Choosing an 8x10 folding camera

[Oren Grad]

I am looking for some advice on buying my first large format camera. It will be 8x10 since I aim at contact printing and alt processing. Price matters but is not my main concern as I am more interested in making the right long term investment.

The odds that you'll get the "right" camera for yourself for the long run on your first purchase are slim. No matter how much advice you get, you won't know what suits you until you start trying cameras for yourself. And I don't mean fiddling in a store somewhere, I mean actually using them to make pictures for a while.

By all means, get advice to learn about the different options that are available and to rule out any cameras that are grossly unsuited to what you want to do. Beyond that, though, just buy something and dive in. BTW, the likelihood that you'll eventually want a different camera is a good reason to buy second-hand, so you'll avoid the depreciation that comes with being the first one to resell a camera originally bought new.

FWIW, I started in LF with 8x10. I think contact prints are magic. If that's what you want, and if you can afford it, don't feel obliged to use 4x5 first. Life is too short.

[Gem Singer]

vvplem,

I can think of nothing I dislike about KB Canham cameras. They are a bit pricey. However, as stated, "you get what you pay for".

Have owned/operated every type of 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 camera that Keith Canham has offered since 1991. Still own an all-metal MQC57.

As I stated, I prefer the Traditional 8x10. It's good looking and seems more solid than the all-metal 8x10.

Has all the movements you will ever need on both the front and rear, easy to operate, and locks down solid.

[Lachlan 717]

There is also the Shen Hao HZX810 (that you can get direct from the Maker if your local Dealer doesn't carry it).

It's their premium 8x10 camera.

[Greg Y]

Another admirer of the Deardorff. I had an Ebony 45, a Canham 57 trad, before finding my 5x7 1938 Deardorff. Then added a 8x10 Canham trad...before trying & buying a Deardorff 8x10.... it is the '57 Chevy of field cameras. I love the way they handle. You need to find something that feels good under your hands while you're under the dark cloth. Good luck with the journey.

[Lachlan 717]

before trying & buying a Deardorff 8x10.... it is the '57 Chevy of field cameras. I love the way they handle.

I hope that you're referring to the Deardorff's handling, because the Chevy corners like a dog on wet tiles!

[E. von Hoegh]

I hope that you're referring to the Deardorff's handling, because the Chevy corners like a dog on wet tiles!

Hah! "Terminal understeer" was the way I hard it.

[William Whitaker]

There's no substitute for personal experience -- 90% of the advice you'll get on a forum is shear opinion, and worth exactly what you pay. (That includes advice from me.)

+1

I have my own preferences after going through many iterations of 8x10 cameras. It's not as simple as it seems; you have to figure out what's right for you. And that might change between now and next month.

For me, it wasn't finding the "Cinderella camera" as much as it was finding the "Lay's Potato Chip camera": I couldn't settle on just one! So I have a Sinar Norma, a Kodak Master (modified) and an old, but lovely Ansco.
Just a warning...

[SMBooth]

Get a Burke & James first, then its all going forward from there...

[Jim Andrada]

The first thing I did years ago was rent a beat up Linhof Technika and fool around with it for a week or two. Next step was to buy a 5 x 7 Linhof Kardan Bi, Fast forward to a couple of years ago and I bought an 8 x 10 Seneca and an 8 x 10 Kardan Bi. Guess which one I carry around more?

Yup, the Seneca with few movements.

[mandoman7]

It's really hard to know what you want until you've worked with one. The advice of others is never quite enough. In spite of what you've heard, Deardorff s are ubiquitous for one reason. They are well built and the design is very effective (that's two actually). One feature not often mentioned is the ease with which you can go from very wide to very long without adding parts or re attaching front standards, as is the case with some on your list. This, to me, is more significant than the amount rear swing as I often go from very wide to tele's in the field. The point being, reading the specs and various forum posts won't be as effective as getting your feet wet with some modest priced older cameras.