Hello to everybody

[Clumsy Eddie]

I wanted to say Hi, and introduce myself. I'm a retired schoolteacher, and I live with my wife and some oddly-assorted animals deep in the woods in central Virginia. My artistic interests include photography, music and painting. I am primarily a 35 mm and occasionally a MF photographer, but I am going to give 4x5 a try, again. Made the mistake of selling my Bender kit, and the camera and lens I got as a replacement leave a lot to be desired.

I would really like to try 8x10, but the initial expensive (of the camera, lens, and holders) is a little daunting.

Anyway, I'll be in touch from time to time.

With best regards to everybody,

Stephen

[eddie]

welcome stephen.



I live with my wife and some oddly-assorted animals deep in the woods in central Virginia.

Stephen

better be careful......NYers like petronio may get the wrong idea....:)

eddie

[Marek Warunkiewicz]

Welcome as well. I love Virginia, such a lovely state.

[Vick Vickery]

Welcome to group therapy! :) Lots of 8x10 shooters around here, but I've found 4x5 completely adequate for my use over the last 40 years or so, though I have used 8x10 and 5x7 from time to time...gotta try all of 'em now and again! I do have a liking for the aspect ratio of 5x7, though.

[rdenney]

Cameras are so cheap now that there is really no reason to put up with sub-standard, unless you are one of those who defines "sub-standard" as anything that is not a new Arca-Swiss or Linhof. And if you miss your Bender, you are not in that category.

Since you are already monorail-compatible (as evidenced by missing the Bender), consider a Cambo SC. The Cambo is completely modular and eBay has pages and pages of accessories that will fit. A decent SC (especially with the Calumet 45NX brand) will rarely exceed $150. And there are so many inexpensive but excellent older lenses that it hardly seems worth spending a fortune on glass. One could do far worse than a Cambo SC with a Symmar-S of useful focal length. And the combination wouldn't make a big dent in half a kilobuck. No need to suffer, unless you need something compact, which the Cambo ain't.

What constitutes "central" Virginia? In my mind, that cuts a pretty wide swathe, from Richmond to Charlottesville to Harrisonburg.

Rick "from the northern tip of Virginia" Denney

[Clumsy Eddie]

Rick,

I live in the suburbs of Dillwyn.;) We're about 25 miles east of Appomattox.

Regards,

Stephen

[John Bowen]

Hi Stephen,

I'm in Midlothian, just outside Richmond. Welcome to the LF Forum. I shoot 35mm, 6x6, 4x5, 5x7, 8x10 and 7x17. Mostly 8x10 and 7x17.

Over on APUG there is a group for Central VA. Join it! We get together periodically for various photo related stuff.