Shen Hao XPO

[ki6mf]

The XPO has standards that pivot in the middle. A heavy lens may balance easier with a center pivot. This is mostly a personal preference with a wood field camera. In addition this style may give your more movements than with a bottom movement standard. Again it may be more than you need. The HCZ will fold up into a box, with the lens removed and protects the camera body for transport. I rarely use this so again feel its not all that important.

[evan clarke]

Hi Evan,

Thanks for the reply. Good to see that someone owns one of these!

I don't have any lenses with Sinar shutters, so that wouldn't be so important for me and not sure, at this stage of understanding, why they would be advantagous...maybe you could enlighten me?




I read that the camera has 400mm of bellows. From experience is this true or only true of the prototype made for Lachlan717 mentioned in Roger's posts? Could it handle a fujinon c 450mm with a top hat extending lens board? Can you use a lens in a technika/linhof lens board and fit some sort of adaptor to the camera, so that the bulk of the lenses are reduced? How do you pack the camera? Is it light enough for field use? Would you recommend it to a beginner....is it complicated to use in any way (separate controls for different movements/zero detents/smooth focussing track etc.?)?

Really appreciate your time.

Cheers

Graham

Hi Graham, Please email me and I will return some info and make some pictures of it or a little video. I have a 450c and will see if it draws on the camera tonight. Evan

[evan clarke]

Meaning the two cameras are comparable to each other aka vary similar.

These two cameras are not similar in any respect other than they make photographs. The XPO doesn't fold and has full back movements...

[Robert Budding]

The Shen Hao XPO has a bellows draw of 360mm. You can have one customized, but it adds $100 to the cost, and shipping from China is $100.

[Lachlan 717]

I just received this from Mr Zhang (Shen Hao):

"Your prototype XPO45 was made for 400mm extension as your request, after that, we reduced it to 360mm which can satisfy most customers' need with a significant narrow on the ground plate. Now its only 130mm on length and 2.6kg on weight.
I dont clearly remember the dimensions of your prototype, but I believe that the XPO now is more compact than yours though 40mm less in focus range."

[evan clarke]

Still an excellent camera. I have a Sinar shutter mounted behind the lensboard and have a simar to Technika LB adapter . All my brass lenses are mounted on Technika boards..very compact setup..

[Joseph Dickerson]

Meekyman,

To answer one of your questions, I used to have a Toyo 45A, should never have sold it but that another story, and used a 300mm APO Ronar on it by simply mounting the lens on a reversed recessed lens board. This allowed relative close focus but I don't remember exactly how close.

Keep in mind that the flange distance, distance from the lens board to the film, varies on different 300mm lenses. It's something you need to consider when shopping for longish lenses. Also telephoto lenses require roughly 2/3rds of their focal length in bellows draw which gives you more options.

I also used a 300mm Geronar on a Shen Hao with no problems. This was on the HZ version, which has a shorter bellows than the XPO.

I'm currently using a Sinar F1 and find that although it's bulkier, it really doesn't add that much weight to the kit as compared to the Shen Hao. Plus used Sinars and accessories are plentiful on the ground, at least on this side of the pond.

Getting started in large format, and sorting through all the information available can be confusing, but it's really worth it. And you've found the best place to sort it all out...just keep a generous pinch of salt handy.

If you go to Toyo's (USA) web site you'll find an article I did comparing the Toyo CF and the Shen Hao. It's found under "what people are saying about the 45CF. It might be helpful.

JD

[Robert Budding]

Still an excellent camera. I have a Sinar shutter mounted behind the lensboard and have a simar to Technika LB adapter . All my brass lenses are mounted on Technika boards..very compact setup..

Agreed. I ordered mine from Badger Graphics this week. A custom camera with 400mm of draw would take close to 2 months to arrive (and would be $180 more with delivery added), so I'll use a top hat board if I decide to shoot a 300mm lens.

[BradS]

Agreed. I ordered mine from Badger Graphics this week. A custom camera with 400mm of draw would take close to 2 months to arrive (and would be $180 more with delivery added), so I'll use a top hat board if I decide to shoot a 300mm lens.

With 360mm of bellows, the standard XPO would allow one to focus a 300mm lens as close as about 1.8 meters.

[Robert Budding]

With 360mm of bellows, the standard XPO would allow one to focus a 300mm lens as close as about 1.8 meters.

I can live with that. But I'll wait to see if the 360mm of bellows draw is the true value of if it's a marketing number. Either way, I really am looking forward to getting my new camera.