Shen Hao versus Ebony

[Don Hutton]

"I personally am getting really sick and tired of all the Shen-Hao bashing that goes on on this forum."

Valium Brian, or perhaps a generic....

[Joseph O'Neil]

I sell telescopes, many Chiense made, and one thing I notice about any and all Chinese optics - binoculars, telescopes, etc, etc, both the otpics themselves and thehousings, is that quality control is simply all over the place. You will get one unit that is wonderful, and the next time, a complete dog.

One reaosn Ebony and other brands are more expensive are the overall state of quality control. If something doesn't work right, back it goes until it does work right. Many Chinese products, not just optics, strike me that one way they keep the price low is not just lower wages, but an attitude of pump if off the assembly line, and let the customer be the quality control.

So this "Shen-Hao bashing" that I see, is simply the same thing you see on many other internet forums where Chiense products are used. Guys who get a good unit, are amazed at the price they paid for what they got, while others who got one of th eworse units and have gone through the hassle of either trying to use it or return it for another are likely the ones to complain. Very seldom do you ever see two people together at the saem time, with the same product, where in one got a good camera, and the other a dog.

Anyhow, the answer to me is buy a Tachihara to begin with, and if you need more movements than that and are on a limited budget, buy a monorail.

joe

[Brian Ellis]

"However, I would (again) challenge anyone with a Shen Hao and an Ebony in front of them not to favour the Ebony - sure they cost x4 the price of the Shen Hao but many think the cost is woth it?"

And many are certainly entitled to their opinion that the cost is worth it. However, I owned two Ebonys, the SVTi and the SVTe. I've never owned a Shen Hao but I've played around quite a lot with ones owned by friends. There's no question in my mind that if I were again to buy a 4x5 wood camera it wouldn't be an Ebony (unless I had some special need for one of the non-folding models, which I don't). It might not be a Shen Hao either but there's at least a possibility that it could be a Shen Hao whereas there's no possibility at all that it would be an Ebony.

[Jack Flesher]

Hey guys, let's all take a chill pill This review was offered strictly FWIW as an objective comparison of these two cameras *for MY specific purposes*. Obviously others are going to have different purposes and thus make a different decision that better suits their needs.

I think two very salient points have been raised:

1) These cameras are only tools; light-tight boxes that hold a lens and film. If I am a BMW mechanic and work all day long on cars, I'm probably going to have very nice set of Snap-On wrenches in a variety of configurations. However that doesn't mean I'm going to buy a second set of Snap-Ons just to toss in the trunk of my SUV for the once every four years I might need to drag them out and tighten something. Instead I'm probably going to buy whatever set is on sale at the local hardware store and forget about it.

2) Sample variation. As Joseph noted above, Chinese goods are notorious for large variations and I suspect this explains a lot regarding the wide range of opinions on the Shen. Obviously I got one of the good ones, but if you buy from a reputable dealer like Badger or Midwest, returning a defective item is not a big problem.

Cheers,

[Paul-Owen]

Hi Brian, I'd be interested to learn, after having owned two Ebony cameras, the reasons why you wouldn't choose an Ebony a third time?

[Frank Petronio]

I'm sitting here playing with an Anba Ikeda 5x7 woody. It is really light. But after using Linhofs, Arcas, and Sinars, it feels like it is made from Balsa wood. Locked down you can still move it. It vibrates. It has slop. Not that I can't make a good photo with it, but I have to pay attention when I load the film holder not to shake or wrench the camera too hard. I have to think about waiting for the camera to "settle". It's not a problem with the design or quality -- it is the way it is.

I'll suggest that once you get used to locking down a Technika with a heavy lens and full extension -- and having it feel rock solid -- no wooden camera is going to compare. Since Ebonies are by no means a super-light camera, it begs the question of why you just wouldn't get a Technika instead of an Ebony? Unless you just love the looks and the interesting knobs and features.

[Ron Marshall]

why you just wouldn't get a Technika instead of an Ebony? Unless you just love the looks and the interesting knobs and features.

He wants it as a back-up for an Arca.

[Scott Davis]

I have a very strong suspicion that Paul Owen got a bad copy of the Shen Hao. Perhaps their QC is not what it should be; I don't know and can't say, as the Shen I have has lasted me more than five years with consistent use in a wide range of environments, including in the rain, ocean salt spray, at 10,000 feet of elevation, in the snow, and in the desert. Does it have the precision of a studio monorail? of course not! But it doesn't flake paint after three days, the movements are no looser now than I would expect them to be for a camera that has seen the use mine has, and all the controls to me seem quite logical and reasonable to use. For the money, I would expect the Ebony to have higher quality control, but for the difference, as has been noted, I could have my Shen Hao overhauled or outright replaced three times before I'd be able to touch an Ebony moneywise. Also, I can say that their customer service is excellent - I contacted them about a knob I lost, and they were willing to send it to me for free if Badger or Midwest did not have it in stock.

[Jack Flesher]

He wants it as a back-up for an Arca.

Exactly. That and I wanted to be able to use my 65 on a flat board. I considered a Toyo 45 Aii "L" (has the Linhof Tech board front standard) but it is limited to 75mm or 90mm on a flat board, has no rear shift and costs over $1000 used. The Tech IV or V was a possibility, but again are limited with shorter lenses on flat boards. The MT2000 of course was an option, but it costs as much as an Arca -- and if I was going to spend that much, I'd simply buy another Arca, probably a Misura just for something lighter and different

[Robert Oliver]

i really, really like my shen-hao...
i needed a camera on a budget and the Shen-hao more than passed my expectations.