"Affordable" 8x10 that's international travel "friendly".

[Chris C]

Hey guys.

Yes i know, I'm a little bit mad.

After shooting 4x5 for 6-7 years I'm finally fed up with enlarging and contact printing 4x5's. I just don't enjoy enlarging anymore and contacts are too small. It's time to make the step up. An 8x10 contact printing workflow had always appealed to me immensely and now's the time to make it happen, and hopefully for a reasonable price (that's the kicker).

I'm heading to Nepal in March for 3 months with a little side trip into India. I'd really like to have this all bought and ready to go by then. So what I'm looking for is a camera I can travel internationally with so weight and size are pretty important, and so is price. I've done a lot of hunting around and 8x10 really is another world as far as knowing what to look for. In a perfect world I'd get a new Chamonix but that's going to be well out of my budget. The Tachihara 8x10 (chrome) that MPEX has listed on their site is pretty tempting, but I can't find any info on it's weight (does anyone know?). But then there's the world of used cameras, and I really don't know what to look for. If I could get something ~5kgs for under $1k I'd be so over the moon, but I'm not sure that's realistic.

This is where I come to pick your brains. Are there any suggestions for specific cameras that either fit this bill or come close to fitting the bill to look out for? I really think it's going to have to be a field cam rather than a monorail to maintain the semblance of sanity I have.

Lenses are easy I think. I've always been a 1 lens guy. It's always been a 150mm on 4x5 but I'm pretty set on looking for a 240mm for 8x10. Just something a little wider will be ideal so long as it allows for a touch of movements (mostly front rise). There seem to be a few affordable options that will fit the bill.

Anyway, thanks a ton in advance for any advice you can give here. I keep going round in circles over this.

[Frank Petronio]

My friend David - Altcruiser is a reliable seller who has a nice 240 Rodenstock Sironar-N for sale at a reasonable price here - think he posted it yesterday. That's a good 8x10 lens.

As for the perfect lightweight 8x10 camera, good luck! You missed that nice Wehman that sold last night... perhaps somebody will list an older 8x10 Arca - maybe a Kodak Master View (isn't there one for sale here too?).

That said, you would want to have some experience with that 8x10 before heading out, and 4x5 is much easier and less expensive so perhaps consider how to make 4x5 fun and satisfying rather than leaving your wife for some high-maintenance hussy!?

[Nathan Potter]

What are you going to photograph in Nepal? If you are trekking and toting an 8X10 you need something light. If you have a guide to tote for you then you can bring a bit of serious weight. If you are going to stick to the roads close to a vehicle (you need a driver) you've got some flexibility, but those are perilous roads in places and driving is painfully slow. The main east to west thoroughfare isn't too bad, say Kathmandu to Pokara and up the Gandaki valley is OK. Going east from Kathmandu - I don't know but I would expect there are some precipitous and perilous sections for driving.

The valley villages are highly photogenic and accessible by vehicle while some of the best monasteries (many spectacular) need to be reached by considerable hiking. Guides and porters are essential for high altitude trekking because many trails are poorly marked or don't exist. Anything above 18,000 feet or so requires some serious altitude adaptation unless you are in unusually good shape.

My son just returned from the area around Dhauligiri and the Annapurnas but elected not to bring his 4X5 but just use a digital SLR. In fact I was just downloading an image of Machhapuchhre (never been climbed to the summit) from him when I saw your post.

I'd recommend studying the areas of your interest on Google earth fairly carefully before going; there is a lot of good resolution through central Nepal.

Good luck you lucky devil. And be careful!

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[ImSoNegative]

My friend David - Altcruiser is a reliable seller who has a nice 240 Rodenstock Sironar-N for sale at a reasonable price here - think he posted it yesterday. That's a good 8x10 lens.

As for the perfect lightweight 8x10 camera, good luck! You missed that nice Wehman that sold last night... perhaps somebody will list an older 8x10 Arca - maybe a Kodak Master View (isn't there one for sale here too?).

Daniel stone has his KMV for sale,

[Fred L]

If I recall correctly from my wife's trip to NZ, you have really tight restrictions re:carry on weight so I'm guessing an 8x10 camera and lenses will probably put you over the limit. Were/are you willing to chance putting it in the baggage for the trip ? Holders would travel well.

