How many 4X10 photographers are out there?

[Brian Vuillemenot]

Kerry,

I only shoot color also. So far, I've only shot 4X10 using the hlf darkslide trick, but now that I've got my 4X10 holders thanks to Sandy King and Emile deLeon, I can use my Wisner 4X10. When I have something good I'll have to post it! Best of luck with your articles!

-Brian

[Richard Wasserman]

This format seems to be more popular than I imagined. I am in the process of building a 4x10 camera out of an old 4x5 Omega camera and a beat up 8x10 Deardorff back. I have some Canham holders on order and have everything figured out except the bellows-I think I'll have them made for me. I will be using black and white and contact printing on Azo. I can't wait!

[julian_4860]

Don't forget that Stephen Shore is using 4x10 holders in an 8x10 for a BW street series

[Ken Lee]

Let's see some images :-)

[julian_4860]

OK Ken,


http://www.foundobjectsgallery.com/shore/Untitled-1.htm

I'll take this down at the end of the day as I'm not sure of the legality...

[Ken Lee]

Thanks - I love the format. At 1: 2.5, it is close to the ratio I prefer, namely 1:2.236, which is the square root of Five, and a close cousin of the classical Golden Mean.

Here is an example.

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

I only shoot color also. So far, I've only shot 4X10 using the hlf darkslide trick, but now that I've got my 4X10 holders thanks to Sandy King and Emile deLeon, I can use my Wisner 4X10.

Brian,

Glad to know I'm not the only 4x10 color shooter out there. I think it's great that S&S is now making 4x10 holders that fit the Wisner cameras. The entire reason I abandoned 4x10 the first time around was the lack of availability of decent holders for my Wisner. I had no complaints about the camera, but without decent holders, it wasn't doing me a lot of good. In frustration, I sold the entire outfit (Wisner 4x5/4x10 Tech Field, Mido holders and four lenses). The gentleman I sold it to, Burkhardt Kiegeland, decided to do something about the holder situation. He started a company called Lotus View Camera whose very first product was 4x10 film holders for the Wisner camera. For a brief period, Lotus-made holders were sold by Wisner. These holders were vey well made, and at the time priced at $95 each (same price as the Canham plastic holders). Unfortunately, this relationship did not last very long. Lotus began making their own cameras, including a 4x10 that uses the Canham-size holders. So, once again getting holders for the 4x10 Wisner became nearly impossible. Now that S&S is making holders in the Wisner size, it should be very welcome news to anybody who owns a 4x10 Wisner.

I have to confess I'm a hoarder of 4x10 film holders. After my initial experience, when I decided to get back into 4x10, the first priority was to get some good holders first and then buy or build the camera to match. I lucked into a great deal on several Lotus holders in the Canham size. Thanks to eBay, I've also managed to get some holders in the Wisner size (3 - Lisco x-ray and 4 - Kodak x-ray holders). I also bought five Mido holders from William Blunt. So, now I'm well stocked in 4x10 holders in both sizes. The Lotus holders are extremely well made, but they've gotten very expensive. Lotus hasn't actually raised their prices in several years, but they've been the victim of the weak dollar vs. the euro. A few years back the euro was worth less than 85 cents. These days a euro is worth about $1.33 - which means the selling price of new 4x10 Lotus film holders has gone from about $260 each to over $410 - in spite of no price increase from the manufacturer who has held their price constant at 310 euro. I'm glad I got my Lotus holders when I did (and at a used price that made them an incredible bargain by today's prices).

Now that S&S is supplying 4x10 holders for the Wisner (and at a price that's 1/2 what new Lotus holders cost), hopefully interest in the format will pick up. Of the new 4x10 cameras, the Wisner is the most affordable. It's always been the lack of holders that has been the issue. I currently have one a sample of the 4x10 S&S holder (as well as one in the 5x12 size). I haven't shot with it yet, but it's very nicely made.

Kerry

[Leigh Perry]

This is a question out of idle curiosity -- I have no intention of shooting 4x10.

What's involved in sourcing and handling film for the format? I assume it involves cutting 8x10 sheets. How is this done? Individually or by buzz saw? Is the other half of the sheet usable also?

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

What's involved in sourcing and handling film for the format? I assume it involves cutting 8x10 sheets. How is this done? Individually or by buzz saw?

Pre-cut black and white 4x10 film is usually available from at least one source. Ilford used to make it, but I think it's now a special order item with a large minimum quantity. I've also seen Bergger BPF200 in the 4x10 size in the past. For color, I slice my own from 8x10. I use a small Rototrim trimmer that has a 12" metal straight edge semi-permanently attached to give me two 4x10 of identical size. I cut one sheet at a time. Photo Wharehouse will cut fim in this (or pretty much any) size.

Is the other half of the sheet usable also?

Yes. If it wasn't there would be little reason to not just shoot 8x10 and crop. By slicing 8x10 film in half, the cost per image goes down to exactly 1/2 that of 8x10. My lab also charges by the square inch for E-6 processing. So, again processing for each sheet of 4x10 costs exactly 1/2 as much as 8x10. Might not seem like a big deal, but 8x10 color transparency film and process is pretty expensive. So, with no waste my costs for 4x10 film and processing gives me twice as many shots for the same cost as shooting 8x10 and cropping. Of course, you can also use a split darkslide and shoot two-up 4x10 using an 8x10 camera and holders, but I also prefer the smaller size and lighter weight of a 4x10 camera in my pack.

Kerry

[Don Niemczyk]

Brian check Ebay for the book by Jay Dusard, halfpricecomputerbooks.com has a couple for $19.95 and shipping.