A discussion in another thread ((there was a url link here which no longer exists)) prompted me think seriously again about a "proper" camera.
I've been messing about with home-made (foamcore) LF cameras for a while now, and fun though they are, they are also clumsy and impractical as field cameras (in, for instance, actual fields).
With better materials, facilities, tools and (more than anything) skills, I could no doubt fabricate something more practical, but the reality is it won't happen.
I have a little spare cash at the moment, and bearing in mind that I already have a few holders, a couple of barrel lenses that can be pressed into service, and other odds and ends that come in useful for LF (darkcloth, decent size rucsac, spot meter, opera hat, tripod, etc) I've been wondering whether it is possible to get hold of a folding 8x10 field camera for a "smallish" amount - the low hundreds in GBP I mean - in the UK.
I'm not expecting to stumble over a Deardorff or Gandolfi for a couple of hundred quid, of course, but I am hoping it might be possible to find a working (and workable) older folding 8x10 field camera with some movements, and bellows that aren't beyond repair with a bit of duct tape and fabric paint.
These sorts of beasts do seem to appear on forums such as APUG and LFPF as well as eBay, but almost exclusively from US sellers.
Although superficially attractive, a £400/$600 8x10 from the US can quickly turn into a £625/$950ish camera once shipping, import duty, VAT and whatnot are taken into account.
So, short of watching eBay UK constantly, or placing a WTB here and/or at LFPF (yes, I realise that's the obvious solution), or regularly making expensive 200 mile round trips to the few UK camera fairs ... where else can I look within the UK (or even EU) at this sort of price level?
I've been messing about with home-made (foamcore) LF cameras for a while now, and fun though they are, they are also clumsy and impractical as field cameras (in, for instance, actual fields).
With better materials, facilities, tools and (more than anything) skills, I could no doubt fabricate something more practical, but the reality is it won't happen.
I have a little spare cash at the moment, and bearing in mind that I already have a few holders, a couple of barrel lenses that can be pressed into service, and other odds and ends that come in useful for LF (darkcloth, decent size rucsac, spot meter, opera hat, tripod, etc) I've been wondering whether it is possible to get hold of a folding 8x10 field camera for a "smallish" amount - the low hundreds in GBP I mean - in the UK.
I'm not expecting to stumble over a Deardorff or Gandolfi for a couple of hundred quid, of course, but I am hoping it might be possible to find a working (and workable) older folding 8x10 field camera with some movements, and bellows that aren't beyond repair with a bit of duct tape and fabric paint.
These sorts of beasts do seem to appear on forums such as APUG and LFPF as well as eBay, but almost exclusively from US sellers.
Although superficially attractive, a £400/$600 8x10 from the US can quickly turn into a £625/$950ish camera once shipping, import duty, VAT and whatnot are taken into account.
So, short of watching eBay UK constantly, or placing a WTB here and/or at LFPF (yes, I realise that's the obvious solution), or regularly making expensive 200 mile round trips to the few UK camera fairs ... where else can I look within the UK (or even EU) at this sort of price level?