Change Tents ... the good the bad and the ugly?

[Keith]

After about five years I'm very close to shooting a roll of black and white film and developing it at home. 😱

I still have plenty of film in my freezer, chemicals etc and the only thing to finalise is somewhere to load the film into the developing tank. I now live in a very small cottage which is actually an old converted farm shed and no chance of creating a dark space for this sort of thing. I was never able to get on with a changing bag due to sweaty hands and a short fuze so I'm thinking of a small changing tent where at least the clammy hands will be less of a problem. B&H have a reasonably good looking small unit for just over eighty dollars.

Who has experience with these things and are you happy with the way they work for you? 🙂

 

[Timmyjoe]

Hey Keith,

Used to shoot a lot of 16mm motion picture film, and used a changing tent all the time for loading and unloading the mags. The kind I have, they sell at B&H, but they're a bit more than $80.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/172903-REG/Harrison_1000_Pup_Film_Changing_Tent.html

Your hands will still get sweaty, but you do have more room to move around inside. For all my 35mm and 120 film changing needs, I use a bag. I only do one roll at a time, letting my hands dry out and the bag air out a bit between rolls.

My issue with the changing tent is that it takes up more room than the bag, and I don't like leaving it set up all the time. But it does give move room than a bag.

Best,
-Tim

 

[sepiareverb]

I used a tent once to load 4x5 film holders as an assistant years ago, worked SO much better than a bag. No worries with overheating for me, and I tend to overheat easily.

 

[JeffS7444]

I owned a Photoflex "changing room" and this worked well. It lasted for a number of years but eventually the lining became crumbly, and since it didn't seem like something that I could readily mend, I threw it out.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I use a changing bag, and have sweaty hands. I wish there was some sort of "blower equipped changing bag" to ventilate the thing.
Washing my hands a while before I go in seems to help.

 

[f16sunshine]

Use Nitrile gloves

Use Nitrile gloves

I use a dark bag to load tanks.
One way to avoid summer heat hands is to put on nitrile gloves before working in the bag.
Hands won't stop sweating but gloves keeps humidity from becoming an issue.
I've done that for years now.... it really makes a difference.
Those changing bags and tents make using daylight tanks possible almost anywhere.
I've not had a real darkroom now since 2011 but have developed many hundreds of rolls using a dark bag.

 

[Keith]

I use a dark bag to load tanks.
One way to avoid summer heat hands is to put on nitrile gloves before working in the bag.
Hands won't stop sweating but gloves keeps humidity from becoming an issue.
I've done that for years now.... it really makes a difference.
Those changing bags and tents make using daylight tanks possible almost anywhere.
I've not had a real darkroom now since 2011 but have developed many hundreds of rolls using a dark bag.

Thanks ... the thought of those gloves had crossed my mind. I know that even with a working space around my hands the sweat will be a problem and like you say the gloves mask that issue. 🙂

 

[Pentode]

Have you considered putting a cardboard box inside your changing bag? It ‘tents’ the bag so it doesn’t lay on your hands as you work and it costs... nothing. It won’t stop your hands from sweating but at least they won’t be sticking to the inside of the bag.

 

[Keith]

Have you considered putting a cardboard box inside your changing bag? It ‘tents’ the bag so it doesn’t lay on your hands as you work and it costs... nothing. It won’t stop your hands from sweating but at least they won’t be sticking to the inside of the bag.

That seems very sensible ... and something I'll definitely consider. The only problem is, due to the incredible lack of space in this building something collapsible is preferable. Maybe something made of cardboard that can fold flat when not in use?

 

[Timmyjoe]

Keith,

The changing bag I use is about 24" square, double walled, with elastic around both arm holes. After I put my daylight tank and opener and scissors, with a roll of film into the bag, I insert my left arm, which seals pretty well with the elastic on the arm holes. Then I separate the top and bottom of the bag (basically like blowing up a balloon) and then insert my right arm into the bag, where the elastic make a pretty good seal. This gives me an "inflated" changing bag at the beginning of the process. By the time I get the film open, and rolled on the stainless steal reel, the air has pretty much all escaped from the bag, but by this time I'm almost finished, so it doesn't matter so much.

That way I don't need the tent (which takes up a lot of room) and it is completely collapsible when not in use.

Just a thought.

Best,
-Tim

 

[B-9]

I use a Nuritsu Dark Box.

Similar to using a blasting cabinet just stick your hands inside the cuffs.

They have removable jigs inside to make loading/unloading easier.

I think I paid like 50$ for mine plus postage. Will never use a bag again.

Edit: Noritsu Dark Box

I got mine from this seller a few years ago, looks like the price has come down a few dollars!

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/312020066054

 

[sreed2006]

When sweaty hands turn the emulsion to glue, I put a sealed container of ice in the changing bag for awhile before putting my hands in there. Wrap the container with paper towels. Not only does the cool air help with the heat, but the ice cold container draws water out of the air. While not a perfect solution, it does help some.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Drying tank and reels plus inside of changing bag and hands
with a hair blow dryer before loading has worked well for me.

Chris

 

[PRJ]

Just be quick!

I have a Calumet/Photoflex type tent. Works great and I've had it for many years. I am so used to it that when I try to load film in the dark i have all kinds of trouble doing it!

 

[wintoid]

What about a Rondinax? No darkbag required.

https://rondinax.wordpress.com/

 

[michaelwj]

I hear you with the sweaty hands. In Melbourne I didn't have an issue, but back in Brisbane, so sweaty. I use a bag, load my reels first thing in the morning when it's cooler and the humidity is lower (even if I don't develop until that evening), and move fast. I've had to become much faster since moving back to Brisbane.

The other issue is the tap water is pishing 30 degrees C this time of year, so I use a lot of ice.

 

[Fraser]

Just be quick!

I have a Calumet/Photoflex type tent. Works great and I've had it for many years. I am so used to it that when I try to load film in the dark i have all kinds of trouble doing it!

+1

Thats the trick just get better at loading reels, working for local newspapers 20 years ago and still shooting B+W film and having to dev everything yourself you soon got pretty quick!
I've found with changing bags they can never be too big.

 

[Michael Markey]

I`m going to try that cardboard box idea .... thanks

 

[Out to Lunch]

Rondinax...sounds interesting.

 

[rybolt]

seven thin metal or fiberglass wands. four of them the same length for the uprights and three longer ones for the crossbars. I made mine hinged so they would collapse when not in use. You cut them to the correct length to fit the bag size. The only tricky part is finding the hinge that you want to use. I took a wooden spool that looked like a yoyo and drilled holes where I needed them and pushed the wands into the holes. It was very secure.