Brand new to LF, want to get my feet wet

[CRFTony]

Thanks again for all of the feedback, everyone. I'm back from my trip and during that time I searched the forums and related websites exhaustively. I think I figured out what I want/don't want. From my research, it seems like a Graflex Super D would be a solid choice. I saw there are holders that can hold 6 sheets of film at a time. It also doesn't seem as complicated to use as many of the other cameras I was looking at. Does this seem like a wise choice? Or are there other similar models which I should also explore?

[Too Many Cameras]

A friend of mine just got a Graflex Super D a few weeks ago. He's pretty adept at using vintage cameras (as he owns and uses an extensive collection from 1903 to modern cameras.) He noted it was one of the hardest cameras he's ever used (might have said 'the hardest.') He also noted that the old Graflexes can have mechanical issues due to material age. Some issues include bellows and viewing bag tears, issues within the camera itself, etc.

A very nice aspect of using an old SLR like that is the waist-level finder. I'm blanking right now on other LF cameras with that feature.

[Ari]

I saw there are holders that can hold 6 sheets of film at a time.

Those are called Grafmatics, they hold six sheets in a cartridge.
Be sure to find one with straight septums (the thin metal things that hold each sheet of film), and make sure that it cycles through the six holders properly and without jamming.
They are space-saving, but you can easily shoot twice as much film as with regular holders because they're so easy to use.

[Jim Galli]

You're probably over-thinking this. I hate to see someone start out with a Graflex D. It's like a Divco Milk truck. It does one job really well, but precludes a zillion others that you're going to want to do.

My advice, and most of the rest here, will get you a cup of starbucks coffee if you add $1.95 to it. After some messing around and a lot of wasted time and money you're going to discover the look you were after can be done with an old theator projector lens and a $56 Burke and James 5X7 wood camera.

When you have some time, waste it wading through some of my web pages. All your mathematical equivalents don't hold up when you make this leap. Get a cheap platform, a light tight wooden box, with a large lensboard so you can put an old fashioned Packard shutter behind it, and then start playing with all the beautiful lenses.

[ImSoNegative]

an old burke and james wooden film camera, although a bit funky will do everything you need it to do and then some. i have a 5x7 with a 4x5 back, wish i could find an extension rail for it, not to many wooden field cameras have the movement capibilities of a burke and james, mine reminds me of this old truck i used to have, i was the only one that could drive it because i knew all of its quirks lol

[ac12]

About the camera.
If you think that you might want a similar focal length to your 135mm on the D800, which would be about 400mm on a 4x5, you probably will NOT be able to go with a field camera.

The reason is for a 400mm lens, the bellows will need to extend out to about 16" to focus. And I think that is the infinity focus. Move the subject in closer for portraits, and you will need to extend the bellows even further. To do that, I think you need a monorail camera, with a LONG rail and bellows. So you need to consider the LONGEST lens that you might use (whatever it might be), so as to not be restricted by a short focusing rail and bellows.

Some monorail cameras allow you to swap rails, so I can swap my long rail for a shorter rail, or a short rail for a long rail. Others may only have one length of rail (long or short) or only have a short bellows.

BUT, a monorail camera is more bulky to deal with in the field than a field camera. This is OK if you are close to the car, but a pain if you have to hike a ways, because it does not pack compactly. I have a 4x5 monorail, but if I have to hike any distance, I will use the 6x6 120 camera instead.

You need to investigate the features and constraints of each camera against your needs.
Just make a chart with the rows a list of your needs, and the column the various cameras and their specs.

gud luk