have you given any thought to getting a 5x7 camera with a 4x5 reducing back as an accessory?
if you're shooting b/w only, there's a lot of emulsions still available for that format(5x7), if you're working in color, no-go my friend, unless you cut 8x10 down. 5x7 is almost double the size of 4x5, allowing more "resolution" to work with. Its also a wider perspective, so there's less stitching involved that I can see.
Secondly, the 450 Nikkor would have some more working room bellows-wise with a 5x7 camera than with most 4x5 field cameras.
also, chamonix makes some damn fine cameras, and they cost a good bit less than an ebony. If you have someone around you who has an ebony to play around with and cuddle for an hour or so, try it out, even if it takes you a few hours worth of time in driving. Sure beats buying the wrong camera and trying to re-sell it for a loss, generally a big one, even with Ebony's.
don't get me wrong, just cause they're expensive doesn't mean they aren't great cameras. Design-wise, they're terrific! However, there's less-expensive options out there that might deliver better results and a smoother workflow for you, at a drastically reduced cost, allowing you more $$$ for film
.
but I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money
cheers,
-Dan
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