Rigid 4x5 Cameras

[sperdynamite]

I'm looking for reviews and recommendations on rigid large format cameras. I've seen The Cambo Wide, the Alvandi line up, Chroma has their snapshot, and I think there was a Silvestri... I'd like a somewhat quick to set up and use body that can take something in the range of 120-135mm.

I'd order an Alvandi but he's months out and is overseas. There are fewer used Cambos out there than I might have expected. The Chroma looks good but I want something fairly durable and unlikely to fall out of calibration...

Would love to know any options or opinions I may be missing!

P.S. I'd actually order the 5x7 Alvandi, so 57 better for me if something is available.

[Tin Can]

I bought a nice Printed Camera from Norway

He can make what you want 5x7 8x10

3d printed - WillTravel 4x5 camera for your focal length

I wanted a replacement for my Travelwide

https://www.ebay.com/itm/333894631811?hash=item4dbdabc183:g:bI0AAOSwjdFeikiM&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8DqbdizVsmaAw0Z9FqRYcSmsaQvBhI7OMynBtmDQ9Gc0g2FS9gcTnSCAwJzaQKkraV8DH%2FFHDpBwHiogQcrf%2FLZGgMNLoMBeZiTK2q3iArNSgi%2FqspFFG%2F3XqnD03k28qAA6MrWNMS%2F%2Bj2EQ%2B%2FR0MnoMj2aevpKAQB6emI1HOlifpXVN%2FFSv9O3j2nPsQNTJwSdQMXYBLTTBi8nt2j9VGVQx6c66b9ga7t%2BXs%2BZaZpCGuZdbjeOQPPJcvFxwaDJr1TFZObW4PqcLCQ0RI9a%2FeDWOCoY6w8FDNz9ziXS4pcHIzc%2Bowst0bwD9KiAa6hy8BA%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_7Uvt2sYg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51714737874_25879ea387_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/P43958w38z)Wanderlust VS Will Travael (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/P43958w38z) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

[Graham Patterson]

I printed up my own Will Travel 4x5s. One is a short 58mm body for a fixed pinhole, and the other has my 90mm f8 Super-Angulon. But getting one from Morton is a good option. https://film.kolve.org/

[Oren Grad]

There was never a 120 or 135 lens-plus-cone offered for the original Cambo Wide body. There was a 150, IIRC with a fairly distant minimum focus. Thinking about other metal-bodied cameras with lenses in focus mounts:

Fotoman offered a 4x5 with cones and helicals for various focal lenghts; the various pieces now turn up only very occasionally on eBay.

There was a flurry of Chinese-brand rigid-body 4x5's that could be custom-configured and ordered new on eBay, but it looks like those are pretty much gone at this point.

Don't recall if the Sinar Handy could be factory-configured with a 120 or 135.

I'm sure Bob Salomon could tell you whether the Linhof Technar was offered with a 120 or 135.

Many things are possible with any of these bodies if you are willing to spend money for custom fabrication of cones and/or helicals.

[Havoc]

Make one yourself? I made one for a 125mm Fujinon. At f/16 this is a fix focus at hyperfocal.

[Tin Can]

BTW if you look at my 2 cameras pic

notice my DIY GG that fits in any camera like a film holder

for setting the adjustable focus on both

[sperdynamite]

That Dayi is kind of interesting. Might be a good option...looks like they still make them.

I'd go the DIY route but TBH I'm looking for something pretty rugged as I'll be taking this in a marine environment in bags, dinghies, trucks...it'll be kind of used and abused. I want to be able to pull a camera out of my bag, have it up on a tripod and be focusing as soon as possible. I have a Chamonix 57N which is very nice, light weight, and well thought out, but there is still the process of dialing in the standards, attaching the lens, making sure I have the front screwed into the right slot, etc etc. When I'm losing light...I'm just not fast enough...

The other option I suppose is a press camera...which are heavier but similarly rigid and fast.

[MartyNL]

Here's a rigid 4x5 with a 150mm
https://www.ebay.com/itm/325355573141?hash=item4bc0b40f95:g:oQoAAOSwlvJjLxzy

[Axelwik]

I made one to fit a 75mm lens. Not 3d printed, mine is made from 1/4-inch high grade plywood, and aluminum. Got the helicoid from an ebay Chinese seller and the Graflock back and ground glass are from a Sinar. I use it more than expected, and it has resulted in nice images both 4x5 and 6x12 (Horseman 6x12 back). Other than making the body the thing that took the longest was calibrating infinity focus.

I recently replaced the Fujinon SW 75/8 with a Nikkor 75/4.5.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53054205697_ea5ddc7e5a_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2oQdEYr)image0 (2) (https://flic.kr/p/2oQdEYr) by Marco Wikstrom (https://www.flickr.com/photos/197947664@N05/), on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53054205702_be0f051220_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2oQdEYw)image1 (1) (https://flic.kr/p/2oQdEYw) by Marco Wikstrom (https://www.flickr.com/photos/197947664@N05/), on Flickr

[sperdynamite]

I made one to fit a 75mm lens. Not 3d printed, mine is made from 1/4-inch high grade plywood, and aluminum. Got the helicoid from an ebay Chinese seller and the Graflock back and ground glass are from a Sinar. I use it more than expected, and it has resulted in nice images both 4x5 and 6x12 (Horseman 6x12 back). Other than making the body the thing that took the longest was calibrating infinity focus.

