Now I'm committed.

[Jim MacKenzie]

I ordered myself a shiny new Shen Hao HZX 4x5-IIA yesterday.

I had bought myself a nice 4x5 system with a few decent lenses (from 90 to 210mm) but the cameras were annoying to use. It was really easy to shoot 35mm or 120 instead.

I mentioned to my wife a couple of weeks ago that I was tempted to sell both of the LF cameras I currently had (Pacemaker Speed Graphic and Calumet CC404) and get a single, nice Shen Hao or Tachihara camera that I would actually enjoy using. Much to my surprise, she said "I'm all in favour of you doing anything that reduces your camera count."

So... Badger Graphics... click click click... ordered.

I still need to get a decent 90 (I have an Angulon, not optimal but definitely good enough to work with for now) but I have a Sironar-W 150/5.6 and a Xenar 210/5.6 that will more than do the job, and an Ektar 127/4.7 that I think will make a fun plaything. Okay, I suppose a 300 should be in my future too. But one thing at a time.

Next plan: consume some of my stash of film. Should be a lot of fun, with a decent camera I'll actually want to use.

Jim

[Daniel_Buck]

you'll get used to shooting with the view cameras, it just takes some practice before you don't have to think about it any more. You'll get used to the upside down view on the glass too :-)

[Archphoto]

Congrad's and welcome to the Shen Hao owners club !

Got mine 2 month ago and looking forward to start shooting with it !
(Is in Holland and I will be back in August)

You will get used to the camera soon, there is not much diference between what you used in the past in a technical sense.

Peter

[Diane Maher]

Congratulations and have fun!

[Jim MacKenzie]

Thanks! I'm quite looking forward to it.

The upside-down and reversed viewing isn't all that bad - I just found my old inherited 4x5s to be really finicky and difficult to use. That's why I splurged on a brand new camera.

[redrockcoulee]

You will enjoy the Shen Hao, bought a slightly used one a couple of years ago. To practice with it you should go somewhere flat with lots of sky..oh wait you are in Regina there is nothing other than that Have always enjoyed your postings on APUG and look forward to future postings about your new camera.

[MIke Sherck]

Once you've spent some time out in the world with your camera, looking at things and shooting film, you'll get a feel for the focal lengths of lenses that you prefer. No need to hurry it -- there's plenty of lenses out there!

Mike

[Brian Ellis]

I ordered myself a shiny new Shen Hao HZX 4x5-IIA yesterday.

I had bought myself a nice 4x5 system with a few decent lenses (from 90 to 210mm) but the cameras were annoying to use. It was really easy to shoot 35mm or 120 instead.

I mentioned to my wife a couple of weeks ago that I was tempted to sell both of the LF cameras I currently had (Pacemaker Speed Graphic and Calumet CC404) and get a single, nice Shen Hao or Tachihara camera that I would actually enjoy using. Much to my surprise, she said "I'm all in favour of you doing anything that reduces your camera count."

So... Badger Graphics... click click click... ordered.

I still need to get a decent 90 (I have an Angulon, not optimal but definitely good enough to work with for now) but I have a Sironar-W 150/5.6 and a Xenar 210/5.6 that will more than do the job, and an Ektar 127/4.7 that I think will make a fun plaything. Okay, I suppose a 300 should be in my future too. But one thing at a time.

Next plan: consume some of my stash of film. Should be a lot of fun, with a decent camera I'll actually want to use.

Jim

Congratulations. This is the kind of story I think of when someone tells me that a camera is just a light-tight box with a lens on one end so there's no reason to pay much money for one.

[ki6mf]

Great Camera and Badger is good to deal with too. I got my Shen Hao 3 years ago from Badger and its a great piece of gear.

[jim kitchen]

Dear Jim,

Congratulations...

I believe you are going to enjoy that camera more than you know.

jim k