Hi all,

It's Friday evening, I'm drinking a good beer at the end of a hard week, and I'm trawling the internet trying to figure out where to start looking for an affordable 11x14" camera. I've tried to digest the big 11x14" thread here – with people giving their inroads into the format etc. – and it seems there are a few options for someone like me who wants to wet their toes, so to speak.

To give some background, I am a fine art and documentary photograher specialising in long term projects, mainly urban landscape and portraiture. I shoot mostly with a Linhof Techno and Mamiya Leaf Credo 60 digital back; or with the same camera with 6x7cm roll film back, or Linhof Technika V and 4x5" film. I'm a two lens kind of person, with 90mm and 150mm lens equivalent in 4x5" format. I also shoot a lot of film with a Hasselblad 500cm. For all film work, I scan using an Imacon 949 or Hasselbald X1.

I'm wanting to get into 11x14" film to try recapture some of the magic that digital, despite it's amazing ease of use and results, fails to capture. ULF might be considered something of a folly for me, but I'm really keen to make real objects in the darkroom again and simply contact print everything; to really concentrate on making one shot in the field and being more decisive with my exposures. So it's not really about the detail for me, but the process, the big GG and the fact that every print is a unique object, made by hand and not computer – I'm not interested in scanning 11x14" film, only working in the darkroom where my career started. The format has the extra presence over 8x10" in print, so there in lies the rationale for that...

Anyway, I've got a few questions regarding the camera options and where people might suggest I start looking. I'm not looking to buy straight away, but I need to know what I'm aiming for and follow how the market is looking.

1: Camera options: It seems many people recommend the Chamonix ULF cameras. Is their 11x14" essentially a scaled up version of their 8x10"? Compared to the Shen-Hao, which seems to be a similar price–unless someone can correct me on that–and without wanting to start some kind of brand war, what are the plusses and minuses for each camera?

2: Second hand / used cameras: Where is a good place to start looking? I'm not yet able to see the classified section here (my 30 days aren't up yet,) but are there any other places to keep an eye on or get in contact with? Are there any alternative, maybe vintage brand cameras that are comparible to the Chamonix that I'd do well to keep an eye out for?

3: Things to watch out for: Aside from condition of bellows and general sloppyness of the parts / rigidity of the camera, what do I need to pay attention to when buying? E.g. with older cameras, are they optimised for focus using thick glass or tin plates? Are there standard film holders for this format, e.g. like the international graflock system for 4x5" that is reliable and relatively precise across the board?

4: Any other fine print?

Thanks for your help and time, it's a learning curve and I hope to one day join the club...

Tim