A changing bag is a photographic bag specifically designed to be light-proof while in use. It is required for certain applications involving

photosensitive Photosensitivity is the amount to which an object reacts upon receiving photons, especially visible light. In medicine, the term is principally used for abnormal reactions of the skin, and two types are distinguished, photoallergy and phototoxicity. ...

materials when a

darkroom A darkroom is used to process photographic film, to make prints and to carry out other associated tasks. It is a room that can be made completely dark to allow the processing of the light-sensitive photographic materials, including film and ph ...

is not available, like in the field. Common usages include removing

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

from its canister to put it into a

developing tank A developing tank is a light-tight container used for Photographic processing, developing film. A developing tank allows photographic film to be developed in a daylight environment. This is necessary because most film is panchromatic and therefore ...

, or loading and unloading sheet film holders. They are also commonly found on the set of a

, where the

clapper loader A clapper loader or second assistant camera (2nd AC) is part of a film crew whose main functions are that of loading the raw film stock into camera magazines, operating the clapperboard (slate) at the beginning of each take, marking the actors a ...

may need one if shooting on location or far away from a darkroom.

Usage

It is handy to use when a

is not available as is often the case in field shooting. It is also used in commercial photo processing labs, often to change

paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distributed ...

Description

A changing bag has two sleeves at one end for both the user's arms, and a zipper (often more than one, for double layered changing bags) to insert the tools and film needed. There are several sizes available, from smaller ones for many still photography applications to larger bags used in large-format still photography or film making, which may need to hold both a

magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

and a can of

film stock Film stock is an analog medium that is used for recording motion pictures or animation. It is recorded on by a movie camera, developed, edited, and projected onto a screen using a movie projector. It is a strip or sheet of transparent p ...

which each have a 1000-foot capacity. Larger changing bag sizes are also available as "changing tents", where the top of the bag can be held in a dome-like configuration through the use of two curved rods. Photography equipment Bags {{Photo-stub