A Cardboard Box Arrived from China! Chamonix 8x10!

[Jan Pedersen]

Nick, The Chamonix takes Sinar boards but my 90mm is mounted on a Technika board cause i also use it on my Shen-Hao 4x5
The solution is a 11mm recessed technika board and a Sinar to Technica board which will be used for other lenses that is shared.

[audioexcels]

The asymmetry of the 45SU Ebony allows one to bring back in focus the chosen plane of interest in landscape photography, for example, easily by a swing or tilt through an axis that corresponds, for example to the junction between foreground and background which for would be below (or lateral) to the center of the the system. As long as the line of swing or tilt in the front and rear standards correspond, the distance has not changed, then tilt or shift maintains focus in the rear standard along that line, but not elsewhere. A simple asymmetric swing or tilt of the rear standard though that line restores the focus of the intended plane with one or two quick adjustments. Otherwise, with central axis swings or tilts, he process requires repeated iterations. Anyway, that's the idea!

Jack, being totally fluid in his work with LF, knows the many ways of accomplishing the same effects. So his Blonde Chamonix doe not restrict his work and the asymmetric movements can be given up with no real loss. Further explanation is found here . The moral is, perhaps, that a well chosen blonde does not have to be a gymnast to satisfy your every need!

Asher

Thanks for the above and this response Asher. I really appreciate it!

[davidb]

My camera is made of dark walnut. I asked for a black stain.

[audioexcels]

I wonder... if Chamonix were a (Western) European or (North) American instead of Chinese brand, would you still criticize its price and question its quality?

I don't think it matters where the company is from. If their camera is $700 (4X5) and that same quality goes into an 8X10 and sells at the same price as some of the more exotic companies that would coincidentally sell their 4X5's for 2X the $700 price, then no, it doesn't make sense.

Of course there's TONS of people wanting the 4X5's and not this same surge for 8X10's which means more specificity towards the 8X10 and less towards the 4X5 (in other words, it will be 1 8X10 coming out of the factory for every 4X5=a need to have a price differential that exists).

Price and all aside, who really cares...I mean, if one wants to buy an 8X10 camera, there's tons of choices in the 3K mark, especially exotic ones on the used market, and seeing what you get from this camera, there really should be no complaints about price in spite I did question the pricing.

As a further aside, I'm happy being able to own an AS w/micrometrix and use a dovetail based back with fresh bellows to have an 8X10 camera that weighs about 7-8lbs and has freedom of movements up the bum for a whole $2000...Now if this is the price I have to pay for a 4X5 camera and even if I shot 4X5 at all, I would look no further than the Chamonix at $700.

It's really a shame I am not a 4X5 shooter because it would give me the ability to not have to deal with such extreme jumps in pricing by just about every manufacturer just to get to one size greater than 4X5. 4X5 is just too limited to me not just by film size, but by lenses and what I would need for wide angles/center filters...lens wise, it's a very expensive hobby in the end when you want one or two good wides and "need" center filters. On 5X7, for example, you could use the 90XL and likely never need a CF...but to have that same lens on 4X5, you'd need 75mm? or maybe 65mm? and that would require a CF as we're talking about 10-15mm's of IC to work with on the 65mm and 70mm's to work with the 90XL. Likewise, take the whole plate format and you put a 120mm or even 110XL on it...you get about 50mm's of IC to work with vs. a much less IC in the 4X5 equivalent. Then all these lenses that you want to use with a 4X5 reduction back can be single coated with the amount of bellows of the larger format cameras, etc. etc.

There's the weight factor of 4X5 vs. larger formats, so that plays a role!

