BTZS Dark Cloth

[David M]

There are special weights made for curtains. A narrow fabric tube with small lead pellets inside. They come in different weights. That's what we used.

 

[Ian Grant]

Ian, can you take a phone snap of where these clips are, I might try and adopt the Chamonix

I already have a photo



It's just a springy brass strip either side on my 10x8 Agfa Ansco Commercial and Universal View cameras



Similar but in a different position on the front standard of my Kodak Specialist 2. These clips are nothing special or complex and do the job.

David, when my wife made the several dark cloths I use today I had her sew in small fabric weights at each corner. Amazingly, this really helps to maintain shape while using it and the "wind problem" is only bad in pretty good gusts. Like Ian G, I really liked the viewing hood on my Crown Graphic, when I had it, but still prefer a loose dark cloth for all my other LF cameras. Horses for courses...

I have two commercially made dark cloths one came with the Agfa Ansco Commercial View, the other with the KodakSpecialist 2, bot have fabric (curtain) weights in each corner. The weights are easy to find in haberdasheries.

I'll be making a couple of new dark cloths fairly soon, the ones above are large and great with a 10x8 or 7x5 camera but no good for backpacking. My current home made ones are just about worn out after 40+ years of use.

Ian

 

[KenS]

Has anyone got any experience using the BTZS Dark Cloth. Ive watched Fred Newman demonstrate it on his website and it does look quite interesting

Ian,
I have been using the BTZS dark-cloth for some 20 years (and the film developing tubes for both 4x5 and 8x10)
I believe I've stated before that I will never go back to "hangers in tank' or tray development for ANY sheet film....
I have 'similar feelings' about my FIRST Choice of film developer (Pyrocat HD).
When you 'find a something that 'works' easier/better than 'most' of your previous (maybe even "preferred' decisions) it does not take long to 'feel good" about having made the change... perhaps even wishing you had known about your 'latest choice change' much earlier.

Ken