New Gibellini 8x10 Camera - First Look

[Ari]

The Gibellini just arrived, I got some photos of it before going to pick up my daughter at school.
The Technika adapter will be ready next week, so mounting lenses is impossible right now, as is any kind of review.
But for now, the camera looks great and feels great, smooth and secure, locks down very well.

Everything arrived by courier and the size of the hard case caused my wife some excitement.
You could fit three 8x10s in the case.

Anyway, enjoy the photos, I'll get to a review soon, I hope.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130796172@N05/albums/72157666347330800

[Kirk Gittings]

wow! a work of art.

[Kodachrome25]

This is one thing you don't see in any other format, the degree of fresh, artistic and practical engineering in new products. Looks like a nice camera, but maybe hold off on the review though until you really put it through it's paces.

I see way too many reviews of gear these days that have no real substance, just mostly self serving joyous blurts of having said gear for less than a week. Real equipment reviews take months if not the better part of a year.

[Ari]

Thanks, Kirk.
Daniel, good point; I will, in the near future, describe the functions of the camera, how things lock down, how the movements work, etc.
The long-term review will be about using the camera day in/day out and seeing how good a fit it is.

Here's what I can say already: the bellows material is wonderful. It's a thick fabric that seems like it could withstand rain and snow easily.
It's pliable and soft, yet doesn't sag. An excellent choice of fabric, I think.

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

Looks like a Ferrari of a camera. You will be a center of attention if you take it out to photograph.

[Michael R]

Cool, Ari. Looking forward to hearing about it.

The ACN 45 looks so cool...

One thing I'm still unclear on is the lensboards. The 8x10 specs indicate Sinar compatible, but the 4x5 specs indicate "Gibellini size". I guess it isn't compatible with Technika boards, for example?

[Peter De Smidt]

Looks great! I look forward to hearing how it is in use.

[Alan Gales]

Beautiful camera, Ari! I love the black with red bellows. It looks rich.

[Ari]

Thanks, guys.
Michael, the 4x5 uses a proprietary size lens board, 114x114mm, and they would have no problem making a Technika adapter.
You're right, the 8x10 uses Sinar boards, and I'm waiting for my own Sinar-Linhof adapter.

[David Lobato]

Ari, is it lighter than the Toyo 810M? I like your consistency and taste in the color scheme. And it looks relatively quick and easy to set up.

[Ari]

Hi David,
Thank you; I chose dark grey aluminum instead of some of the flashier colours offered, but I do like my red bellows.

I had originally intended to buy the all-CF Gibellini, which was just under 3kg, but it was crazy expensive, so I opted for the aluminum camera, and I was given some CF parts (focusing bed) at no extra charge.
As it is, the camera weighs 4.4kg (9.7 lbs), which is solidly in Arca F-line or Canham JMC territory. Not shabby at all, but about 1.5-2.0 pounds heavier than I had anticipated back in the fall, when the camera was still on the drawing board.
The Toyo 810M weighs 6.8kg (15 lbs), so the difference in weight is not insignificant.

The Gibellini opens and closes just as the Canham JMC810 does, except, on the Gibellini, you don't have to pull out the focusing bed first.

[Kodachrome25]

I don't think I can resist any longer, this young man is making spectacular cameras, period~!

I have been mulling over getting a second 4x5 so...

I sent him a couple of question regarding things like locking focus and if I can use my Technika boards with it but I think I am getting the 45ACN.
If I do this I will go for dark grey aluminum like Ari's but blue bellows, blue knobs and blue hardware.

He is making possibly the most beautiful cameras I have ever seen.

[Ari]

Daniel,
I'd be happy to answer any questions you have; I've been using the Gibellini for a couple weeks now.
I'll send you a PM with my contact details.

[John Conway]

Very cool looking camera. Of course functionality is the most important thing with a camera , but I sure like it when they look cool .

[Ari]

Thanks, John; I'll be posting some initial thoughts on the camera soon, as well as an overview of its functions.

[Kodachrome25]

Very cool looking camera. Of course functionality is the most important thing with a camera , but I sure like it when they look cool .

Agreed, functionality is why I have kind of cooled off on plunking down a deposit at least for the moment....

I am currently using a Chamonix 45N-2 that weighs a feather-like 3.3 pounds, has 395mm of bellows extension and has been flawless in the field, taken to the top of several 14,000 foot peaks. I have considered getting a second one for use when I want to leave one setup on a key shot and use the other while I wait for the first scene to come into the right light or atmospherics. It would certainly be a painless move price wise.

As spectacular as how I would have my Gibellini made in terms of cosmetics, the 4x5 he currently offers will weigh 1.5 pounds more, looks noticeably larger by the photos on his site ( huge handle? ), needs special boards or an adapter for what my Chamonix uses standard ( Technika ) and has 15mm less bellows extension. It would also cost more than triple that of my current camera if customized the way I want it to be.

I want to support the guy and love, love, *L*O*V*E* his execution of design and color options...but the camera has to hit the main points I need it to in actual use.

So I am still mulling it over and even if I do get one, there is no way in heck I would ever sell my 45N-2, that camera is damn near perfect.