Why is 8x10 so expensive over 4x5 ?

[Drew Wiley]

My medium format episode was very brief, only about two years, and then I went exclusively LF for the next 20 yrs. But I'm glad I kept my MF gear because I'm getting a lot of use out of it now. For about a decade, I loaned it to my older brother, who was developing eyesight problems due to a heart condition, and having trouble with LF ground-glass focusing. When he passed away, I took it back. And once I'm done making large color prints this summer, I'll use any remaining little 8X10 portions cut for sake of test strips to print a few choice 35mm color negs. It's all fun and rewarding.

But oh my gosh, when I land a great 8X10 shot, that takes the priority in the darkroom every time. Just did one yesterday I've waited over 30 yrs to print, an 8X10 Provia chrome that never did get printed on Cibachrome. But I had already masked it and generated a precision duplicate with all the corrections built in. Then more recently, I generated an 8X10 Portra 160 contact interneg from that; and that is what I actully printed on Fuji Supergloss yesterday, 20X24. I'll make a slightly scaled up 24X30 inch version in a day or two. But if I wanted to, it would hold extreme detail even up to a 40X60 print. My processing system only goes up to 30X40 inch prints. The color is incredibly clean and vibrant.

[John Kasaian]

My itsy-bitsy bottle of Nitroglycerine tablets adds about 10Mg to my 8x10 kit

[GuillaumeZuili]

My medium format episode was very brief, only about two years, and then I went exclusively LF for the next 20 yrs. But I'm glad I kept my MF gear because I'm getting a lot of use out of it now. For about a decade, I loaned it to my older brother, who was developing eyesight problems due to a heart condition, and having trouble with LF ground-glass focusing. When he passed away, I took it back. And once I'm done making large color prints this summer, I'll use any remaining little 8X10 portions cut for sake of test strips to print a few choice 35mm color negs. It's all fun and rewarding.

But oh my gosh, when I land a great 8X10 shot, that takes the priority in the darkroom every time. Just did one yesterday I've waited over 30 yrs to print, an 8X10 Provia chrome that never did get printed on Cibachrome. But I had already masked it and generated a precision duplicate with all the corrections built in. Then more recently, I generated an 8X10 Portra 160 contact interneg from that; and that is what I actully printed on Fuji Supergloss yesterday, 20X24. I'll make a slightly scaled up 24X30 inch version in a day or two. But if I wanted to, it would hold extreme detail even up to a 40X60 print. My processing system only goes up to 30X40 inch prints. The color is incredibly clean and vibrant.

30x40 that what is all about 8x10 and it shines

[Drew Bedo]

In the end, there is a saying I first heard applied to yachts: "If you have to ask, you can't afford it!"

[Vaidotas]

You can squeeze it in to 1K pr even less with some luck and patience.
Kodak 2D, Fujinon 250/6.7, one holder and some film.
And you can spend tenfold for elaborative 4x5 setup.
The real expense is time you need to gain some experience.
That is not much related to specific format.

[Drew Wiley]

I see people every day of the week walking around with some recent model DLSR and the latest and greatest zoom lens, that together cost more than a decent 8x10 starter system. 4-wheelers spend more for a set of tires they'll burn up in a single season. You pay more for a Mecedes Benz bumper.