Calumet 8 x 10
This is an interesting camera. I have been wanting to get into larger (than 4x5) format camera for a long time. So, in 2003 I took the step of getting a Calumet 8x10 and Schneider 300mm lens from EBay. As some friends at the University of Alaska are talking about digital cameras, I seem to be the only student talking about going to 8x10 and larger. If I could get my hands on one of Ron Wisner's 20x24 cameras I would... but this Calumet 8x10 is a good step in the right direction.
My first impressions about this camera.... It is a large, cumbersome, moderately heavy, interestingly designed camera. This camera requires a very large tripod and head. When this camera was placed on the studio stand head at UAA it wobbled like a top. This head is rock steady for my 10lb Mamiya RZ, however, with the Calumet 8x10 there is a tendency for the bed length to act as a leverage arm, thus multiplying the quantity of force exerted on the center of gravity... which in this case is the head that is now straining under the force. Needless to say a solid heavy duty tripod head is needed for this size camera, not to mention the tripod. The camera uses a rear bed rail that folds up for storage. Once folded down and locked into position, the rear standard is moved for focusing... leaving the front standard firmly in place. The 300mm lens is considered standard for the 8x10 format. This starts to make depth of field (DOF) an issue, and you can really see the effects in a studio portrait setting. Next up is the film size. When dealing with 4x5 (which oddly enough seems small now) dust is an issue. With 8x10 dust is a major issue as there is four times the surface area that needs to be kept clean. the holders are large and expensive compared to 4x5. And if that were not enough, the film is really expensive. You also need to make sure that when handling the film (either loading, unloading, processing, or printing) you are careful not to bend or scratch it.
I have listed many challenges caused by this camera. However, I must say that the payoff is an outstandingly large negative. You are capable of both contact printing and printing using an enlarger. If you are enlarging, there is so much information on the negative that producing mural size prints would carry the same quantity of detail as an 8x10 print from a 35mm. If you are having trouble finding someone who has an enlarger that can handle this size negative, contact me.
Well, that is my two cents worth for now. I will update this page in a few months after I have had more experience with the camera.
Here is a link for this camera:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/calumet/calumetc8x10.html