Originally Posted by
jcoldslabs
Personally, if someone put a gun to my head and forced me to choose between 4x5 and 8x10, I would probably go with 4x5. It would be tough because I love 8x10, but 4x5 gives me most of what I want from large format with a minimum of hassle. My main reason for shooting 8x10 is being able to contract print, but I could give up that dream if I had to.
Sometimes part of the problem for me is having the option of both. If all I had was 8x10, that's what I would shoot and I would get much better at it as a result. As it is, I find I gravitate more toward 4x5 because of the lower film and processing costs, and because the cameras are smaller and more agile and therefore allow me to "play around" more relative to 8x10. (Plus the Speed Graphic's shutter lets me use all kinds of cheap barrel lenses.) Eliminating 8x10 might be tough, but you may find it allows you to hone and refine your 4x5 work even more.
J.
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