Zone VI 4x5 Field: Function v Myth....

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Steve,

you may want to delete your second post on the same subject

[fuegocito]

I agree with Eric about the non existence of a Zone VI myth:-)

I had mine Zone VI for almost twenty years. It was love at first sight when I saw it in the camera shop. Other folders and monorails have come and gone since but the Zone VI is still the winner to me. Others are either too cute, too crude, too fancy/expensive, too bulky(case with most mono rails). It has plenty enough of everything I need, that is doing both commercial and little bit of personal works. The only reason it's not being use more often is because of larger format I am using these days.

I think a good user Zone VI is of particularly good value these days, I think I have seem them go for as little as $500-700 body alone.

Robert

[fuegocito]

I should add that I played with the Chamonix, both the 45 and 810, when I was in China last summer, it's everything what everyone have said about it so far. I found the 45 to be a little too cute, in ways that is small and daintily cute. I know this is entirely a personal preference and since the camera was designed to be light weight. But as Alan said, once you factor in everything else you need to haul into the wood, a few extra lbs is not that big a deal.

[lenser]

Sorry, I hadn't checked Calumet lately to know that they had dropped the camera. Unfortunate!

My love affair with it continues as well as several other products they made.

Tim

[walter23]

I've seen them, I think, for $700 or $800. If it was much more than a Shen Hao or Tachihara I'd just get one of those instead.

Nice thing about the Shen Hao is you can easily buy new, inexpensive accessories made for it (like the bag bellows, $99 at Badger). You might be SOL for awhile if you need a bag for the Zone VI.

I guess the major advantage of the Zone VI is longer extension. Shen Hao and Tachihara extend to about 12 or 13", the Zone VI has rear extension too if I'm not mistaken.

EDIT: I just looked on ebay and it appears that Zone VI had more than one type of camera made for them. Right now there's one that looks kind of like a Tachihara with fancier hardware, and another that the seller claims is made by Wisner that has a double extension bed for long extension. So in light of this I'd say it really depends on the specific camera. The single extension one has a buy it now of $850 or so, the double $1050.

[Jim Galli]

I like the Cham better than the Z VI. Very light and compact and the finish is truly gorgous. Never forget that the guy standing next to you with a $56 gray Burke & James can get as good a picture with his old boat as you will with the fancy camera.

[BigSteveG]

Ok Eric. I sure will.

[venchka]

I don't know anything. However, I do have one point of pricing reference:

In a camera store in Houston there is a Zone VI camera with walnut or mahogany finish, brass fittings and a very nice engraved brass plate either on or below below the front standard which says in part, "Zone VI ...Made in ... VT, USA". I can't remember for sure, but I think it was Rutland, VT. Normal and bag bellows, 2 lens boards. Through the glass case the camera looked new to my untrained eye. $1,150 as I recall. Maybe $1,050. This shop has been known to negotiate on price.

I hope this helps.

[ericantonio]

BigSteveO
I'm afraid you've fallen into the Large Format trap. Its worse than quicksand I suppose. Good luck trying to get out.
You'll need to get all the other goodies like bags, cases, tripods, backs, etc, etc......

[Jim Noel]

One of the first Zone VI was a copy of a Wisner, but not made by him.