Show off your Large Format camera!

[StoneNYC]

The Chamonix is a beautifully made camera.. It doesn't have half the movements of the old Linhof Karden Super Color I used to schlep around, but I wouldn't take the Linhof half the places that I will happily carry the Chamonix too... I can tell you now, the 045N-2, my 65/4, 90/8 and 210/5.6 with 6 holders, a black jacket dark cloth, meter and some provisions, my LF kit carries easier than some of my friends 35mm digital kits... Its light, it looks great and even though I've only exposed 6 sheets with it since I bought it nearly 2 months ago, I am already in love with its simplicity...

Greenbank - Glass House Mountains it is mate... The mountain in question is Mt Coonowrin...

Thanks for the positive review, but man, just 6 sheets! Get out there man!!

I want to hear from someone who used to own a toyo45a and then got a Chamonix, there's some basic setup things I want to know, but in the mean time...

Necessity breeds invention... (My normal tripod broke and really wanted this shot to be low...

[Rollinhofuji]

Hey Stone, see you use the Manfrotto 229 head with the Toyo!
I need a new head, and this one seems to be quite affordable. My only concerns: How much do you have to tighten the handles, so that the camera is really locked and won't move when inserting the film holder? And, does tightening the handles affect framing a lot (if any)? And finally, how about the movements? I guess they are dampened quite well, but good enough for large LF cameras? I currently only own 4x5 cameras, but might upgrade to 8x10 some time...

Looking forward to your opinion.

[StoneNYC]

Hey Stone, see you use the Manfrotto 229 head with the Toyo!
I need a new head, and this one seems to be quite affordable. My only concerns: How much do you have to tighten the handles, so that the camera is really locked and won't move when inserting the film holder? And, does tightening the handles affect framing a lot (if any)? And finally, how about the movements? I guess they are dampened quite well, but good enough for large LF cameras? I currently only own 4x5 cameras, but might upgrade to 8x10 some time...

Looking forward to your opinion.

This is a very old version of this tripod, it's labeled "bogen" which was the old manfroto name when they were trying to appear an American company.

So I can't speak for the newer ones, but this one is fantastic, it's heavy but with the weight comes really good strength and rigidity. When you tighten the handles they don't cause any shift in framing unless you're a bull in a china shop type of person haha.

They are so common but so well built I wouldn't bother getting a new one, just pick up a used one.

One of the things I like about it is that although it is big and bulky and heavy, in theory if you need to pack it down you can completely unscrew all three handles as they are just threaded screws. They are greased up inside and I would suggest a plastic baggy, but still it's doable if you're packing a suitcase for a plane trip and need to save space in transport.

It's not something I would take hiking on an 8 day trip in a backpack, but for most anything else it's great.

As you can see, the camera is completely sideways so there's a lot of pressure on the tripod head as it is, and then there's also downward pressure because the front lens/bellows extended almost all the way adding front pressure. It held perfectly even on this crazy weird angle.

Plus it has its own horizontal AND vertical (tilt) level in the tripod head, so you don't need to add a level to your camera if you don't have one already.

I just wish I could find a very lightweight hiking version of this, I feel like the ball head system is great for 35mm shooters, but with large-format I like to make my movements individually rather than all in one big motion because you often screw up one level trying to adjust another with a ball head...

That said ultimately the way is the thing that matters for hiking so it just depends on your application and what's important to you.

[jcc]

This is a very old version of this tripod, it's labeled "bogen" which was the old manfroto name when they were trying to appear an American company.

So I can't speak for the newer ones, but this one is fantastic, it's heavy but with the weight comes really good strength and rigidity. When you tighten the handles they don't cause any shift in framing unless you're a bull in a china shop type of person haha.

They are so common but so well built I wouldn't bother getting a new one, just pick up a used one.

One of the things I like about it is that although it is big and bulky and heavy, in theory if you need to pack it down you can completely unscrew all three handles as they are just threaded screws. They are greased up inside and I would suggest a plastic baggy, but still it's doable if you're packing a suitcase for a plane trip and need to save space in transport.

It's not something I would take hiking on an 8 day trip in a backpack, but for most anything else it's great.

As you can see, the camera is completely sideways so there's a lot of pressure on the tripod head as it is, and then there's also downward pressure because the front lens/bellows extended almost all the way adding front pressure. It held perfectly even on this crazy weird angle.

Plus it has its own horizontal AND vertical (tilt) level in the tripod head, so you don't need to add a level to your camera if you don't have one already.

I just wish I could find a very lightweight hiking version of this, I feel like the ball head system is great for 35mm shooters, but with large-format I like to make my movements individually rather than all in one big motion because you often screw up one level trying to adjust another with a ball head...

That said ultimately the way is the thing that matters for hiking so it just depends on your application and what's important to you.

Try hiking with a Manfrotto 400 head with a Sinar P2 sitting on it. Thank goodness Oklahoma is flat!

[Rollinhofuji]

Thanks Stone! This really helps me a lot. I did some research here and found some old threads about it, but your opinion is extremely appreciated.
I need a sturdy, comfortable head for my new Linhof 0003333 tripod (big twin-shank version, rpck solid and not too heavy). It's my choice for trips with my car. The Linhof 3663 head works fine, but I miss some handles. And, it does shift framing a bit when tightening it. The new 3665 should be really nice (two panoramas, levels for horizontal and vertical tilst and so on), but it's SO expensive.

If you are looking for a lightweight, sturdy, really (!) cheap head, try to get a Mamiya AW 701. It is not dampened very well, but ultralight (about 700 grams) and extremely sturdy. It locks my Master Technika with full bellow extension with only the slightest tightening of the handles. But: no levels, no quick release (but a useable spring-loaded 3/4" screw with some kind of quick-tighten mechanism). For architecture work, I do not really like it, because the movements aren't smooth enough for my taste (due to the missing dampening).
Paired with a Feisol CT3301 without center column, it is way below 2kg - the working height is acceptable, it packs down quite small, and it is definitely suitable for even the longest hikes.

My ultimate dream is a Sachtler video tripod paired with one of their fluid heads.
Once had my technika on a similar kit - it's pure joy to operate it. Camera can be positioned with really zero effort, and then stays in every desired position when you take off your hands of the handle! Uncomparable, really.

[alexn]

Stone - 6 holders mate, 12 sheets... 4 of color, 8 B/W... Trying to negotiate for a grafmatic at the moment but fighting an uphill battle with a bloke who wants upwards of $100 for a beat up looking specimen

[greenbank]

My normal tripod broke and really wanted this shot to be low... (StoneNYC, post 1942)

As a matter of interest, what broke on the tripod? That is, what was its weak point?

[greenbank]

goamules (#1529)

Lovely collection! This is steampunk GAS with a vengeance. I particularly like the one in the middle of the middle shelf - looks like a stereoscopic pair, but hey, anyone up for a mahogany 12x14 twin-lens reflex?

The elephant's-foot umbrella stand in the back row looks magnificent, too.

[StoneNYC]

My normal tripod broke and really wanted this shot to be low... (StoneNYC, post 1942)

As a matter of interest, what broke on the tripod? That is, what was its weak point?

I don't know how but the little top part of one of the manfroto legs, where you press the button to allow it to flatten out the legs, as in, spread them out and make them more horizontal, well the button jammed and won't move anymore, and I go low more often than most, so it's out on repair.

[Thom Bennett]

Stone, that's an awesome counterweight!