

[@bitbonk]

I am planning to do full day hiking trips with my (soon too arrive) Chamonix C45F-2, up to 6 Chamonix film holders, two lenses, a Sekonic L-858D, a small changing bag, a focusing loupe, two boxes of film and a tripod. Because those will be full day hiking trips with up to 15 miles distance, I have two problems: 1: Apart from the gear I will also need to pack food, water and additional clothing and 2: the back pack must be as ergonomic as possible. The most ergonomic back packs out there are actual hiking bags, but usually they are not so good for getting photo equipment in and out of it. Do you have any suggestions for me? I also appreciate actual product suggestions 😉

[@MatMarrash]

I'd recommend looking into hiking pack inserts like the camera cube system from Peak Design and the ICU system from F-Stop Gear. As for the main pack, just make sure it's designed for long form hikes and has an adjustable belt and harness system.

[@thetallesthobbit]

Hey. Can you please talk about 8x10 Polaroid? Pretty please?

[@MatMarrash]

You got it! There will be a little 8x10 Pola in the upcoming Q&A video, but a dedicated video is slated for sometime later this Summer.

[@thetallesthobbit]

@@MatMarrash Many thanks!!!

[@dorothykloss5303]

Do you know the difference between the lowepro super trekker AW and AW-II?

[@MatMarrash]

Hey Dorothy! Funny you should ask since I used to have the AW as a backup to the AW-II. The AW is a bit skinnier with what feels like a thinner outer fabric than the AW-II. I would recommend the II even at a higher price.

[@dorothykloss5303]

@@MatMarrash The super trekker is extremely hard to find. I saw one on ebay, and I know it's old. they want $325 for it so I'm still looking. And it's also hard to get measurements from people. I'm also looking at Osprey, Gregory and FStop. Thanks!

[@MatMarrash]

@@dorothykloss5303 The FStop gear bags are very nicely made, but can also be quite pricey. Osprey will be light and well fitted, but will need lots of spare padding.

[@comeradecoyote]

This has been my one struggle is finding the right bags for my needs. Graflex used to make leather case bags for their cameras, but most are dry rotted by this point. Kinda been debating on making one to hold two bag mags, a super d, 2 or 3 lenses, and a flash with bulbs comfortably.

[@MatMarrash]

You should go for it, handcrafted leather bags are unique works of art! I have a buddy that does leather work and he made me a strap to tie down my 8x10 for long travel. One of my favorite pieces of "large format fluff".

[@nageshwagh2476]

What tripod do you use for sinar p2

[@MatMarrash]

Hi Nagesh, thanks for the comment! I use the same tripod for all my LF cameras, it's an Induro CT414 (newest version is called the CLT404L). Had mine for 6+ years and it's been great. I especially like the twist locks because it makes the tripod easy to disassemble and clean.

[@nageshwagh2476]

@@MatMarrash any idea with Manfrotto 058b?

[@MatMarrash]

That model was what originally came with my Sinar P2 and it's a beast! Handles a maxed-out 8x10 Sinar kit easily, and has a lot of height and geared column to boot. The only thing to worry about with this tripod is the extra weight.

[@nageshwagh2476]

@@MatMarrash thanks for your response. Could you suggest what head can i use with the tripod for sinar p2? Any pan tilt head?

[@MatMarrash]

@@nageshwagh2476 I would strongly recommend the Sinar Pan Tilt head, it was made for the P2 but can handle just about anything. Super low profile and sturdy.

[@johnbrewer318]

I drag my gear around in a used golf caddy :)

[@MatMarrash]

John, I had never considered that before, amazing tip! There's definitely more golfers out there than large format shooters. Bet you got a steal on that bag!

[@AtlantaTerry]

I have heard about other photographers doing that, too. It is my understanding that most major airlines will not charge a luggage fee for golf bags like they would for photography bags. Have you found that to be true?

[@johnbrewer318]

@@AtlantaTerry I'm in the UK. I believe here most airlines do charge for things like golf caddies. The exception is a child's pushchair. I've not flown with my LF kit as mine is very heavy (Dorff 8x10) and large Manfrotto tripod.

[@BillPutnamPhoto]

Do you check your tripod in as luggage?

[@MatMarrash]

Yep, tripod gets checked every time!

[@bastusaap_art]

How do you scan 20×24 film

[@MatMarrash]

That's a really great question! Given how advanced mirrorless cameras are getting, I might recommend using a mirrorless camera with a normal focal length macro lens and stitching a bunch of overlapping frames. For quick documentation you could do single capture, but wouldn't do the format justice.

[@Delphisteve]

F64 XL bags are really cheap. I have one and the strap broke the first year out

[@MrFlyby34]

Another nice video which I like and is useful however every time I watch it’s costing me $$😊

[@MatMarrash]

There's always the fear of GAS during Large Format Friday!

[@MichaelWellman1955]

LF is not for the meek. It's heavy and bulky. I know of several photographers that have given up or down sized as they got into their 70's plus because it was too much.of a burden for them.

[@MatMarrash]

This is definitely something I've seen over the years but I've also seen some folks find interesting ways to adapt LF for their situation. This could be an interesting topic to explore further.

[@MichaelWellman1955]

@@MatMarrash I agree that is something that would be interring to follow up on. I remember the Ansel Adams quote when asked what camera he uses. His response; "The biggest one I can carry". Clive Butcher is another example of how age and illness affects our photography

[@user-tt4fc6ml6d]

9:20 NYC Ninja Turtle

[@olafwDE]

LOL 😂

[@MatMarrash]

>__< Amazing!

[@user-tt4fc6ml6d]

@@MatMarrash

[@benjamindejonge3624]

A golf cart will do to car that stuff