I started using a Toyo monorail at art school, the college lent them out, and I had one nearly every weekend. It was the camera that I cut my large format teeth on (so as to speak). Dad gave me a Crown Graphic which I started to use backpacking. I borrowed a Linhof Technica 5 for a day and fell in love with it. My first purchase was a Linhof Technikardan TK45. I loved the movements & bellows draw, and the destinctive Linhof feel. I also bought a Linhof Technica III (1953?) which was just beautiful to use, though had different lens boards to my latter model linhof. When I sold it I bought a Toyo 45CF. A camera I never used, but didn't think it was as nice as other cameras I had used. When the linhof & toyo was stolen I replaced it with an Ebony 45SU - which is by far the nicest large format camera that I have ever used. Though it is very heavy (and on my wish list is one of Badgers light weight monorails (Toho copy?).

I didn't understand lenes very much when I started, image circles, flange focal distances, and that there is a huge variety in many different weights. With my last camera I was able to choose a body that matched the lenes I wanted to use, and make the usual compromises that one makes with a particular large format camera. Working out which lenes I prefer has taken some time. And is perhaps just as important question as is the type of photography you are going to use it for. ie carring it around all day in a pack, or draging it to shoots from the car, or leaving it in a studio. Me I like a full featured camera as my first choice as I particularly love the movements of large format cameras. Some of my friends hardly use any movements at all, as they love the image size and viewing on a ground glass... Experiement if you can... buy something that you can sell (that holds its value) so you can upgrade or change to suit the style of photography that you develop. Monorails do have a reputation for being easy to use, though I don't tend to agree.