I'm looking to get back into 8x10. I've owned Deardorffs in the past, and enjoyed them. This time though I'm on a bit more of a budget. Is there any other realistic choice than Intrepid? The Mark II looks to be pretty decent. Every other choice seems like it would be in the $2k range...
I own 6 Deardorffs. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for. If you buy it right, you can usually sell it for what you paid for it. That won't happen with the Mark II. Also currious as to why the OP is fixated on a 14" lens. This ain't 35mm..........
Last edited by Luis-F-S; 19-Jun-2019 at 08:37.
An old Kodak 2D that wouldn't fetch $650 has filled my web pages . . mostly. Maybe 80%. But my 4X5 is a Chamonix, and I like it a lot also.
Another vote for the 2D as a starter 8x10.
"Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China
My philosophy is to buy quality used gear as I can generally resell for what I paid for it.
Kent in SD
In contento ed allegria
Notte e di vogliam passar!
Field camera? Monorail? Occasionally, I see a Horseman, Toyo, Cambo, Calumet or other quality brand monorails for little money. Agfa/Ansco or Kodak D2 for wooden cameras.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
Gibellini makes an 8x10 camera with some 3D printed parts for 750 Eur. I have one and am happy with it.
https://www.gibellinicamera.com/product/bellatrix-810/
Whoa I was not aware of this one! Do you think it could handle a lens as heavy as a 14" Commercial Ektar? Care to expand your comments on it?Originally Posted by Charles S
Toyo 810M.
IMO, trying to "save $" on a camera is penny wise, pound foolish.
Bernice
I use it mainly for portraits in a studio and mostly with Fujinon W 250, which is small and light. I can't leave the camera in the studio so I need something that fits in a backpack. Before I had a Plaubel rail camera from the 50s which was near impossible to transport, and I had an old Kodak 2D like camera that I used a little bit before it fell a apart. There is some limitation with the movements of the rear standard compared to the Plaubel, but I don't miss it.
Don't know about your lens, but I have used it with a Symmar S 300mm which is a heavy beast in a copal 3 shutter before switching to the Fooj. You can probably find the weight of it somewhere and compare it to yours.
The bottom part is steel (I suppose like the new Intrepid), the 3d printed parts are mainly the film holder and the front bit that holds the Sinar lensboard. It seemed sturdy enough.
I got a budget camera because I wasn't sure how often I would shoot with it and whether it would stick. I later got a 4x5 for location shoots as well, but once you are used to a 8x10, everything smaller feel toy-like. Also the cost of Foma 100 in both sizes is not so different. So the 8x10 stuck. For the amount of money I thought the risk of being disappointed was low, but I don't think it is strong and iconic enough that I will be handing this camera to my grandkids. Over the long run, the cost is in the film and the lenses, so I might upgrade at some point.
Lastly, the owner of the business is quite responsive, so I wouldn't hesitate to ask him.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks