4x5 Field camera recommendation

[miklosphoto]

I have a very simple question. I had once in the past a Wista 45DX which I found an excellent camera for my needs. I sold it and I regret that till today, as I could not find another one for a reasonable price yet.
What other brands would be comparable? What I need is 4x5 folding field camera with similar movements as the Wista 45DX, any recommendations? I would use it with 90 to 150mm focal length.

[vinny]

Chamonix
Toyo
Shen hao
Ebony
Tachihara
Canham
Linhof

[Kuzano]

Lowest likely price on that list and in good condition... The Tachihara and probably most like the Wista 45DX. A good example today... $400 to $500. I just sold an excellent plus example... no lens on eBay $500.

In fact one is a copy of the other. Other identically built wood field camera are the Woodfield, and the Osaka. Not sure which came first, but if you put the 4 side by side, with out a badge on the front, you may not be able to tell them apart. I've had 3 Tachihara's and 2 Wista 45DX..... Very good camera's. Lightest also on the list.

[Doremus Scudder]

All the cameras mentioned above are good choices. I'd add to that the Horseman Woodman. It's basic, but very light if that is what you are looking for.

You should be aware that none of these cameras folds and functions exactly like a Wista DX (which can fold up with a lens mounted), and many of them have arrangements that are very different from each other. The Chamonix and a couple of the Shen Hao cameras, for example, have a double-extension bed and worm-gear focusing that are quite different from "classic" folding cameras.

I suggest you take a bit of time and check out the many YouTube videos on the various cameras in order to get to know them a bit. If you see a camera listed for sale that you may want, check YouTube and other web resources (reviews, manufacturer's site, fora, etc.) before blindly bidding.

Pay attention to the tradeoff between weight and bellows draw and extreme movements as well as the camera design. Doing your homework is going to be better than all the answers you get to questions like this on fora.

FWIW, I currently own and use Wista DXs, a Woodman and a last-generation Zone VI camera. The latter is rather bulky and heavy for most of my work, but indispensable when I need to use the 450mm lens. If I were looking for another wooden folder, I'd really check out the Chamonix and the Shen Hao offerings. Ebony seems just a bit overpriced for me, even though they offer features and quality that few other wooden cameras do.

Best,

Doremus

[redshift]

I bought a Wista 45SP and a Shen Hao HZ to see which I preferred for field use. I have a Sinar P and was a little concerned about using a wooden camera. The Wista seems to fit my working style better but the Shen Hao is just so beautiful I can't follow through and sell it. The Shen Hao actually has more movements but none other than focus are geared. I think the Shen Hao is a good choice.

[Bob Salomon]

I bought a Wista 45SP and a Shen Hao HZ to see which I preferred for field use. I have a Sinar P and was a little concerned about using a wooden camera. The Wista seems to fit my working style better but the Shen Hao is just so beautiful I can't follow through and sell it. The Shen Hao actually has more movements but none other than focus are geared. I think the Shen Hao is a good choice.

But the SP is a metal Wista camera. Not a Rosewood, Quince wood, Cherry wood or Ebony wood like the Wista wooden models are. Right now B&H has a special on some Wista wood and metal cameras.

[Kuzano]

I bought a Wista 45SP and a Shen Hao HZ to see which I preferred for field use. I have a Sinar P and was a little concerned about using a wooden camera. The Wista seems to fit my working style better but the Shen Hao is just so beautiful I can't follow through and sell it. The Shen Hao actually has more movements but none other than focus are geared. I think the Shen Hao is a good choice.

The problem with the Shen Hao is it's way too pretty to use. (It's also a bit heavy)....

I had two new Shen Hao's that I never took out.. sold them both...

Can't imagine how anybody uses their Chamonix. I get maximum use out of an old hacked up, lightened Super Graphic.

[Leigh]

I have a 4x5 Toko (yes, Toko) available. Designed as a competition to Wista, with slightly better specs (longer bellows).
It takes Technika-style lensboards.

Here's the original thread from which I purchased it, with photos: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?70539-FS-4x5-Field-Camera

Looking to sell it since I have five 4x5 cameras and don't need that many.

I installed an after-market GG, but not the real expensive one. It's better than the original.

I used this frequently before I got the Zone VI. Nice camera. Easy to use and sturdy.

- Leigh

[Peter De Smidt]

I'm partial to a Toyo 45AX. It's rugged, easy to use, and reasonably priced if bought used. I've settled on it after trying out many different cameras, including many more expensive ones.

