It's not the brand at all, at least in a beginner situation: it's the type of camera and its condition. This is a way simple device, but can have broken or loosen things
It depends on budget, a refined camera is something one may want, but in LF what maters the most is photographer, and then the glasses, last it is the box.
If you have to but all gear from scratch you'll need to distribute your investment in glasses, tripod, camera, film, holders, darkroom, scanner...
Today, because film usage declined, we can get formidable gear with moderate investment.
So it depends on global budget and on priorities. If you have $15000 to go you can buy without restrictions what you like. If you have $3000 you have to balance very well what you buy, also with $1000 you can get basic things to start, and perhaps to make a better work than with expensive gear.
Now I'm completing my LF gear, I'm ready with 4x5 and 5x7, and I'm completing my 8x10 gear acquisition.
I can say that you'll have more doubts with glasses than with wood/irons.
Let's divide cameras in 2 categories. Studio Cameras vs Field Cameras.
Studio Cameras:
These have all possible movements to learn everything, simple, modular, moderately cheap, sturdy, not the most refined but very efective.
Outside studio it is hard to haul it and to deploy it, it has movements that most of times are not useful for landscapes but can be useful for architecture and studio.
But I'll be using the CAMBO also for landscape, in a masoquist way because hauling all those irons around. I prefer to have a budged for velvia and glass (still want a Nikkor SW 120mm, that covers 8x10) than investing in a convenient field camera
Field Camera:
Tachihara 8x10
A refined device, lighter and easily deployable. Lacks some movements that are not critical for landscape.
What are you going to shot? You don't know ? take a CAMBO or similar, if you use it for landscapes you'll also get rid of going to gym
Tripod!!
Also you need a very good tripod, a really sturdy one, it is as important as the camera, it can be a bit elastic but it has to return into place after inserting the film holder, because if camera movements done plane of focus can move from place. A 8x10 is not a 4x5: you'll need a "TRIPOD" because a "tripod" won't work, and if it fails the camera can even kill you, at least broken bone is for sure
.
Glass
And then you need glass. For 4x5 you'll find cheaper glass that will cover 4x5 with movements. I've other glasses that cover 4x5 starting at 65mm, but for 8x10 I selected a Sironar-N 300, an old Schneider Symmar 360 (Tecknika selected!
) convertible to 620 with limitations, and 2 Symmar 210 because I want to make stereo photography. And stil I want a Nikkor SW 120 that is very wide in 8x10, in fact the wider I know that cover 8x10.
Darkroom
Then you also need the film holders and darkroom apparel. I'd recommend to start developing sheets in a tray or with a paper safe, that's straight. I want to go Velvia so I'm preparing a CPE2 processor for 8x10 sheets, this is way more PITA than with BW.
Also you may want a scanner, EPSON V850 to start with, in the future you may spend in other scanners, V850 is ideal to start and it covers 8x10.
As you see, it's not the camera, at the beginning the camera is something in what you may want to save money in it because there are more important things, like glass. Me, I prefer a Sironar-S or a Universal Heliar 36 jewel instead a luxurious box, at least by now.
Also
Look if in your area there is somebody in LF action, sure he will want to help you (
or "chiseling" you )
Remember: no step back, 8x10 is magnificient.
Regards and luck !
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