Proposal for handheld LF cameras

[MJSfoto1956]

Dear manufacturers of handheld LF cameras,

I have a simple proposal that I believe will increase sales of your products among existing large format users.

It is clear that there has long been a need for a handheld 4x5 -- something that can use existing LF lenses and is lightweight enough to take "untethered" photographs. However, not being able to switch a lens from a cone to a lensboard quickly and simply is problematic for many of us as it is often desirable to bring BOTH a camera with movements as well as a handheld body while on a shoot. It would be ideal (IMHO) if you could come up with a bayonet mount for #0 and #1 Copals that would mount to:

• Technica-style lensboards
• your own lens cones with helical focusing mechanisms

...both of which would be machined to receive the bayonet. This way one could bring one set of lenses and two LF bodies (i.e. one handheld and one LF with movements) and switch between the bodies on an as-needed basis. As it is, once you mount and adjust a 75mm lens to a lenscone, it pretty much always stays there even when it would be significantly better to swithc the lens to a view camera to use movements to capture a particular shot. The alternative of course would be to purchase TWO 75mm lenses, but both the cost and the extra weight are undesirable and ultimately unnecessary.

While it is true that one could just as easily bring a lens wrench and switch the lenses manually, it is both tedious and error prone, especially while out in the field. With the bayonet concept, the lens would also be easier to store in a vest or pocket as it could finally be divorced from the square lensboard (yay!). In short, you would be making a new LF lens attachment standard that would work with ANY size lensboard and/or lens cone.

Anyway, I for one would love such a standard feature and its availability would encourage me to opt for a very simple, lightweight handheld as an accessory to my normal view camera to provide a platform for more spontaneous shooting as I saw fit.

Just my two cents.

Cheers,

[Brian C. Miller]

I want a pony, too!

[Greg Lockrey]

How about a lens plate with it's own bellows?

[Brian C. Miller]

OK, seriously now.

We have the Hobo, the Gaoersi, and the Fotoman. And of course many assorted press cameras. But no, you want a pony!

How about this: Buy a Toyo 45CF, and also get some masking tape. Make marks on the tape for your lenses, and focus points at various distances. And off you go!

But wait! You want 75mm lenses that cover 4x5. Ouch. New, those go for $800 to $2000. You'd definitely need a recessed lens board. But that's OK, though, those are only $80.

I think that a Toyo 45CF would do nicely.

[Ole Tjugen]

What's wrong with a Technika? A 45 Technika is very well suited to hand held photography, and also has enough movements for most subjects when put on a tripod.

There once was a bayonet mount for LF lenses - on the Voigtländer Bergheil. Thanks to the German LF'ers I've now got three extra bayonet fittings so I can easily swap lenses on my Bergheils.

[Oren Grad]

What's wrong with a Technika? A 45 Technika is very well suited to hand held photography

For hand-held use there's a huge difference between an 8 pound camera and a 4 pound camera. I don't think Michael's crazy at all, though I don't expect it to happen.

Horseman used to have a bayonet system too, albeit for use with its 140mm view camera boards rather than the small field camera boards.

[domenico Foschi]

For hand-held use there's a huge difference between an 8 pound camera and a 4 pound camera. I don't think Michael's crazy at all, though I don't expect it to happen.

Horseman used to have a bayonet system too, albeit for use with its 140mm view camera boards rather than the small field camera boards.

Focal plane shutter?
Those speed graphics are getting awfully old.

[GPS]

A camera with a helical focusing mount provided with a bayonet that would accept a Tecnica lens board would be simply unwieldy and awkward looking. It's like wanting to marry a cow with a goat. There is a good reason why no manufacturer does it.

[GPS]

...
Anyway, I for one would love such a standard feature and its availability would encourage me to opt for a very simple, lightweight handheld as an accessory to my normal view camera to provide a platform for more spontaneous shooting as I saw fit.

Just my two cents.

Cheers,

There you touch the kernel of the problem. The camera you envisage would not be a lightweight and a simple camera. The Technika lensboard would be necessarily bigger (especially with its attaching mechanism) than the helical focusing mount needs to be. That only would make for an awfully looking beast. Not to speak about the positioning of the viewfinder that must have a clear view over the Technika board. If you made a camera with a helical mount bigger than the Technika lens board and its attaching mechanism you would have too a big beast again - not lightweight.
Recently, there was another thread asking for such a "have it all" camera (a coupled viewfinder,helicoid focusing, shift and rise etc. etc.) The common problem with these dream cameras is that the final product - even if technically possible - would not be pleasing in some of the important aspects - weight, dimension or else.
A good example of the final disadvantages is the Gilde camera. This camera, that "does it all" - changes all the formats on the go, have helicoid focusing, many lenses, an optional gg, etc. is a heavy - even if technically ingenious - monster that costs so much that it doesn't attract any important part of the market customers. Yet, technically speaking, it's well done. But speaking about a simple and lightweight camera is impossible in its case too.

[archivue]

there is a bayonet mount for arca user i