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, as I was trained as a commercial 4×5 photographer, and that is how I worked in my career. You never know when a film can become damaged during shooting, transportation, 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 that it was only natural for me to find Stone Photo Gear’s (SPG) Triple Sleeve 4×5 Film Holder Cases an excellent match for my shooting style. I usually travel with two Triple Sleeves, which provide a total of 12 exposures, that 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 that these expensive (I had to purchase the whole kit) film holders fit perfectly 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 featuring Nikkors: 75 mm f/4.5, 90 mm f/4.5, and 150 mm f/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, are placed in the backpack, this case rests on top. The size of this case seems to be 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. 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 I 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 pleased with my SPG Film Holder Sleeves and highly recommend them.