I just got a brochure from Peter Gowland stating he has just released the lightest 8x10 view camera. It weighs in at a incredible 4.5 lbs and sells for $1550. It has a 24" bellows (~600 mm), takes 5.5 inch Sinar-sized lens boards, has a 3-piece screw-together monorail, and an "L handle" for vert/horiz conversion (?). I'm not sure about the last part. See the photo on his web site (http://www.petergowland.com/camera/). It also accepts an optional rangefinder. I suppose the 3-piece monorail is for compactness when traveling, but I wonder how sturdy a screw-together monorail is.
As far as other lightweight, relatively inexpensive (<$2500) cameras: - Toho FC-810 ($2300, 6.6-6.8 lbs) - Bender 8x10 kit ($400, 6 lbs) - Tachihara? - Gandolfi Variand Level 2 ($2500, 8.8 lbs) - Any others that I'm forgetting?
Comments from anyone who owns any of these cameras would be much appreciated. I picked up a Bender with a 300mm Nikkor M for a decent price which has opened up 8x10 to me, but I'd like to know what others think of their cameras, especially their Gowlands. Sincerely, Tony
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