Alex--if you're looking for a 4x5" camera, I've seen quite a few Sinar F and F1 monorails go for under $400 on eBay recently. These are really fine cameras that are great to learn on, and since everything in the Sinar system is well integrated, you'll never outgrow it. I recently got one cheaper than that by buying an estate lot for the Sinar F and selling off all the stuff I didn't need. I think these cameras are the best value out there at the moment. [This is where there ought to be a paragraph break, but the board doesn't seem to like them.]
Looking at this photograph, which I recall you were taking at the same time I was shooting a different view of the same building, I can confirm that the sun, which looks normal on your shot was completely solarized on mine. I was shooting Tri-X, which is about one and a third stops faster than Plus-X, but I rate it at 160 in ABC Pyro, but I guess I may have also given it a fuller exposure.
well, I didn't win the 8X10 camera, something came up, lost track of that bid. Too bad, my bank acount is still half full!
David, what I intend to have is a field camera, easier to carry in the backpack, view camera is a bit tough to go around. So far, shen-hao and toyo look good to me. I am going to visit China for 2 weeks, try to pay the factory a visit to see if I can get a better deal.
The highlight you see here on top of the frame is not produced by sun, it was behind a thin cloud when I took the shot. The neg has no blown highlight, so it must be the PS thing. I will make a contact this week.