[LargeFormat] 8x10 advice

[Jim Brick]

I used an 8x10 Deardorff for many years as a commercial photographer. I did 
a lot of studio work with it as well as on location. I also had a 4x5 
reducing back.

I recently borrowed a Sinar 8x10 camera for a project. It was very easy to 
use and very precise. The Deardorf is not exactly precise as there are no 
degree markings anywhere.

The Deardorf folds up and is easy to carry. The Sinar was a monorail and 
required a very large carrying case.

It depends upon your needs as to which type of camera you should get. For 
studio work and not much field work, I choose the Sinar. For the reverse, I 
choose the Deardorf.

Jim


At 04:18 PM 3/13/2002 -0800, Charles Thorsten wrote:
>OK, let's try this again with no html.  Sorry Clive!
>
>
>I've been shooting quite a bit of copy work at my
>photo lab the past year.  All of it has been with
>my Toyo 4x5 monorail camera.  The majority of
>the work that comes in are oil paintings, along
>with some architectural renderings, things like
>that.
>
>Over the past several months I've had requests
>for 8x10 transparencies, and I'm starting to think
>about investing in an 8x10 studio camera for this
>kind of work.  Everything is indoors with strobes.
>I've always worked strictly with 4x5 so this is
>kind of new to me.
>
>Does anyone have advice on a camera to look for?
>Reccomendations on brands, newer versus older,
>reliability issues, etc.?  I've seen older cameras
>on Ebay such as Koronas and Deardorffs that look
>very nice.  Would an older wooden camera stand
>up to day-to-day use in a studio?  Or would I be
>better off with a metal monorail camera like my
>4x5?  I'd appreciate any input.  Thanks!
>
>-Charlie