10x8 vs 5x4 for English landscapes

[Mark Fisher]

If you are serious about an 8x10 and want to enlarge, take a look at enlarger options before moving forward. In all cases, they are huge. They either need a lot of height or are horizontal. I've shot a fair amount of 4x5. It isn't all that heavy to haul around compared to medium format. 8x10, on the other hand, is pretty big and heavy. Also, remember that is isn't just the camera......those film holders add up pretty fast both in weight and in bulk. The tripod needs to be that much bigger too. All that said, 8x10 has 4x the film area of 4x5 and that will make a significant difference if you regularly need to make 50" prints. The question is whether the increased quality is worth the much higher cost and complexity.

 

[Ian Grant]

I have a reducing back that came with one of my 10x8 Agfa Ansco cameras but I never use it, if I'm out with a 10x8 camera it's to shoot that format. The previous owner used it for Polaroid test shots.

If you're going to shoot 5x4 as well then a dedicated camera is a far better route to take and they needn't be particularly expensive. The problem is a 10x8 with a reducing back isn't practical with wider angle lenses.

In the UK you're main choice of enlarger for 10x8 is a De Vere or Durst, a decade ago they were quite common on ebay and prices were often quite low but they are far less common now. When I was looking about 12 years ago there would be 30-40 De Vere enlargers listed at any one time mostly 504 or 54A but one or 2 5108's. (The 5108 listed at the moment is actually the old 108 twin column model with a newer colour head. You'd need a 240mm lens to print to 50".

I had to take a joist out and also sink the base of the enlarger below the floor level to get my 5108 into my old darkroom in a cellar, in my current darkroom it fits up into the apex of the darkroom roof, I had to take a piece of roofing timber out. You ideally need about 8 foot height clearance for a floor standing De Vere 5108 (or a 504) the baseboard is 42"x32", for larger you really need a horizontal enlarger and they are rare these days.

Ian

 

[paul_c5x4]

Also, remember that is isn't just the camera......those film holders add up pretty fast both in weight and in bulk.

Another problem come when out shooting in the field. If you are out for any length of time, you will need facilities to load/unload the film holders. If you stay in a hotel, it may not be practical or even feasible to black out a room to reload, so the alternative is a portable darkroom. Harrison do a couple of larger ones for 10x8 users (I use the small Pup tent).

 

[Michael Stubbs]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I've ordered a 5x4 camera.