What's in your trunk, (boot)?

Well in my bike-to-work "trunk" I carry a Holga because its just to hard on my nice RF's. Rattled a screw out of my Leica CL and the hell out of my Fed 2 viewfinder, although it seems to have helped the out of sync shutter curtain. Other days I just carry one of my other cameras... Good way to shoot both MF and 35mm.
 
It's fine in the winter, but I get some awfully dark base negatives in the summer months, cause I keep an old Nikon SLR in my car all the time, usually loaded with trix. Just in case ya know. But in my trunk you will find some tools, a tripod (of course, not that I'd ever use it!) a reflector (ok, it's a windshield shade) and lately, a small Weber barbecue.

No, really.

More importantly... 1000 posts! Thats a milestone or something right? Going out on a limb here but might I suggest you celebrate with a can of Tri-X?
 
My trunk already has a tuba, a suitcase, a dead dog and a garment bag in it. 😉 Seriously, this is Arizona, dude! Cameras would cook in the trunk!

I do typically take my 1979 Domke bag (one of the originals, with the plywood bottom) filled with my Kiev and Bessa RFs plus an assortment of lenses in Contax RF mount and a flash.

Am too used to the weather here, four trips out west in vans and large cars, did spend some time looking for shade to park.

Do not recall any Pop Photo torture tests.

The seats of the MG get a lot hotter than the trunk.

This might be a seasonable topic?

Regards, John
 
Tripod and a monopod, Nikon F801 SLR, Metz potato masher, and a digital of some sort (company camera). The first two are in insulated picnic bags and carried year round. The consol in my truck holds a weatherproof Konica "construction boss" in bubble wrap.
 
Last edited:
Tripod and a monopod, Nikon F801 SLR, Metz potato masher, and a digital of some sort (company camera). The first two are in insulated picnic bags and carried year round. The consol in my truck holds a weatherproof Konica "construction boss" in bubble wrap.

I have the Olympus in an old substantial case and a blanket around it in a box, to cushion it and slow down the swings in temperature. I am not advocating general trunk storage, but the trunk in the Deville does not seem to heat up that quickly. I used to use a cooler with sealed blue ice packs to keep film cool on the road, but a camera with some less than optimally stored film is better than no camera.

There are some really nice cameras selling for chicken feed, I was thinking about the OM1 I saw at the last show, nice and complete in two cases for $50, sold by the original owner.

Console and bubble wrap, perhaps one of the white shipping envelopes? for something small seems good, or in one of the pouches on the seat?

John
 
Last edited:
I tend to leave my Konica FS-1 in the car...unless its boiling hot of course.
Also, have a tripod in the trunk, mostly in case I need it for work. I dont use it for personal work.
 
I rarely go out without a camera and always have a tripod and a monopod in the car. But the main 'accessory' that I wouldn't be without and always carry is a Map, I have a large box full of maps in the boot of my car.
 
Now I am in trouble, been ignoring an XA2 on an auction. Does it put out the results when you put in the effort? I can live with the zone focus, but no manual exposure? Do you compensate with EI adjustments?

Regards, John

Hi John,

I'm still on my first roll, but I'll let you know how it turns out. I picked up the XA2 to primarily be my car/pocket camera. So far, I'm liking the size and operation. Since it's the 1st roll, I haven't been adjusting EI any yet - I want to see how the meter performs.

-Justin
 
I messed up a camera by leaving it in a hot car in Summer, just for a while too. Maybe the trunk would be okay though.
What exactly was the damage? I left an S2 in the car once in the case, and the case was hot to the touch, but rescued it.

I don't know about feen's camera, but in my case, leaving film in heat extremes (the interior of cars in Phoenix can reach 150F easily in midsummer) raises it's base density, to the point of the film becoming nearly opaque when developed. My olf FG seems never to suffer for it though, so as long as I shoot fast, leaving the film in the car for only a few days at a time, I seem to get away with it.

The camera does get hot though, and may have long term detriment to the seals and lubricants.
 
I don't know about feen's camera, but in my case, leaving film in heat extremes (the interior of cars in Phoenix can reach 150F easily in midsummer) raises it's base density, to the point of the film becoming nearly opaque when developed. My olf FG seems never to suffer for it though, so as long as I shoot fast, leaving the film in the car for only a few days at a time, I seem to get away with it.

The camera does get hot though, and may have long term detriment to the seals and lubricants.


I do not subscribe to equipment torture, but a lot of stuff may be headed to land fills soon, just look at what is at the local thrift shops and camera shows. No one would give $125 at one show for a Mamiya 1000s with a plain prism.

Am split from tossing in the Mini Leica to the Console, or putting something a bit more complex, and about equal monetary value in the car.

Part of it is that it just normally does not get that hot here, and I really do not shoot much near home, but am guessing I am not the only one who saw something I really wanted to shoot and was unarmed. I saw a nice shot, had my Rollei 35s, but it really needed a 90mm.


Without knowing, you have no idea what the last guy did with a camera you bought used, but I have seen enough hazy lenses to wonder if they got heated up to the point that the lube vaporized and redistributed itself?

Do you find a bit more life in slower films? I know from my local shop that films became much more "durable" in the past 20 years.

john
 
1/ tripod

2/ Lightstand bag with
two tall lightstands
one regular lightstand
lightstand swivel arm with clips for holding a reflector
2 silver umbrellas
1 white umbrella
1 mini-tripod clamp

3/ Tenba Rolling Suitcase with:
D300/Nikkor 12-24/4
D200/Nikkor 20/2.8 AIS (back up)
3 pocket wizards
4 strobes: two SB-80DX, one SB-800, one SB-24
1 folding white reflector
Assorted light modifiers: gels, stoffens, bounce cards, strobe lightbox, etc, etc
Spare batteries, CF cards, notebook, pens

4/ a short step ladder
 
...Do you find a bit more life in slower films? I know from my local shop that films became much more "durable" in the past 20 years.
I will have to test that John, as I have an ample supply of slow film on hand at the moment. I'll put a roll of slow, and one of medium speed in the car for a month (June - that should do it! 😱 ) and see how they develop after that. Maybe I should throw in a roll of BW400CN as well. It would be nice if I could use that as a heat resistant car film. I'm not that worried about the camera or lens, as both are over 30 years old, and for a Nikon, that's getting up there.
 
What's in my trunk? (Station wagon, really.)

Two tripods, tools, folding shovel, bungees
Boots, blanket, tarp, 1 gal. potable water
Toyo 45D, Seneca View 5x7, Super Graphic in road case
About 25 filmholders (some loaded), old choir robe for dark cloth
150 Nikkor-W, Optar 90, 210 Symmar

35mm equipment, Gossen Digipro, and Rolleiflexes ride up front.
 
Back
Top Bottom