Chamonix?

[Frank Petronio]

It was one of the best marketing campaigns for product I've ever seen. Brilliant and it didn't cost them anything.

[evan clarke]

I should add that I like it more than the Shen-Hao it replaced, except for the few things I listed. I still think it's the best deal in a field camera at the moment.

One thing people don't mention is how rigid the camera is when setup. It is far more solid feeling than the Shen-Hao HZX I was using before (not that that was a sloppy camera). And the fact that it stays solid feeling fully extended is very nice.

Thanks, These are the things I am curious about. There is no place you can go to see one in person and I get to be around a fair amount of LF photographers..EC

[Aahx]

I have both a 20+ year old Wista field, and the Chamonix 45n(purchased in 08). They both have their positives and negatives. The Chamonix has a stiffer back and longer bellows extension than the Wista. But I prefer the focusing system and assembling/dis assembling of the Wista. The Chamonix is lighter and looks prettier than my beat up Wista. But the Wista gives me more critical focusing (I have not replaced my Chamonix screen yet). If I did not back pack with my gear I would consider selling both and purchasing either a Toyo VX125 or an Arca F metric to replace them with. But as I do backpack with my gear, I need something that’s light and fits in my backpack. So the best option available atm seems to be the Chamonix at present. Oh.. and I shoot with a lens range from 90 to 300.

[BarryS]

I still have my Chamonix and still think it's a great camera for the build quality and stiffness, weight, and feature set. Since I purchased it, I've had a chance to try out a good number of other cameras and my opinion of the Chamonix hasn't changed. The quality is high and the accessories are reasonably priced. To me, the fresnel issue is minor and easily remedied. When there were very few cameras in circulation, it was a rare event to see a Chamonix for sale, but a couple years later there are more cameras in circulation, and everything gets bought and sold eventually. I've used my Chamonix to make lots of photographs that please me, place in gallery shows and sell--what else matters?

[Michael Gordon]

I sold my Ebony SV45Ti so that I could buy my *SECOND* 045n-1. Maybe this is about as bold an endorsement as one could make for Chamonix?

No single object in life serves multiple purposes very well (vehicles; shoes; tents; sleeping bags; backpacks; you name it), and cameras are no different. If you like to walk any distance with your kit and you like to work quickly and intuitively with a rigid and lightweight camera, I would argue that it's difficult to beat this one. This is only my opinion, but I'm sticking with it.

If you think the camera has been over-hyped and over-sold, then simply pick another camera and its compromises

[Michael Rosenberg]

I have been using my 045n-1, and agree with what Brian and Michael said in their posts. I have used quite a few cameras, and think that the Chamonix is a very fine camera. I have had no issues with it that would make me hesitate buying another one. In fact, three friends of mine that had a chance to play with the camera thought enough of it (particularly the light weight) that they bought one.

A side comment, if you want critical focusing then you have to have a the best focusing loupe of at least 8x, and check often that it is focused on the surface of the gg.

Mike

[Richard K.]

Larger than 4x5, the light weight coupled with fantastic rigidity makes it noticeably better than many competing cameras. Try wiggling the back or focus bed on a Chamonix and then compare to some other good brands. Of course there's other reasons to prefer non-Chamonix - aesthetics (though this is a personal matter), bellows length, rack & pinion focusing vs centre screw, etc., etc. But they are fine cameras! And their holders! Without exagerration (IMO anyway), the best I've used and a lot cheaper than some other similar high end ones.

[Harley Goldman]

I had an Arca F-Line Classic and a Toho. A couple of years ago, I bought the Chamonix to replace the Toho as my lightweight travel/backpacking camera. I liked using the Cham so much, I ended up selling both the Toho and the Arca. Yeah, the front screw is a slight inconvenience, but other than that, I find it to be an amaziingly sweet camera. It is light, rigid, easy to set up and take down, etc.

I previously owned a Wista DXII and based on the Wista, thought I would never again own a wooden field camera. I found the Wista fiddly and painful to use. Buying the Chamonix changed my attitude toward field cameras.

Count me a very happy Chamonix owner.

[Peter De Smidt]

I only had a Chamonix for a little while. It's a very nice camera. In the "light, rigid and moderately priced" category, I prefer it to a Toho. (I owned a Toho FC45x for a couple of years.) That said, for the vast majority of situations, I'd rather use an Arca F, the Ebony, or a Toyo 45AX.

[Clement Apffel]

...an inordinate amount of used ones for sale here.

What is inordinate lately is this kind of threads about it: created by doubtful, misinformed, and full of prejudice people. I don’t know what they expect about those threads?
Users massively confessing “yeah this camera hasn’t a single good point, it’s total crap, I got totally scammed by those evil Chinese, I wish I could have bought instead a canham or an ebony by selling one of my kidney” so one could be reassured of having a $3K 4x5” ?
Well sorry, this camera is the best purchase I ever made regarding LF.
I won’t detail AGAIN why.
No offence meant.

It was one of the best marketing campaigns for product I've ever seen. Brilliant and it didn't cost them anything.

Frank, to me, the 45N-1 bashing, flaming and hammering made FAR more noise and ad than the threads created about praising it.
Oddly enough I can’t remember much about the later kind of thread. But maybe I haven't been on board long enough to see those so numerous hymn of praise about the 45N-1.
But maybe it’s just a matter of seeing things, isn’t it?