VDS 8X10 camera first impressions

[Michael R]

Drew - based on what I can find on the Catlabs site it looks to be $2,200 for the camera. That's a pretty impressive price point for 8x10.

While it's nice to see there's enough demand out there to warrant new camera entrants, I have to be honest and say I wish some of these would really offer something new or "better" from a design perspective. Looking at the various offerings, it really doesn't seem like there's much innovation or improvement besides the obsession with weight. A few newer materials used sparingly here and there, but mostly the same old same old.

[Jac@stafford.net]

[...] it really doesn't seem like there's much innovation or improvement besides the obsession with weight.

Isn't that enough? Defeating the increasing strength of gravity is a virtuous endeavor. Maybe that is something only us oldies can appreciate.

[Michael R]

I suppose. Fair point.

I'd just like to see someone really "raise the bar" rather than just oscillating within the old confines (weight vs rigidity) without anything groundbreaking. Just my two cents.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I wonder how one could raise the bar with these types of cameras, other than weight, as mentioned, without sacrificing movements, rigidity, etc.

[Michael R]

I have a few ideas. Also I wish some of the shortcomings (shortcomings in my opinion I guess) of traditional designs would be looked at, rather than just figuring out how to make the same camera a little lighter (and more rickety). There should probably be more field testing too. It seems like a camera is released and it's supposed to be the best, and then lo and behold either months or a few years later there's a revised version with "improvements" (ie fixes).

Then again you can never get agreement on camera characteristics, so these are only my opinions.

[pdh]

I'd just like to see someone really "raise the bar" rather than just oscillating within the old confines.

One of the confines that the newer makers (these folk, svedovsky) seem to be addressing is cost of entry to 10x8.

Making truly innovative big cameras in the 21st century would I expect also mean rather a big retail price, given the relatively small market.

[Jac@stafford.net]

[...]There should probably be more field testing too.

Agreed. I had the enlightening experience of learning how our composites material engineers went about things. Rather than simply casting a new product in a traditional design, entirely new thoughts must be considered. Look for example at CF tripods. Largely the same old but in new materials. Certainly a weight savings, but I wonder.

A project taken on by one chap was surprising. He went about to create violin bows in carbon fiber thinking the dimensional stability was a primary virtue. It was one virtue but the bows turned out to be too light! Balance in the hand, inertial qualities were things only a master violinist could evaluate. All is well now thanks to lots of feedback and his responsiveness.

Being facetious: what we need is a view camera that is light when carried, but heavy on the tripod. That's the same dream of women's shoes that are larger on the inside than the outside.

[John Layton]

Layton L-45A:

[koh303]

There is a link just under the photos to more photos.
Google VDS camera and you will most likely find all the answers in the second and third results.

[Taija71A]

Did I miss a link to a mfg page?

Actually, perhaps... "Yes and No."
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http://vdscamera.com/
VDS Camera Homepage

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