How well do the 8x10 adapters for Rittreck View cameras work?

[jonbrisbincreative]

I'm contemplating picking up an 8x10 camera for doing paper negatives/positives and doing contact alt-process printing. The Calumet C1 looks attractive, but so does the 8x10 adapter for a Rittreck View camera, which, with a 4x5 adapter, would give me a smaller camera for doing 4x5 and the 8x10 capability for the contact prints.

I wonder if the adapter works very well, though? Does it have limitations that a C1 wouldn't have? I don't dislike 4x5 at all but the possibility of doing contact prints is appealing to me since I really like the quality of my MF roll film (I recently picked up a Rolleiflex SL66...what a fantastic camera!) and it seems like 4x5 isn't often much different than a well-executed 6x6 whereas an 8x10 would be a significant difference in "look".

There doesn't seem to be much difference in price considering you have to get the Rittreck camera to begin with and by the time you add several hundred more dollars for the adapter, the price is about the same. The difference really seems to be versatility when *not* shooting 8x10 and portability since the Rittreck is a folder/field camera.

[Bob Salomon]

The normal lens for a 45 is between 135 and 150mm. The normal lens for an 810 is a 300 or 360 mm. How much bellows does your 45 have and is there enough bellows in case you want to do close up or macro work?

[djdister]

The 8x10 extension back for the RittreckView is a rigid device, so there will be some limitations on what focal length lenses will work for 8x10 - a narrower range of focal length lenses will work with the extension back than what you could use on the C1 or similar regular 8x10 camera.

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[Tin Can]

Get a C1. I have compared both in hand. No contest.

If you get a C1, also get a 6x7" Majestic head that was made for it. Only head that really works with C1.

Then, get the matching Majestic tripod...

[Luis-F-S]

I'm
...it seems like 4x5 isn't often much different than a well-executed 6x6 whereas....
Really? Not even close!

[jbenedict]

I would have to measure my Rittreck with 8x10 adapter. It adds about six inches to the back end of the camera so the minimum focal length is somewhere between 150 and 210. I was unable to infinity focus my 121SA with the 8x10 back. I was able to focus my 219 Symmar to infinity with the 8x10 back. It cannot use lenses with a larger than Copal 3 shutter so my 375/6.3 Caltar in the #5 shutter is out of the picture. You should be able to get over 400mm with the standard bellows and the 8x10 back. I cam measure it exactly if you would like.

(The back in your picture is different from mine. Yours looks to be something made by Rittreck/Wista. Mine is not the same and the film holder area and GG farm are made of walnut-ish wood reinforced at the corners with metal. The reduction to the camera is metal- some sort of metal sheet.)

[Robert Opheim]

Randy, I have been happy with the 3-way Gitzo 5 series head and giant #4 legs with my Calumet C-1 camera. It is pain to carry the camera around - but it doesn't move once it is set up. There is a long bellow for close ups with my 450mm lens. I have shot with a 160mm lens on it. I can't say that for the Kodak 2-D I used to have - it would move all over the place.

[ruilourosa]

I think you should keep doing 6x6 as you cannot know the difference... maybe even a d800 will fit you better!

you can even print paper negatives or make them in pictorico inkjet!

LF is not because you can make high res photos, it´s because you have to!

[ImSoNegative]

I have a rittreck view with an 8x10 back and a full plate back, I also have a C1, I have used the 8x10 back a few times but it is limited on the FL's you can use short or long, I used a 305 on it once and because of exteme movements it clipped the top part of the image which of course would have never happened on the C1, doing portraits you should be fine as long as you stick pretty much a normal lens, the full plate back I have had no problem with. from my experience the best backs for the rittreck is the 5x7 and 4x5, they are great cameras and very sturdy as is the C1, i don't use the 8x10 back anymore on the rittreck if you go that route send me a pm, i will give you a great deal on the 8x10 back

[ImSoNegative]

Get a C1. I have compared both in hand. No contest.

If you get a C1, also get a 6x7" Majestic head that was made for it. Only head that really works with C1.

Then, get the matching Majestic tripod...

Randy that is exactly what i have for my C1, tripod and head, wouldn't use it on anything else

[ImSoNegative]

I'm contemplating picking up an 8x10 camera for doing paper negatives/positives and doing contact alt-process printing. The Calumet C1 looks attractive, but so does the 8x10 adapter for a Rittreck View camera, which, with a 4x5 adapter, would give me a smaller camera for doing 4x5 and the 8x10 capability for the contact prints.

I wonder if the adapter works very well, though? Does it have limitations that a C1 wouldn't have? I don't dislike 4x5 at all but the possibility of doing contact prints is appealing to me since I really like the quality of my MF roll film (I recently picked up a Rolleiflex SL66...what a fantastic camera!) and it seems like 4x5 isn't often much different than a well-executed 6x6 whereas an 8x10 would be a significant difference in "look".

There doesn't seem to be much difference in price considering you have to get the Rittreck camera to begin with and by the time you add several hundred more dollars for the adapter, the price is about the same. The difference really seems to be versatility when *not* shooting 8x10 and portability since the Rittreck is a folder/field camera.

actually you can get a c1 cheaper than you can get a rittreck with the 8x10 back, a C1 in decent shape you can pick up for 500 or a bit less, the back alone for the rittreck will cost you a minium of 300, i paid 400 for mine it was a new one from japan because when i was looking for one i couldn't find a used one at that time so i went ahead and picked up one of the new wooden ones. i paid 300 for the rittreck camera (the first one i bought) as far as 4x5 or 5x7 the rittreck is hard to beat for the price because they are rock steady and well built but for shooting 8x10 my vote for the money is definitely the C1