Can anyone tell me where I can find a bucket for storing Polaroid 4x5 B&W negs when shooting on location. I live in Toronto, but any source in North America will do. Thanks.

-- Ken Woroner (devdes@passport.ca), September 03, 1997

Answers

Midwest photo had one advertised a while back and may still have it--about $40.They're in Shutterbug.

-- david smith (oldcamera@aol.com), September 11, 1997.

My local store (Keeble & Shuchat) did not find that item on their Polaroid catalog. However, I remember that two years ago it was available in Paris.

-- Quang-Tuan Luong (luong@ai.sri.com), September 12, 1997.

Try looking at Tupperware products. Even in Canada someone should handle them. I have used one in the past with a removable lid that never leaked once closed. It worked well for backpacking as well.

-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), October 05, 1997.

I bought mine from The Lens and Repro Equipment Corp. (212) 675-1900 for $46. It's a plastic one-gallon bucket with a snap-on lid and a removeable rack for up to twelve negatives. The rack adjusts for different film sizes, up to 4x5". The lid requires serious prying to remove; it seals well enough to prevent spills, but seeps when inverted.

-- Sean Donnelly (donnelly@c-com.net), October 13, 1997.

actually i use a tupperware container, just the right size, seals watertight

-- David (davidjac@micron.net), November 06, 1997.

The Yankee cut film developing tank can be found around phot stores, in the Calumet catalog (1-800-Calumet) and various other places and placed in a plain ol' bucket it works well. I have to admit I got that idea from Roger Hicks

-- Sean yates (yatescats@yahoo.com), September 17, 1998.

Havent tried it yet, but I seem to remember seeing some where htat the Combi 4 x 5 tank will hold Polaroid negs. You would have to remove the pods (messy) to close the lid, or carry it in a larger bucket you can seal.

When I get around to it I will see if the pods can be folded over enough to use the Combi's own lid. I suspect it can. This is an invertible tank, so it should seal up pretty well.

-- Tony Brent (ajbrent@mich.com), October 01, 1998.

brent, "the Combi 4 x 5 tank will hold Polaroid negs" but not well as the polaroids need to be sloshed around a fair amout to clear the neg and the negative, being not as thick or as stiff as "real" film, can get loose. Outside of lucking out and finding one of the old P'roid tanks my advice is to go either with the tupperware or the new Lens & Repro version mentioned above.

-- Ellis (evphoto@insync.net), October 02, 1998.

Polaroid P/N buckets available

I have two Polaroid P/N buckets, new in the box, with the measuring cup and chemicals, for $50 ea. plus shipping.

-- Alec Jones (alecj@mail.bhm.bellsouth.net), October 14, 1998.

the graphic center in california sells them brand new for under $40. you get the tank and a rack that holds 10 sheets 665 and expand to hold 10 sheets 55, and an identical bucket with a couple of holes drilled in the bottom for washing (just run a hose in it).

GraficCenter@aol.com

should work for you. i will sometimes shoot 80 or 100 negs in a session (665) and i use a tupperware type bucket for that, but it doesn't get moved until they're ready to go to the darkroom for post-production. make sure it doesn't have a vacuum mold point in the bottom center.

these negs are pretty fragile and the corners of one will ruin the next if motion is allowed.

i met a guy in houston who travelled with an ice chest custom fitted with an acrylic (plexiglas) grid that held each neg in its' own little 5" high compartment. it wasn't glued together, the horizontal ones were slotted 1/2 way down and the verticals 1/2 way up and they slid together to make the grid. it nested into a nice polystyrene hinge lidded ice chest. then he'd top it off with the s.sulfite and seat belt it into the back seat of his car. he was a portrait guy. he showed me 30x40 prints and they were VERY clean. nice work, too (if you're out there)....tom

-- tom meyer (twm@meteor.com), December 02, 1998.