If you do decide to buy an 8x10 camera get a 4x5 back for it. It's nice to have the choice of shooting both sizes.
If you do decide to buy an 8x10 camera get a 4x5 back for it. It's nice to have the choice of shooting both sizes.
Vaughn's right. It depends on what you want to print.
Alt process is great and an 8x10 makes a nice contact print. It also depends on your aesthetic.. There are many different styles, some folks that love the quality of a print, the delicious midtones, and others for whom the "impact" of the image is more important (and everything in between). If you love textures, fine print quality and all, the larger cameras offers more.
I'm drum scanning and getting 99% out of a 4x5 than what I can get out of an 8x10. It's taken a while to tun that, but its working, and I am longer longer as young as I was when I carried an 8x10 all over the place. For me to do alt process this way I have to make an enlarged neg. It's not so hard but it is an extra step...
There are many here who are selling things, including great deals on 4x5's and 8x10's. I'll bet you might even find someone who would let you pay it off over some time. Not everyone who sells an 8x10 needs the money right away to go buy something else.... Always worth a try.
I shoot outside, and much prefer wood and or carbon fiber over metal and/or rail.
Good luck,
Lenny
EigerStudios
Museum Quality Drum Scanning and Printing
It's interesting that no one has mentioned 5x7. Cameras cost roughly the same as 4x5, unless buying high end gear, or new. My omega E 5x7 enlarger cost me $300. with ALL the bells and whistles, both condenser and florescent light sources, lenses (all Wolly) and neg holders(35mm, 2x3, 3x4, 4x5 & 5x7). I picked up 2 Kodak 5x7 2D cameras with one sliding back for split 5x7, two 5x7 backs and two 4x5 backs, 2 Kodak lenses in shutters one anastigmat fair, one tessar good condition, 2 extension frames and one tripod block. One needs a bellow and front rise knob/gear repair...$435. Twice the format area of 4x5 and half the trouble in the field due to size and weight as 8x10. The only inconvenience is lack of film choice. Total cost $745. I might add the cost of 8x10 film causes a certain lack of film choice....(both sizes work with x-ray film and paper)
Looking at $400-500 for a B&J which will be over your weight limit
$400ish for a 300 mm plasmat of some sort in shutter
$300-1000 for a tripod unless you use a surveying tripod and adaptor like I do.
$50 a piece for film holders
$4-9/sheet for film.
You'd be better getting real good at 4x5, and if you value portability, 4x5 or 5x7 is much more portable.
To me, the greatest hinder for 8x10 is printing using an enlarger so that I can apply print manipulation outcomes.
To put my angst into perspective, my 'would be' is a giant Saltzeman which requires 15 foot roof clearance which I do not have.
I invite the purist contact printers to chime in here. They are the blessed purists I admire.
I only contact print 8x10 as I don't have an enlarger for that size either, but I'm no blessed purist.
Yes you are, for better or less.Originally Posted by jp498
Well, I'm recently out of 4x5 film, so that automatically dictates shooting 8x10 tomorrow. And my problem is how to squeeze another 8x10 enlarger into the dkroom.
Got a very high ceiling and adequate space for that, but gotta move a lot of other heavy stuff just to get it in there. Life would be simpler if I was a contact printer,
but I rarely am.
Practically speaking, 4 x 5 is a better deal for the moment. Use your own DSLR-capable large tripod. An orphaned Cambo/Calumet N/NX/SC monorail is often seen for $200.00 to $400.00 on fleabay, complete with an older 210mm lens. Heavy, and that's why they are out of fashion. What sort of work do you anticipate doing? Product, architectural, landscape, portrait? As you have used the school cameras, you might know what features you want. Leslie Strobel's book, 1999 edition, has a listing of cameras and features that could help you sort out what you need.
If you want to try alternate processes, direct positive paper, etc, you should look at the DIY forum section for cost estimates of build-your-own. Cheapest option would be a pinhole!
I fell into a complete 8x10 outfit for $150, with lens and a dozen film holders last year. If you can wait and look around locally you can probably find a deal like this at a yard sale or an old camera shop.
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