Quality 8x10 gear...how much does it matter?

[adam satushek]

Yeah thanks, I do have a Nikkor-M 300, but have only used it for 4x5. Doesn't have a lot of movement on 8x10 but I suppose I should try it. But in terms of lightening my gear i don't plan on that anytime soon. I'm not backpacking....and if i go hiking ill just bring my 7ii. The kind of subjects I shoot are accessible by car so weight of the gear is not really an issue.

In terms of film holders, it sounds like that they shouldn't matter as long as they are not warped and are light tight. When you guys mention taping or gluing the film in the holders how do you go about this? Do you do a small piece of double-sided tape in the center of the holder and press down with gloves? Or a smear with the glue stick? Could the thickness of the tape/glue affect how flat the film lays?

Thanks for all your great suggestions thus far!

[Frank Petronio]

Put a couple - three small squares of that clear double-stick, low tack Scotch tape (sold in the art area of the grocery or office supply store) around the center to keep the film from popping when the holder is parallel with the ground. Test it with a sheet if you must. The thickness of the tape is negligible compared to the amount the film would move.

[adam satushek]

Awesome! Thanks Frank, I will try it. Seems like a good fix and should convince me that I don't have to my all new Toyo 8x10 holders as like $200 a pop. And even those I'm sure would benefit from some tape in the center.

Now I just have to convince myself that my Caltar-S II 300 is sufficient....and im sure it is, but can anyone confirm which lens this actually is? Is it a Schneider Symmar S MC? Because according to certain charts the Caltar has an IC of 420 and the Schneider has an IC of 411. Or am i missing something? Which is quite possible.

Thanks,
Adam

[Kimberly Anderson]

I guess I'll put away this Century 7, my 10 inch portrait Petzval and these old wooden holders. This stuff all sucks.

[Chris Strobel]

John - I wouldn't call all of Burkett's gear third rate. His enlarger probably cost 75 grand
and has all kinds of fancy trimmings. I'll bet he's pretty damn nitpicky, but that doesn't
exclude the fact that older cameras can be solid, or that lenses at f/45 have to be less
than ten years old. Plenty of good lenses out there to choose from, though at my age the
cumulative wt of them is getting to be a relevant factor (that pack feels a pound heavier
each year). But a precision filmholder is something of a magic bullet if sharp detail is a
priority. It's just like folks who think they get crisp enlargements without using a glass carrier - which is of course either relative or just plain a myth. Just try one.

I'm with Drew, Chris' cine tripod cost more than some cars, and his lenses are as modern and good as they get.His black C-1 is about the oldest piece of gear, but even that has been modified.I spent about a half hour or so with him on the phone when I ordered one of his books, that time alone was worth way more than the book for me.He explained why he uses the heavier C-1, and talked me into keeping it when I was going to sell it and buy a new Tachihara, and I'm glad I did (though I'm toying with adding a lighter 8x10 for backpacking vs. a D800e dslr for stitching (nother thread though)

One thing I did spring for new was film holders.They were expensive, but it was worth the piece of mind.To date my favorite lens is the 300mm Rodenstock Apo-Siranon N I got used.Bought a new Nikkor W 360mm, and new Nikkor M 450mm, but I don't even use em, that old used 300mm is just great, below is a close crop I did with it out of a bushel of eight sunflowers..BTW Burkett uses that 450mm Nikkor M and highly recommended it to me.On the film flatness thing, I've seen Lough Jr. loading his Arca Swiss with Lisco/Fidelity holders, and the giant prints I saw at Pier 39 were sharp as a tack, maybe he uses some kind of adhesive though.

[adam satushek]

Michael! I'm sure it doesn't suck......I'm sure it suits your need quite well. Personally, Ill probably never own another wooden camera, and only want new MC lenses....but that doesn't mean that wooden cameras and Petzval's are not just as relevant. It's just a matter of personal style, and mine happens to be large, sharp, color inkjet prints with as much DOF as i can pull off. And that is the gear I'm interested in.

Thanks,
Adam

[Kimberly Anderson]

Ha! I also have a Canham 8x10, a bunch of G-Clarons and some longer process lenses. I am totally tongue-in-cheek in my last comment.

I do however, have some issues with the whole 'old film holders are not good' school. How many of us shoot straight down? How often does that small fraction of people do it? I have shot in some weird situations and have never seen a problem with film bowing away from the holder. That doesn't mean that others haven't, I am just surprised that a tiny amount of people have taken us all hostage with that train of thought.

[adam satushek]

Cool, yeah Michael, I haven't noticed a problem per say, but I can tell you that I trust my Toyo 4x5's much more than my fidelities. And I can imagine that with 8x10 the bowing issue much more severe. And no I never point my camera at the ground ( in have a video leveling head for a reason.....to keep things level), but I am eager to try the double sided tape trick to see if I get any improvement in image quality.

Hey Chris, which film holders did you spring for?

Thanks,
Adam

[Chris Strobel]

How many of us shoot straight down?

Guilty and quite a bit

[Chris Strobel]

I'm actually looking at wood field 8x10's right now, hadnt considered wood film holders, but it certainly would add to the look.........hmmm