Outdoors and the Ebony 45SU

[Paul Bien]

I just took the plunge and ordered an Ebony 45SU and a Schneider Super Symar XL 110 for use in the field (landscape work mostly). I'd be very interested in hearing from folks who have a non-folding Ebony and what equipment they use to pack their camera into the great outdoors (backpack, tripod of choice, tripod head, etc.). BAsed uponthe comments from the Ebony crowd, I can't wait to open the box.

Regards

Paul

[Eric Rose]

It's a piece of crap. You should just send it to me right away without frustrating yourself any further.

[Matthew Cordery]

Paul, welcome! You'll love it. I have an RSW45 and pack it in a North Face technical pack. I find climbing/hiking packs to be much better designed. I got fortunate in that I found this one at a NF outlet. Basically, it's a front loader (not a top loader like most backpacks) and has lots of straps and things for attaching my tripod to. My tripod is a 3-section carbon fiber job from Gitzo and I have the Acratech Ultimate ballhead (extremely well built and light) with a Really Right Stuff quick release plate. (For anyone thinking I bought this all at once, you can think again). I use two collapsible Arctic Zone coolers to carry around my camera and my film holders. You can find them almost anywhere. They are nice because they are basically padded holders with long straps. Eases the mind about banging around the great outdoors and for yanking everything out of the pack and not worrying where I have to set anything. They also double as holders for rocks in case I want to load my tripod for any reason. I also have the 452 extension back that I picked up as a demo, but you won't need that I dare say. I've been thinking about getting the Ebony wide-angle fresnel, but haven't bothered yet. Maybe soon.

[paul owen]

Hi Paul. Excellent choice of camera and lens! I used the SW up until about three weeks ago until I (at last) managed to scrape together enough to buy the SU! I can offer my views on life with the non folding SW - the SU is like an SW on steroids! So most of my SW practice will apply to my SU. The SU will fit quite happily into a Lowepro Pro Trekker and along with it I pack the following - a Gnass case with 2 lenses, usually the 65mm and the 110XL. There is plenty of room for a Sekonic L508 meter, cloth, loupe, filters and about 6 darkslides. All this fits comfortably into the main compartment so I don't need to use the side pockets, etc. Surprisingly the pack feels the same on my back as it did when I packed the SW! I use a Benbo 2 tripod (with centre column removed) and a Manfrotto 329 head (not sure of the Bogen code). The Benbo is great for getting muddy/wet etc but is HEAVY so I am on the lookout for a lighter "fair weather" tripod. I have tried the Gitzo CF 1348 but couldn't get on with it. So I may end up with another manfrotto? One tip with the 110XL - use a step-up ring for any filters you use, I go 67mm to 77mm, otherwise the front of the lens element WILL touch/scrape against the filter surface!! Feel free to email me off forum with any other questions! Paul

[Paul Bien]

Eric
It's on it's way.............LOL

Regards

Paul

[Andrew Ito]

Great choice! If I had to do it all over again I would opt for the same 45SU as yourself.

I wound up buying a secondhand 23S a few years ago. It's amazingly fast to set up, compact and precise, not to mention impeccably built. My 23S fits into a LowePro Orion AW waistpack. Yes, I said waistpack. The little pack also holds a 65mm Nikkor SW, 105mm Nikkor W, 200mm Nikkor M, Horseman 6x9 rollfilm back, Horseman angle viewer, loupe, cable releases, filters, etc. The Orion AW has a small backpack portion that is detachable which holds my snacks, raingear, and other essentials. My tripod is a Hakuba carbon fiber model which isn't necessarily the lightest, but it is very reasonably priced and is sturdy. The ballhead is a very light Acratech Ultimate Ballhead. This straps to the bottom of the pack quite nicely.

Since I shoot mostly color rollfilm this setup is ideal for those situations. It is lightweight, compact and very quick to set up and shoot.

[Ron betcher]

I am using the 45s. I am packing it with a Kelty Redwing 2900. I wanted a technical pack rather than a photo pack because I was concerned with the support system since I also use it to ski. I use a bogen CF tripod with the Acratech ballhead and it can fit inside the backpack if I do not have to carry all my 4x5 equip. There are also plenty of options on the pack's exterior to carry it. The pack has 2 external ouside pockets that I find very useful for carrying my lenses and my loupe. I also got a rain cover for the pack for packing in the rain or snow. It is really nice in the snow because you can put it under the pack so it doesn't have to sit in the snow, or if it is snowing you can drape it over the pack while it is on the ground and keep the pack from filling with snow as you pack and unpack. I could go on and on.

[Nigel Sutton]

OK, I have a RSW45 with Schneider lenses. !50/5.6 Apo-Symmar stored on camera, 80/4.5 Super-Symmar XL store in my old Sigma 17-35 case and a 270/5.5 Tele Arton in a padded lens case. I use a Manfrotto MN443 Carbon tripod with my old Benbo ball head, Five DDS in a padded case, a Sekonic L358+1 degree spot attachment and some Lee filters. This all goes into my 50 Litre alpine rucksack. The RSW45 itself is protected in a LowePro Omni Sport bag which is is an almost perfect fit for it. I havn't weighed all this but have carried it all, minus one lens, up a mountain which involved an ascent of about 1700 meters. For the future I intend switching over to Fuji Quickloads since I shoot Velvia exclusively. This will reduce a bit of weight as well as reduce a dust problems. I went straight to the Ebony from 25 years 35mm and 1 year with my Fuji GSW690. OK so it was brave to spend so much to start off with LF but I have never regretted it. Its a gorgeous camera to look at and to use.

[Doug Dolde]

My 45SU + bellows viewer lives in a Lightware BP1620 backpack along with SS HM 120mm, SS HM 150mm and Fujinon A 240mm lenses. There's plenty of room for my Lee holders, adapter rings, and polarizer, Singh Ray grads, QL holder + 40 sheets of QL film, Sekonic meter.

The thing I like best about the Lightware backpack is that the harness can be hidden totally under a zippered flap unlike the Lowepro models. It's harness is fully adjustable and quite comfortable also.

[Eric Rose]

Glad to be of help Paul. You'll feel better for it.

Eric