New Shen Hao PTB 45

[Aender Brepsom]

I have seen a new Shen Hao 4x5 wooden field camera at the Photokina yesterday. It is a brand new model, that is neither on their website nor in the leaflet they had at their booth, but it looks exactly like the Chamonix 45N-1. The price is 450 EUR.
There is a picture of it at the Badger Graphic website:
http://www.badgergraphic.com/store/c..._detail&p=2766

The 6x17 non-folding view camera TFC617 A and B look like the Ebony version, but at 999 EUR with the 6x17 back, it is a bit ... less expensive. Looks very nice too.
Unfortunately (or luckily for my wallet), they did not sell any camera at the show.

[Andrey Donchev]

It looks like a particular Chinese camera maker was intellectually robed! Amazing!

[Michael Graves]

Originally Posted by Andrey Donchev

It looks like a particular Chinese camera maker was intellectually robed! Amazing!

But they were robbed by another Chinese company, so there was honor involved.

[Frank Petronio]

Haha that's justice since they all used slightly modified Phillips' designs. That lightweight model looks like a winner.

[Nick_3536]

Isn't the 4x5 just a budget version of the FCL? Other then format and colour is anything major different? Bellows are of course shorter.

[BarryS]

Originally Posted by Nick_3536

Isn't the 4x5 just a budget version of the FCL? Other then format and colour is anything major different? Bellows are of course shorter.

The PTB 45 is clearly a very detailed knockoff of the Chamonix 45N-1 with the exception of wood instead of carbon fiber as the base. The Chamonix line is based on the design of Dick Phillips cameras, but I wouldn't consider them straight knockoffs. There are still a lot of differences in the designs. The FCL810A is also based on the Phillips designs, but again, I wouldn't call it a knockoff because of differences in the design.

The PTB 45 is obviously the result of Shen Hao copying every single design element of the 45N-1. Each piece of hardware looks like it was copied, as was each wooden frame element. You can see a lot of differences between the PTB 45 and the FCL810A.

I'm sure Shen Hao felt like their thunder was stolen with the Chamonix 45N-1. The Chamonix had to be seriously eating into the sales of the Shen Hao and their response was to almost exactly copy it. I assume they left out the carbon fiber base in order to come in at a lower price point.

[Steven Barall]

I find all of this hysterical. My business friends here in NYC all say that you should never hire a Chinese immigrant to work for you because in six months they will leave and open an identical business right across the street, that is if the space next door isn't available.

Before some of you start getting righteously indignant let me add that the first time I heard of that was from two Chinese American friends who own a nice successful business here in NY and who only hire Japanese people for that reason.

Have a nice day.

[Anupam]

Originally Posted by BarryS

The PTB 45 is clearly a very detailed knockoff of the Chamonix 45N-1 with the exception of wood instead of carbon fiber as the base. The Chamonix line is based on the design of Dick Phillips cameras, but I wouldn't consider them straight knockoffs. There are still a lot of differences in the designs. The FCL810A is also based on the Phillips designs, but again, I wouldn't call it a knockoff because of differences in the design.

This was my understanding as well.

I assume they left out the carbon fiber base in order to come in at a lower price point.

Obviously we need to wait for actual reviews, but this seems like it might significantly affect the solidity of the camera.

[BradS]

The Chinese see this kind of imitation as a compliment to the originators. We see it as criminal behavior.

I used to work for Sandisk. The common joke was that we sold exactly on card in China. Every day we we shown yet another elegant knock-off....they copy every detail right down to the label with the SanDisk name on it!

Good luck with you Chinese cameras. I'll not be buying one. Thank you very much.

[Gordon Moat]

Barely any different than the Chamonix. It would not surprise me if the metal bits came from the same source in China. I currently have an HZX45A-II, which happily meets and exceeds my current needs and expectations. That earlier model was said by some to be a rip-off of an Ebony.

I will leave it up to the armchair attorneys to figure this all out. On a good note, it does seem that we now have even more selection and competition in the large format market. I think that speaks well of how large format is doing, in a strange sort of way.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography