Equinox (equinox@pond.net)
Sat, 30 Jan 1999 21:44:12 -0800
Here is some 8x10 experience and a shameless plug.
I have used many cameras, and many view cameras. The clunkier 8x10's with
no front movements are for dabblers or portraitists from yesteryear, altho
they're cheap. Depends what you photograph; I do landscapes, and use front
movements not for architecture, but to bring things in the foreground into
focus. There's always some bush, rock, or something that's going to be in
your shot no matter what. Since you're contact printing, you are a bit hard
pressed to edit it out.
I used a Century-Universal [Graflex, 1930's] for a long time. It's still
just as good as my Deardorff NFS. I would have kept the C-U except I had
another camera that used DD lensboards, so the DD and the other camera were
an obvious pair. But both of those 8x10s served me well. Rugged,
reasonable weight [they are within a pound of one another], lensboards are
common or cheap or easy to make. Repairs are easy. The lack of front
swings on my DD are of zero consequence. Mostly, you use front tilts.
Besides, the back on the DD has such a wide swing that you don't need the
front.
THERE ARE A FEW cameras that have lots of rear tilt [Rochester Ideal, for
example]. These seem good, too.
I occasionally have an 8x10 to sell [none now] but mostly I sell lenses at
reasonable to low prices. Stock changes weekly, more from Spring on.
J.C. Welch
Equinox Photographic
www.pond.net/~equinox
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Sat Nov 06 1999 - 10:06:45