Now I'm committed.

[Jim MacKenzie]

I ordered myself a shiny new Shen Hao HZX 4x5-IIA yesterday.

I had bought myself a nice 4x5 system with a few decent lenses (from 90 to 210mm) but the cameras were annoying to use. It was really easy to shoot 35mm or 120 instead.

I mentioned to my wife a couple of weeks ago that I was tempted to sell both of the LF cameras I currently had (Pacemaker Speed Graphic and Calumet CC404) and get a single, nice Shen Hao or Tachihara camera that I would actually enjoy using. Much to my surprise, she said "I'm all in favour of you doing anything that reduces your camera count."

So... Badger Graphics... click click click... ordered.

I still need to get a decent 90 (I have an Angulon, not optimal but definitely good enough to work with for now) but I have a Sironar-W 150/5.6 and a Xenar 210/5.6 that will more than do the job, and an Ektar 127/4.7 that I think will make a fun plaything. Okay, I suppose a 300 should be in my future too. But one thing at a time.

Next plan: consume some of my stash of film. Should be a lot of fun, with a decent camera I'll actually want to use.

Jim

[Daniel_Buck]

you'll get used to shooting with the view cameras, it just takes some practice before you don't have to think about it any more. You'll get used to the upside down view on the glass too :-)

[Archphoto]

Congrad's and welcome to the Shen Hao owners club !

Got mine 2 month ago and looking forward to start shooting with it !
(Is in Holland and I will be back in August)

You will get used to the camera soon, there is not much diference between what you used in the past in a technical sense.

Peter

[Diane Maher]

Congratulations and have fun!

[Jim MacKenzie]

Thanks! I'm quite looking forward to it.

The upside-down and reversed viewing isn't all that bad - I just found my old inherited 4x5s to be really finicky and difficult to use. That's why I splurged on a brand new camera.

[redrockcoulee]

You will enjoy the Shen Hao, bought a slightly used one a couple of years ago. To practice with it you should go somewhere flat with lots of sky..oh wait you are in Regina there is nothing other than that :) Have always enjoyed your postings on APUG and look forward to future postings about your new camera.

[MIke Sherck]

Once you've spent some time out in the world with your camera, looking at things and shooting film, you'll get a feel for the focal lengths of lenses that you prefer. No need to hurry it -- there's plenty of lenses out there!

Mike

[Brian Ellis]

I ordered myself a shiny new Shen Hao HZX 4x5-IIA yesterday.

I had bought myself a nice 4x5 system with a few decent lenses (from 90 to 210mm) but the cameras were annoying to use. It was really easy to shoot 35mm or 120 instead.

I mentioned to my wife a couple of weeks ago that I was tempted to sell both of the LF cameras I currently had (Pacemaker Speed Graphic and Calumet CC404) and get a single, nice Shen Hao or Tachihara camera that I would actually enjoy using. Much to my surprise, she said "I'm all in favour of you doing anything that reduces your camera count."

So... Badger Graphics... click click click... ordered.

I still need to get a decent 90 (I have an Angulon, not optimal but definitely good enough to work with for now) but I have a Sironar-W 150/5.6 and a Xenar 210/5.6 that will more than do the job, and an Ektar 127/4.7 that I think will make a fun plaything. Okay, I suppose a 300 should be in my future too. But one thing at a time.

Next plan: consume some of my stash of film. Should be a lot of fun, with a decent camera I'll actually want to use.

Jim

Congratulations. This is the kind of story I think of when someone tells me that a camera is just a light-tight box with a lens on one end so there's no reason to pay much money for one.

[ki6mf]

Great Camera and Badger is good to deal with too. I got my Shen Hao 3 years ago from Badger and its a great piece of gear.

[jim kitchen]

Dear Jim,

Congratulations... :)

I believe you are going to enjoy that camera more than you know.

jim k

[Jim MacKenzie]

Thanks all. :)

redrockcoulee: I'm glad you like my APUG postings (I'm PhotoJim there in case people don't know). and yes, it is flat here. I may want to buy a second set of yellow, orange and red filters to keep in my LF bag...

Brian: to a point I actually agree with cameras not being the most important part of the equation, but they are definitely an important part. Assuming a person has good lenses, a good camera definitely makes a person more able and likely more willing to get good pictures. I doubt my photos taken with my pro-level Nikons are a lot better than the ones I took with my more basic ones a few years before, but sometimes the better, faster cameras are a huge help and unquestionably, at all times, they make the pursuit of good images a lot more pleasurable. With large format cameras, I think the difference is even more acute. I doubt a massively expensive LF camera will make my life hugely better, but unquestionably a reasonably good one is going to be a massive improvement over the clunkers I have now. I have no doubt I'm going to get more and better large format images than I got before, even though I could get decent ones with what I have now.

My Shen Hao is in Canada now, so I should have it by Monday or Tuesday I expect. I might try to escape the house for a couple of hours the following Sunday and see how it works.

[Jim MacKenzie]

The Shen Hao arrived yesterday!

I managed to move over my lenses to the new lens boards. The only one I had trouble with was my 127/4.7 Ektar. My lens wrench isn't quite deep enough to engage the holes in the ring. I'll have to come up with another solution. I was able to mount the other lenses fine, though.

The camera is more impressive than I was expecting. It's well built. I was, however, a little daunted by it at first. The controls are a lot more complex than I was expecting. However, an hour playing with it and I already have a little comfort with it. The rest will come with shooting.

I'm slightly concerned that the ground glass is vulnerable to damage, being exposed. I have a decent bag for the camera so it will be protected, but I'm tempted to come up with some sort of wrap or cover for the camera to give it extra protection.

All in all I'm very pleased. It's a gorgeous camera and I think it will be a pleasure to use.

I am booked by the wife to work on the deck railing this weekend, but I'm going to try to find an hour or two. I still have a few sheets of Polaroid Type 55 left that I could use for some experiments to see how the camera works.

[Archphoto]

Congrad's !!!!!

They are great looking camera's with lots of movement where you want it (tilt and shift) and yes a better camera makes your life easier and more pleasurable to work with.

Have great fun and great shooting !!!

Peter

[Michael Wynd]

Jim, Steve Nicholls told me that he uses a piece of foamcore board cut to size and held on with rubber bands to protect his ground glass. When he wants to use it he just takes the rubber bands off and puts the board in his pack. I've done the same with my 8x10.
Mike

[Michael Wynd]

I forgot to add that I used to have one of these before I got my Tachi 8x10 and it was easy to use.
Mike

[Jim MacKenzie]

Thanks Michael - the foam idea is a really good one. Simple and cheap.