Where to start? Is it too late to start? Beginner seeking advice.

[Joshua Dunn]

You don't learn large format on 8x10. You always start on 4x5. You can still get amazing results and EVERYTHING is cheaper. Once you master most of the basics of 4x5 you can consider 8x10 but you may find in unnecessary. You didn't mention what type of photography you are interested in focusing on in large format. If you don't know that's o.k. but it can narrow down what type of camera to invest in. Think of it as two basic choices, a 4x5 folder (usually wooden) or a monorail. The folders are more compact and easy to travel with and can easily capture most subject matter from a technical perspective. Monorail cameras are not quite as portable, a little heavier and more complicated to use but a good monorail system is infinity capable and can grow with you as a photographer.

I have been a long time Sinar user and love the system. Unless you really want a folding camera I would invest in a used Sinar F2. You should be able to find one for around $500. The Sinar system is can suit virtually any type of technical requirement you will ever come up with. As long as you buy the appropriate accessories. What I mean by all these references to technical capabilities is a camera that you want to use super wide angle lenses for architecture has very different requirements than a camera using very long lenses. With a Sinar system as you learn what you want to capture in large format you can customize the camera to suit your needs. Spend carefully on lenses, good sharp lenses with good coverage can be found a decent prices. Don't forget you will need a good sturdy tripod.

You mentioned you took books out of University. Are you a student? If so where?

-Joshua

[fotopfw]

You don't learn large format on 8x10. You always start on 4x5.
......

I have been a long time Sinar user and love the system. Unless you really want a folding camera I would invest in a used Sinar F2. You should be able to find one for around $500. The Sinar system is can suit virtually any type of technical requirement you will ever come up with. As long as you buy the appropriate accessories. What I mean by all these references to technical capabilities is a camera that you want to use super wide angle lenses for architecture has very different requirements than a camera using very long lenses. With a Sinar system as you learn what you want to capture in large format you can customize the camera to suit your needs. Spend carefully on lenses, good sharp lenses with good coverage can be found a decent prices. Don't forget you will need a good sturdy tripod.
.......
-Joshua

Same here, long time user of Sinar: great system on a lot available for reasonable prices. Started myself with Sinar P2 4x5" went later on to 8x10" (to replace the 8x10" Cambo that was awkward to set up). Now, 8x10" is a lot more volume and weight. I still use the 4x5" often enough to keep it, it's so easy and fast to set up!

[Pere Casals]

I'd suggest you search CAMBO 4x5 at ebay.

You can have one for $200, while a very cheap monorail, it's sturdy, have all movements, and it will allow you to learn what you want from a camera and from glass. Later you can sell it (or not...) and pick LF gear components while having a personal criterion.

A Sinar Norma is a camera I love and I'd recommend, a bit more expensive but very fieldable.

LF gear can be affordable, or very expensive. A higher cost won't deliver better images. Some phtographers may make amazing images by using a plain Coke's bottle bottom as a lens, while others would prefer specialized glass for portraiture, architecture or landscape. IMHO it is very important you get in touch with the whole process before you spend too much money without knowing what you will need/want.

Mistakes you can make in selecting 8x10 gear are x4 more painful than with 4x5. Nothing wrong in starting with 8x10 if one has the determination, but it's harder.

Then, if you are to scan, 8x10 is no problem, but if you want to do darkroom enlargements it happens that a 810 enlarger is like an aircraft carrier, while a 4x5 enlarger is like a bicycle, compared.

[Michael Clark]

Toyo- Omega made some fine 4x5 view cameras that go cheap, $150 and there's a lot around .

[Bob Salomon]

;-) ... No



Well, maybe you should take a mono-rail into consideration. For instance, you can find a 4x5 Sinar F1 or F2 for a price around $ 500.
300 to 500 more for a modern APO 150 mm, 20 for each sheat film holder, 150 a tripod, 300 a spotmeter.

Then you'll have to buy film...

A monorail is symmetrical and this is going to help you a lot in understanding movements (and has the biggest freedom of movements).




You should be able to resale it for the same price.

8x10 quadruples 4x5 in every things ;-)

J

By symettrical are you referring to the type of movements or do you mean that the front and rear both have movements?

[Bob Salomon]

You don't learn large format on 8x10. You always start on 4x5. You can still get amazing results and EVERYTHING is cheaper. Once you master most of the basics of 4x5 you can consider 8x10 but you may find in unnecessary. You didn't mention what type of photography you are interested in focusing on in large format. If you don't know that's o.k. but it can narrow down what type of camera to invest in. Think of it as two basic choices, a 4x5 folder (usually wooden) or a monorail. The folders are more compact and easy to travel with and can easily capture most subject matter from a technical perspective. Monorail cameras are not quite as portable, a little heavier and more complicated to use but a good monorail system is infinity capable and can grow with you as a photographer.

I have been a long time Sinar user and love the system. Unless you really want a folding camera I would invest in a used Sinar F2. You should be able to find one for around $500. The Sinar system is can suit virtually any type of technical requirement you will ever come up with. As long as you buy the appropriate accessories. What I mean by all these references to technical capabilities is a camera that you want to use super wide angle lenses for architecture has very different requirements than a camera using very long lenses. With a Sinar system as you learn what you want to capture in large format you can customize the camera to suit your needs. Spend carefully on lenses, good sharp lenses with good coverage can be found a decent prices. Don't forget you will need a good sturdy tripod.

You mentioned you took books out of University. Are you a student? If so where?

-Joshua

In the USAF photo school at Lowry AFB in the early 60s they gave us 810 Deardorffs to start and learn on. A 45 came later! 35 and MF were not part of the course!

[Bob Salomon]

Toyo- Omega made some fine 4x5 view cameras that go cheap, $150 and there's a lot around .

Don’t get any of the plastic ones!!!

[jose angel]

Looks like I`m the party pooper here. My excuses.
First, because I`d only shoot film if traditional darkroom printing is the printing method. If you want to scan the film, directly shoot digital and enjoy the much wider creative options of modern printing. Or, if you don`t want to print, shoot digital and save your money for memory and gear updating. Film based images are quite expensive (and sometimes, ingrate) if you have to pay others to make the work.
Second, I partially differ with others above; while I agree that 4x5" is the way to start, IMHO what makes traditional photography worth it is the original or vintage methods. I agree that film and paper will be here for a while, but I find it somewhat lacking; vintage processes keep better the beauty and charm of "real" photography. Palladium/platinum, carbon, wet plates, etc. ask for larger formats. But it is true that better to learn/start with the smallest one (cheapest, easiest to find and use).
So if you plan to make the whole traditional process, I`d say go ahead. But if you just plan to do some kind of hybrid/incomplete process, I`d say think it twice. Anyway, you already shoot small formats, so you can have an idea. Or buy cheap gear and try it.
Just my honest opinion.

[William Whitaker]

A used Calumet 400 series with a lens will set you back under $200 if you look around a bit. 6 film holders, a light meter and a cable release less than $100 more. You can make a dark cloth. Carry bag is simple. Smallish drink cooler from a thrift store if you don't already have a bag to use.

The old monorail cameras are easy to use. The Calumets, Burke and James and Kodak metal monorails were not expensive when new and are still inexpensive on the used market.

A 4x5 enlarger can be had for low cost to "please take this thing off my hands".

If and when you decide to move to a larger format you don't lose much at all because you did not pay much for the gear.

+1
I sold a Calumet CC-400 a few years back for even less than that. It's a bare-bones camera, butt-simple and great to learn on. Besides, it was used by Ansel Adams to illustrate movements in Camera & Lens, the first book of his Basic Photo Series. So, it's a book-worthy camera. 4x5 is big enough to contact print. Get comfortable with that and then re-evaluate the whole 8x10 thing

[Jim Galli]

4X5's are HO gauge trains. 8X10's are Lionel 0 gauge tinplate. I hope you do the 8X10. A fine 8X10 contact print on AZO is a brute force assault on the digital that all your buddies are doing which are all the same.

Then, there's other stuff, like soft focus that no computer will ever be able to duplicate.

OK, that ought to be enough fodder for argument for the next 3 pages or so.