5x7 Monorail Cameras????

[jose angel]

The Normas are lightweight in comparison with usual monorails, but I`d not say they are "portable"...

[Carsten Wolff]

The Normas are lightweight in comparison with usual monorails, but I`d not say they are "portable"...

I bought an Arca B model about 12 years ago cheap s/h. Very small/light, as far as 5x7s, even most 4x5s would go: Lives in my old Lowepro OmniTrekker carry bag with e.g. w/a leather bellows, Canham panorama back and 4-5 lenses on Linhof boards. I love that thing.

[pasiasty]

How to buy a [put here anything you need for LF, e.g. a 5x7 monorail camera] for reasonable price:
1. be patient and not too choosy; browse through offers here, on APUG, national portals, auction sites, internet second-hand shops and so on
2. if this doesn't work for given time, go to point 1.

I got my 5x7 standard and back for Cambo SC in totally desolated state for next to nought price. Not that I was looking for 5x7, but I kept browsing through Cambo stuff. The seller had two of them and persuaded me to buy both, which was quite a good idea - I managed to make one working, using the other as a donor; and then somebody even bought remaining parts (debris would be the right word), making the whole deal even cheaper. It took next half a year to spot a good deal on a bellows.

How to buy a decent 5x7 camera right now, without much waiting, browsing, dealing and repairing:
1. do a market research
2. buy Chamonix; not a monorail, but AFAIK nobody sells new 5x7 monorails anymore.

[koh303]

Even 4x5 monorails in good condition are rare.

That is just totally NOT true.
There are so many super high quality and perfect shape options to be had for next to nothing on the used market.

As for 5X7 - cambo made a SC 5X7 standard, you can perhaps find them for not too much money when they come up ever so rarely... or try to get one form the factory spare parts.

[Bernice Loui]

There is color film for 5x7 or even 13x18cm..

Cut down 8x10 color film or what ever other film that is larger than 5x7 / 13x18cm.

Film availability for this format is not as much a problem as many might believe. Given the many other advantages of this format, the trade offs are well worth while.


Bernice

The problem is the format. You can't get any slide film for this format anymore, so the value for these cameras is close to zero on the market, which means that people who own a 5x7 monorail tend to keep the cameras and use a 4x5 adapter.

[Vaughn]

You're trying to torture me. I'm looking for a 5x7 Norma...

--Darin

It was given to me -- the 5x7 back was homemade, so I am curious to give it a try one of these days.

[Bernice Loui]

My take on 5x7 monorails..

The camera must allow using most any lens with as few limitations as possible. This means a camera system that is expandable with no real limits for bellows length, it must have a shutter to allow using barrel lenses, it must be stable and precise, it must be modular and well built enough to last and be serviceable if needed.

The only camera that easy meets these requirements is a Sinar. Second to this would be a Horseman L series. Been a Sinar user for a lot of years not and not been disappointed in any way. 5x7 / 13 x 18 cm Sinar cameras do appear for sale often enough and they are not that expensive for what they are these days.

I have a 5x7 / 13x18cm Horseman LX that needs a bellows.. It is a rare camera that appeared on ebay Germany, had to have it even if the bellows was missing as these are very rare and the Horseman L system is some what interchangeable with Sinar.

If weight is not really an issue and one does not go back packing or hiking or have the retirement that the camera must be small and light weight as possible, the mono rail camera is a better choice for freedom of lens choices, camera stability and precision.

It is all much a set of trade offs where one must decided what meets their needs best. Once this becomes a well understood requirement, then the choice of camera, lenses and etc becomes much easier to define.


Bernice

[Delfi_r]

How to buy a [put here anything you need for LF, e.g. a 5x7 monorail camera] for reasonable price:
1. be patient and not too choosy; browse through offers here, on APUG, national portals, auction sites, internet second-hand shops and so on
2. if this doesn't work for given time, go to point 1.

....
How to buy a decent 5x7 camera right now, without much waiting, browsing, dealing and repairing:
1. do a market research
2. buy Chamonix; not a monorail, but AFAIK nobody sells new 5x7 monorails anymore.

Arca-Swiss offers 5X7 monorail cameras, new.

But your advices are right. The first set is great, the second one it's only partial but true in the first clause

[koh303]

Nothing wrong with the HIGHLY versatile, modular and reliable Toyo 5X7 G on sale on the for sale board right now.
Parts are dirt cheap, and plenty of them, heck you can get a 4X5 G for under 150$ for parts...

[Francisco J. Fernández]

I hardly see any of these for sale.

Were these never popular "in the day"?

I just saw several articles cameras on ebay international ... 5x7 Sinar, Cambo, Linhof, Toyo, Plaubel ... all are monorail.

Under the Toyo brand, I've used all are very good and any of them