Starting 8x10 view camera

[johnastovall]

I'm wanting to get back into LF film work. I'm wanting to do 8x10 contact printing.

My heart says get an 8x10 Deardorff but my pocket says, "See what the other options are."

What are my other options in 8x10?

 

[Nick Zentena]

What are you going to do with it?

Field Ansco/Agfa

Monorails are often fairly cheap but harder to hike with.

 

[raucousimages]

My studio camera is a Toyo 810G. Great camera but too heavy for the field unless I stay close to the truck. I got it at a very good price from a studio that hadn't used it for years. For the field I use a Toyo 810M. Great camera but a bit on the heavy side. They can be found at better prices than a Dorff because they don't have the name or the look of a nice wood camera. I am very happy with Toyo and lens boards interchange between the 8X10 and 4X5 cameras, parts are still available and accessories like long and bag bellows, reducing backs and lens board adaptors make it a very adaptable and expandable system.

There are a lot of good 8X10 bodies out there just remember the lens does the work, the camera just holds the film and lens together. Put your money into good glass.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

They're rare, but not astronomical in price - a Zone VI Ultralight. A hair under 10 lbs, 36" of bellows, and can focus a 90mm to infinity.

 

[johnastovall]

What are you going to do with it?

Field Ansco/Agfa

Monorails are often fairly cheap but harder to hike with.

Landscapes and building here in wide open Texas. Don't plan to hike with it.

 

[Steve Hamley]

Landscapes and building here in wide open Texas. Don't plan to hike with it.

Buildings? Definitely monorail because of the movements. Sinar Norma is good, but a Cambo/Calumet would be cheaper. Linhof is probably the king but very, very, expensive new.

Cheers, Steve

 

[Craig Roberts]

If your heart says Deardorff, buy one. I wanted a Deardorff for 30 years and I bought one – no second guesses. There is no perfect camera – there are compromises for each model of camera. Craig

 

[k_jupiter]

If your heart says Deardorff, buy one. I wanted a Deardorff for 30 years and I bought one – no second guesses. There is no perfect camera – there are compromises for each model of camera. Craig

I vote with Craig. I wanted a Deardorff for a number of years, could never justify it. It is the last 8x10 I will ever put on. When I went under the hood of my V-8, I knew where everything was. Instinctively. It is just made perfect like that.

Others I looked at? Horseman. Nice rugged camera, just not right for me.


tim in san jose

 

[Venchka]

I reckon you gravitate to Deardorff like you do to Leica. You may not be happy with anything else.

On the other hand, what I said at the LFPF still holds. Think of Richard's camera as a Deardorff for the 21st century.

 

[doughowk]

If you never plan to enlarge your 8X10s, get a good/decent camera with front tilt & swing, and rear tilt; and spend your money on a good lens or two, high quality film (Ilford FP4 & Kodak T-Max 400 are my favorite), and quality contact printing paper (Lodima). Ansel Adams said of Ed Weston's negs that they were not good for enlarging, but for contact printing.... Weston worked with a Korona, I believe; and he produced stunning prints. Equipment envy can keep you from just getting out there and taking those stunning images that are available to you now.

 

[2F/2F]

What kind of movements do you need?

If not much, I suggest a Kodak No. 2/2D , or something similar. They are relatively cheap, but well made and not too heavy. They have front vertical shift, and rear tilt of about 15 degrees or so. With those two things combined, you can get the same net effect as a front standard tilt, if you need it. If you do need front tilts it in the field, it is probably an extremely rare case in which you will need more than a few degrees of it, so you are well covered. The restrictions come when you need swings or horizontal shifts. In those cases, you need to put the camera on its side. Luckily they are not heavy, so it can be done, but it is rather hairy the first time, and, of course not as stable. If it is something you think you need to do a lot, I would make an L bracket to do it, not just tilt the tripod head like I do with my No. 2 5x7.

 

[Jon Shiu]

Just to note, the Kodak 2D does have rear swing movement.

Jon

 

[JohnArs]

Battle ship grey Burke & James, has much more movements then a D'orff and is just a bit on the heavy side and much cheaper!

Cheers Armin

 

[k_jupiter]

Battle ship grey Burke & James, has much more movements then a D'orff and is just a bit on the heavy side and much cheaper!

Cheers Armin

I have a 8x10 Deardorff and a 5x7 B&J. Anyone want the B&J (with two backs)? Make offer.

It's the difference between.. hell there aren't that many words in the english language to describe the difference.

tim in san jose

 

[John Kasaian]

There are lots of good 8x10s out there---I happen to be more sympatico with my 'dorff. If I had to replace it, I could think of a few other old timers and a few new cameras that would work just fine, but the 'dorff tweaks my creative buttons in a way no other 8x10 camera does. I simply love working with the old thing.
If you really want a 'dorff----get a 'dorff. They've not making any more of 'em

 

[2F/2F]

Just to note, the Kodak 2D does have rear swing movement.

Jon

Hi,

Yes, it does, and so does my No. 2. Unfortunately, without horizontal shift, this rear swing combined with this shift cannot be used to "fake" (get the same net effect as) a front swing.