I have an Arca F-Line 4x5 camera and am interested in going to 8x10. I'm intere sted in the AS 8x10 conversion kit since I really like the way the camera operat es at 4x5. I'd use it to do a combination of landscape, potraits (Usually in th e studio), and still life. Has anyone on this board gotten the 8x10 conversion?

As far as price goes it isn't much of a savings over a new field camera and virt ually impossible to get one used. I very much like the Arca but I have some con cerns with the 8x10:

- first, the front needs to be raised to a considerable height just to center to the 8x10 back. I guess you can use indirect movements but I'm wondering how much for a hassle this is. Ie, whether most front rise operations require an in direct movement. I'll probably use this most on still-life situations.

- How stable is the extended optical bench at 8x10? And with their system, WH ICH optical bench should I get?

- Total weight of the new configuration?

Thanks for your inputs...