Yu Lu,
The Ektar 127/4.7 and the Rodenstock 135/4.5-Graphic 1000 just cover straight on, all the rest should give you enough movement with a SuperGraphic. They all have more coverage stopped down. The Raptars / Optars are the same lenses, different name plates, fine performers, under rated and under priced.
Have fun with it.
What tarriffs will they add when the camera comes into the US? Also, I am surprised that shipping is so low. I expected it to be much higher.
Edward,
You may be right about the tariff thing since I didn't think about this... also, for the shipping, they just said that I could estimate based on the package weight (~3kg).
Paul,
Thanks for the info!
Yu,
You have to remember that Edward is in Canada and that Canada has different customs rules than the US. If you buy the camera and it is sent by mail from Shanghai, you will probably not have to pay duty. Here's an example: a couple of years ago I imported three aerial cameras, and later four more, from Germany. In both cases, declared values around $US 600. No duty.
Good luck, have fun,
I have three Graphics myself, a Crown, Super Speed and a Graphic II monorail in mint shape. Would not give up on any of them. The monorail is the one for archecture, but I find I use my Super Speed Graphic 90% of the time. Portable, built like a tank, and remember, your lens is just as important as your camera.
The only real drawback, as others have pointed out, is all graphic cameras, especially ones in good shape, command a pretty penny. If you can find one that is. A lot of used Graphics I have seen in the past couple years for sale often look like they need some TLC, if not outright repair.
Good luck, but if you find a decent used graphic, go for it.
joe
eta gosha maaba, aaniish gaa zhiwebiziyin ?
It's strange that people consider any of the Graphic cameras to be expensive. I've been looking at Super Graphics on eBay for the last couple of months in a semi serious way and have seen a number of them in reasonable condition sell in the $250 -$300 range. Sure, you will get dreamers wanting $800+ for a Super Speed Graphic with the 1000 shutter, but nobody seems to be buying them. Granted, a Super D is a pricey beast, but that's the only one.
By comparison, that $300 will buy you a well worn Pentax 6x7 with a lens or maybe the newer version without a lens. I don't check Hasselbald or Rollei prices, but I don't imagine that you'll get more than a bare bones camera there either. Ditto for an F3 etc. When you start comparing LF lenses to MF lenses or the "pro quality" 35mm lenses there's not a lot of difference there either.
Naturally you will pay more at a bricks and mortar store, but you do get a chance to look at it first and usually there wil be a guarantee too. The only part of 4x5 that I have found to be really expensive is colour film and as you tend to shoot less of it even that balances out.
Yu, do you happen to know if there are any photos of the Kuo online? I've been planning to buy a Shen-Hao from Badger or MPEX (though I keep postponing by a couple of weeks), but this also sounds interesting.
Hi there,
The Kuo's company link is below.
http://www.sh-guoshizx.com/s3.htm
and here you can find photos of the current batch in production. (there are quite a lot Chinese LF lovers interested in buying these).
http://www.tlrclub.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=351&fpage=1
Unfortunately, both sites are in Chinese ONLY and I kinda doubt whether you will be able to contact them via phone in English.
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