My Arca-Swiss F Metric 8x10 camera with Micrometric Orbix control, along with a Nikkor-W 300mm F/5.6 lens. The camera is mounted to a Gitzo GT3532LS Systematic tripod and an Arca-Swiss C1 Cube tripod head in one of Zion's beautiful maple groves.

My Arca-Swiss F Metric 8x10 camera with Micrometric Orbix control, along with a Nikkor-Westward 300mm F/5.6 lens. The camera is mounted to a Gitzo GT3532LS Systematic tripod and an Arca-Swiss C1 Cube tripod head in i of Zion'due south beautiful maple groves.

My large format cameras & Lenses


I have been sharing my experiences in the field with video journals since 2009. In those videos I talk over the experience of going on each trip, finding subjects, and figuring out how to best capture them. I avoid talking most equipment or technical details because that seems far less important.

 There is a time and place for that give-and-take also, and I often get questions most the cameras and lenses I apply, so I decided to create this resource. This page contains a listing of all the cameras and lenses I take used, and my thoughts and experiences about using them in the field. Some of the cameras, and all of the lenses listed below have long since been discontinued. They can at times be difficult to find on the used market merely thankfully there are still many photographic camera manufacturers effectually these days.

My By & Electric current 8x10 CAmeras

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Ebony RW810 8x10 Photographic camera

Timeless Design, Top Quality Materials & Craftsmanship

Most of the photos in my portfolio where shot on an Ebony RW810. I purchased the camera on the used market place in 2009 through the large format photography forum. It was in near mint status when I received information technology, and needless to say I have been through a lot with this camera. It has been lowered over a cliff in Utah with a rope on my first backpacking trip, planted on a dune crest in Death Valley for 3 days straight while I waited for skilful light, and spent more nights on the common salt flats of Death Valley than I will e'er call back.

This RW810 is a wooden folding field photographic camera with a very classic design. It is constructed of mahogany and titanium, and the bellows are made of leather. A single extension allows lenses up to 600mm without outcome, and the unique bellows are a hybrid between bag bellows and traditional bellows. This allows plenty of movements, even when working with a broad angle lens. The widest lens I have used with this photographic camera is the Nikkor-SW 150mm F/8.

The forepart standard accepts Sinar lens boards, and offers axial tilt movements, along with front ascent, and front swing. The rear standard offers both rear axial tilt, and rear swing. The range of movements are plentiful for its intended purpose of mural photography.

The camera weighs roughly 12 pounds — which sounds like a lot, but that is very reasonable for an 8x10. Because of the folding design, it is very well protected when in its folded state. I have taken this camera on multiple backpacking trips, and always felt that the camera was very secure when stored along with other equipment in my pack. Though the original ground drinking glass does not have a fresnel, I never had a problem viewing it.

Perhaps my favorite things about the the Ebony RW810 is the smell. It has an exhilarant scent of wood stain mixed with the odour of the leather bellows. Few if any cameras will match that experience.

During the winter of 2017, my RW810 was heavily damaged afterward it was knocked to the ground by extremely strong wind in Death Valley. The ground drinking glass was broken, and the front extension was damaged. An skilful woodworker friend of mine rebuilt the front extension, and another friend of mine had an original ground glass from the verbal same camera.

I went on to utilise the camera on my leap trip in 2017, but later decided to retire it considering the Ebony camera visitor is no longer around, and if I has some other accident, I wouldn't be able to find whatever spare parts. After 8 years of service, I decided to sell the Ebony. Information technology now has a keen new home where it will go on to produce some magnificent photos. My primary camera is at present the Arca-Swiss F Metric 8x10.

It should be noted that the Ebony camera company is no longer in business, and these cameras are incredibly hard to come up by on the used market. Other alternatives for wooden folding field cameras all the same in product include Chamonix and 1000.B. Canham among others.

Watch my Video Review of the Ebony RW810

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Arca-Swiss F Metric 8x10

Precise, Potent & Fast

When I retired my Ebony RW810 from service in the jump of 2017, I purchased an Arca-Swiss F Metric as my principal photographic camera. Unlike the Ebony or any other large format camera I have used, the Arca-Swiss is a monorail design. This means that the front end and rear standards are attached to a sturdy metallic rail that serves as a very strong and rigid courage for the camera.

Well-nigh monorail cameras are heavy, bulky, and hard to accept into the field, simply the Arca Swiss is very slim when retracted, and weighs just marginally more than the Ebony RW810. The rail is a clever 3 piece telescoping design that allows me to store the camera on a short six inch rail, then insert that track into a larger rail when I am set up to apply the photographic camera. The small six inch rail keeps the camera protected while not in apply.

I tin can use my 150mm broad angle lens all the way up to my 600mm lens without issue on this clever blueprint. Since this camera is made past Arca-Swiss, the lesser of the rails can exist clamped onto a Arca-Swiss type clamp anywhere along the base of the runway. This makes it easy to center the load on a tripod head.

