New 8x10 for under $500? Interest levels?

[unixrevolution]

A friend and I have been discussing the possibility of designing and building a large format 8x10, designed to sell brand new for $500 or less.

4x5s are available very cheaply on the used market, but 8x10s are a lot more expensive. We were thinking this is a product and price-point that would be very welcome in the marketplace, allowing a lot of people to experience 8x10 without the prohibitive cost of an 8x10 camera that isn't a ramshackle basketcase.

The idea is to use off-the-shelf components and modern manufacturing methods with volume production to hit the price-point listed. It won't be a work of art like an Ebony, it won't be wood or carbon fiber, but it will be solid and usable, not too heavy and most importantly, affordable. The design will most likely be as simple as possible; e.g. akin to the Jay Bender wooden kits, but injection-molded ABS or something similar.

Assuming it can be done, do you think there's a market for it? How deep would that market be?

[maxotics]

How deep is a rain puddle in the Mojave dessert after a small rain-shower? If there IS a large-format market, please show me where. All I see is a few hundred people poking around ebay auctions with little intention on buying. Don't mean to be rude!

Engineering wise, the tripod mount has to be strong and stiff to prevent shake. Then the parts must be stiff enough to prevent any frame warp and its effects that trickle down to the film plane. Then what about lenses? Either user must buy from a used market they don't understand, or you must provide. If someone experienced with lenses, think they'd rather spend $500 in used market and wait for a deal.

Sorry I can't think of a less profitable endeavor than building an 8x10 camera.

[Pere Casals]

A friend and I have been discussing the possibility of designing and building a large format 8x10, designed to sell brand new for $500 or less.

4x5s are available very cheaply on the used market, but 8x10s are a lot more expensive. We were thinking this is a product and price-point that would be very welcome in the marketplace, allowing a lot of people to experience 8x10 without the prohibitive cost of an 8x10 camera that isn't a ramshackle basketcase.

The idea is to use off-the-shelf components and modern manufacturing methods with volume production to hit the price-point listed. It won't be a work of art like an Ebony, it won't be wood or carbon fiber, but it will be solid and usable, not too heavy and most importantly, affordable. The design will most likely be as simple as possible; e.g. akin to the Jay Bender wooden kits, but injection-molded ABS or something similar.

Assuming it can be done, do you think there's a market for it? How deep would that market be?

MRC cameras is selling 8x10 for €800, (Italy I think) but you can make an offer to him for less at Ebay, perhaps he may accept 600, I don't know.

https://www.facebook.com/McrCameras/

I'd suggest you forget about injection-molded ABS and volume production, now this is not a volume market.

One possibility is to make a ABS 3D print of parts, then using molding silicone of the Smooth-On brand like to make molds to cast the parts with polymer chemestry, you can also place a metal frames inside the molds to make reinforced parts. Also you can 3D print the mold itsef with PE, and then casting with it. If you sell a lot of units then make injection molds...

Then you need bellows or bag and GG...

Also it is not the same if you manufacture in the 1st world than in Bangladesh, salary there is $40 a month.

Can you make a really sound design? This is the question...

If you can then you'll have a very limited market...

[Luis-F-S]

A friend and I have been discussing the possibility of designing and building a large format 8x10, designed to sell brand new for $500 or less.

Assuming it can be done, do you think there's a market for it? How deep would that market be?

It's a very small market, albeit there is one. 8x10 cameras are either expensive or junkers. I have 3 V8's and they weren't exactly cheap. Lenses must be purchased used, but at least for the time being there is usually good selection on the auctions or this site. AFAIK, Canham is the only current domestic manufacturer of 8x10 cameras. Keith produces an excellent camera at a commensurate price. Good luck on your endeavors, it would be great to have a domestic, affordable 8x10 again!

[Bernard Kelly]

I think there'd be a niche market, for sure. Especially if the camera you were promoting had features comparable to the more expensive ones, e.g., the same or similar movements, or a particular advantage in lightness or dimensions. I bought a Kodak 2D thinking I'd found a cheap entry into 8 x 10. It's going to cost me more than $500 to make it workable but I won't have paid an excessive amount when I'm finished. (Others, of course, would say I wasted my money.) Still, if there'd been a better option (apart from Ilford's pinhole) I would've taken it. So I'd say yes.

[Michael Jones]

The market is ever shrinking. Just look at the number of camera, lens & film makers today.

While your goal is laudable (as is your price point), it may be extremely difficult to hit. Mike Walker makes ABS cameras; his 8x10 is about $3000 US... The Bulldog pinhole was about $400 and Ilford has the money to pay whatever it took to create a "plastic" camera.

Bender's Achilles' heel is (among others) a lack of rigidity. IMHO, as you scale up, the importance of maintaining camera positions & settings is more important (and difficult due to mass) due to the cost of film. Good luck.

Mike

[ic-racer]

Inexpensive cameras and lenses are plentiful, I have drawers full of LF equipment and others on this forum have closets and whole rooms full of stuff.

What 8x10 photographers need is inexpensive film.

[choiliefan]

Perhaps making new 8X10 film holders would be a more profitable endeavor? Nice ones are rare and quite expensive.

[Pere Casals]

What 8x10 photographers need is inexpensive film.

yes !!!


But as a hobbyst anyway I'm not able to shot more than one sheet in a weekend. A careful shot... Then you have do develop with a lot of care, and a good print deserves a few hours, then scan the digital version... at the end there is a lot of fun for the cost of a single sheet

[angusparker]

Inexpensive cameras and lenses are plentiful, I have drawers full of LF equipment and others on this forum have closets and whole rooms full of stuff.

What 8x10 photographers need is inexpensive film.

Absolutely - the camera isn't the problem its the cost of consumables. You can buy and offload an 8x10 camera fairly easily - just call it the Ebay rental fee! The film however is pricey, even in black & white. 4x5 is the sweet spot for afforability. 8x10 only really makes sense if you are going to contact print. You are competing against the used market and the new marker - and then new owners have to be savvy enough to acquire the film holders, lenses etc as well. I don't see much of a market.