Since there is little to be gained in terms of image quality over smaller formats, and much is lost in the way of portability and spontaneity, it seems to me that the possession of a large camera, such as a 10x8 can only represent a form of repressed sexual inadequacy. Would anyone care to comment?
I can make an 8x10 contact print that looks noticeably better, right up close and from across the room, than any enlargement I can make. To get an enlargement to look anywhere near as good requires much more technique, effort, and time. I love shooting and printing the smaller formats, but the print quality suffers in comparison to a contact.
Seriously, I use LF for the larger, non-digital negatives for Pt/Pd, carbon and other processes. The craft and knowledge LF requires plus the patience are both rewarding.
Since there is little to be gained in terms of image quality over smaller formats, and much is lost in the way of portability and spontaneity, it seems to me that the possession of a large camera, such as a 10x8 can only represent a form of repressed sexual inadequacy. Would anyone care to comment?
Absolutely....however the problem with this kind of sentence construction belies an attitude which smells of penis envy.
Having worked with 10x8" for 30 years before retiring, I find the tonality of the large negatives pleasing. Portability and spontaneity are factors which leads people to buy digital cameras, a kind of practice associated with digital mast..er....well you get the comment
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I just started using a large format camera after many years of 35 mm and MF. I adore the long process of setting up my big camera for a shot. Like extra-long foreplay instead of a quickie! Both can be satisfying in the end. Its not about the superiority of one or another... its the entire act of creating.
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“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”
-- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
... much is lost in the way of portability and spontaneity ...
8x10" and ULF are used precisely for that reason: It eliminates portability and spontaneity, and thus enhances stationarity and contemplativity. and eccentric spelling too, but I can't be bothered with that right now.
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-- Ole Tjugen, Luddite Elitist Norway
I've been shooting a lot with my Pentax 110 recently, does the inverse hold true? Though it's been shooting blanks, which is a whole other euphenism ....
Assuming you can get critical sharpness in the neg, then 8x10 allows much bigger enlargements and also contact prints for the ultimate in definition in 8x10 prints. But how big do you want to print? Do you want to print everything at 8x10? Have you got room in your darkroom for an 8x10 enlarger?
If 4x5 doesn't give you the quality you require, does medium format? Do you need camera movements for the type of work you do? Medium format uses shorter focal lengths so gives better DOF for the same subject.
I have heard it said by many that composing on an 8x10 GG is a far better experience than composing on a 4x5 GG. 8x10 makes everything more critical to get right as you are playing with very limited depth of field.
You would need developing tanks for 8x10, bigger lenses, expensive film holders, bigger rucksack, bigger tripod, bigger muscles. What is the benefit?
Many have said the 6x7 will produce very high quality 30x20 prints. For most that is more than big enough. Most will never print on bigger than 20x16 paper which means never more than 4 times enlargement from a 4x5 neg. If that isn't giving you superb quality, then something is wrong.
However, if you are scanning to print digitally, then an 8x10 neg allows the use of consumer grade scanners to give high quality results at quite big print sizes. With 4x5 you won't get past a 20x16 print before quality starts dropping off because the scanner isn't good enough. But you could always use medium format and get drum scans done.
Justifying 8x10 would be a very hard thing for me to do. Very high quality is obtainable with medium format. But if you need to use swings, tilts and shifts in your work, then a technical camera is a must.
Large format photography 
I've been shooting a lot with my Pentax 110 recently, does the inverse hold true? Though it's been shooting blanks, which is a whole other euphenism ....
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