Wehman vs. Arca Swiss F-line Conversion

I hope to soon be the proud owner of an 8x10 setup. I've pretty much settled on buying a new Wehman, but am also considering the alternative of adding an 8x10 conversion kit to my Arca Swiss Discovery. If the decision were based purely on economics, then I'd sell the Discovery and buy the Wehman, done and done. However, it's not that simple. I'd still like to shoot 4x5, especially for color transparency or when I need a further reach with a longer lens. So I need to build this capability into my purchase.

I understand the Wehman can be fitted with an 8x10/4x5 reducing back. Whereas with the Arca Swiss conversion kit, I'd opt to change out frames and bellows rather than add a reducing back. I am intimately familiar with how the Arca works, and already have 70cm of bellows and plenty of focus rail to handle it. I love the Discovery for the most part, and find in sturdy, reliable and easy to use. But, I have read a lot of good things from other landscape shooters about the Wehman, and feel the 30 day guarantee quells any fears I may have about jumping in with both feet.

All this said, my inclination would be to go with the Wehman plus reducing back rather than the Arca Swiss conversion kit 8x10 setup on my Discovery, with 4x5 frame in the pack. My question is, in terms of packing and shooting (landscape images, mostly), what trade-offs am I missing here? Economics aside, which setup will likely serve me better in the field?

Thanks in advance for your sage advice. I look forward to reading your responses.

Wehman rules

I don't know anything about Arcas, but my Wehman has not disappointed me. I backpacked that thing all over N.M. last month and was quite pleased with the ease of setup. The plexi ground glass that came with my camera lowers the weight, and eliminates the worry of breaking glass while the camera is riding in the back of the pickup.
I want to get a 4x5 adapter, but the Wehman is so simple I know I could make one myself, just as I did for a Deardorff.
(I'd grab the Wehman anyday over the Deardorff.)

mark,

i've never used the wehman, but, as you know, have extensive experience with the AS 8x10 format kit. one thing i quickly realized, and ultimately led me to purchasing the kit, was that there is a big difference between shooting with a 4x5 reduction back on an 8x10 camera and shooting with the 8x10 format kit. if you go the reduction back route, then every time you go out to shoot, even when you're just going to shoot 4x5, you're going to have deal with an 8x10 sized camera (and pack and tripod). i didn't want to carry around an 8x10 all the time, so i went the AS format kit route, which gives me the flexibility to carry a 4x5 camera when i'm shooting that format, or an 8x10 camera when i'm shooting the larger format. it might sound trivial, but shooting with the 8x10, for me at least, requires a much larger backpack and my heaviest tripod. i didn't want to have to deal with all that if i was only going out to shoot 4x5. the format kit really gives you two distinct cameras, a reduction back simply allows you to use 4x5 film in an 8x10 sized camera. this might not be important to everyone, but i backpack a lot, and so it was a huge consideration for me. furthermore, since i didn't know if i was going to take to the larger format, the AS kit allowed me to go back to 4x5 without buying a whole new rig.

Scott-Tx said:

mark,

i've never used the wehman, but, as you know, have extensive experience with the AS 8x10 format kit. one thing i quickly realized, and ultimately led me to purchasing the kit, was that there is a big difference between shooting with a 4x5 reduction back on an 8x10 camera and shooting with the 8x10 format kit. if you go the reduction back route, then every time you go out to shoot, even when you're just going to shoot 4x5, you're going to have deal with an 8x10 sized camera (and pack and tripod). i didn't want to carry around an 8x10 all the time, so i went the AS format kit route, which gives me the flexibility to carry a 4x5 camera when i'm shooting that format, or an 8x10 camera when i'm shooting the larger format. it might sound trivial, but shooting with the 8x10, for me at least, requires a much larger backpack and my heaviest tripod. i didn't want to have to deal with all that if i was only going out to shoot 4x5. the format kit really gives you two distinct cameras,
a reduction back simply allows you to use 4x5 film in an 8x10 sized camera. this might not be important to everyone, but i backpack a lot, and so it was a huge consideration for me. furthermore, since i didn't know if i was going to take to the larger format, the AS kit allowed me to go back to 4x5 without buying a whole new rig.

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Well, I carry a Wehman 8x10 around a lot! I put the camera, 6 8x10 film holders and 2 or 3 lenses in a Kelty Redwing 3300 internal frame back pack.
Total pack weight for thwe 8x10 is 22 - 26 pounds - depending on which lenses I take along.

I also have a 4x5 reducing back and a 5x7 reducing back for the Wehman.

When I use the 5x7 reducing back (because I like the format) I carry the Wehman as a 5x7 and leave the other stuff at home.

I also have a Deardorff 5x7, but the Wehman is the one I shoot with.

i'm not implying that an 8x10 can't be carried - i do it all the time. i'm just saying that it's far easier to carry a 4x5 outfit, and when i'm going out to shoot 4x5, i'd rather carry the smaller 4x5 kit, rather than my larger 8x10 kit. i value greatly having the ability to only carry the format i'm working in, and not have to carry an 8x10 all the time.

scott

Thank you, my friends. Your feedback has helped me sort things out. The Wehman, for now, will have to wait. I'm going to stick with an all-Arca for the time being, and pick up an 8x10 conversion kit, providing I can find a used one for an affordable price.

Regards,
Mark