New 8x10 Field cameras

Peter Rockstroh01

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After many years of use and abuse , I am considering retiring my metal field camera and buying a new 8x10. I'd love something along the lines of a Deardorff V8, or a similar wooden field camera, but don't have reliable information about availability of these cameras. I have read positive and negative comments about certain brands and sources, and not suffering from G.A.S., I want to take my time to find a camera I will enjoy.
So, what cameras are on the market, that are a long term investment, a pleasure to work with and "readily " available ?
 

Peter Schrager

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Ritter..did I say Ritter. .deardorff is a cow. ..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
 

Jesper

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Perhaps Wista 810. The bellows might be a bit on the short side but apart from that it is a decent camera.
 

Dr Croubie

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Toyo still make their 810m (as far as I know, at the very least they're new-old-stock, B+H has them but I've seen them go for 1/4 of that used).
Haven't used one, but my Toyo 45GII is all I'd ever want in a monorail and I've heard good things about their 45A fieldcams so their 810 can't be too shabby. Plus there's a whole load of lensboards and accessories out there for very cheap.
If I ever earned enough to ditch my 8x10 monorail and take a folding 8x10 hiking, it'd be this.
 

pdeeh

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When you say "investment", do you mean something that retains or increases its fiscal value, or something that retains (perhaps not increasing) its instrumental value as a mechanism for taking photographs?
 

Ari

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Have a look at Gibellini cameras, they're doing some amazing things with carbon fibre.
They also offer wood, aluminum and hybrid cameras, but all the designs are quite striking. Prepare to pay for such design, but impressive, nonetheless.

The Toyo 810M is an excellent camera, but at 15 pounds, it will limit your walk-around time.
The Canham JMC is lightweight, but quite crude in function and design; it's worth a look, though.
Older wood cameras are usually lightweight and have limited movements, but they can often be poorly aligned from past use/abuse.

I've never tried the Chamonix, but some people swear by them. Ditto for a Wehman.
I found the Deardorff to be excessively bulky, though not heavy; I have no idea why they are such cult cameras, but they get the job done.
The Kodak Master 8x10 is compact, a tad heavy, but lens boards are rare and expensive, and function is crude as well.
The Kodak Commercial View is lightweight and sturdy, but lacks front tilt, if that's important.

Arca-Swiss F-line is impressive, sturdy and precise, a monorail that stores like a field camera, but they are very pricy as well.
 

Old-N-Feeble

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If money was no object I get a Chamonix. However, money is a deciding factor so I'd buy a Svedovsky, assuming I can ever save enough money for one.
 

pdeeh

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I have not seen a Chamonix but I have seen a Svedovsky.
The Sved is very well made indeed, but it is not what I would call finely made. There have been little problems with bits and bobs of the hardware, but the makers are extremely good at sorting things out.
Given the price differential, I'd be very surprised if anyone did not consider the Sved very good value indeed for a brand new 10x8.
NB It does not have rear swing (but it does of course have rear tilt)
 

DREW WILEY

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If you can afford it, Ebony. Nothing better made in a wooden folder. But there are plenty of other very nice folders out there at lower pricing.
 

Alan Gales

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I own a Wehman and am very happy with it but it's not a wooden field camera. Also Bruce is no longer making them.

If I was wanting a new camera, which I don't, I would look at Ritter and Chamonix. I prefer light cameras because I have a bad back.
 
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Peter Rockstroh01

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pdeeh said:
When you say "investment", do you mean something that retains or increases its fiscal value, or something that retains (perhaps not increasing) its instrumental value as a mechanism for taking photographs?
Click to expand...
What I meant as investment is buying equipment that retains its value as a tool for making photographs.
 
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Peter Rockstroh01

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Thank you all for your feedback. I am glad to see there are still a few companies producing finely crafted tools for photography. Certainly more options than I thought ...
 

Dr Croubie

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Peter Rockstroh01 said:
Thank you all for your feedback. I am glad to see there are still a few companies producing finely crafted tools for photography. Certainly more options than I thought ...
Click to expand...

And noone's mentioned ShenHao yet either. Not sure of their quality, but they definitely have the largest range of designs across a lot of formats (three 617s, 624, 4x10, 8x10, 11x14, 7x17, 20x24 etc...) Badger Graphic carriers them in the US.
 

Old-N-Feeble

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If I paint a Toyo-View 45CF with a Viagra solution will it grow into a carbon reinforced woody?
 

Alan Gales

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Old-N-Feeble said:
If I paint a Toyo-View 45CF with a Viagra solution will it grow into a carbon reinforced woody?
Click to expand...

I don't know. Did you see that tv commercial where that poor guy lost his last Viagra pill into the gas tank of a Fiat 500 and the car got bigger?
 

Old-N-Feeble

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Alan Gales said:
I don't know. Did you see that tv commercial where that poor guy lost his last Viagra pill into the gas tank of a Fiat 500 and the car got bigger?
Click to expand...

Yes... hilarious.

Sorry to derail, folks. I'll behave now.

To put us back on track: If I had plenty of money, I'd buy a Chamonix. As much as I admire Ebony's offerings, I wouldn't spend my money on one... but only because I'm a cheapskate. Since money is a serious issue for me then I'll opt for a Svedovsky if/when I can acquire the funds to buy one. I'd rather have a camera with plenty of front movements PLUS rear tilt AND swing but compromises are nearly always necessary.
 

rorye

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