questions about metal 8x10 field cameras

[andrewrb]

I myself just upsized from 4x5 to 8x10. I live in a city and tend to walk instead of drive to shoot, so I needed a setup that would be both strong and versatile, and like you I also just graduated from College and found my funds to be "lacking" for top notch gear.

After much internet lurking, I found some cheaper alternatives for the switch. As you may know Gitzo have beautifully strong, and extremely expensive tripods, but you can buy an old used g320 for pretty cheap, I think around $200(?). And it can handle up to 22lbs I believe

I myself bought a new Giottos GB 4180 a year ago for around $200 (I think) and just got the Manfrotto 3039 head for $230. Not cheap in real world, but cheap in photo world. The setup is solid enough for my sinar p 8x10.

I also have a beast of a tripod: an old Manfrotto 3058. I have no idea how much it weighs, but it feels like I'm dragging the titanic around with me. It could handle a hurricane, though. I'm SURE someone out there has one they'd LOVE to get rid of after buying a newer, lighter Carbon Tripod

[dsphotog]

My first 8X10 was a Calumet C-1, very stable but it's kinda heavy, For field use. I prefer a Deardorff, it's main issue is, the lens must be removed to fold the camera.
My free advice, Buy whats available, & start shooting!

[steve barry]

wow. thanks for all the replies. its a huge help. i think i have narrowed it down a little further. i cant seem to find any used toyo 810mii's around. Does anyone know what I could expect to pay for a new phillips 8x10 exlorer, and a used toyo 810mii? do the other prices look realistic?:


1 Toyo 810MII
new: $4,515.00 used: ??

2 Canham 8x10 traditional standard
new: $3,495.00 used: $2,500.00

3 Phillips 8x10 explorer
new:?? used: 3,600.00

i will be wanting to go huge on the prints. so cost alone puts me under an enlarger, with black and white for now. searching for a durst or saltzman and a moving company. in the mean time i would be happy with contact prints. i would continue doing contacts for organizing and viewing anyhow, once i was set up with enlarger.

in your opinions, 8x10 is not at least twice as good as 4x5 when it comes to large (4-5 foot) wet prints? i have not even looked into the idea that both formats would be close to equal in this regard???? maybe i am missing something from the posts, did you mean at 20x24 you would be hard pressed to tell the two apart?

thanks for the tripod ideas - i have the 3058 as well....but never use it because it has an old abused bogen head on it with the octogon locking deal and it does not fit my norma proper, and its way too much to lug around for MF. i cant help but think some lighter legs would just be more fun. i have a tiltal (the good old school marchioni bros one) and its more than a little stressed with the norma on top. would love to find its beefier counterpart.

[mandoman7]

I don't understand why you wouldn't get a Deardorff or something cheaper if you're just getting into the format, and then keep the 4x5 stuff. I just came from wandering around a forested hillside with an 8x10 and it was a load. I keep my 4x5 in the trunk also and will use it if I'm likely to be going much distance from the car. I've got a lensboard that takes the boards my 4x5 uses so I can share lenses.

I love my 8x10 and have gotten some good shots with it recently, but I wouldn't want to be limited to just that negative.

[steve barry]

mandoman7 - i will be keeping my LF cameras. contemplating getting rid of the MF and 35mm stuff. I will keep my favorite stuff, but I have acquired too many expensive cameras that will likely go unused for the remainder. unless i had a special project - my everyday cameras will be LF for as long as i can carry the equipment.

[vinny]

http://www.wehmancamera.com
I use one for 8x10 and also 4x5 with a reducing back. All my lenses from 90-600 work with the 4x5 back too.

[Paul Greeves]

The two prints that I compared were 20x24. The difference may be less because I am scanning the negatives. The 10x8 scan needed no Unsharp Mask in Photoshop, where as the 5x4 needed a little. Two wet prints, I would imagine, would show a more noticeable difference.

With regards to tripods, I use a Giotto carbon. Its sturdy enough to hold the 10x8 and very light. Just make sure that you buy a good head to go on the top. I use a Manfotto ball head.

One point on the Canham Traditional. I owned one for three weeks before one of the joints on the wooden frame came apart. The camera would benefit from some extra strength on the corners. I would hope that this is an isolated fault. One other small issue was the complexity of folding the camera. This does take several goes to perfect. I have opted for the JMC810 as a replacement for this faulty camera, in a hope that it will be stronger and easier to fold. It is a slightly lighter too.

[Larry Menzin]

I ended up getting an 8x10 format set for my 4x5 Arca Swiss F-line camera. If you can swing the cost, Arca is a fantastic metal camera. It is a good compromise between weight and rigidity. Although others state they can find no difference between 4x5 and 8x10 in their prints, this is less true for those without a drum scanner. Using Epson-type flatbeds with 8x10 gives reasonable results for 3x magnifications, i.e. 20x30 prints. When you start with 4x5, 11x14 seems to be the reasonable limit.

[Richard M. Coda]

Arca-Swiss? While, not technically a field camera, it is relatively light, very sturdy, has all the detentes you want, and is easy to use. They ARE expensive, but you may be able to find a used one. Call Rod Klukas at Photomark in Phoenix. (602) 244-1133 - (800) 777-6627

[Frank Petronio]

I would just buck up and get an 8x10 Norma set-up and the biggest Gitzo. Not only will it be a fraction of the price of these lightweight cameras, but it will be more robust and in the end you'll get better photos because nothing will be shaking/breaking/messing up.

Unless you are an ultra-lightweight backpacking nut, 8x10 is heavy and bulky no matter what you do, with all the holders, larger lenses, etc. so you might as well accept it. Some of the old guys here use baby jogging strollers to move their stuff around out-of-doors. Others have Chevy Suburbans.

You're young and strong -- another 5 to 8lbs for a camera that is much more capable than the flyweights is a good trade-off imho.

If I wanted a folding metal camera, a restored Kodak Master View is probably the best choice, I like them better than the Toyos. And the wooden Canhams and Phillips also have a great reputation, I'd look at the Chamonix too.