I agree with George that you want to consider the complete system available, even if you don't plan on using all the pieces now. The Canhan 8x10 has 4x10, 7x17, 8x20, 11x14 and 12x20 back and bellows conversions available, as well as 4x5 and 5x7 reducing backs.
I have had my 8x10 almost a year now and I am even more enthusiastic about it now than when I first got it. I do not think it's overly complex, and opening/closing it is trivial once you get the sequence down. I find the controls very intuitive. One of its real strengths is the ability to bring the rear standard forward very close to the front standard, making the use of wide angle lenses simple. The range of movements is quite wide, and includes front swings, base and axis tilts, and rear swings, base tilts and shifts. The shortest lens I've used is a 120mm, the longest a 450mm, and I've had no bellows compression problems at the short end or rigidity problems at the long. I've been told that the camera loses some rigidity when the bellows is fully extended to 36 inches, but that is probably true of all large view cameras. I've had no trouble with my 300mm at 1:1 in this regard. The 8x10 Standard model I have weighs 9.4 pounds, which is not bad for a full- capability 8x10. There is a 8x10 Light version available that weighs one pound less by using a smaller front standard. However, I wanted the ability to use lenses with large rear elements afforded by the standard model, which uses 6 inch Toyo View lens boards - the light model uses the smaller Canham or Toyo Field boards.
My camera is exquisitely made and finished, but does not give one any impression of delicacy thst would distract one from using it for its intended purpose, making pictures in the field. The black anodized aluminum hardware is of very high quality. The company that does Canham's machine work does most of its production for military contractors, which is also the reason there are sometimes delays in getting delivery of the larger cameras.
Another plus with Canham cameras is the attitude of Keith Canham towards his customers. Although he does not have a web site or email support, which I would like, he has never failed to return a phone call promptly, and he is willing to talk at length to answer any questions one may have. I have not had any problems requiring modifications or repairs, but he has a good reputation for making repairs quickly and inexpensively.
BTW, all the cameras you mention, with a few exceptions, are within a couple of pounds of each other in weight. The Gandolfi Variant Level 2 weighs 8.8 lbs, the Gandolfi Traditional 9.3 lbs, the Ebony SV810 (mahogany) 11 lbs, the Wisner Traditional Field and Expedition 10.9 lbs, the Wisner Pocket Expedition 9.5lbs , and the Lotus 11 lbs. Only the Ebony SV810E (ebony), 14.3 lbs, and the Wisner Technical Field, 17.5 lbs, weigh significantly more. I don't have the Phillips specs handy, but the lightest Phillips models, which trade some functionality for weight (the lightest one has a non- reversible horizontal back, for instance), are quite light, less than six pounds if I recall correctly.
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