Trying to get into 8x10 from 4x5..

diawjddnr1

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Hi all,

I am pretty new to here. I have been shooting 4x5 for about 2 years now with linhof camera (I shoot landscape and small scene).
I am keen to get into 8x10.. I wanted to get Arca Swiss f but seems like it is hard to find second hand one. How's Chamonix in terms of durability? I use outdoor all the time!

Thanks!
 

koraks

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diawjddnr1 said:
I am keen to get into 8x10
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Ask yourself very critically why you want this. 8x10 is a different animal from 4x5 in terms of weight and bulk, and in all honesty, its practical utility is kind of limited.

diawjddnr1 said:
How's Chamonix in terms of durability?
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I hear it's the bees knees. Sorry, no experience. I only have an old Sinar and a not so old Intrepid. The latter is the antithesis of durable, but it's relatively lightweight and the fact that I can actually pick it up makes up for its lack of sturdiness. The Sinar is the exact opposite.

The furthest I've gone from the car to shoot an 8x10" is about 500m. Anything beyond that "just isn't photogenic" after all. YMMV. There are definitely people who lug an 8x10 around on hiking trips; I think they must have mule genes.
 
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diawjddnr1

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thanks! I have been ask myself since I started 4x5 as well. I just want to try. as large format will be harder and harder to start in the future, so I wanna experience to se whether I like it or now.
 

koraks

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diawjddnr1 said:
I have been ask myself since I started 4x5 as well.
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Keep in mind that 4x5 is a totally different ballgame. It's relatively portable, affordable, lightweight and manageable. 8x10 is wayward, awkward and anything but affordable. If there's any possibility of meeting up with someone who does 8x10 (surely, there must be someone in Sidney willing to show you the ropes), I'd recommend that route before committing any money to the endeavor.
 
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diawjddnr1

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I did tried 8x10 in my friend studio before I got into 4x5, I am quite well aware of heaviness, expensive and so on...
 

Rick A

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I'll try to stick to the actual question, I have no experience with either of those brands/models, but both have reputations as durable cameras. If you are in the field most of the time then a field camera makes more sense than a monorail or studio camera. They are generally lighter weight and fold down to a manageable size for packing into the field. Lens choices are fewer than what's available for 4x5, also larger and heavier, not to mention pricier. Film choices are fewer and way more expensive than 4x5. My main camera is a Nagaoka 8x10 with 12" and 14" lenses, half a dozen film holders, filters, light meters, and other sundry necessities, all packed into an F64 XL pack. One other thing, your tripod needs increase exponentially for the added weight and more importantly stability due to size. Bellows act like sails in a breeze and larger bellows catch a lot of wind.
 
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diawjddnr1

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Thanks for the reply! everything is very expensive... I did bought film holder and have a list of lens that I wanna buy as well. (tripod and head have been upgraded recently for preparation of 8x10..). I will do some more research about cameras..
 

BrianShaw

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A lot of good advice already given. I think I’m reading correctly that you really want to shoot 8x10, and have most of the gear. Then you should minimize the additional research and get going toward that goal. Enjoy!

(I’d buy a Chaminox if I had that predilection.)
 
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diawjddnr1

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haha thanks! I should stop thinking too much....
 

RalphLambrecht

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diawjddnr1 said:
thanks! I have been ask myself since I started 4x5 as well. I just want to try. as large format will be harder and harder to start in the future, so I wanna experience to se whether I like it or now.
Click to expand...

to me, the big benefit of 8x10 is that in many cases, a contact print will do and you don't need to enlarge to get a good image;the image quality of contact printing aside.
 
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diawjddnr1

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koraks said:
By all means, get started and have fun! Look what kind of camera you can get your hands on; unless you'd budget is unlimited, I think it's more sensible to be opportunistic than to draft a strict wishlist.
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thank you! I will stay open to look for a camera
 

ic-racer

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Although the Chamonix 8x10 is designed for light weight and portability, it is a durable camera.
 

abruzzi

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I bought a Toyo 810Mii which is a great cameras, but I don't love it. I MUCH prefer working with monorail cameras. If I were you I'd seriously consider the Canaham JMC. Its relatively light, a pseudo monorail, and not that expensive new. I'm tempted to sell my Toyo to get one:

Canham JMC 8x10 Metal Camera

Please note that the lens & lensboard in the photographs are not included with the camera. If you do have questions about lenses, please email or call me. The Canham JMC 8x10 camera is rear focus only. It is equipped with a fresnel screen. This camera is designed to accept Sinar, Horseman lens...
viewcamerastore.com
 

xkaes

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One more consideration -- how big do you like your prints, and do you want to make them yourself. Any 8x10 camera is pretty big, but any 8x10 print is pretty small.
 

blee1996

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I was doing 4x5 for many years and finally got into 8x10 since last year. But my motivation is entirely different from yours: for indoor studio portraits only. So I can use heavy lenses (e.g. those big Petzvals) and can shoot unlimited amount of film in one session.

