5x8 format

[Bruce Watson]

Was the 5x8 format ever used? If so, who made cameras in this size? And film holders? Anyone making this format today? And film holders?

It's just an interesting size -- very close to the golden ratio, and you can get film for it by a single cut of 10x8 film to two sheets of 5x8, so there is some practical advantage also.

[Oren Grad]

Yes, at least in the plate era. See, for example:

http://www.fiberq.com/cam/anthony/amchampe.htm

[John Brady]

Hi Bruce, Chamonix is building a 5x8 and making beautiful holders.
Here is some new work I have done with mine. One of the cool things other then 8x10 film availability is that I do my own processing with a jobo cpp2 and You can use the 30010 pro drum and the 5x8 fits perfectly five sheets at a time.
______________________
www.timeandlight.com

[Bruce Watson]

Hi Bruce, Chamonix is building a 5x8 and making beautiful holders.

Here is some new work I have done with mine. One of the cool things other then 8x10 film availability is that I do my own processing with a jobo cpp2 and you can use the 3010 pro drum and the 5x8 fits perfectly five sheets at a time.

Does Chamonix have a website? Where can I get specs and pics? I can't find a website for them. Sigh... addicted to the web.

And 5x8 will actually fit a 3010 drum? And the little ridge that the film has to cover (so you could put two 4x5 sheets in the drum) in that orientation doesn't mean anything then -- at least not according to your examples which are quite nice BTW. Happy thought that, I was thinking I'd have to buy another drum.

Does it take a single cut of 8x10 film, or is the film a little smaller and need to be trimmed?

And just out of curiosity, how much does the camera weigh?

[Ken Lee]

Another thing you can do, is turn a 5x7 into a corresponding "golden ratio" camera.

You only really get 6.75 inches of useable space due to the holder.

0.6180339 x 6.75 = 4.17 inches, or around 4.25. If you apply a mask on your ground glass of around 3/8 inch, you end up with 4 and 1/4 by 6 and 3/4. You're.... golden.

[John Brady]

Hi Bruce, I will do my best with your questions but our resident expert is Hugo Zhang, he is the Chamonix distributor in the us. He is very knowledgeable and provides great customer service.

1)Does Chamonix have a website? Where can I get specs and pics? I can't find a website for them. Sigh... addicted to the web.
I don't think they have a web site in the us yet

2)And 5x8 will actually fit a 3010 drum? And the little ridge that the film has to cover (so you could put two 4x5 sheets in the drum) in that orientation doesn't mean anything then -- at least not according to your examples which are quite nice BTW. Happy thought that, I was thinking I'd have to buy another drum.
The 3010 drum works great, you just line up the two ends of the film with one of the ridges and let the non emulsion side span the other one.

3)Does it take a single cut of 8x10 film, or is the film a little smaller and need to be trimmed?
8x10 cut in half fits perfectly, no excess or extra trimming.

4)And just out of curiosity, how much does the camera weigh?
Film: Half of standard 8x10 film(recut the 8x10 film in darkroom)
See the info below, this is for the non rotating back model. The specs are a little different for the rotating model which is the one I have.

Wood: oiled Walnut,Metal:aluminium magnesium alloys.

Lensboard: Technika style.

Front axis tilt: Limited only by the bellows.

Front swing: Limited only by the bellows.

Front rise and fall: 60mm.

Front shift: 70mm.

Back swing: 10°;u+

Bellows draw extension from 70mm to 460mm.

Weight: 2.28kg.

Dimensions: 310mmx210mmx110mm in close position.
___________________
www.timeandlight.com

[wfwhitaker]

Oh, great! Now I feel like Lucy Ricardo in a hat store...

[jetcode]

Another thing you can do, is turn a 5x7 into a corresponding "golden ratio" camera.

You only really get 6.75 inches of useable space due to the holder.

0.6180339 x 6.75 = 4.17 inches, or around 4.25. If you apply a mask on your ground glass of around 3/8 inch, you end up with 4 and 1/4 by 6 and 3/4. You're.... golden.

what I enjoy about 4x10 is that I am not limited to 4x10: 4x4, 4x5, 4x6, 4x7, 4x8, 4x9, I usually try to fill the frame but the subject truly dictates the format

[Bruce Watson]

Another thing you can do, is turn a 5x7 into a corresponding "golden ratio" camera.

You only really get 6.75 inches of useable space due to the holder.

0.6180339 x 6.75 = 4.17 inches, or around 4.25. If you apply a mask on your ground glass of around 3/8 inch, you end up with 4 and 1/4 by 6 and 3/4. You're.... golden.

Actually I'm looking at three "primary" formats. Something squarish like 4:3, something golden as in 1:618:1, and something panish like 2.5:1. I'm thinking that 5x8 would be about right for what I want, but 5x7 is only two inches longer than 4x5. And 5x8 gives you a single cut from 8x10 film, where 5x7 (which is getting very hard to find) requires two cuts from 8x10, which is double the opportunity for dirt, scratches, and fingerprints.

Else I could go with 4x10 as Jetcode suggests. But that means more waste when I want a squarer format. It probably, maybe, means more weight in the pack as well. I'm still trying to get some info from suppliers on that and other things.

[Songyun]

Does Chamonix have a website? Where can I get specs and pics? I can't find a website for them. Sigh... addicted to the web.

And 5x8 will actually fit a 3010 drum? And the little ridge that the film has to cover (so you could put two 4x5 sheets in the drum) in that orientation doesn't mean anything then -- at least not according to your examples which are quite nice BTW. Happy thought that, I was thinking I'd have to buy another drum.

Does it take a single cut of 8x10 film, or is the film a little smaller and need to be trimmed?

And just out of curiosity, how much does the camera weigh?

There are two 5X8 Chamonix camera available. One is horizontal only, the other is interchangeable. It looks just like the 8X10. I did post it once here.

I think 5X8 is a nice format, if someone comes up with a device that automatically cuts 8X10 into 2 5X8, that will be very nice.