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Thread: The eternal question......

  1. #1

    The eternal question......

    Ok, time once again for the eternal question:
    Which camera would you recommend and why?

    Use:
    Pretty much the gamut.... outdoor/day-hikes for landscape etc...
    Studio for still lifes and fine-art modelling.
    Possibly some light architectural.

    musts:
    4x5 (would consider 5x7 with a reducing back if there are good reasons)
    Graflock back
    Rigid
    light weight... but rigid is more important.
    Usable with 400mm lenses, but most likely lens will be normal length (210ish)

    desires:
    Geared movements
    Cheap ;-)

    Notes:
    I'm not going to spend money just to spend money or for cachet, but I'm willing to pay what it takes for quality and features.
    I think a monorail will fit the bill better than a technical or field, but nothing is out of the question here. I'm willing to be convinced either way.
    I have a camera in mind.... but I don't want to bias any opinions from the people here who use LF all the time.

    Any comments or suggestions on what I should be looking for/at would be greatly appreciated!

    D.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Fremantle, Western Australia
    Posts
    249

    The eternal question......

    Just looking at the "Use" table suggests you want an Ebony, but I would suggest you look at getting two cheaper cameras, one each for the studio and the field.

    Get a Shen Hao or Tachihara for the field and a secondhand Cambo or Calumet for the studio.

    The camera is just a box (or two) - get good glass.

    Graeme

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    38

    The eternal question......

    You did not specify a budget for this - so I'm assuming dirt cheap here

    Are you ok to buy more than 1 camera, assuming they are cheap?

    Then a good field camera would be a crown/speed graphic (can go up to a 360/400mm tele lens, depending on how close you want to focus), if you can live with the limited movements.

    You can get these at $200 or so, usually with an old lens

    And a good/cheap monorail for the studio would be a graphic view / Calumet cc400 series which will set you back by about $150 or so...

    Get a good wrench to help in changing the lenses from one lens board to another (or get a lensboard adapter)

    There you go - $400 for a complete camera(s) that can do both studio and field shots

    An alternative would be to buy an Aletta or a Bender (or DIY your own camera).... The Bender is a wooden monorail, so it will work for both field and studio and you can make your monster bellows and longer rails to fit a lens of any size

    A good start would be the large format photography primer here on this site

  4. #4

    Join Date
    May 1999
    Posts
    553

    The eternal question......

    You are talking about a Canham DLC45.

    In the use: Lightest for backpacking, rail and bellows similar to a studio monorail, plenty of movements for architectural shots. Drawbacks: is not yaw free, only geared focus.

    Musts: 4x5 (and smaller with my 6x9 roll film adapter), Graflock back, rigid enough, and capable to use without accessories with lenses from 55 to 420mm (non telephoto, as I do). Drawbacks: until is rigid enough to work with confidence, it has an "elastic feeling" that others canīt admit. I have been using mine from years with success.

    The only thing I miss after a long time using the DLC is a faster set-up capacity; you need the same the time to set-up than with a studio monorail camera. My 5x7" Technika type camera is just open, focus and shot. But when I need a really good print, I take the Canham...

  5. #5
    Octogenarian
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Frisco, Texas
    Posts
    3,532

    The eternal question......

    Hi David,

    Since you desire a camera with geared movements, prefer a monorail that you can use in the field, and want high quality. The Arca Swiss F-Field will fill the bill nicely. Take a look at Jack Dykinga's book, "Large Format Nature Photography". He shows how to use the Arca Swiss F for outdoor nature photography, almost like using a Leica.

    Also, you stipulate being able to handle a 400mm lens. That's a challenge for most 4X5 flatbed field cameras. The Arca Swiss can easily handle a 400, but it is not an inexpensive camera. However, there are some good previously owned ones available at reasonable prices.

  6. #6

    The eternal question......

    Thanks for your replies, and I look forward to reading more.... a couple of comments:

    Graeme:
    I'll take another look at the Ebony series and add them to my short list. In the case of this camera, I think I'd rather not go with two...
    :: The camera is just a box (or two) - get good glass.
    Ahh..... this is being kept firmly in mind, but I appreciate the reminder nonetheless!

    Lloyd:
    Not to assume dirt cheap at all.... again, I'm not going to spend money to spend money, nor am I willing to pay for a "name" when I can get the same or better features on a lesser known name (back to the reminder that a Camera is just a box) but to get the features I want I'll spend pretty much up to what I've found is the maximum price for a 4x5.
    I'm leaning away from a technical/field camera for the very reason that I've found in renting them I want to use more movements than they can give me. Not frequently, but I hit the stops often enough on the Wista that I've rented that it's firmly in mind.

    Jose:
    The DLC is on my short list, as is the MQC to a lesser degree. It might be a lock on one of these except I'm still concerned about the rigidity. Maybe I'm over-cautious on that point, but I've heard from several users that the back standard particularly is hard to keep in alignment with the front. Hmmm, I wonder if one of the stores nearby would rent a DLC to me for a weekend. As for fast setup.... it doesn't bother me generally, as part of the point is to slow down a bit. If it were a real issue I'd go for the two camera solution and make the second camera a Littman 45s for the quick grab-shots.

    Eugene:
    Thanks for the heads up on that book, I'll definitly grab a copy. I've looked at the Arca, and it's also among the short list. As for the 400mm lens, I'm starting to think that may be more of a limitation even for Monorails, and now I'm going back to see if it's really something that I'll use often enough to make it a MUST rather than a WANT. There's also little reason to not use a telephoto to keep the bellows shorter. The price of a new or used one is within my budget assuming it's the right choice.

    Thanks again all, and I look forward to hearing more!
    D.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    Tonopah, Nevada, USA
    Posts
    6,334

    The eternal question......

    I bought a Toyo 45E (Omega) a couple of weeks ago to rob the 300MM Nikon lens from it. Which I did. But I was very impressed with the machine itself. Everything seemed made for ease of continued hard use in a studio environment. It was light and strong and the movements are very nice for the user. Best of all they seem to be sleepers. I resold with an older 8 1/2" US made lens for $395. Hardly a bank breaker. And perhaps cheap enough to consider the 2 cameras 2 uses idea. The Shen Hao's are indeed handsome for the fee. My first thought was to keep it also but I just don't do any 4X5 indoor type work at all. Pics from the sale below if interested;
    pic0
    pic2
    pic4
    pic6
    pic8

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Calgary, AB Canada
    Posts
    617

    The eternal question......

    Jim, they're all the same picture.

    Buy a Master Tech and be done with it.
    *************************
    Eric Rose
    www.ericrose.com


    I don't play the piano, I don't have a beard and I listen to AC/DC in the darkroom. I have no hope as a photographer.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Dec 1999
    Location
    Forest Grove, Ore.
    Posts
    4,675

    The eternal question......

    There are 400mm telephoto lenses out there that don't require any more bellows draw than about a 300mm lens at infinity.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Posts
    217

    The eternal question......

    Substitute "_2", " _4" etc for "_0" in Jim's URL to see the other pics.

    i.e.
    pic0


    pic2


    pic4


    pic6


    pic8


    Someone got a bargain by the look of it....
    Cheers,

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