A bail lift is a terrific accessory. If you ask Richard about one, make sure you tell him that your problem is specifically with the 545. One 4x5 bail lift that I tested worked beautifully with cut film holders but did not open the back wide enough to accept larger holders like slide-in roll holders. I haven't used the 545 myself, so I'm not sure just how thick it is.
Oren, Alan, Doug & Ted: excellent suggestion about a bail. I fired off an inquiring e-mail to Richard Ritter.
I agree, John, that shooting Polaroids isn't very useful for checking critical focus, but it does help me check exposure and composition before I shoot more expensive Velvia. Since day one, I've kept detailed field notes regarding all my shots and that has helped me reduce the frequency of repeated mistakes.
I hate to be a contrarian but it doesn't seem to me that most of the things you mention would be the source of focus problems if everything is right with your Ebony camera - certainly not loading a film holder, loading a Polaroid holder, an "ever so gentle breeze," and adding filters. Those are things most LF photographers do and encounter all the time and if they threw off focus many of us would never get anything in focus. A bail certainly can't hurt anything but I wouldn't have expected it to be necessary on an Ebony, I never found a need for a bail with the two Ebony cameras I owned though they were different models than yours.
Assuming that your camera is solid as an Ebony certainly should be but you're having consistent focus/sharpness problems I'd look first at your technique (I know it's easier to blame the equipment, that's what I do too, but it's amazing how often it turns out that I was the problem and not the equipment). If you haven't done so already I'd also do a serious focus test in-doors, under controlled conditions, using a ruler or a series of playing cards (I'm sure you know how to do a focus test so I won't explain here) just to make sure there isn't a problem with your Fresnel/ground glass placement or some other equipment problem even when you aren't using a Polaroid holder, aren't in sand, aren't using a filter, etc.
As an aside, John Berry is absolutely right about using Polaroids only to check composition (or lighting), not "sharpness" or focus. If you've been using Polaroids to judge focus or "sharpness" then you may not have a problem at all.
Brian Ellis
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
My experience with my Ebony SV45U has been quite good. I know for sure that the focus errors I've had have been a result of not locking something; most frequently it's one of the rear movements, since they won't move without intervention even if you leave them loose, but sometimes it's something like the pan control on the ballhead, which is the same way.
Given the tightness of the spring back on my SV45U, the suggestion of adding a bail seemed like a great solution to help minimize potential camera movement when un/loading film holders.
Unfortunately after e-mailing Richard Ritter pix of my camera back he replied: "This is the type of back that can't take a bail."
Learning to insert a thick film back, such as a Polaroid holder, or a Grafmatic 6 sheet film magazine is just a learned skill. I always pull open the back with my finger to ease the insertion of the thick holder, then when the holder gets half-way in, I sometimes will pull back the far side of the back to help ease the holder all the way in. Just practice....and always tighten down your tripod head.
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