STONE PHOTO GEAR

Stone Photo Gear (SPG), owned by Daniel Stone, is an excellent example of when a photographer needs gear not made, he decides to create it himself. Daniel would go on to offer his creations to other photographers, and from there, Stone Photo Gear was developed. SPG’s offerings are high quality and custom-made to order. I have ordered more than a few times, and every order is delivered perfectly in a reasonable amount of time.

What is not to like? Visit Daniels’s website to see his products as he adds new designs from time to time. Below are the SPG items I have come to appreciate and use on every 4×5/120 shoot and whenever I digitize my film.

I enjoy traveling around my state, taking photographs of the landscape and small towns with my 4×5 cameras. I do not shoot much film, just what I feel is worth it. Once I find a composition, I will shoot two 4×5 films with slightly different exposures because I was trained as a commercial 4×5 photographer, and that is how I did it in my career. You never know when a film can become damaged during the shoot, transport, or development. There is nothing wrong with having a “file copy” to lean on when necessary. So, I will take six 4×5 film exposures when I travel to three locations. When I develop my film, I use Paterson tanks that allow me to develop up to six 4×5 films at once. So, if you do the math, you will see it was only natural I would find Stone Photo Gear’s (SPG) Triple Sleeve 4×5 Film Holder Cases an excellent match for how I shoot. I usually travel with two Triple Sleeves for a total of 12 exposures, which I will develop in two Paterson tanks.

An SPG Triple Sleeve is shown above for storing the film holders I use when digitizing my film. I use a Skier Copy Box and have their film holders in 4×5, 120, and 135 film formats. I use the 4×5 and 120 the most, but I can digitize 135 slides from decades ago if necessary. Overall, it is a nice system, and I am happy these expensive (I had to purchase the whole kit) film holders fit perfectly well in an SPG Triple Sleeve as they stay clean and safe tucked away at my digitizing station.

The SPG lens case (#45459) holds my two most often used on-the-road Nikkor lenses for 4×5: the SW 90/4.5 and W 150/5.6. I travel with a three-lens 4×5 kit with Nikkors: 75/4.6, 90/4.5, and 150/5.6. I currently use the Tenba Fulton V.2 16L backpack, and this lens case fits securely in the uppermost top area, the rolled-down bag part (at least that is what I call it). This case fits as though it were designed with that storage area in mind. The Nikkor 75/4.5 stays on the camera; a beautiful Ebony RSW stowed in its SPG camera case, which fits in the bottom area of the backpack. Notice the black zipper pulls on this case, as I added these pulls to all my cases. It makes it quicker to unzip.

An SPG lens case (#45459) holds more than just my 4×5 lenses. Because it fits as though it were designed with the width of my backpack in mind, I use it to stow certain gear besides lenses. Here, the #45459 holds my Hasselblad 501CM, fully dressed with a waist-level finder and film magazine. Next to it, behind a divider, is my PME51 viewfinder. After my three lenses, which are stored in Tamrac cases, go into the backpack, this case rests on top. The size of this case seems as if it were made specifically to fit my backpack. What I love about this case is its size; it’s lightweight yet protective.

I have found that my SPG lens case (#45459) is not just meant for my 4×5 lenses and Hasselblad camera. It can also hold my beloved Reality So Subtle (RSS) 6x17F Pinhole Panorama camera perfectly. The RSS camera, made of CNC plastic, is prone to scratches, which is why I am careful to protect it. I keep it in its case and store it in my Think Tank Retrospective 7M Messenger shoulder bag, along with my film and filters, whenever I’m traveling on the road.

I stash my loaded film holders in the SPG Triple and Double Sleeves when traveling. What is unique to the Triple Sleeve, if you develop with Paterson Tanks as I do, is the tank will hold up to six 4×5 films. The Triple Sleeve holds three 4×5 holders, making it the perfect number for shooting 4×5 film and developing in Paterson Tanks. I added an OP/TECH USA Uni Adaptor Loops System Connectors on the reverse side of a Triple Sleeve so that it securely hangs from my tripod during a shoot, making switching between film holders easy and safe. SPG offers a similar belt to do the same thing, but I have bits and bobs from many years of being in the photography profession and knew I could find a suitable substitute in my gear closet. When I need to shoot just 2-4 sheets of another type of film besides my favorite black and white film, I use the Double Sleeve as it allows me to identify the ‘other’ film quickly. I am very happy with my SPG Film Holder Sleeves and highly recommend them.