Chamonix Saber

[Frank Petronio]

You know I am skeptical, especially of the rangefinder, but with that Domke picture you just sold a bunch of them. If I keep hearing good reports I would buy one myself, I mean why bother with medium format if you can do this?

Good luck and thanks for posting about this.

The handle would be nice if you could make it folding so it wouldn't impact the size so much. What I don't like about the 110s is they are so unnecessarily long... this eliminates that.

FWIW, someone should build something new like this, sans rangefinder, from the ground up. It would sell like hotcakes.

[Hugo Zhang]

In the last two years, Chamonix has made a few dozen of them and most of them were sold within hours inside China when they came out. I usually have a wait list for them and this Saber is getting recognized as words spread.

But due to the difficulties of finding and importing old Polaroid cameras in good conditions as parts to build these Sabers, we will stop making them this year after shipping the last batch of two dozens to people on my list.

Unless your guys have some better ideas and we will certainly look at them.

Good shooting and thanks!
Hugo

[Fred L]

and the used market just went orbital

[Matus Kalisky]

Hugo - we never are short of ideas

Realistically - the small size (tiny is probably a better word) of the market would make such move unrealistic I guess, but just thinking loudly - get RF made by Voigtlaender/Cosina (they do these for their 35mm and 6x7 Bessa camera and are good) and make the body yourself (and adaptable to reasonable range of lenses). Lenses in the range 90 - 150 (or whatever would be doable) are plentiful.

Makes me wonder how much could such a camera cost though. The Bessa III 667 (Fuji GF670) is about $2000 and that includes lens, shutter, meter, AE coupling.

... what do you think?

[Frank Petronio]

Frankly the Cambo Wide type cameras are pretty close, and you could always add a separate shoe mount rangefinder (Lots of used ones on the market).

[Kuzano]

The handle would be nice if you could make it folding so it wouldn't impact the size so much. What I don't like about the 110s is they are so unnecessarily long... this eliminates that.

FWIW, someone should build something new like this, sans rangefinder, from the ground up. It would sell like hotcakes.

Frank, I'm sure you saw my post on this thread, where I deal with the problem of the unnecessarily long Polaroid Pathfinder.

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...t=84183&page=2

I need to get on this project, after I move my shop, which I am in the midst of. I have a very tiny, but workable 4X5 graflock back from a lightweight 4X5 monorail. I need to build a bridge body from the back of this cut down pathfinder to about an inch behind the pathfinder body, so I can use either a Ysarex 127 or a Fujinar 150 and fill the 4X5 negative.

I'm actually thinking a hardwood body that the remaining body of the Pathfinder slides into, to hide the raw Pathfinder chrome and then extends far enough to mount the GG in the proper position away from the film opening in the back of the Pathfinder, to shoot light onto the full 4X5.

No rangefinder. I am now 68 and there is only one thing that I concern myself with hand holding from now on.

BTW.... Really like your new website... and not just for the ladies, or the men.

I have about a half dozen of the auto polaroids and I may have a go at the Saber style of conversion, but I just don't consider that strut system very durable, and since I am not pursuing ANY rangefinder system... The ZI rangefinder goes where it should go... In the wastebasket.

[Frank Petronio]

Thanks Kuzano, there are a lot of good options already out there, especially once you decide to commit to one lens, or have no movements, or avoid the rangefinder... it becomes pretty simple. And for a lot of shooting that is all you ever need.

[lbenac]

You know I am skeptical, especially of the rangefinder, but with that Domke picture you just sold a bunch of them.

Frank,


Is my assumption correct that the Saber is a lot lighter and takes less space than Dean's Razzle?

Cheers,

Luc

[Fred L]

Nor speaking for Frank but the Saber seems to be based on the folding Polaroids with drop down rf housing (the 450 just as an example) whereas other conversions are based on the 110b cameras. I don't have a Saber but would bet a few bucks that the 110b's are heavier. Using them is very different as well, esp focusing. Both would appear to be great street shooters if you use Grafmatic holders.

The 110b looks to be an easier conversion if you want to shoot 4x5 but with some serious mods, the smaller Polaroids such as Chamonix uses make for very compact cameras.

[lbenac]

I took the Saber out yesterday:
1) walk in the woods under the snow
2) walk in the city (derelict building...)
I am developing today.

The first thing that I noticed is that I do not get clear cut borders as with the 45N2 and Riteway film holder.
I do not remember using Graftmatic much with the 45N2, so I am not 100% sure if it is a Saber thing but I think that it is most likely. Looking at the inside of the beast. The size of the opening might just be pushing it for 4x5 and the borders are also not straight line and I think that some of the indentation match the camera.
Not a big deal there is still plenty of real estate but something to remember to be generous with the framing.
I have more shots to develop where I paid some attention to the framing on the RF to compare to what I get on film so will report later today.

Cheers,

Luc