Originally Posted by
Tim V
...1: Camera options: It seems many people recommend the Chamonix ULF cameras. Is their 11x14" essentially a scaled up version of their 8x10"? Compared to the Shen-Hao, which seems to be a similar price–unless someone can correct me on that–and without wanting to start some kind of brand war, what are the plusses and minuses for each camera?Tim
When it comes to ULF, scaling is not linear. 11x14 isn't twice the trouble of 8x10, it's like 3 times (at least!) In fact, the difficulty of ULF seems to increase almost as the cube of the negative size. (About as imprecise a statement as I can come up with!...) Besides everything being bigger and weighing more, there is expense. And some things are not as obvious as others. Film holders are outlandishly expensive. Film is expensive. More chemistry is required to process and print. Negative storage is a bloody hassle. Everything is heavier. About the only constant between 8x10 and larger formats is your light meter! I can assure you that transportation is more difficult. You start pricing pick-up trucks or Sprinter vans.
Is it worth it? Yes it is. (In my very personal opinion.) Working with a big camera is just plain fun. And that big ground glass is the ultimate seduction. And it's the gateway to the rabbit hole (or road to perdition, if you prefer.)
Not meant at all to scare you off. Only to add a dose of reality to the whirlwind of lust that surrounds ULF. (I know it well, having become a victim several years ago.) Just be prepared for complications and disappointments as you travel that road. Also be prepared to have a lot of fun. Because it IS fun.
And afterwards you'll be amazed at how easy 8x10 is by comparison. Trouble loading film in an 8x10 holder. Learn to load 11x14 or bigger and your skills will improve vastly!
Originally Posted by
Tim V
2: Second hand / used cameras: Where is a good place to start looking? I'm not yet able to see the classified section here (my 30 days aren't up yet,) but are there any other places to keep an eye on or get in contact with? Are there any alternative, maybe vintage brand cameras that are comparible to the Chamonix that I'd do well to keep an eye out for?Tim
I once had an Empire State 11x14 which was a sweet camera (imho). Sold it because I was more interested in other formats. It was relatively light compared to the 11x14 I'd had earlier which was a Wisner. That's not to disparage the Wisner camera in any way (except the size of the lensboards, but that's another thread) . I would watch the FS forum here (when you're able). Also Ebay. A lot of my stuff has come from Ebay. Caveat emptor in both cases. Get your money ready, then be patient.
Originally Posted by
Tim V
3: Things to watch out for: Aside from condition of bellows and general sloppyness of the parts / rigidity of the camera, what do I need to pay attention to when buying? E.g. with older cameras, are they optimised for focus using thick glass or tin plates? Are there standard film holders for this format, e.g. like the international graflock system for 4x5" that is reliable and relatively precise across the board?Tim
You might possibly run into non-standard film holders, e.g., Sterling on some very early cameras. I can't comment, but others on this forum have that knowledge. But 11x14 is covered by the ANSI standard, so you should be OK.
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