At last, I own a 8X10!!

JHannon · Dec 23, 2005

I bought myself a Christmas present!--Ray Bidegain's Calumet C-1. It is the lighter weight ("green monster") model with 8X10, 5X7 and 4X5 backs in excellent condition. I wanted to get into 8X10 eventually and the other backs will allow me to use it with my current lenses and film holders. Can't wait to try it out...

I will be looking for a couple of 8X10 holders and some advice on a good 8X10 lens to begin with. I would like to do portraits and some landscape work. The plans are to make a wheeled case for it too, if anyone has any wood plans or ideas...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
John

Whiteymorange · Dec 23, 2005

Well Happy, Happy to you too, John! This all sounds too much like you're having fun. Not allowed, you know. This is dour old New England, after all.

Hope you show us this wonderful green monster soon - at a portrait workshop?

Mongo · Dec 23, 2005

Congratulations John. I hope you're as happy with your Green Monster as I've been with mine. It's an amazingly capable camera, considering the price that they go for.

There are plenty of places to get film holders on line...I'd start with Midwest. Give Jim a call and see what he has in stock.

I prefer wooden holders, both for their weight and their durability. There are a lot from the mid-20th century floating around...various manufacturers, generally painted black. Most of the holders I have needed little work. Just some new tape so the hinge is firmly attached and a quick test for light tightness, and you're on your way.

As for lenses, I'm sure you're aware of the usual recommendations. I do mostly slow film, long exposure work, and I've found that barrel mounted process lenses give me the best bang for my buck. There are plenty of them out there, and some of them throw a pretty amazing image circle. For portraiture, my first thought is a Nikon 480mm f/9 process lens. I have mine mounted in front of a Packard shutter with the instantaneous setting. The instantaneous setting is useful for portrait work, and holding the lens open with the bulb works very well for landscapes.

I'm working up a lens board/shutter frame arrangement so that I can mount any of my lenses in front of the same shutter...it's easy to design but I haven't had the time to actually build it yet. The only real issue was dealing with lenses with differing back element distances behind the lens board, but I'm going to rig it up so I can slide the shutter forward and backward when I change lenses. It should be easy enough, if I ever get the time.

Be well.
Dave

TheFlyingCamera · Dec 23, 2005

ditto what Dave(Mongo) said... look for good condition wood holders. You can pick them up pretty cheap in batches on the auction site, and if you get one or two that are bad, you can use them for spare parts with little guilt. Congrats on the C-1 - I'm another user of the same model. You'll have a blast with it.

John Bartley · Dec 23, 2005

Way to go !! The "greeen monster" was going to be my first choice too, but I just couldn't do it (emotional distress over the $ ) so I settled for an oooold Agfa.
There was an ad on here just recently for some Dagor? lenses at what seemed to be pretty good prices. Alternatively, Jim Galli usually has something kicking around ....

cheers

avandesande · Dec 23, 2005

The camera that made Brett Weston give up on 8x10. Good luck!

John Kasaian · Dec 23, 2005

Congratulations, John! Your new Calumet sounds like a great present!

For a starter lens, consider a 14" Commercial Ektar or 10" Wide Field Ektar. If you can find one in a good shutter for around $450 I think you'd be in good shape for just about anything. A great long lens is the 19" Artar. The uncoated barrel versions go for very little $$ and their performance is outstanding. Any of the G-Clarons (240mm on up) would also serve you very well. There are other lenses worth considering---Ilex 375mm and the Wollensak Ia convertible for sure. IMHO all these are outstanding in performance and value. If you feel the need for one, the recently discontinued Nikor 450 M is a heck of a lens IMHO. There may be deals out there on these...I think it would certainly be worth exploring that option if it presented its self.

For holders I prefer the black woodies marked 'Graflex made for Eastman Kodak' and plastic Lisco Regals with Agfa Anscos being a close third. Jim at Mid West can probably fix you up with 3 good reasonably priced ones on which to build your collection.

Merry Christmas!

George Losse · Dec 23, 2005

John,

Congrats on the new camera!

"I wanted to get into 8X10 eventually and the other backs will allow me to use it with my current lenses and film holders"

The addiction grows!

You may find you need to change the lens boards from you other cameras to use the old lenses. One of the downsides of having different camera manufacture's products.

Also check one of the wooden holders in you camera. I agree with the other posters that they work great. I used them when I first started with a Tachahara 8x10 and loved them, but when I upgraded to my Wisner they don't stick out of the camera back enough. I alway seem to need a key or my comb to pry up the hook to pull out the dark slide.

Robert Brummitt · Dec 23, 2005

Welcome to the 810 family. I find working with the big GG a lot easier then a 35mm view finder.
Best of luck with the camera!

jimgalli · Dec 23, 2005

Congrats! I have 3 8X10 lenses to sell. Prices are all 10% less than the ads say, and I pay shipping in USA.

A (there was a url link here which no longer exists) is supposedly Avedon's choice for portraits. Can't argue with success!

A beautiful (there was a url link here which no longer exists) that is the early Dagor type,

and a (there was a url link here which no longer exists). A legendary sharp light lens!

In an hour or 2 I'll be away from the computer with just occasional checks at my brother in laws house, so if you want any of this stuff, be patient with me

Foto Ludens · Dec 23, 2005

Welcome to 8x10 (from another newcomer)

André

John Kasaian · Dec 23, 2005

John,

If a 240 G Claron from Jim Galli isn't the "gold standard" its pretty darn close. I have a dagor type 240mm and its one of my all time favorites.

papagene · Dec 23, 2005

Congrats John... how 'bout a peek at it at the next get together?!!

gene

JHannon · Dec 23, 2005

Wow! I posted this morning and went to bed (I work nights). Thanks for the comments everyone!! It looks like wooden holders are the way to go.

With the holiday drain on my bank account I will probably be using my existing lenses (5X7 coverage) and the smaller backs for now.

I mounted the 7 1/2" Wollensak Velostigmat series II on one of the lensboards and took a peek at the 8X10 GG, now that is impressive! I also have an oddball Kodak 12in 305mm Aerostigmat f5 (not radioactive) mounted on a 6in board.
Should be fun..

Thanks again everyone and enjoy the holiday!

John

Alex Hawley · Dec 23, 2005

Congratulations John! Welcome to the Wonderful World of the Big Ground Glass.

Kodak Commercial Ektars are great vintage lenses. Mine is a 12 inch (300 mm), the "normal" view size for 810. Would love to have a 360 too.

vet173 · Dec 23, 2005

I would recomend the 240 that Jim has. When doing 8x10 head and shoulder portraits you will be close enough for an extention factor. You will find that a wider lens will work better than you think.

severian · Dec 26, 2005

ektar

Congrats John and welcome into 8x10. I agree with Alex. If you can get a 300 Ektar go for it.
Jack B

Dave Wooten · Dec 26, 2005

Congrats John! and welcome !

At last, I own a 8X10!!

JHannon

Whiteymorange

Mongo

TheFlyingCamera

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avandesande

John Kasaian

George Losse

Robert Brummitt

jimgalli

Foto Ludens

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papagene

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JHannon

Alex Hawley

vet173

severian

Dave Wooten

At last, I own a 8X10!!

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