which changing bag?

[Guy Mann]

I need to get a changing bag for home b&w development. Are there any types/models/features that are preferable or will anything do?

 

[Finder]

I would get a bag that has a frame like a tent. That keeps the material from interfering from what you are doing. Mine is made by Photoflex, but there are others.

 

[RML]

I have a "travel" changing bag. I works perfectly well but sometimes I wish I had more space in it and that it would be more like a tent. But I travel quite a bit and changing my Holga is easy in this type of changing bag. Loading my (1 roll) dev tank is a bit more tricky but still I can do it.

 

[Ash]

I think mine is from jessops. It's the 'bag within a bag' style, so there aren't any light leaks around the zips.

Try one out beforehand if you can, cos I also find mine to be a little small

 

[kmack]

The bigger the better, It gets hot inside those things.

 

[Ash]

I was spoilt in college. They had changing boxes. Nice large things you could easily stack a 2-reel container, camera body, and all bits and pieces and still have space to move. Downgrading to a changing bag at home has killed me, pity morals stop me from theft!!!

I've got in the habit of working as careful as possible, but as fast as possible, to avoid spending long enough to get a humid atmosphere in the bag. It's awful when it gets sticky.

 

[Jerevan]

Get the biggest one you can find. Even the one I have feels too small to handle a 5-reel Paterson tank, a bottle opener, some film rolls and two hands. If you got money to spare buy a Harrison tent - only the best is good enough. 😉

 

[ZorkiKat]

...put a box in it!

...put a box in it!

To make your own 'changing box' out of your changing bag, put a cardboard box in the bag.
Get a corrugated box the size which would fit your bag- bigger bags are better, as previously stated.
The box will prop up your bag and give you a rigid space inside your bag where you would work comfortably with. Another third-world solution 😀

Jay

 

[foto_mike]

As others have noted, the bigger the better.

I like a bag with rather long arm extensions. I like to be able to put my arms in to just above my elbows with my hands extending short of the middle of the bag. It feels a bit roomier for me that way. Arm holes that are too short make me feel like I'm working in handcuffs.

With long arm extensions, I have a chance to remove an arm and insert a forgotton item into the bag without letting light in. Who hasn't forgotten to put the lid to the film reel container into the bag at some point? A long arm extension lets me carefully make folds in the bag and extension to form a light trap and slowly remove my arm. I don't recommend it, but sometimes there's no better choice.

 

[Fred]

I would get a bag that has a frame like a tent. That keeps the material from interfering from what you are doing. Mine is made by Photoflex, but there are others.

I got something like this fromCalumet, not cheap but very good. I used the bag in a bag type and found it OK for 35mm but a real pain for 120 roll film. Its also true that they get very warm as well, sweaty hands, plastic reels are not an ideal combination for me. The tent types get my vote.

Good luck with your search.

 

[Fred]

ZorkiKat has the best cheap idea by far, Iwish I'd thought of that 🙂 although I didn't have the biggect changing bag.

 

[danwilly]

Supersize it