Honestly its not a bad price assuming everything works. The lens itself is worth say $300 so the camera is less than $150. Assuming everything works. If you can, test all the shutter speeds, the aperture, and bring a flashlight, fully extend the bellows, and check for light leaks. Check the movements on the camera and look for broken bits or anything odd.
Your Budget of $550 with lens is not out of reach , Again i ask what type of photography do you do ? if you photograph close to the car or in a studio then a monorail may work for you , if you plan to backpack long distances then i recommend a folding field camera .Regards Gary
Originally Posted by Gary Tarbert
Hi, until now I thought I wanted a monorail camera, but you doing me changing my mind.
What camera field with lens recommend me about $ 500 ?
thanks.
Which do you want? Your budget is the limiting factor here. Choose either:
* Monorail with lots of movements- about 3-5 kilograms. Look for a Toyo, Sinar, Arca Swiss, Burke and James, Cambo/Calumet, Horseman, Omega, etc.
* Field camera with limited movements - about 1-2 kilograms. For under $500, look for an older Japanese 4x5 camera, like a Tachihara, Nagaoka, Anba Ikeda. Not a lot of movements but lightweight and within your budget. You might be able to find a Wista, Wisner or Zone 6 but they are probably too expensive.
If you want a field camera that is light weight AND has lots of movements, it's going to cost you at least $1000 for a Shen Hao or a Chamonix (new) or a nicer used Wista/Wisner/Zone 6 etc. or Linhof/Toyo metal field camera.
Here is a comparison between my two cameras, as you can see the Sinar F monorail is much more flexible than the Nagaoka but it weighs three times more.
Attachment 127717
(with Nikon 360mm lens, at about 400mm bellows extension)
Sinar F 4x5 Monorail - about $150-250 depending on condition and accessories (F2 will be $400+)
Minimum Bellows Extension: 40mm (I can use a 50mm or 65mm lens with a wide angle bellows, and a 75mm with the regular bellows)
Maximum Bellows Extension: 450mm (I can use up to about a 400mm lens)
Front tilt: 40 degrees back, 40 degrees forward
Back tilt: 40 degrees back, 40 degrees forward
Front swing: 60 degrees each side
Back swing: 60 degrees each side
Front shift: 30 mm right, 60mm left
Back shift: 60 mm right, 30mm left
Front rise: 80 mm total
Back rise: 80 mm total
Rotation: about 270 degrees around the rail
Weight: 3.6 kilos
Attachment 130815
(with Nikon 120mm lens, at about 150mm bellows extension)
Nagaoka 4x5 Field Camera - about $250-400 depending on condition and accessories (later models with front swing $400+)
Minimum Bellows Extension: 65 mm (I can use a 75mm lens at the widest)
Maximum Bellows Extension: 330 mm (I can use a 300mm lens at the longest)
Front tilt: 45 degrees back, 25 degrees forward
Back tilt: 18 degrees back, 55 degrees forward
Front swing: 0 degrees (later models had 8 degrees each side)
Back swing: 10 degrees each side
Front shift: 0 mm
Back shift: 0 mm
Front rise: 50 mm total
Back rise: 0 mm
Rotation: none (not a monorail)
Weight: 1.2 kilos
This is a Toyo 45c
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
I realise that you are after a 4x5 camera but this means you are getting a negative which is quite small!
To get a "viewing" size you will need either:
a 4x5 traditional enlarger OR
a scanner allowing digital enlarging plus a printer.
Either of these will involve costs and learning curves (experimentation and frustrations!).
13x18cm format will provide cheap contact prints.
I went for the F because a guy in the area offered one. I think it cost me €250 and it came with a rail extension, Schneider Xenar 135/4.7 and a film holder. I had never used a view camera, but I ended up with a working kit for a very reasonable price. I can only recommend looking for a good offer, whatever shape it comes it.
Btw, I find the combination 75mm + regular bellows virtually impossible to work with if any amount of rise or shift is involved.
So, today i went to see the camera , all works fine, he say only used 1 time and and i think it's true.
The lens and the body it's in very good condition, like new, i ask him and does not want to lower the price of 550$
lens it's Rodenstock 90mm Grandagon-N 6.8
The camera is fairly new, it is good price?
do not want to waste money.
many thanks for reply and sorry for my english
One thing is important ... is it the newer Rodenstock 90mm Grandagon-N 6.8 with the green line around the front barrel - or is it the older version with no green stripe? The newer version is worth around $600 vs. about $300 for the older version.
If it's the green stripe version, then definitely buy it. $600 lens + $200 camera = $800 for only $550
If it's the older version of the lens, but it comes with a lot of accessories (film holders, light meter, backpack or bag, loupe, shutter cable, film) then it's a fair price ($300 lens, $200 camera, plus some accessories).
If it's the older version of the lens, and comes with nothing else, I would skip it or try to talk him down to $500 or less. You will still have to buy film holders, a light meter, a bag, a loupe, a shutter cable, and film. Plus any other lenses you might want. A 90mm is a wide angle lens, about the same as a 28mm on a full frame DSLR, or a 17mm on a crop sensor (APS-C) SLR.
I think it's older version.
come with 7 film holders, shutter cable, monocular rubber focusand 3 old metal developing Tank similar of that
i miss backpack/bag...
thanks for reply
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks