I am considering a Lightware case for an 8x10 field camera. Does the MF1420 have enough space for the camera, three lenses, a meter, and two film holders. I am especially wondering if the film holders would be able to fit on top of the camera. How about the MF 1623?

-- William Marderness (wmarderness@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002

Answers

William,

The cases (LightWare and other) designed to hold a 4x5 monorail camera hanging upside down from two dividers are often great for a field 8x10 with lots of lenses and holders and all the accessories you want. I have a couple of the earliest LW medium format cases and you can't get the whole set into one--but the models you are looking at might be bigger. For a box rather than a backpack, I find an upright trunk-style case more convenient to work from than a flat suitcase style.

-- Carl Weese (cweese@earthlink.net), January 24, 2002.

years ago i had a deardorff 8x10 and kept it in the mf1420. i remember being able to put in 3 lenses and a meter. you could put 2 filmholders in the outside pocket. the bp1420 uses the same shell but has more pockets/storage capability - it would be a better solution.

-- adam (asfberg@hotmail.com), January 24, 2002.

What about their backpack? I've been considering that, but haven't managed to try one out yet?

Tim A

-- Tim Atherton (tim@kairosphoto.com), January 24, 2002.

I use a LightWare PK1600. Fits my Toyo8x10G, two lenses on boards (each in a smaller padded bag) tripod head, film holders, dark cloth, changing bag, light meter, bags of odds and ends and maybe more stuff if I were more organized. The only thing that doesn't fit is the Gitzo.

Note that whatever bag you decide on, you will always have more stuff to pack than space to put it in :-)

Mike :-)

-- Mike Kelleghan (mkelleghan@compuserve.com), January 24, 2002.

I had a lightware BP1420 (the backpack) for just over a year. the problem was that it just holds too much! i was able to load it up with the following (all at once): An Arca-Swiss 4x5 F line camera, a V-Pan 617 (a 6x17 view camera) 5 lenses (65mm to 300mm) , the necessary accessories (lupe, darkcloth, levels, etc.), a 6x9 Horseman RFH, aFuji Quickload holder, a box of Quickload film, many rolls of roll film, a Nikon F5 and 20mm, 35mm, & 80-200mm f/2.8D lenses , 35mm film.

Even Paul peregrine, the president of Lightware thought it was too easy to overload and both of us are big guys (I'm 6'5" and he is pretty close.

So the answers is yes-- no problems with an 8x10 field camera. The main compartment is about the size of a 1420 case + 20%.

-- Ellis Vener Photography (ellis@ellisvener.com), January 24, 2002.

Can you post the web-page for LightWare? I tried www.etc, and it leads to a projector mfg.

-- neil poulsen (neil.fg@att.net), January 26, 2002.

Neil, it's http://www.lightwareinc.com/

-- Jennifer Waak (jen.waak@visi.com), January 26, 2002.