Is bigger better?

[Michael Graves]

Many have already articulated quite nicely a simple fact. An image is as unique as the individual who takes it. Some pictures make magnificant murals adorning huge walls. Others make exquisitely intimate prints for hanging in an office or living room. I have one print that was shot on 5x7 that, while it enlarges quite well...just doesn't view as well as the contact print. I entered that shot in a couple of competitions enlarged to 11x14 and never got a passing notice. This summer I entered a matted and framed contact print from that same negative and took first place. Part of it was no doubt the judges, but I think another part was that the particular image was a string quartet and not a symphony.

[depso]

My vision is fine; last time I checked (which was in february of this year) I had 20/20 vision.

If you seriously think that there is a noticable difference between an 8x10 contact print and a 8x10 print from a drum scanned 4x5 negative (that was printed on glossy fuji crystal archive paper using a printer like the Chromira or Fuji Frontier), by all means continue shooting with that giant camera.

But really, I see no advantage in shooting 8x10 unless you plan on making giant prints (100 inches+) or contact prints. 4x5 has the most choices in film, lenses and cameras. The weight and processing costs are much lower, and that means I can take my camera to more places and take more shots for the same cost. In the end, it's just a matter of taste...

I'm diving into this a little late but i don't think photography or art is always a matter of sheer economics,
I just get better results with my 8x10 than my 4x5, infact i find the 4x5 ground glass too small and the film a little too cheap i find myself shooting it as if it were rollfilm- that's a big distraction right there!!!
you bang away and end up with a bunch of crap instead of ending up with two images you love!
That's what matters in the end (for me anyway), what counts is whether i like what i make or not
ImHO
Njelle

[depso]

Is a ULF camera and tripod heavy and bulky? Absolutely. But so what? Rather than let limitations drive your process, why not let the process drive your vision?

LF photography is not about convenience. It is about truthfullness and seeing "your" way. If you want to make it convenient and accept the compromise then that is your choice. But don't continue to justify it with deductive reasoning or some other practical conclusion because IMHO practical and LF are not mutually inclusive.

I couldn't agree more!

[TheDeardorffGuy]

Since this thread started in '06 I have no idea whom I'm replying to. But my story is
4x5,6x6 + enlarge to up to 20x24. For about ten years. Then 8x10 Deardorff camera and contact print. All I had was an 8x10 print. Then a 11x14 Deardorff and still just a 11x14 print. Then I rebuilt a 14x17 Rochester Optical camera. Now I had something that had more size and I could make some nice prints. But then we bought a PT cruiser and my beloved Minivan went to Minivan Hill in the auto recyclers and my space for photo stuff went away. But a good thing happened. I was invited to a customers studio to see if I could align his Fotar enlarger. I brought a known negative along and went to work. A couple hours later I had his enlarger set up and was hooked on enlarging 8x10 negs. Back to my V8 and a cheap (read giveaway) Fotar enlarger and building a new darkroom. I was pleased at the lack of grain of a 20x24.
So find an old elwood and make a LED lighthead. You can do it!!

[prado333]

if 8x10 is good for Raymond Depardon , Joel Sternfeld, Joel Meyerowitz, Richard Misrach, Mitch Epstein, Alec Soth, Greg Miller and more in no particular order it is good
for me.

[Brian Ellis]

If you have no way to enlarge your 8x10 negatives but can enlarge your 4x5s then I wouldn't view an 8x10 camera as a substitute for 4x5. 8x10 contact prints are beautiful and I found 8x10 gear very satisfying to use but many photographs, at least the kind I make, cry out to be printed bigger than 8x10. And it's very frustrating to have an 8x10 contact print that you know would be better larger but have no way of printing it larger (I never used a lab, never will, maybe for people who use labs that would be a solution). At least I was very frustrated until scanning and digital printing became feasible and allowed me to enlarge some of my 8x10 negatives.

[Jon Wilson]

Get yourself an 8x10 enlarger and build your darkroom around it. I am still learning the ropes, but that is what I did. If you are in the neighborhood, look me up and you are welcome to try it out. Jon

[atlcruiser]

I met Clyde Butcher last spring at his gallery and we chatted a while. I was about to make the jump to 45 from all of my MF stuff. He suggessted to forget 45 and go straight to 810 as i will anyway...he was right!

I ended up with a deardorff 810 and a linhof kardan 45. The linhof was sold off as too much of a hassle for my use and I got a crown graphic.

For me nothing compares to the 810...but i have yet to shoot a 20x24 My 45 I use all the time and use it as a great tool for learning how better to use the 810. I hope to soon be able to concentrate more and use the 45 as more of a camera and less of a learning tool but then I get the 810 out and all thoguhts of the 45 go away.

It is more expensive especially with color of e6 film but the B+W is not all that bad. I average 10 frames a week of 810 and have had great luck with the arista edu film at a great price.

I see a savings in time as I shoot fewer frames, less time to develope, less time to scan, store etc.... overall the process is easier for me than 45 and much easier than MF.

Contact printing rocks.....there is no real downside for me. If and when I want to get bigger prints i can have them professionally scanned and printed.


I would suggest a decent, cheaper 810 to see if you like it and how well it works for you and keep the 45 kit for now.

Later this month I get to use a 8 x 20 and a 20 x 24..I cant wait and I have a feeling that my money will soon be gone after that experience!

[Steve M Hostetter]

i'd go read the thread, why do you shoot 8x10