Chamonix 8x10 camera : can they shoot 4x5 ??
Newbie question. I’m looking to eventually shoot 8x10 and I’m considering a Chamonix either 810V or Alpinist. I have a bunch of 4x5 film I would like to use as well. Can those Chamonix cameras use 4x5 holders or I need to have a mask for placement within a 8x10 holder?
Thanks for clarifying it for me )
You can do this with a "reducing back" which has a 4x5 ground glass & spring back but mounts onto your Chamonix 8x10, e.g. https://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/a.../reducingbacks
Amazing! Missed it. Thanks
With the 4x5 back you can use some long lenses and get some good close-ups. Be careful to get the front standard square to the back; that 8x10 camera won't have detents to center either the front or back.
Lack of detents and marks are the main reason I don't have a 4x5 reducing back for my 8x10 wood field camera. The center detents on my 4x5 camera are set with a laser.
Reduction backs work well, but a couple of things to find out before purchase...
One is some backs will sit at a different focus plane than your 8X10 and would require refocusing if you were swapping backs back and fourth, but not much issue if you were just shooting that back alone...
The other issue is that with some reduction backs, it can be a little tricky to insert film holder and pull slides as there can be little clearance to get your fingers in there to operate (frankfurter finger folks take note)... A tight spot on some backs...
Steve K
8x10 to 4x5 reducing backs have been around for a very, very very long time in the history of view cameras. They are a trade-off. A reducing back can aid in reducing flare light due to excessive sized image circle from the lens inside the bellows. The extra space around the film area aids to reduce the stray light. Good for using longer than normal focal length lenses with a 8x10 camera and 4x5 reducing back.
On the minus side, using a 8x10 camera with 4x5 reducing back will limit the ability to use wide angle lenses for 4x5 coupled with camera movement, this could prove to be a very real limitation.
Essentially, there is no "free film" as all this image making stuff is fraught and filled with trade-offs.. Knowing what specific image making needs are then the lenses required to achieve this with a camera that meets these needs should be the sequence of priorities. Camera is servant to these needs and not the primary image making device.
Bernice
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