One of the optional features I added to my Arca-Swiss camera is the Micrometric Orbix command. This feature allows me to adjust the front tilt without having to re-focus the lens. With most other cameras, you need to re-focus the camera after y'all set the front tilt. The advantage of the Micrometric Orbix command is that information technology vastly simplifies the procedure, and allows you to rapidly and easily set the forepart tilt. On a recent trip to Death Valley, I was able to setup several photos in the night before sunrise because of this feature. I used available light to focus on a mountain in the altitude, illuminated the foreground with a powerful LED light, then but tilted for the foreground with the orbix command. This would accept been a much more than complex process with base tilt or centric tilt.

The front end standard includes geared front rising, geared forepart tilt with the Micrometrix Orbix control,  and geared front shift. Base tilt as well as swing that are not geared, just have detents in the zeroed position.

The rear standard has geared shift, and not-geared base tilt, both of which accept zeroed detents. The rear standard likewise features a fantastic ground glass with an integrated fresnel, besides as a bail-dorsum design to chop-chop and easily insert film holders.

I only wish the rear standard has axial rear tilt like my Ebony, but I realize that adds more than bulk, complication, and instability to the design.

I use my Arca-Swiss F-Metric 8x10 with the optional long bellows because they accommodate my 150mm wide angle through my 600mm long lens without issue. The standard bellows would be a bit brusk for the 600mm lens. It should be noted that the bellows overhang the rear standard, so you need to be very careful near how the photographic camera is stored, especially when taking it into the field.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the Arca-Swiss, and it is an accented joy to utilize. I encounter myself using this camera for many years or perhaps decades to come, and I capeesh the modular blueprint — simply in case.

If you are interested in purchasing an Arca-Swiss camera and you live in the USA, please reach out directly to the Rep, Rod Klukas. He is a wealth of data, and can help guide you lot to purchase the perfect camera for you needs. I purchased my F Metric 8x10 from Rod during the jump of 2016.

Rod Klukas' Contact Information

My Video Review of the Arca-Swiss F Metric 8x10

Intrepid 8x10 Photographic camera mk Two

Meaty, Lightweight & Affordable

During the fall of 2014, a company based out of England introduced a new concept for large format photography—a lightweight and affordable 4x5 photographic camera made out of high grade plywood that is machined to produce the front end standard, rear standard, and the focusing bed. The photographic camera debuted on kickstarter where it went on earn virtually $85,000 from merely shy of 500 backers. Before the intrepid 4x5 came on the market, well-nigh large format cameras were heavy and bulky and expensive. The Intrepid 4x5 was different because it was both lightweight, and likewise affordable.

Afterward the success of their start generation 4x5 camera, Intrepid continued to refine the design with several other versions through the years. In 2017, they launched a kickstarter for a 8x10 model, which was later refined to the electric current version, the Intrepid 8x10 mark Ii.

I used their first generation 8x10 camera on a backpacking trip in 2018, and at present own their 8x10 mark II. The latest generation sees an all-aluminum base, refined focus mechanism, and separated knobs on the forepart standard for independently adjusting rise and tilt.

The intrepid 8x10 mk 2 remains i of the lightest, and least expensive 8x10 cameras on the market place, two very important factors when choosing a camera. I truly enjoy this camera, and I love Intrepid's approach to cameras.

The Intrepid 8x10 is a nifty camera for those who are new to large format, as well as those who have worked with it for many years, and are looking for a lightweight photographic camera. The camera is well designed, and very intuitive to work with. I would definitely recommend keeping the lenses light on this camera, and yous'll find a list lenses I use for backpacking at the bottom of this page.

For more detailed information about this camera, please watch my full review video of the Intrepid 8x10 mk II as seen below.

My Video Review of the Intrepid 8x10 mk II

Intrepid Camera 8x10 Website

Large Format 8x10 Lenses

I have been gradually fine tuning my lens selection since I started shooting 8x10 motion picture in 2009. Over that time, I have adult a set of lenses both for regular use, and also a lighter kit of lenses for backpacking. The tradeoff for the decreased size and weight is the light gathering ability, and range of movements. If I am working from my vehicle, I will virtually always grab my regular use lens kit, merely the backpacking lens kit saves several pounds class my pack when I venture deep into the wilderness.

Regular Use Lens Kit

Nikkor-SW 150mm F/viii

Wide Angle, Does Not Crave Center Filter

When I researched wide angle lenses for 8x10, in that location were two lenses that caught my attending, The NIkkor-SW 150mm f/8, and the Schneider Super-Symmar Twoscore 150 f/5.6. Both lenses have a massive 95mm forepart element, but dissimilar the Schneider, the Nikon as well has a massive 95mm rear chemical element. This will button some front standards or adapter boards to the limit. Both are very sharp lenses, only I decided to get with the NIkkor because information technology does not require the employ of a center filter. Both lenses will evidence a soft vignette fifty-fifty when stopped downwardly, but information technology is very pocket-size and correctable on the NIkkor — even when shooting with slide film. The Schneider will require an expensive center filter that eats up the deviation in light gathering ability. You tin can't become incorrect either way, but I prefer not having to use a center filter. This lens has taken 3 tumbles on my cameras through the years, and has even slpashed down in some extremely salty water. Information technology continues to work like a champ, and is very abrupt. You can't go incorrect with the Nikkor-SW 150mm F/8.

Nikkor-W 300mm F/5.6

My Most Used Lens, Keen for Closeups

This is my most ordinarily used lens. Much like the NIkkor-SW 150mm, this lens has a 95mm front element thread. This means that filters can be shared betwixt the two lenses, which is user-friendly. Different the NIkkor-SW 150mm, the rear element is much smaller than the front, allowing y'all to to use this lens on a smaller Technika type lensboard with an adapter if need be. I adopt to proceed it on a total size lensboard to meliorate accommodate the weight of the lens.

The very bright f/5.6 aperture allows a lot of calorie-free into the photographic camera, which projects a very bright image on the basis glass. This lens is a normal focal length on 8x10, which is very ideal for many subjects. I particularly enjoy working with this lens when photographing smaller intimate landscape subjects on the footing. Just be sure to measure your bellows extension and gene that into your exposure

It should be noted that I own another lens at this focal length, the Fujinon C 300mm f/8.5 which is listed below. That lens weighs a fraction of what the Nikkor does, and I use that lens for backpacking purposes.

Nikkor-M 450mm F/9

A Moderately Long Lens with Generous Coverage

This was the kickoff lens that I purchased for my 8x10 dorsum in 2009. At the time, I was working with a 4x5 camera, and actually enjoyed working with my NIkkor 210mm. I wanted that same angle of view, simply on 8x10, and then I doubled the focal length and found that the NIkkor-Thousand 450mm was the closest selection.

This is not a very fast lens, but it has an enormous prototype circle to work with. You will exist hard pressed to reach the limit of the image circumvolve on 8x10. It should be noted that this lens can exist used on 11x14 and larger cameras without upshot. The lens uses a small-scale 67mm filter, and fits nicely on a Technika type lensboard which helps reduce the overall majority. I have been very happy overall with the sharpness of this lens, and it is a lens I rearch for when I am looking for moderate compression.

Fujinon C 600mm F/11.five

Crawly Lens, Very Rare on the Used Market

I was on a trip to Zion in the fall of 2015 when I realized the demand for a long lens. At that point, my longest lens was the Nikkor 450mm, but I wanted something merely a bit longer. A friend of mine suggested the Fujinon C 600mm, but that lens proved very difficult to find on the used market.

It took a while, but eventually I found a Fujinon C 600mm, and it has become ane of my favorite lenses. In 35mm terms, the 600mm focal length is similar to 100mm. Though this might not sound like a very long lens, it'south the longest you will notice for 8x10 that is a non-telephoto blueprint. Nikon and Schneider both offer telephoto designs, but they are too much larger and heavier, and in the case of the Schneider, incredibly expensive.

The Fujinon C 600mm uses a modest 67mm filter size, and is about the same overall size as the Nikkor 450mm F/9. Much like the Nikkor 450mm, the Fujinon C 600mm can be mounted on a compact Technika-blazon lensboard and used with a lensboard adapter to match your photographic camera'due south lensboard type. This allows you lot to cut down the overall majority of your lens lineup. This lens is incredibly difficult to come past on the used market. You will be lucky if you lot find one available at a reasonable toll.

Backpacking Lens Kit

Fujinon A 240mm F/nine.0

Tiny, Lightweight, My New Favorite Focal Length

This tiny lens is the latest add-on to my large format lens lineup. I wanted something a bit wider than my 300mm, and heard great things nigh the Fujinon A 240mm. Though I originally purchased this lens equally a lightweight backpacking lens, it has become a favorite of mine on both my Intrepid 8x10 and my Arca-Swiss F Metric. I first used it on my autumn 2018 visit to Zion National Park, and I at present carry this lens with me whenever I'm in the field. I have been extremely satisfied with the sharpness of this lens.

Fujinon C 300mm F/eight.v

Tiny, Lightweight, Covers 8x10 With Room to Spare

Several years ago, a proficient photographer friend of mine suggested I buy a set of lightweight lenses specifically for backpacking. This proved to exist fantastic advice. My Nikkor-W 300mm F/5.6 lens weighs 2.5lbs, merely the Fujinon C 300mm F/eight.5 weigns only 0.five pounds. That is a 2 pound savings in substitution for just over a one stop loss of light. I have used this lens on two backpacking trips, and used it to shoot several photos that are now in my portfolio. Though the image circumvolve is smaller than the Nikkor-West 300mm F/5.6, it is plenty large enough to comprehend 8x10 with moderate movements. Don't button the movements too far though, considering you lot will lose some sharpness near the edge before you reach the actual limit of the image circle. Overall, I am very happy with this lens, and plan on using it on many future backpacking trips.

Fujinon C 450mm F/12.5

Pocket-size, Lite, and Sharp

Closely related to the Fujinon C 300mm F/8.5, the Fujinon 450mm F/12.5 offers a moderately long focal length in an ultra compact size. Though the size and weight difference betwixt this lens and the NIkkor-Grand 450mm F/9 isn't as dramatic as the difference between the 2 300mm lenses already mentioned, there is still a very notable difference in size and weight between the two 450mm lenses. Much like the Fujinon C 600mm F/11.5, this lens can exist difficult to find on the used market.