Svedovsky 8x10 first impressions

**Amfooty** · 26-Nov-2015, 08:54

Originally Posted by pdh

yep.
useful discussion on bail backs here: http://www.largeformatphotography.in...backs-for-8x10

Thanks for the link--didn't realize there was a specific name for that.

**ndwgolf** · 25-May-2017, 04:43

Did you eventually change the ground glass to glass or did you stick with what came with the camera...............Do you still have it 4 years later??

**bthphoto** · 25-May-2017, 19:18

Well, it's only been a bit more than a year and a half (I bought it in Nov., 2015), but no, I did not change the ground glass. I went from an 8x to a 4x loupe and that resolved all my concerns.

And I apologize for not posting any follow ups. Sticking with on-line stuff is not one of my strengths. I am happy overall with the camera. I have a heavy 480 mm lens now and it's still sturdy with that mounted and run out to focusing distance. I ended up purchasing a tactical backpack from amazon that fits the camera and all my paraphernalia, with six film holders strapped to the outside. I've hiked a couple miles off-road to shoot with it, and I've hauled it many miles around Alaska. I built a 5x7 reducing back for it as well, using the factory 8x10 back as a model. I've used it at -30F and +90F. The only issue I've had is that the ground glass protector shattered when I tried to remove it after the camera had been sitting out at -20F for about half an hour.

Here are a few images. The one of me with the camera is a digital shot by a model I was working with. The rest are scanned negatives, all shot on HP5+, and the toned ones were digitally toned after scanning.