Starter 8x10 camera + lens recommendations

[GKC]

I wish I had started shooting 8x10 at college---that equipment starts getting heavy with age!
8x10 is certainly do-able on a tight budget but there will be more limitations than with 4x5 when it comes to the cost of film and chemicals.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Another vote for selling your 8x10 'inheritance' and getting a 4x5 system with the proceeds. If you get an 8x10 to go through the free film you will then be stuck having to buy 8x10 film - figure around $10/sheet for 8x10 film ($6-$14); some folks get by for less with X-Ray film).

The upside of 8x10 is you don't need an enlarger as contact prints are large enough to be hung on the wall and admired.

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My university experience with 'girl friend as pack mule to carry LF gear' (not the way I sold the oportunity to her (or even thought of it that way to myself)) was that the GF quickly get sick of the enterprise and walked off down the trail with the tripod, not be seen again until I got back to the parking lot where I found the tripod leaning against my car and the (ex) GF getting on the back of some guy's motorcycle.

 

[GKC]

There is x-ray film if you want to learn how to use it, and you can pick up 50 sheet boxes for a pittance OR make paper negatives using photo papers OR learn to coat glass plates OR get a 5x7 back for your camera
There's more than one way to play with big negatives if you're wanting to.