[BrianN]

I am also looking into 4x5 field cameras, moving up from MF, of which the Wista 45SP appears to offer a whole lot...but what are its limitations as compared to a monorail design?

[AJ Edmondson]

The Wista metal folders are nice little cameras but they are not great with wide-angles and are limited in extension... sure, you can buy extensions and extended lens-boards but that is just more to carry and also time-consuming. If you think that lenses in the 120mm to 210mm are about the extent of your range, the Wista may be a good choice. The front geared rise and tilt is adequate for field camera work (also has swings and shift) and the rear swings (including "micro-swing" on the SP - not the VX) are adequate with rear tilt and drop-bed functions. I have used several different 4x5 field cameras (wooden folders) and now have a Wista 45SP but I wouldn't choose the Wista again simply because - unless you are willing to spend a considerable amount of money on "accessories" - I find the camera too limited. They are well-made and, if you don't find the limitations too restricting, they are easy enough to work with.
Joel

[redshift]

I am also looking into 4x5 field cameras, moving up from MF, of which the Wista 45SP appears to offer a whole lot...but what are its limitations as compared to a monorail design?

Well, that's a deep question. The biggest limitation is lens focal length, somewhere between 210mm and 300mm. Max bellows length equals max lens at infinity focus. Closer subjects with the same lens will require more bellows extension.

The next limitation with the Wista 45SP is the lack of back rise. It's not a big practical limitation.

After that the list of limitations becomes endless and obvious. The monorail is a modular system with extreme flexibility limited only by how much you want to carry.

Being new to LF the Wista may be a good choice because it's somewhat similar to complex medium format systems such as the big Mamiya or Fuji systems. A lot of functionality but with solid "zero" settings. a home base or starting point for the camera that you can return to should you get lost in the movements/adjustments.

Where do you intend to use it? Indoors or out? This thread started out looking for field camera recommendations. Either will work. I used my Sinar P across the US for years.

If you want a solid field camera that is familiar to MF go with the Wista. If you have good technical/mechanical skills and are a gadgeteer with ever expanding interest get a monorail.

Joel and I were writing at the same time, seems to be a common thought!

[Bob Salomon]

Well, that's a deep question. The biggest limitation is lens focal length, somewhere between 210mm and 300mm. Max bellows length equals max lens at infinity focus. Closer subjects with the same lens will require more bellows extension.

The next limitation with the Wista 45SP is the lack of back rise. It's not a big practical limitation.

After that the list of limitations becomes endless and obvious. The monorail is a modular system with extreme flexibility limited only by how much you want to carry.

Being new to LF the Wista may be a good choice because it's somewhat similar to complex medium format systems such as the big Mamiya or Fuji systems. A lot of functionality but with solid "zero" settings. a home base or starting point for the camera that you can return to should you get lost in the movements/adjustments.

Where do you intend to use it? Indoors or out? This thread started out looking for field camera recommendations. Either will work. I used my Sinar P across the US for years.

If you want a solid field camera that is familiar to MF go with the Wista. If you have good technical/mechanical skills and are a gadgeteer with ever expanding interest get a monorail.

Joel and I were writing at the same time, seems to be a common thought!

The only limitation to how long a focal length lens or how close you want to shoot is how long a Wista extension bed and bellows you want to add to the Wista as an aaccessory

12" is the stadard bed and bellows length, but it can become much longer. But it will not fold with the longrt beds and bellows installed.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

I have a lovely Zone Vi 4x5 I might be willing to part with, great costruction and quality with more movements than you will likely ever need. I have owned several different field cameras and the ZVi is one of my favorites. Send me an email if interested.
Thanks

[AJ Edmondson]

I don't want to hijack this thread but, for Bob, a question... has the Wista wide-angle bellows for used with the dedicated lensboard been discontinued? B&H stills lists the board but indicates that the bellows is discontinued. Though somewhat "pricey" the combination still seemed like a viable alternative to switching cameras!
Joel

[Bob Salomon]

I don't want to hijack this thread but, for Bob, a question... has the Wista wide-angle bellows for used with the dedicated lensboard been discontinued? B&H stills lists the board but indicates that the bellows is discontinued. Though somewhat "pricey" the combination still seemed like a viable alternative to switching cameras!
Joel

Wista has two recessed boards, one needs the special w/a bellows and the other does not since all Wista models do not accept an interchangeable bellows. Wista also makes a special, short track for extreme w/a lenses as well.

