Quality of Deardorff"nfs" v."wfs"

[Erik Ryberg]

Okay everybody, I am really going to do it: I am going to buy a Deardorff. I ha ve been fighting my wobbly 8x10 B&J long enough. I came closer than I care to c ontemplate to buying a used Phillips 8x10 last week at significantly more than I can afford, and to foreclose any chance of actually doing it I am going to buy a camera that is only slightly more than I can afford. My question is:

Does "nfs" mean just that, no front swings? Are there any other differences in these two cameras I should know about? The nfs cameras are significantly cheape r, and I cannot recall ever using front swing in my life, so it seems like the o ne to be on the lookout for. A review of the web revealed nothing, and the only mention on this page is that the nfs cameras tend to be older. Do any of you o wn one of these cameras?

Thanks very much for your help.

[Chad Jarvis]

Yes, NFS means "no front swings." I have an 8x10 Deardorff with front swings, though I admittedly rarely use it, and being primarily an outdoor photographer I would probably only miss that functionality on odd occasions. NFS models are still very good cameras, and Ken Hough sells a kit to allow you to modify an NFS to allow front swings.

[Brian Ellis]

Even with NFS you can achieve much the same effect by aiming the camera at the desired angle and then swinging the back parallel with the subject (I'm assuming, of course, that the camera does have back swings).

[Quentin Molyn]

I've got to buck with the general opinion above Eric....I do a lot of photography in an area with lots of old wooden buildings falling apart,lots of wild roses overgrowing everything,lots of neat stuff like that(it was a state game farm years ago)and I find myself using swings quite often...I just went through the situation you describe..time to move on from my 5x7 B+J.Deardorf with front swings??? Absolutely!!!I don't know about you...but for me the purchase of a Deardorff was a long time dream.I don't think I'll be getting too many more so I wanted my purchase to be "right" with no regrets later.This is a top quality field camera...seems like its missing somthing without swings and lets face it...front swings ARE more desirable ..thats why they cost more.....what does that mean to you????.....well if you buy it "right"(price wise) you'll always get your money back...maybe even make some.Thats if you decide to sell. If you bought a model with front swings you brobably won't...if you bought n.f.s. it is very possible you might want to "up-grade" one day.