# Portable film changing bag vs pitch black room for loading negatives?



## eddiek11syou (Jan 27, 2013)

Hi,

I am looking at the 2 layer bags that are sealed to not allow any light in for loading negatives onto reels for developing. I was wondering, do these bags work just as well as working in the dark?  I'm trying to make a dark room and I'm deciding whether it would be worth the cost to build a small light-free room to load film or if it would be better to just save money and use the film changing bags.

Do these bags really work well for this? Does light ever get into the bags somehow?

Thanks in advance.


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## Light Guru (Jan 28, 2013)

eddiek11syou said:


> Do these bags really work well for this? Does light ever get into the bags somehow?.



I personally prefer a changing tent over a changing bag. A changing tent will actually hold the top of the bag above what up I are doing. 

Light only gets in if the changing tent or bag gets a hole. 

This is the one I have http://www.amazon.com/Photoflex-Changing-Light-Tight-Tent/dp/B0000AE6D3

I mainly use it for my 4x5 film. I prefer the bag/tent as you can take it with you when you travel.


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## eddiek11syou (Jan 28, 2013)

Geez that's expensive! But I guess much cheaper than having to make a separate room with no light, huh! Thanks for the reply.


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## compur (Jan 28, 2013)

I usually use a changing bag and they work fine.  Changing bags have been used by pros for a long, long time and are a proven method.  Just watch out for obvious things like holes or loose elastic around the arm holes. I also usually use changing bags in a dimly lit room or throw a towel over the top to add an extra measure of safely.

You only really need a darkroom for making prints.


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## Light Guru (Jan 28, 2013)

eddiek11syou said:


> Geez that's expensive! But I guess much cheaper than having to make a separate room with no light, huh! Thanks for the reply.



Oh there are more expensive ones. 

Changing bags are cheeper then the changing tents because they lack the tent part.  

Just remember you get what you pay for.  Would I my images to a cheep bag, nope.


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## Designer (Jan 28, 2013)

Eddie; I've used a changing bag and also tried to make a "room" (closet) light-proof.  It is very difficult to get a room to be actually as dark as it needs to be.

The bag can be taken on the road with you for the one time when you really need to save a roll of film, for instance. 

Yes, I probably would have preferred the extra space of a room (or closet) but I just couldn't get it dark enough.


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## KenC (Jan 28, 2013)

I never trusted changing bags, and also it's so easy to use a closet for loading film I don't see why anyone bothers with a bag.


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## terri (Jan 28, 2013)

They have their pros and cons.   But they do work as advertised, provided they are are clean and hole-free.   That said, I personally disliked how quickly it got warm inside when I used mine; if I didn't hurry up I would be struggling with sweaty hands!   For film loading onto reels, do it at night, in a closet, all nearby rooms with lights off, doors shut, and you should be fine.  That way you have some elbow room and air flow.   

I still take my changing bag if I'm driving around on a daytime shoot.   I've sat on a picnic table in bright sunlight and loaded HIE film (infrared and extremely light sensitive) into my camera using that changing bag, with zero issues.    They can save you in some situations.


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## bhop (Jan 28, 2013)

I've been using a changing bag for years.. a cheap one too.. no issues other than what terri mentioned above about it getting hot inside, at least during the summer.


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## Josh66 (Jan 28, 2013)

I _almost_ always use a changing bag.

Sometimes I find it easier to load a 100' spool into a bulk loader in a dark room.  Sometimes they're a pain in the ass to get in just right - and the longer you spend in there, the harder everything gets.


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## dxqcanada (Jan 28, 2013)

I've used dark bags ... no problem.

Find the dark boxes from MiniLabs that have gone out of business.

Fuji Dark Box Minilab Fuji Frontier Mini Lab Noritsu | eBay

Shipping would be expensive as they are not light (hard shelled) ... but you may find one close to you.
Note: as they are rigid, you have to make sure what you are loading can fit in it.


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## BobM (Jan 28, 2013)

I've been using one of those dark boxes for about 10--12 years. IMO they're slightly better than changing bags, but the difference isn't all that great. I still use a changing bag when I develop film while traveling. My darkroom has some very small light leaks that don't interfere with printing, but make it only usable for loading film into tanks after nightfall. I have one SS tank that will take six 120 reels; that one won't fit in my changing box, or my largest changing bag, so I can only load it in my darkroom at night, but I hardly ever use the thing because it's really heavy to agitate.


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