Shen-Hao 8x10 FCL810-A

[Chris S]

Hi, does anyone here have, or has seen the newer Shen-Hao 8x10 model FCL810-A?Looking for opinions as I'm still shopping for an 8x10.All I know so far is Jim at Midwest said He sent three back due to the bellows being glued on wrong, and Jeff at Badger saying He hasn't had a problem yet.Hmmm
I've also been considering the Tachihara in the triple extension model, or a used Calumet C-1, but I can't seem to find a C-1 in really good condition, and the wood fields are available now.Thanks

Chris

http://www.pbase.com/cloudswimmer/image/57830331/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/cloudswimmer/image/57830335/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/cloudswimmer/image/57830340/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/cloudswimmer/image/57830344/original.jpg

[Frank Petronio]

Is that the finish?

[Juergen Sattler]

Get a Wehman instead:-) Seriously, the Wehman 8x10 is an awesome camera with all the movements you would ever need, incredibly light and very rugged. I just came back from a photography workshop and everyone was very impressed with my Wehman - it is hard to beat the value you are getting with that camera - take a look at Bruce Wehman's website - you will not regret it and no, I have no affiliation with Wehman cameras other than being a very satisfied customer.

[Dan Jolicoeur]

Chris are you looking for Opinions, or facts? Not that I have either, just wondering where this is going to lead too?

Badger is listed as the official agent for Shen-Hao in the Western world on there website. Jeff at Badger has never done me wrong, and I am sure he would back up his product line that is all I have to offer.
Good luck,
Dan

[Chris S]

Hi Dan, well I was kinda in hope that someone who actually owns one, or used/handled one would chime in on both the facts and opinions :)



<Chris are you looking for Opinions, or facts? Not that I have either, just wondering where this is going to <lead too?

[Bruce Schultz]

Indeed, it looks like a nice camera. The movements appear to be ingeniously designed but I wonder about the longevity with such complicated mechanisms. I agree with the Wehman assessment. I wouldn't have any other camera.

[tim atherton]

that's the one that's the sort of souped up heavyweight version of the Phillips?

It has some interesting refinements on it, but I can see a few potential problems (albeit woithout handling it...)

such as what's it actually made out of and how is it coated? I could see those lower hinges on the back and the way they are fitted being a potential problem. ALso it looks like they are just runnign wood on wood on the back slider rails? And I'm not two sure about the wire springs on the back/GG?

Anyone?

[Amund BLix Aaeng]

Chris, buy one! And then tell us what you think :)
I have a Wehman myself, but I would have given this camera a serious consideration if it had existed at the time I got the Wehman.

[Ben Calwell]

I don't know -- to me it looks like something that was made in a high school shop class.

[Quentin Bargate]

I looked at the Shen Hao, but I ended up buying the Tachihara because (a) it was less expensive and (b) another photographer strongly recommended the Tachihara to me. I have not been disappointed. The Tachihara is very good value, and so far has worked impeccably. Mine is a double extension model.

[martin_4668]

I have heard a lot of happy users of Shen Hao cameras.....but ...
I am a dealer and have spoken to several LF dealers selling Shen Hao´s and they all say the same...DONT TOUCH !
they are cheap - and there is a reason !
Go for an Ebony, Wehmann, Canham, Linhof, Arca.etc etc instead...

regards

[Clayton Tume]

Martin

you say don't touch, they are cheap and there is a reason.

I'd be interested to know what the reason is?

Clayton

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

Does anyone know what kind of wood is used in the construction of this new Shen-Hao 8x10? From the pictures, it almost looks like pine, but I can't believe they'd use something as soft and unstable as pine for building a camera. The color is about right for maple, but what I can see of the grain doesn't look like maple to me. Perhaps it's some sort of spruce or other lightweight, light colored wood. It's certainly not the typical mahogany or cherry traditionally used for camera construction.

I checked the Shen-Hao web site, but it's no help. They list the "woodiness" as "Schneider", whatever that means.

Kerry

[Nick_3536]

Odds are it's something tropical. I'd be highly suprised if the wood isn't local.

[tim atherton]

I remember seeing another camera made in China that used a lightish coloured hardwood. it had a strange name - Canadian something or other, but I only found one reference to it under that name (it generally went by another name) - apparently it was a hardwood found in China that was exported mainly to Australia... or somewhere like that

[Dean Tomasula]

Actually, the web site says the wood is walnut.

[CXC]

Martin & Clayton,

Read on this forum the comments of people who have owned Shen-Haos, and you'll see that there are a lot of satisfied customers. My 4x5 was a fine entry-level camera, at a bargain price. I traded up because I wanted a longer bellows, not due to any design or quality shortcoming.

Perhaps retailers don't like to deal with the company, or with importing from China.

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

Dean - Actually, the web site says the wood is walnut.

Dean,

I was referring to the description of the FCL810-A listed when you click on the newest (http://www.shen-hao.com/E%E6%9C%80%E6%96%B0%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81.html) link on the homepage at www.shen-hao.com, where it dies indeed refer to the "woodiness" as "Schneider".

You are correct that the "woodiness" is listed as "black walnut" when clicking on the 8x10 (http://www.shen-hao.com/E810.html) link. Problem is, the wood the camera is made out of doesn't look anything like any black walnut I've ever seen. Not only is the color way to light, the grain structure doesn't look like walnut. For comparsion, check out the 8x10 Canham (http://www.canhamcameras.com/8x10standard.htm).

I'm not trying top compare the Shen-Hao to the Canham, just trying to figure out what kind of wood they are using for this camera.

Kerry

[Frank Petronio]

It's probably from some newly extinct species of which the last tree was milled and dried a few years ago.

[George Hart]

I think I remember seeing a previous S-H webpage which stated that the wood is Zelkova, a type of elm. My little tree book states that Z. serrata is "much prized in its native Japan for the quality of its timber". The common name is Keaki. Widely planted in the UK following the decimation of our native elm, Ulmus procera, by Dutch elm disease.

I too would like to see a hands-on account of this camera, or else to get my hands on one!

[Nick_3536]

Not much use saying pine,maple or even mahagony. George is right to go with the latin name. Pine can be anything. So can maple. Real mahogany [cuban -- Swietenia mahagoni I think that's the right one] has been basically extinct for something like 50 years. At least in commerical amounts. The stuff called mahogany today can be almost anything. All the way to Luan. Common names don't mean much.

[Paul Metcalf]

Just a guess by looking at the front standard's rail, it doesn't look like it can be folded up with a lens attached. I think that is a negative for a field camera.

[Dean Tomasula]

Kerry, I'm just reporting what the web site says, without any editorializing.

But you're correct, it doesn't look like black walnut to me either. It could very well be Woodiness Sncheider, but I have never seen wood from that tree so I don't know what it looks like :-)

[Pete Roody]

Maybe they are using ash.