+1 for ChromaGraphica Holders. Once I learned how to load them properly they work quite well. A much better solution than the old Speed Graphic pack film holders that I modified. Worth the $$.
I have a ChromaGraphic 8x10 holder and I'm afraid I find it terrible (others may not). I use 2mm picture glass because it is really hard to get thinner in quantity and it would be fragile at larger sizes anyhow. The tolerances on the Chromagraphic are so tight that getting a plate in and out is a real struggle. I had to remove the spacer/spring things (they were destroyed the first time I used it anyhow). It is really difficult to cut 8x10 plates within the few mm necessary for the chromagraphic on the kitchen table. Maybe if I gave it another go I'd be converted but I cursed a lot both times I tried to use it and it wasn't fun - which is a major criteria for doing this. But kudos to the guys who put it together they do good work and I'm sure the smaller formats are much better and the 8x10 just may not suit my "artisan" working style. Maybe I should have read the spec more closely before buying it. It cost me £150 to learn the lesson!
Your experience of 4x5 chromagraphic holders may be very different, especially if you are using J Lane plates. But I think they just scaled up the design for 8x10 and
in my opinion and for me it doesn't work.
I'm lucky enough to have a dozen M.P.P. glass plate holders for 4x5 and they work easily and brilliantly. I also have some international style half plate holders but they aren't quite big enough and the 5x7/half-plate camera I have is too big to carry (a 7kg Kodak Specialist).
I've cut the septum out of an 8x10 film holder like one would do to make a wet plate holder and that works fine but I really don't want to cut up a bunch of good film holders and of course they only hold one plate each. Ideally I'd like to carry 4 to 6 loaded plates.
Other than chromagraphic I'm not aware of a ready supply of 8x10 glass plate holders - certainly not on UK eBay. By the time the international back format was introduced people were not shooting glass that big anyhow. It is a 19th or a 21st century thing to do really. Sure for wet plate but that is a different type of holder and you only need one. Vintage whole plate holders are relatively cheap and common although in very variable condition and not very standardised.
Anyhow I'm just trying to say I'm not totally crazy - there is method in my madness!
