Which 4x5 location camera?

[Michael Hall]

Thank you all for your responses regarding which 4x5 location camera I should be looking at purchasing.

It seems to come down to 2 options; the Technikardan 45 & the Arca Swiss, unless of course I go for a flatbed option. Any leads on which flatbed 4x5 feild camera I should be considering? Weight & compactness being key.

Also the Arca Swiss? Which model please? I have not been able to find the Arca Swiss web site. Is their factory in Switzerland or France? I'm taking a trip to Italy mid March and may be in a position to visit them.

Thanks again

[Ron Marshall]

Michael, go to Robert White's website and click on the pdf link for Arca-Swiss model info:

http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/ArcaSwiss.htm

[Rick Koo]

Online information is famously thin for Arca-Swiss - try the following:
http://precisioncameraworks.com/Pages/arca_core.html
http://www.tomwestbrook.com/Photography/arca_swiss.html

[Henry Ambrose]

Depending on your lens needs I'd say the Ebony 45S and 45SU. They are both light and compact beyond any of the other cameras you mention with plenty of precision for general photography.

What are your pictures like? Do you need 4 inches of rise like the Arca has? What lenses will you use? If you are doing general photography and are happy with lenses from 58 through 210-240 I think you'll be very happy with a 45S. Go to the 45SU if you tend to use longer glass or more movements.

Don't get me wrong as I really liked my Arca once I got it on the tripod. In fact I think its the best I've used. But to take full advantage of the system you'll need more parts and before too long you have a lot of stuff to carry (and pay for).

But you can carry one of the Ebonys in a moderate sized camera bag with 2 or 3 lenses, some film and have enough gear to make most pictures without breaking your back. It might even be lighter than some MF kits. And its as quick to set up as anything else you'll mount to a tripod.

[Eric Woodbury]

Henry,

I don't mean to change the topic here, but you might be able to answer some Ebony questions. I, too, am looking for a lightweight4x5 field camera. I've had the some of the Japanese folders, all of which were pretty flimsy and had little controls. I have a Toko now (not toyo or toho, but toko), which is ok and has rear focus, but is flimsy. I also have a metal Canham. It does everything, but it's awkward and not that fun. Ebony comes closest to meeting my requirements. I like the 45S, but it is a bit pricey and the lighter one, the mahogany, is special order. I like the RW45, too. It looks like the one for me, except I'm wondering how big the hole is behind the lensboard. I need to get my 72mm xl through there. Also, I'm wondering if I have to 'drop the bed' to use the 72xl or the 58mm xl. I see that the back can be tilted forward and the front tilted back, and maybe the bed doesn't have to drop.

Does anyone know if this works without getting a picture of the front of the camera?

I don't really want a camera over 4 lbs. For that I use my 5x7.

Thanks.

[Henry Ambrose]

Michael I hope we didn't hijack your thread! Maybe this will help you too.

Eric,
I have the 45SW as I use only wide to normal lenses, 58 - 180mm. It is small and light and has all the direct rise that my 110 Schneider can cover. I am very happy with it, it fits what I do.

For general photography the 45S might be better with its 270mm bellows draw and rear shift swings and tilts. For the ultimate non-folder go to the 45SU. The 45SW, 45S and 45SU all use Technika style boards so if your 72 will go through a standard that takes those boards you will be fine. The camera will definitely support it.

While the 45SU is a lot of money I think the 45S and SW are great values. You don't need to buy a bag bellows or extra rails. The lensboards are small and portable and no adaptor needed to fit your oversize studio camera board. If the smaller Ebonys do --what you want or need-- they are actually no more expensive than buying an Arca or Linhof - they are cheaper.

[Eric Woodbury]

Henry,

I like the 45SW, but it has no rear swing or tilt. I use tilt often, and swing sometimes. Don't need rear rise. How do you live without tilt & swing?

EW

[Henry Ambrose]

I stop down. Remember I use wide lenses most of the time. The 45SW does have rise, swing, shift and tilt up front. I can get indirect swing at the rear by pointing the whole camera away and then moving the front standard. But this is a very rare thing for me. Front and rear shifts are just mirror of each other so no problem there.

I use rise on the front more than anything else, next is fall on front then rear rise - this for photographing buildings and I like full length and environmental portraits using those same movements although I don't need as much there. So I'm a rise and fall and most often a stop down kinda guy.

For general use I'd buy the 45S if the bellows was as long as I needed, the 45SU if I was feeling flush or needed more bellows. I've used one a bit and its a very nice camera (asymetric movements are very nice) but for some uses it could be more than you need and its heavier.

And I see I missed some of your earlier questions. All three cameras extend both forward and backward, focusing from either end, so there is no problem with getting camera parts in the picture with any wide lens. When collapsed they are very compact and that is where you'll be focusing a wide lens.

The ways or rails have screws to adjust for expansion and contraction of the wood. When adjusted the cameras are very rigid. And its no big deal to do this - just some phillips head screws to tweak. Pretty much a summer/winter seasonal adjustment for me.

[dg]

my personnal favourite...
For extreme movements : arca swiss F line compact field orbix 140... same as the misura but with mouvements in the back !
But most of time, the misura is the way to go !

in the past, i've used two technika, one technikardan, one sinar F2... and now i have two arca swiss (one 69 and one 45), and my next camera will be an... arca swiss !