hello all I'm interresting by buying an 8*10 bender camera as second camera. I have an 8*10 deardorff but I want something lighter for a 2 month trek in greece's islands. Do you think it's a good value? Does people who use it are happy of it?

regards

-- nze christian (nzec@compuserve.com), February 02, 1999

Answers

If you want something lighter than your deardorff that is sturdy and will withstand a two month trek, look at a Phillips 8x10 rather than the home built cameras. Or possibly a Wisner expedition model.

-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), February 02, 1999.

I agree with Dan. I own a Deardorff 8X10 and Bender 4X5, and although I've used the Bender extensively, I use the Deardorff almost exclusively now. The 4X5 Bender is too unstable; I can't imagine what the 8X10 is like! My advice, for what it's worth: by a good backpack instead.

-- Chad Jarvis (chad_jarvis@yahoo.com), February 04, 1999.

So what did you end up buying? I have both the Bender 4x5 and 8x10, am Greek, travel to Greece, and am curious what you used to trek around the islands. As far as the instability, I haven't found it to be a problem. Just torque everything down tightly, wait for the flex/vibration of the wood to settle, and shoot. As far as emcountering limiting extension, you can get a longer rail from Jay Bender for minimal cost compared to other camers or make one yourself by buying some square section monrail from Home Depot or wherever you can find i

-- Tony Karnezis (karnezis@aecom.yu.edu), September 03, 2001.