I like lightweight 4x5 field cameras (Chamonix F1, Tachihara) for landscape and outdoor shots, and was using Linhof Tech V for indoor/studio shots before the 8x10 arrived.

Since the OP can handle the Linhof 4x5 weight in the field, I guess he should be able to handle Chamonix 8x10 on a hike as well. Especially if you limit yourself to lighter 8x10 lenses (e..g. the Nikkor M 300mm) and don't carry too many film holders.
 

xkaes

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That brings up the issue of lens limitations in 8x10 -- variety, cost, weight, size, filters, bellows, etc.
 

Andrew O'Neill

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Originally, I wanted the bigger negative so that I wouldn't have to enlarge as much, or just to even contact print it. I'm glad I made the decision to move up from 4x5 all those years ago, as I am into Alt. printing now. 8x10 will force you to slow down even more than 4x5, mainly due to cost.
 

TheFlyingCamera

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You say that now just wait until you get your hands on 25+ 8x10 film holders . Then you can load up an entire 50 sheet box of Arista.EDU Ultra 200 and burn through it in a single studio session.
 

Andrew O'Neill

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TheFlyingCamera said:
You say that now just wait until you get your hands on 25+ 8x10 film holders . Then you can load up an entire 50 sheet box of Arista.EDU Ultra 200 and burn through it in a single studio session.
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I have 25 holders, and I have loaded them all up a couple of times for a road trip, but with a bunch of different film types. You've got me beat burning through them all in one single session!
 
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diawjddnr1

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thanks for the recommendation! i wanted to have canham wood camera as well which is same brand but nil stock!
 
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diawjddnr1

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I am already pretty slow shooter but 8x10 will challenge me more
 

MTGseattle

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A fellow member on these forums has a Canham wood/metal 8x10 for sale.

I've just made the jump myself, here is my somewhat short (8x10 for almost 2 years) opinion; The focal lengths are still throwing me a bit of a curve ball in that I still can't decide what I "like" as a standard.

OP, what is your most often used 4x5 lens? take that focal length and run the equivalent up in size for 8x10. There are some "bargain" lenses still to be had.

will you be processing yourself? Look into the various ways and extra equipment you may need for that. I landed on the Stearman press sp810. I load it in a Harrison tent, and process in my kitchen.

The Stearman and the Harrison tent use up about $300 by themselves.

A field camera is definitely an easier choice for any walking around with 8x10. I've owned a Chamonix 4x5 and found it to be a really nice camera.

There's a Tachihara 8x10 on ebay right now for $1200 which is a perfectly capable camera. The double extension model limits your lens choices a bit, but there are ways to work through a lack of bellows extension.

The Toyo 810 MII is also a really nice camera but you pay for it in weight.

If you're photographing anywhere public, 4x5 attracts attention, but 8x10 is like a tractor beam. I actually think it's people seeing someone under a dark cloth that really causes the stir.

I'd say start with a budget camera, but if you think you want to do 8x10 for the long haul, go nuts(like I did. ha ha)

A canham came up used last year when I didn't think they would ever be made again, so I snapped it up.
 

Two23

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I shoot 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10. My 4x5 is a Chamonix and I love it. It's my favorite LF camera. For 8x10 I use a Kodak 2D, built around 1925. I mostly use the 8x10 for wet plate as it's strong enough to hold early (and heavy) 19th C. lenses. Which gets me to my point. An 8x10 --system-- includes a heavy duty tripod, lenses, film holders. All of this costs a lot of money compared to 4x5. Many try to cheap out and use a tripod not up to the task. I do like 8x10 tin types, which is what I mostly do with it since film is about $10 per shot, processed (B&W and I do my own.) I do also shoot b&w film in my 8x10 and then make contact prints at home, which are wonderfully detailed. If you are only scanning the 8x10 neg, really you won't see much difference between that and 4x5, except for cost.


Kent in SD
 
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