[BrianN]

Re the Wista 45SP, thanks for pointing out its limitations--and all other comments--very helpful and interesting to a beginner!

Having a really capable lens matters most, and then has the platform to get the most from it. My goal is to make darkroom prints, and they needn't be large for me to be happy.

I shoot outdoors, mostly from a few away from a subject and beyond, in both very low light and intense sun. I like to walk around doing it, and would like to have appreciable control over perspective when structures inhabit a landscape, as well as the ability to shape a composition using focus adjustments everywhere and always. Maybe the camera can be a little bulky, if it's not also heavy.

It could well be that I'd rather be using a wider angle lens than has been the case in MF (65 mm, roughly comparable to an iPhone, I believe :-}). So I might well feel too constrained with the Wista 45SP. I also want to see what hits the film, which isn't the case with the Mamiya 7, and doesn't weigh 8+ lbs like the RZ67--both of which are the factors steering me to LF.

I saw a video of a Chamonix and that looks interesting, though it might not be as easy as it seems when adjusting swings, tilts, and shifts so loosely as that. (How would I realize as a beginner what movement does exactly what?) The Canham also is intriguing.

For the moment, I'm starting out with a workshop-issue Calumet monorail carrying a 150mm 6.3. Way too bulky and heavy to own, but handy to learn the basic movements and the mechanics of film handling and processing for this class.

I'm trying to keep an open mind on the question of having a monorail that is light and not appreciably more time-consuming to set up as a comparable field camera, which could be either metal or wood. I'll check out the suggestions, too.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions, please keep them coming!

[Shootar401]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest a crown or speed graphic. Why? Well its a well built press camera, and durable as hell, they can be had cheaply and can use lenses from 65mm to 300. The front standard might need some small mods to get swing and tilt, but after that is done you have the basic movements. And as an added bonus, it folds up with a 150mm (or around there) lens installed. It can take Graflex backs like roll film and Polaroid adapters.

I was seriously looking at a Chamonix or a used Wista but decided to stay with my 4x5 speed for this reason. Plus I can shoot handheld which you can't with a field camera.

Just my .02

[Bob Salomon]

"use lenses from 65mm to 300. The front standard might need some small mods to get swing and tilt, but after that is done you have the basic movements. And as an added bonus, it folds up with a 150mm (or around there) lens installed. It can take Graflex backs like roll film and Polaroid adapters."

So does a 45 Wista wood or metal view camera.

[Noah B]

I'd recommend a design like the Tachihara/Osaka/Nagaoka/Calumet XM. I've used the Shen Hao HZX45 or whatever model it is with all of the movements. The only movements you really need are front tilt, rise/fall, and swing. For most applications like portraits, landscape, or still life you only need those aforementioned movements to get a sharp image. It's nice to get acquainted with all of the movements when you're learning the camera, but in most applications you don't need anything fancy. What I don't like about that Shen Hao is that it's a field camera trying to be a monorail. When I think field camera I think light weight and portability. I got a Calumet wood field XM a few weeks ago and I love it, this camera is pretty much a Tachihara but has the Calumet logo on it. I shoot with a 90mm for most of my work and the only movements I ever use are front rise/fall. Sometimes I need a bit of tilt here and there, but I try and make sure my lines in the frame aren't distorted and everything else falls into place. I prefer the rack & pinion focusing as opposed to the Phillips/Chamonix method. I'm right handed and it's easier for me to stay under the dark cloth and check focusing. Depending on your eye sight I'd slap a fresnel over the GG, it makes the viewing experience great!

[Mark_S]

What I need is 4x5 folding field camera with similar movements as the Wista 45DX, any recommendations? I would use it with 90 to 150mm focal length.

In addition to the other recommendations that have been made, I would add in the Walker Titan SF. It is similar to many of the wood field cameras but it is made of ABS plastic and Stainless, so it is more weather resistant, heavy, and durable. It has tons of movements, long bellows and is a solid camera. They are not super common, but good if you find one.

Another suggestion - I see that you are in the south bay - check out the LF photographers meetup group. Lots of photographers who get together periodically, with all sorts of LF cameras.

[jayabbas]

Toyo 45a --yes Toyo and it goes well with a Toyota for a backcountry roustabout. Or be a "Minor White" kinda dude and hulk the ever sexy Norma . A field camera all naked and such !! The original case doubles as a backpack for ironman types...