Tom Ferguson (tomf2468@pipeline.com)
Sun, 31 Jan 1999 08:42:44 -0800
>I've posted questions re:8x10's to several Usenet groups, but trust the
>altphoto group much more for some solid, believeable responses.
>
>Years ago I sold my DeGolden Busch built-like-a-truck-weighed-like-a-truck
>8x10 and went back to my 5x7. I recently borrowed a friend's Deardorff and
>went out and made my first FP4/Pyro negs and now the proverbial shit has
>hit the fan and I want an 8x10 again. Those big green negs are sexy enough
>on the light table, but once I made prints with them, gee willikers!
>
>So, any reports on fave/least fave 8x10's would be helpful.<BIG SNIP>
First off, this group is more than big enough for a variety of topics.
This one is (in my book) perfectly appropriate!
In large cameras used to make negs for hand coated alt process work: I'm a
big fan of "cheap". Let me explain....
One can spend a lot of $$$ on wonderful works of art from Wisner, Canham,
Lotus, etc. While beautiful, they are frighteningly expensive. Then one
can wander off to Roden/Fuji/Nik/Stock and spend another King's ransom on
lenses to cover that extra big format. I've owned or used quite a few
older 8x10 and 11x14 cameras. I'll use an inexpensive one with lots of
bellows. I currently own a Burke and James 11x14 with 8x10 and 11x14
backs. For this I own a selection of older Wollensak and Kowa lenses. I
also have new Nikon and Schneider glass that will cover it. Believe me,
you can't tell which lens was used on my platinum prints!
A few clues in your original post suggest you do a lot of field work.
While I'm 90% a studio shooter, I've used a friends Toyo 810M (I think that
number is correct, it's their only 8x10 field camera). Wonderful for field
work if you need only moderate bellows length. Truly built to be packed
and abused. Not as pretty as a wooden camera, but I suspect a lot tougher
in the traveling outdoor abuse category! They show up used quite often in
shutterbug.
A long winded post to say this: don't spend too much on the camera or
lenses. Save your money for film and chemicals. You will (at least I
will) end up with better prints :-)
Hope that helps
Tom
P.S. What is it with Rockford, Illinois and ultra large cameras??? The
DeGolden camera you mentioned came from Rockford and now the Lotus cameras
do. Odd, Rockford isn't a very big town!
tomf2468@pipeline.com
http://www.thefstop.com/tf.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Sat Nov 06 1999 - 10:06:45