Is it a good price for a used Deardorff V11 with a Kodak 12" portrait lens, $9,400?
Is it a good price for a used Deardorff V11 with a Kodak 12" portrait lens, $9,400?
There's a Canham on the bay for $7500. A new Cham is $4200. Deardorff is a Deardorff is a Deardorff, and they only made like 85 of them. So there's that. The lens doesn't help too much. Less than 10% of the asking price. and a 12" Portrait Ektar won't cover 1114. I have a V11 and it's not for sale. Love it.
$5000 would be better. It's overpriced. The Canham is also overpriced. Especially considering there is another used 11x14 Canham available for $4995.
Get a new Chamonix... $4200 brand spanking new... Lighter, no chance of damage, customer service available and excellent, it's a no-brainer to me.
If you wait you should be able to find a deardorff for not much more then a Chamonix. I haven't used Chamonix myself but the V8 that I had was very impressive.
As much as I love Deardorffs, the problem with the V11 camera is that it weighs 35 pounds.
Actually, according to official documentation, it weighs 28 pounds. Sorry about that.
I think that's way too much, but it's your money. You are younger and stronger. You will need a massive tripod...
Don't forget.
11X14 film holders are not free and kinda rare. I had 5 custom made by Richard Ritter. Very happy. http://www.lg4mat.net/ulf.html
Earlier today I was looking at the RR 11x14, which would be a good match for my RR custom back on my S11 Deardorff.
Check the weight of RR and Chamonix compared to DD.
Tin Can
I'd seriously go for the Chamonix. Own a Charmonix for outdoor use and a Sinar Norma for indoor use. Over the years have owned and used a B&J wooden flatbed, a Sinar P, and a Deardorff. B&J first camera. Sinar P great but just too large to be portable. Deardorff was a pleasure to use but design is very dated now. The Charmonix (all be it a Phillips legit knock-off) just seems like today's version of the Deardorff... with ergonomically improvements. Also switched to an 11x14 Charmonix a little more than a year ago and absolutely no regrets.
Good luck, just remember in the end it's the photographer, not the camera. Some of my exhibited work done with a home made pinhole camera...
Greg
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