Which 4x5 camera for handheld work, Super vs Speed Graphic vs Busch Pressman

[dimento]

Hey guys, I've been up and down the changing 4x5 gear road a few times, am now pretty happy with my set-up, namely a basic metal wista for landscape work and a few lenses.

Am getting interested in working more, hand-held with RF and was wondering what users thoughts are on
usability and to a degree cost of Busch Pressman D vs Speed vs Super Graphic.

I have a few questions, I've owned all three cameras at various times

1. With the Super I owned, I used a generic 135 cam with the rangefinder and the focus was definitely off with my 135 lens, with the Super is it really just advisable to use matched lenses with original cams for RF accuracy? and how how are they handheld for street and portrait vs Busch model D and Speed?

2. Are the top RF Busch Pressmans adjustable for different lenses or do they need specific cams like the Super?

thanks,

D

personal experience and links to examples of work would be great, thanks

and if anyone has a complete kit with working RF they'd like to sell or trade I'd be open to discussion.

[mdarnton]

Using a generic cam is probably a guarantee of bad focus. If your intent is to use only one lens this way (you haven't indicated that multiple lenses is your desire), I would get one of the versions with the Kalart side-mount RF, and do the calibration myself. It only takes about 30 minutes and you will KNOW that the RF is spot on.

My personal choice would be a Crown Graphic.

[dimento]

thanks for the fast reply, yes it would more than likely be 1 lens only, prob the original kit lens.

[carverlux]

thanks for the fast reply, yes it would more than likely be 1 lens only, prob the original kit lens.

Buy a Chamonix Saber - 1/2 the weight and 1/3 the bulk. If you want another lens, get a second Saber. One of the most pleasurable 4x5 cameras to use handheld.

[dimento]

Buy a Chamonix Saber - 1/2 the weight and 1/3 the bulk. If you want another lens, get a second Saber. One of the most pleasurable 4x5 cameras to use handheld.

looks a lovely camera, but about twice what I can afford/trade for

[evan clarke]

I use a Wista RF, it has a rangefinder and I have a grip mounted with a shutter cable and a Voigtlander shoe mounted meter.. it's a great setup.

[Regular Rod]

Roll on the Travelwide...

RR

[dimento]

I use a Wista RF, it has a rangefinder and I have a grip mounted with a shutter cable and a Voigtlander shoe mounted meter.. it's a great setup.

nice camera alright, but pricey too?

[dimento]

Roll on the Travelwide...

RR

yeah, looks interesting for landscape, maybe not so much for closer-range work

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'll second the recommendation for a camera with a Kalart rangefinder for a budget handheld 4x5" press camera. I had one once, and it wasn't hard to adjust, and you can calibrate it to whatever lens you like as your main lens, within a certain range.

If you have other lenses, you can make focus scales for them, using the rangefinder with the scale for your main lens to determine the distance, and then adjust focus using the scale for the lens that's on the camera.