Hi Tom,
4X10 is a great format. Cutting down 8X10 film is quite easy, and a dedicated 4X10 camera is a lot easier to transport and set up than an 8X10. It also helps to get you into the panoramic mindset.
If you decide to go with a 4X10 camera, I have a lovely near mint Wisner TF 4X10 that I'm trying to find a new home for:
http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ghlight=wisner
Please drop me an e-mail off line if you'd like to know more.
Brian Vuillemenot
There's quite a bit of info here: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/4x10.html
Pay particular attention to the comments on film holders. I would advise against buying anything that does not use Canham-type film holders. The Canham-type seem to be most common and are available for several sources.
Brian is correct about dedicated cameras. My Chamonix weighs about five pounds versus an 8x10 at nine pounds. The dedicated 4x10 is considerably smaller too.
Keith Pitman
Hi Brian - how do you find the Chamonix, is this the 410n? There's no photos on the Chamonix website but 5 pounds / 2.2kg sounds pretty light...Originally Posted by Keith Pitman
Wow what an absolute beauty - I'd be afraid of damaging and ruining it! How many holders do you have or did you have when you used it?
I only have one holder, which is of the Wisner style. That makes for a light backpack but the need to load holders a lot! Unfortunately, the Wisner style holders are hard to come by. However, I've heard that Keith Canham can convert the back to use his style holders for a reasonable fee.
Brian Vuillemenot
I've been using a Canham 5x12, which I prefer greatly over the 4x10 format, even though it limits the film choices even more. Having said that, I'd still go for the dedicated format - it makes it so much easier to think about what you're shooting when you don't have the distractions of having to shift the back/front standards and/or mask the ground glass.
Having a dedicated camera does make a lot of sense if one is using only the 4x10 format and not interested in 8x10. Weight and bulk are significantly reduced. But I'll admit that if I ever go to 11x14, I'll have a dark slide cut so that I can make 5.5x14 negatives! LOL!
One advantage of the modified dark slide route is that one can do verticals without turning the camera on its side. One disadvantage is having to insert the modified darkslide and remove it -- it is just an extra step one can mess up...which I have a few times. But I am getting better...
I am thinking of modifying a darkslide to make 8x8 negatives, too. I learned photography using a Rolleiflex and sometimes I miss the square!
I don't mask the GG -- no real need to do that (grid pattern marked on my GG).
Vaughn
Apologies, I do of course mean to direct this question at Keith!
How have you gone with the film availability/processing issues?
Lachlan.
You miss 100% of the shots you never take. -- Wayne Gretzky
Hey Lachlan
Thanks for letting me know Prism do 4x10, I think they do E6 only and not C41. I spoke to someone at Lab X who said they could do it, clipping the 10" side to an 8x10 frame and then one corner of the 4" side. They do C41 and E6 and would charge the same as an 8x10. So there are possibilities for colour. And B/W I will do myself. Somehow.
I buy in all my sheet film from the US anyway - save for maybe a box of Delta 100 4x5 from Les Porter occasionally.
With 8x10 I reckon I'll be buying it all in from the US. Although BH dont seem to stock any Velvia or Provia in 8x10. They dont even list it. This is a bit odd - has anyone else found this? Adorama have some, but it seems Fuji transparency emulsions in 8x10 are a bit hard to come by - even in the US....
Where do you buy your film - are you mainly using 120 for you 6x17 namesake?!
Cheers
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