Gibellini LF camera - any experiences?

[pierre506]

I'm not worried about the sale, and I opened this can of worms anyway, Lachlan.
I do get tired of hearing "If it isn't a (insert brand name here), it's garbage."
Or, if you call something rubbish, please explain why; otherwise it's scurrilous posting and irresponsible behaviour.

I never thought the internet would be such a hotbed of rumour and hearsay.

Dear Ari,
He will ask to take back the camera recently.
Then he will explain his opinions here by himself with the detailed pictures.

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[Oren Grad]

Then he will explain his opinions here by himself with the detailed pictures.

pierre506, that would be a big help.

Ari, thanks for sharing your experience thoughtfully, especially given your disappointment.

Let's see if we can maximize the light and minimize the heat here.

[Ari]

It's not a 2nd-handed camera.
He bought a brand new one.

Yes, I reported his( one of original Gibellini buyers) feeling.
Did that hurt you?
How could a product(1st generation camera) be improved in the future if the manufacturer couldn't accept the discussion about its weaknesses?

I'd prefer to choose to ruin such kind of business than to shut up.


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Pierre, your friend bought the first-generation; I bought the latest generation, the N series.
There have been at least two generations in between.
There were big strides made in design, features and materials in order to successfully manufacture the N series; images of the older versions can be found online.
Your rhetorical question about the manufacturer improving the camera is thus moot.

Also, I'm not sure why you'd choose to spend your time muckraking a company whose product you didn't buy and with whom you have no direct connexion.

[Ari]

pierre506, that would be a big help.

Ari, thanks for sharing your experience thoughtfully, especially given your disappointment.

Let's see if we can maximize the light and minimize the heat here.

Agreed; thanks, Oren.

[alon96]

I am the guy whom pierre506 mentioned before.

First of all, what pierre506 addressed here was what I wanted to express.

I bought Gibellini AA-D810 camera on August, 2015.
I was really overjoyed when I opened the suitcase.
The luxury camera was covered by a beatiful Stars & Stripes flag.
However, the reality was so cruel.
The camera had an exciting shape.
I was so disappointed after I loaded it onto a tripod and tried to use it.
Frankly speaking，the camera was more than an adult integrated toy, but not intented to focus on practical.

1. The front group accepted Sinar lens boards, but its standard was low. Its supporters were weak. The front group needed to be cut off a little if you wanted to put the old Sinar lens board.
2. The focusing damping was under the front group without fixing. It dropped at the very first time. You had to cry to back home if you lost it outside.
3. The fixing of focusing rail was ridiculous. Two nylon spacers as the dampings were inside of two holes under the front group. They were lacking of stability and robustnes. You had to go home earlier to have a cup of coffee if you lost them outside.
4. The bellows was too hard. Its material was not proper.
5. The groud glass was rough. It should be much better on a camera over USD 4000.
6. The rear group wasn't fixed. It just relied on the springs' supporting. let my imagination run riot. The rear group was very easy to fall down if putting a force on it. You had to go home to have a cup of coffee again if carelessness.
7. The two sliding focusing rails hadn't been fixed well. The tail of the rails would tilt up when using longer than 300mm lens, as an intereting seesaw. It's the same ridiculous designing.
8. I was sure that the designer manufactured the camera very seriously. However, I was more sure that he didn't know every aspect of photography.
I recalled that I had tried to shoot it same lens and same thing compared with Linhof Kardan 8x10. I found that the Gibellini's lacked of sharpness.
I wish the designer will make a beautiful and classic camera in the future. But at least, it isn't now absolutely.

P.S.
I had compared the new Gebellini N810's pictures on eBay.
It seems that the camera have not be changed too much. But the weak-minded dampings were changed.
But its price is much higher than mine.

[Ari]

Interesting, thanks for posting; that was hardly my own experience.
My camera was pretty good upon arrival, but it must have slipped through the quality control check before leaving the factory.
I had improperly-folded bellows which intruded into the image; the front movements were rough and the Technika adapter I ordered was missing.
All of it was taken care of eventually, it took a lot of patience on my part, but the camera is now perfect.
Also, my camera, regardless of the issues I mentioned above, has always been very solid and stable, no issues at all with the build from day one.

[aflc]

This thread couldn't have been more timely. I was thinking of visiting G's workshop next month and perhaps spending some hard earned money on one of his cameras.
I will look elsewhere.
Thanks for taking the time to detail your experiences.

[Ari]

This thread couldn't have been more timely. I was thinking of visiting G's workshop next month and perhaps spending some hard earned money on one of his cameras.
I will look elsewhere.
Thanks for taking the time to detail your experiences.

That's a shame; I never meant to disparage the cameras, they're wonderful.
My only beef is with the slow, inadequate customer service I received. In the end, it was all resolved to my satisfaction, but I stepped away from distributing their cameras in Canada.
The Gibellini is not cheaply-made, and I think the price is not excessive for what you're getting; the Ferrari comparison above is an apt one.
It's the best field camera I've used.
As I said, they're definitely worth consideration, so if you're in Modena, you should visit the factory; you may be pleasantly surprised.

[aflc]

I hate to waste someone's time. Or my own I'm not in Modena. I live in Portugal. Going to Modena would mean using vacation time to meet someone and look at his cameras which might not be of the exact model I'd end up ordering. It might also mean leaving a deposit for an expensive camera and trusting him to deliver. Your experience does not leave me at ease.

[Ari]

Fair enough. I'd assumed you were already traveling to the region for other reasons.