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Calumet 8x10 Woodfield Camera Large Format

3.5/5 (2 Reviews)

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Product Description

These quality crafted wooden flatbed cameras give you all the essential ingredients you need to pursue your large format pleasures, including liberal image control movements, flexible focusing, huge selection of lenses, and the benefits of individual sheet film exposure and processing controls.


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Reviews 1 - 2 (2 Reviews Total)

User Reviews

Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:5
Submitted by David VanMeter a Intermediate from Columbus, OH USA

Date Reviewed: July 11, 2000

Strengths:    Solid, dead accurate joinery, beautiful to look at. 4x5 and 5x7 backs available. In comparison, it was more stable than a Wisner I looked at. Very bright ground glass with fresnel.

Weaknesses:    Rear standard has independantly locking and geared movement making it more difficult than necessary for rear movement, however, this also provides a limited amount of rear swing which is a plus. The other annoyance is that front focus can be accomplished on one side only as the other acts as the lock. As with any LF camera, God help you at full extension in a strong wind

Bottom Line:   
Tachihara built and a beauty. Great first 8x10 camera and no other may be needed. You put this camera on a Zone VI tripod and it is rock solid. Shortish belows draw does limit lens choices. With reference to the previous review, Tachihara cameras are available at Midwest Photo Exchange in Columbus, OH

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Duration Product Used:   21+ years

Similar Products Used:   Wisner 8x10, Deardorff 8x10

Type of photography:   Fine Art

Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:4
Submitted by carl battreall a Expert from oakland, ca

Date Reviewed: October 4, 1999

Strengths:    The Calumet wooden cameras are the same as the Tachihara wooden cameras. I have used my Tachihara 8x10 for five years and it has worked great. It has survived a few major accidents( including a trip into the ocean)and has held up pretty good.

Weaknesses:    Rear gears need to be stronger( mine stripped during the first year)but I just move the rear standard by hand( which is much easier.)A little more bellows draw would be nice( It has 30 inches) I don't think that Calumet is selling these cameras anymore.But I know that Tachihara still is making cameras but I don't know who is selling them in the U.S.
(Calumet use to sell them before they became Calumet wooden cameras)


Bottom Line:   
Great first 8x10. Strong and durable and can handle a beating. But are they still being made?

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Duration Product Used:   6-10 years

Similar Products Used:   I have also owned a Tachihara 4x5 which is also the same as the Calumet wooden 4x5, and the same as the first zone VI ca

Type of photography:   Fine Art


Reviews 1 - 2 (2 Reviews Total)

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  • Other FeaturesWood-Field cameras are made from kiln-dried cherry wood and finished with brass trim hardware.


 

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