Hi

After using my Arca-Swiss 5x4" camera for making platinum contact prints, I feel that I would like to move up to something larger. I'm able to get an F-line 10x8" conversion kit at a fairly reasonable price (still very expensive). However, I have both F-line and M-line cameras, and am wondering what differences there are between the F-line and M-line 10x8" backs, and whether the F-line back will work okay on the M-line camera.

I originally thought the only difference was that the F-line has a marked scale (in centimetres) for the shift movements, but looking at the pricelist, the M-line conversion is more expensive than the F-line...

Or maybe I should go for an entirely separate 10x8" (or larger!) camera...

I'd also appreciate any comments from Arca 10x8 users.

David Nash

-- David Nash (nashcom@btinternet.com), March 07, 2000

Answers

Hi David,

I can't answer your question, but you can request the new ARCA-Swiss catalog online at arca-swiss@swissonline.ch. They will e-mail you a large pdf file which is slow to print, but it's extremely detailed and will likely answer your question.

Jim

-- Jim Blecha (jbphoto@home.com), March 07, 2000.

The M-Line has geared shift and rise. As with all Arca stuff, the gearing is well done and doesn't require locking. It is heavier than the F-line gear.

-- Glenn C. Kroeger (gkroeger@trinity.edu), March 07, 2000.

Hi David, The M-line is the "all movements fully geared" - Line. It is superbly built, like all ARCA stuff, but much heavier then the f-line(but it is still not very heavy). I work since years with the 8x10 M-line ( it is simply great!), and I take it for outdoor as well as for Studio. But I will buy me the f- line kit now for outdoor. As far as I know is the 8x10 back identical for the F-line and the M-line.

-- Urs Bernhard (ursworkvision@bluewin.ch), March 10, 2000.