I would think Richard Ritter's 8x10 would be the obvious choice for go light large format as it's only 6.4 lbs (2.9 k) but it's definitely not going to be <$1000

As for lenses, if you want a bit wider than your 240, the Fuji 210 5.6 (inside barrel lettering) would be ideal. Light, compact and covers 8x10.

Good luck in your search !

[Chris C]

My friend David - Altcruiser is a reliable seller who has a nice 240 Rodenstock Sironar-N for sale at a reasonable price here - think he posted it yesterday. That's a good 8x10 lens.

Thanks for the tip! I noticed he said there's not a ton of room for movements. Any chance you'd know if there was enough for ~2-3cm of rise?

What are you going to photograph in Nepal?

An excellent question (I'm not even sure I could accurately describe what I shoot here)! Basically, I'm going to be based in the Kathmandu Valley volunteering with kids for 3 months, so it'll be things of interest in and around the valley. I'm young and stupid so I won't mind cycling with some stuff for a little way but when I was there in 2008 I never found any sort of transport to be much of a problem. I'd debated trekking again, though I'm not going to be fussed if I don't, but if I do I'll be leaving behind all the 8x10 gear in Kathmandu and heading into the hills with just a 35mm.

If I recall correctly from my wife's trip to NZ, you have really tight restrictions re:carry on weight so I'm guessing an 8x10 camera and lenses will probably put you over the limit. Were/are you willing to chance putting it in the baggage for the trip ? Holders would travel well.

I would think Richard Ritter's 8x10 would be the obvious choice for go light large format as it's only 6.4 lbs (2.9 k) but it's definitely not going to be <$1000

As for lenses, if you want a bit wider than your 240, the Fuji 210 5.6 (inside barrel lettering) would be ideal. Light, compact and covers 8x10.

Good luck in your search !

Carry-on's usually 7kgs or so. I'll be checking the tripod in so I'd probably just check the camera (minus glass) too. Neither will be any good without the other in the sub-continent. The Ritter 8x10 would be ideal but I really don't think my budget's going to stretch that far, unfortunately.
The flipside to the weight issue is just giving up on my 8x10 dream for a little while and picking up a Chamonix 4x5 for the trip. I'd be able to fit all my camera gear in a Domke F2 doing this, but 8x10's been alluring me for far too long now…

[Fred L]

Not one to deter you but have you also considered MF ? Much easier to travel with and the quality is nothing to sneeze at.

While I really appreciate LF, if I was on a trip like this, I think I'd simple things down and take a MF (Mamiya 6), an Xpan and a small digital p&s. In fact, if I do get to go to NZ with my wife, this is what I'd most likely bring with me.

Also, do you *REALLY* need LF for this trip ?

[Chris C]

My previous two trips (Nepal and Myanmar) I've traveled with a Mamiya 645 Pro. Good photos, but both trips I've come back kicking myself for not taking my old 4x5. I just produce much better photos when I'm shooting large format.

[BarryS]

I think shooting 8x10 is going to be hard for the type of travel you're doing. I love 8x10, but a full kit--even with one lens--is going to be tough to manage. The really light 8x10's are going to be expensive and the holders and tripod will kill you if the camera doesn't. Have you considered 5x7? A 5x7 camera doesn't weigh much more than a 4x5 and the contact prints are very nice--large enough to enjoy. I'd recommend whole plate--because the camera size and contact print are absolutely perfect, but it would cost a lot to get set up.

The Chamonix 5x7 convertible only weighs 2 kg and if you can scrape up the 2K--it would be a great choice. Shen Hao sells the FCL57A for $1300 and it weighs 3 kg.

[Frank Petronio]

A used 8x10 Tachihara with that 240 and a couple of holders, plus a couple boxes of film and a smaller camera/meter would just make the carry-on and still be managable. Be sure to get a ground glass protector! A Tachi would be great with a 240 since you wouldn't be extending too far, if ever.

I think all of the 240/5.6 lenses are going to be a bit small in image circle at that price point, until you get into the slower f/9 lenses or the $$$ super ones. For people photos I would definitely prefer the f/5.6 aperture even if I sacrificed size/weight/coverage. For landscape only, then one of the small f/9 lenses would give you more coverage and be smaller too.