So many things to look into and I'm further off-course than ever, but point in case, I thiink the puzzling thing about the pricing is nothing to do with location because when I bought my Tachihara, of course I knew it was an Asian camera, but it was only for historical data that I was interested in the make and where it was from. I saw the looks and saw the input by people and that was enough. I see the looks and input about this Chamonix. Woud it be a French camera where the name derives from, then I would not see it as being worth anything more if the French manufacturer wanted $700. But I can see how people can/will equate location, brand new, etc. etc. with the cost factor. We know the Tachihara, Wista, Wisner/Zone VI, etc. etc. and now we are getting to know more and more about this "fancy" and "beautiful" Chamonix.

Now lets keep the price down because we know that this is what it costs for the company to make money!!!...ok, ok...so we can use capitalism at its best and watch the camera go to 1K and people will likely still buy it, but at least I will never be one of the 4X5 only camps, so whatever it costs in the end is irrelevent to me


Just wish to close this crazy post out by saying that it's nice that all the ugliness that has come from China factories and etc. stuff that has really devastated and put a bad name on China (from a US perspective) is still proving that the world of art, outside of the masses/dumps/slums is producing what they produced back in the great eras of the great paintings. These far off villages are reminiscent of these far off/away scenes made for the great emporers depicting scenes that the emporors enjoyed being at (on holiday) or to dream of, etc. Chinese painting is amongst the most beautiful art ever produced and from these mountains we have the Chamonix

Ok...so I do wish I could have a Chamonix for 2K, but I'll just have to live with an AS for the same price...unless...

Cheers all and once again, gorgeous 8X10 camera!!!

[Jack Flesher]

So the Chamonix is the equal of the Arca? SNIP put money aside and pretend the AS and Chamonix cost the same. Which would Jack or anyone choose: The AS w/Micrometrix or the Chamonix?

Jack will respond

First off, I will go solidly on record that the Chamonix is NOT the "equal" of the A/S with Orbix, nor is it really the "equal" of the Ebony 45 SU. As I wrote in the original thread on these cameras, the decision on view cameras is always a set of trade-offs, IOW what are you willing to give up to save money and/or weight?

A Sinar P2 has just about every convenience and movement you could want in a view camera, but it fills up a trunk sized case and weighs in at about 10 pounds all set up and ready to go. The A/S has "most" of those movements and "most" of the same flexibility while saving about 2-1/2 pounds. The Ebony has a few less conveniences and maybe saves another 3/4 pound. By contrast, the Cham has fewer features still, but frees up another 2-3/4 pounds. At the end of the day, the Cham has all the movements I regularly need for MY photography, and so I was willing to give up on some of the other conveniences to save weight and gain portability.

But to be clear, that was because it worked for ME, and I'm not suggesting it is the right choice for everybody else...

PS: I chose blonde originally because that was all Hugo had available. At the end of the day, it turns out it is 2 ounces lighter in weight than the Walnut, and I like the way it looks

Cheers,

[davidb]

Like Jack, the cham works for me. I am a simple landscape and portrait guy who does not use or need lots of movement.

I wanted a simple camera with decent movements and light weight. The Chamonix fills my needs.

If I was doing serious architecture or complex interiors, I am not sure how well this camera will do, only because I have no experience doing it.

I would be willing to let someone like Kirk Gittings test the camera to see how it would do.

[J_Tardiff]

I think the price of the 45N-1 should go up.

Why?

Because when I sell it to buy the 5x7, I'll get more money for the 4x5.

Ahhh-- yes, my wish is for a middle-ranged price for a 5x7 so that I could keep them both.

I am holding off buying any 5x7 for now, hope springs eternal.

JT

[davidb]

I agree JT. I wish I could afford the 5x7.

If it was $1800, I'd buy it.

[audioexcels]

I wish you guys had a $700 Whole plate Chamonix!!!

I wish I shot 4X5 instead of larger film!!!

I wish...I wish...can I complain anymore?

Well, all things aside, the Blondes and Walnuts are equally hot in Croatia/Slovenia/Poland/Ukraine/etc.

[J_Tardiff]

If it was $1800, I'd buy it.

Yup-- I could swing that, and would.

JT