Finding a field camera equivalent to your monorail

[Lee Hamiel]

David:

Great question

As a former Bi-Kardan owner - two of them actually - I understand your quandry of trying to have the best of both worlds.

With that said - I currently have a Wisner 4x5 Tech Field - Relatively happy with it but it's not the same as the Linhof - Kind of like after using Leica for a while & using something else - just doesn't feel quite the same.

Like you - I have considered Ebony but it's out of my price range for now - I picked up a Szabad 4x5 recently that I'm in the process of restoring & I will say that although it's not light it feels like it may be what I'm after - the machining is great & it's got a feel that reminds me of the Bi-Kardan down to the release levers, etc. . It also has some nice features that I've not seen before such as a sliding tripod mount for the correct center of balance depending on the lens being used - nice touch. Not many of them out there but at this point it's my suggestion given your question.

My intention is to sell the Wisner once done.

I will say that in hindsight that the Linhof Bi-Kardan can be easily knocked down for field use & you may want to keep it in the event you are unhappy with any future choices.

Good Luck

[Jim Noel]

Probably the most adaptable field camera witha bellows long enough to do some closeups, and fit in a tight budget is Shen-Hao. It has full movements inthe front and more than most field cameras in the back, including rear rise.

They are listed by Badger Graphics sales and, I think, Adorama. Price -$695.

Severl of my students have bought them and love them..
Jim

[Joe Forks]

Finding the perfect field 4x5 for myself has been ... well, an adventure. I'm about a year into it and I'm sitting here with three 4x5's and I still can't decide which one I will keep (all three maybe?).

I've got a Wista Technical (VX I think) that's been around the world twice (so it looks). It's a little on the heavy side but right now it's edging out my other two as my favorite. Nice and solid, did someone say Bullet proof?

Next is a Mint Toyo CF. Man this thing is light, and that's a real plus. It makes great transparencies and so far I've not been limited by the limited movements. Front rise is fiddly and sometimes it gets out of square, I don't like that - advantage Wista but still can't bring myself to sell the Toyo - yet.

Lastly is a Mint Zone VI by Zone VI, with the big knobs, long bellows - no real complaints here except it's too pretty to go beat up in the field. Advantage Wista again

I really don't know yet what I'll do, but I'm leaning on keeping the Wista - though if $$ money permits I may keep all three.

I told you it's not easy.

Best
Joe

[e]

Have you thought about the Arca Swiss Misura 4x5? Orbix on the front and only rear rise and shift. Simple and lightweight/portable. An 8x10 model is due out soon as well. Emile/www.deleon-ulf.com

[Scott Fleming]

My field camera IS a monorail. The rail telescopes down to about 5 1/2 inches and remains attached to the carriers when stored. It weighs 6 pounds. I can use a 58mm lens on a flat board. It has all geared and quite precise movements. It fits in an average photo backpack along with three lenses and the usual accessories. Has a rotating back. Can be had for about $2k in mint condition. Toyo VX 125

No axis tilt. Just base tilts which is the only thing I'd wish for. Since I got this camera I have lost all desire for any other 4 x 5. I would not trade it for an Arca Swiss with orbix.

[David Martin]

>I'm pretty used to cycling with a Bogen/Manfrotto 3221 strapped to my bag, but cringe at the thought of trying the same with my 3036. While the 3221 will support the monorail OK, the camera itself makes riding with this setup rather uncomfortable (imagine multiple metal bits digging into your back).

>

If you want to carry any sort of weight, put it on the bike, not on you. I'd invest in a decent rack and strap the tripod to that. Pannier bags for the light stuff (cloths, film, filters), and just put the really vibration sensitive stuff (lenses mostly) on your back. Even so these should be OK well packaged in panniers, especially on tarmac. Softish tyre pressures also help minimise vibration, but putting the weight on the bike is a big plus.

..d.

[David R Munson]

Thanks for all thenew responses everyone!



David - one of these days I'll have a bike built up specifically for hauling cargo around, photo stuff included. For the time being, though, everything stays on my back as I ride a track bike and it's just too pretty to put racks on! :P You are quite right about it being more practical to have most of the stuff on the bike itself - it just isn't going to work out like that at the moment.

[CXC]

I strap a Gitzo 1228 on the back of my f.64 backpack and ride my track bike around SF. I think if you can strap it on good enough so it doesn't move around while you walk, it should be fine on the bike. Unless it hangs a foot or more below the bottom of the pack. Like you, I would never dream of cluttering up the bike's classic simplicity with useless accessories like racks or brakes or water bottles.

[Scott Atkinson]

I still think the Technika would be a good choice, and the key here is David's exclusive use of a 210mm lens. For me, where the Technika gets goofy is on the short and long ends--that design seems to be made with a middle-of-the-road 210mm in mind. In fact, if you swapped your current 210mm (which I assume is one of the f5.6 designs) for a Nikkor 200mm, you could carry the lens folded inside the camera.

The only Technika caution: if you use a lot of back movements, you may not like the free-floating back adjusment screws. Check one out first!

[John O'Connell]

How did I know that Dave was hanging a tripod on his back because he was riding a brakeless fixie.

Let me revise my camera suggestion: beater Crown Graphic. And add the cheapest coated 210 you can to finish the outfit. There is no way I would ride brakeless with my LF gear strapped to my back, unless I didn't mind sweeping the pieces off the road. But maybe I'm just too fond of my 800T . . .

Note that I, too, ride fixed. But there's no way I'd haul my stuff around on that bike, especially without a way to perform a real emergency stop.