Schneider 0r Rodenstock

[Lachlan 717]

Call me a glutton for punishment. Rather than start a new thread, I decided to ask this question within this one. Here goes:

Would a non-folding design better serve the novice LF photographer?

In theory, yes.

Quicker and easier to set up (esp. if you can leave the lens on whilst packed).

I don't consider the minimal volume saving significant enough to desire a folding camera.

[percepts]

You've done it now.
You need to consider portatbility if you are backpacking. Frankly if you are backpacking then a Linhof technika can't be beat (I see the flames coming for saying this). The reason I say this is because whilst it sure ain't the lightest, it is one of the most rigid and robust and it's clamshell design which means it is self protecting. And it will fold up with some lenses still in place. You can just throw it in a small bag with no further protection. Well maybe a soft wrap to stop any scratching/rubbing of outside of clamshell. Just about any other camera needs additional protection which results in needing more space and padding and weight negating the benefit of being lighter or smaller.

Then you have something like a Linhof Technikardan (google: linhof technikardan for sale) which is a collapsable and folding monorail designed for location work. Perfect for for very wide to 500 lenses but packs very small and light but requires good protection in a rucksack. Then you have myriads of field cameras and myriads of studio (monorail) cameras. All depends how far you want to walk with a lot of weight. If you want light then a field camera (technika or technikardan or one of many wooden ones) otherwise a monorail. Take your pick. Only you know how you will use it and what is important to you.

Image quality from them all is potentially exactly the same. Speed of setup really isn't relevant. If you wanted speed you wouldn't be using 4x5 but a technika with a rangefinder is about as fast as it gets with a cammed lens which is small enough to be left on camera. Otherwise they all take time to square up, level and focus.
For flexibility the technikardan can't be beat cos it has studio camera movements and lens capability with field camera portability. But Linhofs aren't cheap.

A clunking great studio monorail might be easier to practice on in the studio but you'll hate having to carry it anywhere.
But if your the lazy type with a mindset that thinks "If it's more than 10ft from the car it ain't worth photographing" and wonder why you find tripod holes everytime you setup your camera, then a monster monorail might be for you.

One other thing. If you want to do macro(closeup) work, then you want a camera which focuses from the rear standard. Those which only focus from the front standard make life difficult because focussing also changes framing. The technika focusses from front. The technikardan focusses from rear.

[lilmsmaggie]

You've done it now.
You need to consider portatbility if you are backpacking. Frankly if you are backpacking then a Linhof technika can't be beat (I see the flames coming for saying this).

Please be nice No flames or other incendiaries. Let's not discourage the newbie

[percepts]

Can I borrow it? My 90-mm is just a bit too long for this shot.

In your dreams