53" too small 107" too big

[Papa Carlo]

Obviously 53" seamless backdrop is too small for anything bigger than a headhot. 107" does not fit in my car. Why wouldn't the paper producers come out with something in between say 75" width ?

[Curtis N]

Buy the 107" and take a hacksaw with you to the store.

[KarlosDaJackal]

Obviously 53" seamless backdrop is too small for anything bigger than a headhot. 107" does not fit in my car. Why wouldn't the paper producers come out with something in between say 75" width ?

Because you can rent/borrow/steal a bigger car for one trip to the store?

[carpenter]

Obviously 53" seamless backdrop is too small for anything bigger than a headhot. 107" does not fit in my car. Why wouldn't the paper producers come out with something in between say 75" width ?

are you trying to take this paper with you when you do shoots?? If it's just to get it home.. Spend $16 and get it shipped from B&H. Probably still cheaper than your local dealer.

[bobbyz]

You can carry it sticking from the back trunk of your car. If you have roof rack, then you can place it on the roof. My old honda del sol had a back window which rolled down, so lot of times I could carry longer stuff by it just sticking out from that window.

Or ask a friend for a ride.

[runninmann]

Maybe he's in Europe or Asia or other places where large cars are not so readily available and shipping from B&H is not so cheap?

[FlashZebra]

I routinely get 107 inch rolls in my 1996 Mazda Protege (a compact car).

No roof rack. Nothing special.

Enjoy! Lon

[runninmann]

I routinely get 107 inch rolls in my 1996 Mazda Protege (a compact car).

No roof rack. Nothing special.

Enjoy! LonThat's some trick on a 103" wheelbase car! Talk about utilizing space.

[PacAce]

That's some trick on a 103" wheelbase car! Talk about utilizing space.

Lon managed that by taking the engine out and leaving it at the store and then going back for it later after he took the backdrop home. ;) :lol: :D

[runninmann]

Lon managed that by taking the engine out and leaving it at the store and then going back for it later after he took the backdrop home. ;) :lol: :DThat's a great idea. I'm sure it was a lot easier to push without all that excess weight! :lol:

[Papa Carlo]

are you trying to take this paper with you when you do shoots?? If it's just to get it home.. Spend $16 and get it shipped from B&H. Probably still cheaper than your local dealer.
Exactly, I can just hang it over my shoulder and bring it from the store.
But going on location each time would be less convenient.
Maybe I should follow your advice and order a new one in advance each time and have it shipped to the location. :-)

[TMR Design]

Obviously 53" seamless backdrop is too small for anything bigger than a headhot. 107" does not fit in my car. Why wouldn't the paper producers come out with something in between say 75" width ?

I Have to disagree with your first statement. I do and have done 1/2 and 2/3 shots against 53" seamless without any problem. I've even done full length work on 53" seamless as long as I don't need a wide shot or the subject's arms aren't extended. You can do a lot more with 53" than you may think.

[bobbyz]

I think lot of folks use wider focal lengths. With small bg, you better off using longer focal lengths. I typically use my 70-200mm f2.8 on crop body for h&s & 3/4 when using 53" in my living room which is only 14x20.

[Papa Carlo]

I Have to disagree with your first statement. I do and have done 1/2 and 2/3 shots against 53" seamless without any problem. I've even done full length work on 53" seamless as long as I don't need a wide shot or the subject's arms aren't extended. You can do a lot more with 53" than you may think.
Yes you can do full length, but it is a pain to keep the camera, subject and the background strictly aligned especially if you need to move the subject away from the backdrop.

[FlashZebra]

That's some trick on a 103" wheelbase car! Talk about utilizing space.
No major surgery to the car.

The trunk of a car extends significantly beyond the rear axle, so a wheelbase less than 107 inches is not some sort of magic dimensional trump card. One must also consider that the hypotenuse of a triangle is longer than the longest "other" side (to visualize this consider the distance from the center of the passenger side front tire to the center of the drivers side rear tire compare to the wheelbase dimension of the same car).


Roll down the front passenger side window.

Let the back of the front passenger side seat fold all the way forward.

Push the front passenger side seat all the way forward (toward the dash).

Fold down the rear seats for access through the trunk.

Push the roll of paper into the car on a diagonal from the drivers side of the trunk to the passenger side of the front seat and out the passenger side window.

The roll just barely sticks out of the window. The trunk closes in a normal manner, nothing sticks out of the trunk.

Try it, no tricks, it works.

Note that all the reference positions are with regard to an automobile with a driving position on the left hand side of the vehicle as popular in many, but not all, locations in the world.

8 foot 2 X 4's go into the same car without rolling down the front windows (front of 2 X 4's are on the dash).

10 foot sections of conduit and other small diameter pipe, etc., can be managed in exactly the same manner as the 107 inch roll paper.

With the proper mindset one can sometimes transcend the transparent confines of a specification (wheelbase dimension).

Enjoy! Lon

[carpenter]

Exactly, I can just hang it over my shoulder and bring it from the store.
But going on location each time would be less convenient.
Maybe I should follow your advice and order a new one in advance each time and have it shipped to the location. :-)

guess I've never really seen anyone routinely pack up a 107" roll of paper? Wouldn't a muslin work for you?

[runninmann]

I routinely get 107 inch rolls in my 1996 Mazda Protege (a compact car).

No roof rack. Nothing special.

Enjoy! Lon

No major surgery to the car.

The trunk of a car extends significantly beyond the rear axle, so a wheelbase less than 107 inches is not some sort of magic dimensional trump card. One must also consider that the hypotenuse of a triangle is longer than the longest "other" side (to visualize this consider the distance from the center of the passenger side front tire to the center of the drivers side rear tire compare to the wheelbase dimension of the same car).

Roll down the front passenger side window.
Let the back of the front passenger side seat fold all the way forward.
Push the front passenger side seat all the way forward (toward the dash).
Fold down the rear seats for access through the trunk.
Push the roll of paper into the car on a diagonal from the drivers side of the trunk to the passenger side of the front seat and out the passenger side window.The roll just barely sticks out of the window. The trunk closes in a normal manner, nothing sticks out of the trunk.

Try it, no tricks, it works.

Note that all the reference positions are with regard to an automobile with a driving position on the left hand side of the vehicle as popular in many, but not all, locations in the world.

8 foot 2 X 4's go into the same car without rolling down the front windows (front of 2 X 4's are on the dash).

10 foot sections of conduit and other small diameter pipe, etc., can be managed in exactly the same manner as the 107 inch roll paper.

With the proper mindset one can sometimes transcend the transparent confines of a specification (wheelbase dimension).

Enjoy! LonOh, the loose interpretation of "in".;):)