I recently replaced the Fujinon SW 75/8 with a Nikkor 75/4.5.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53054205697_ea5ddc7e5a_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2oQdEYr)image0 (2) (https://flic.kr/p/2oQdEYr) by Marco Wikstrom (https://www.flickr.com/photos/197947664@N05/), on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53054205702_be0f051220_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2oQdEYw)image1 (1) (https://flic.kr/p/2oQdEYw) by Marco Wikstrom (https://www.flickr.com/photos/197947664@N05/), on Flickr

That is super cool! Beyond my skills. Nice work however.

[Axelwik]

That is super cool! Beyond my skills. Nice work however.
Fairly simple when you take it one step at a time. Like any camera, it's a light-tight box with a way to hold the lens and a way to hold the film.

[Havoc]

I'd go the DIY route but TBH I'm looking for something pretty rugged as I'll be taking this in a marine environment in bags, dinghies, trucks...it'll be kind of used and abused. I want to be able to pull a camera out of my bag, have it up on a tripod and be focusing as soon as possible.

Well a DIY camera can be all YOU want. That is the nice thing about it. Even if it doesn't look like a camera once finished. ;) And if it is worn, just make a new one including all ideas you had while using the first version.


Fairly simple when you take it one step at a time. Like any camera, it's a light-tight box with a way to hold the lens and a way to hold the film.

Indeed, don't overthink it. Mine started as a camera for a 75mm lens I bought a fair. It ended up as a box to be used with a "75mm eq" pinhole and a 125mm fix focus lens.

https://quirinus.one/forum_foto/4x5/4x5_125mm_front.jpg

Okay, that cone isn't simple without a lathe. But that is just because I happen to have one around. Make it a box section and it just works as well. It is nothing more than some alu plate and alu section from the DIY shop. Drill some holes, tap M3 ( or whatever antediluvian units you use) and assemble. The circular level is a bit more lathe work but you can just as well stick in on the outside.

Yes, I have to finish that viewfinder some day.....

[lassethomas]

I printed up my own Will Travel 4x5s. One is a short 58mm body for a fixed pinhole, and the other has my 90mm f8 Super-Angulon. But getting one from Morton is a good option. https://film.kolve.org/

I also printed my own Will Travels. One for a Super Angulon XL 47 mm and one for a G-Claron 150 mm.
His designs can be found here too https://www.thingiverse.com/mortenkolve/designs

[sperdynamite]

I also printed my own Will Travels. One for a Super Angulon XL 47 mm and one for a G-Claron 150 mm.
His designs can be found here too https://www.thingiverse.com/mortenkolve/designs

Winner winner chicken dinner!!!

After going totally off the rails and thinking I should probably just buy a Master Technika today....this brought me right back to earth. I am currently printing a 5x7 cone for a 180mm lens. The 8x10 base doesn't fit in my printer but maybe I can source one from him and print my own cones. I do have a 240 that it would work with. Very cool!

[Drew Bedo]

I have been honking (but not acting) about making a fixed at infinity 4x5. It would have a Grtaflok back I have with a 135 from a Speed Grapic on each end of a solid cigar box (Drew Estate "ACID" brand). Might put a Grfmatic on it.

Grab-n-go point and shoot.

Basically, a o-fuss scenic look out camera to address the family vacation issue of , ".. . .are you done yet?"

[Axelwik]

I have been honking (but not acting) about making a fixed at infinity 4x5. It would have a Grtaflok back I have with a 135 from a Speed Grapic on each end of a solid cigar box (Drew Estate "ACID" brand). Might put a Grfmatic on it.

Grab-n-go point and shoot.

Basically, a o-fuss scenic look out camera to address the family vacation issue of , ".. . .are you done yet?"
If it's fixed focus, don't fix it at infinity. Fix it so that at your working aperture (best aperture for your lens), puts as much of the foreground in focus as possible while still keeping infinity at an acceptable sharpness level. (Range of hyper-focal distance.) It's more important (aesthetically pleasing) for close objects to be in perfect focus than far objects. Try to maximize the hyper-focal distance for your lens using the best aperture for your lens.

[Drew Bedo]

^^^

Good Points. Thanks!

I was thinking of Colorado trips where the "foreground" at a scenic overlook is a ten mile wide valley between peak . . .such as on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. But the Hyperfocal tikp is spot on.

Maybe something could be done with a removable shim spacer to allow for both modes..

[Daniel Unkefer]

My Homemade Sinar Norma Handy. 65mm F8 Super Angulon Norma Rubber Monocular on the back. Mamiya 7 43mm Viewfinder

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52715002621_70e617e8d9_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2ojfaHx)SONY DSC (https://flic.kr/p/2ojfaHx) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51907630789_082669c762_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2n5Ubcx)4x5 Norma Handy with Wedding Flash 100WS (https://flic.kr/p/2n5Ubcx) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50549038488_b5881ae3bc_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2k1R33m)Ashton Pond Norma Handy HRU Mic-X 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2k1R33m) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Ashton Pond Columbus Ohio Sinar Norma Handy 4x5 Fuji HR-U XRay 65mm F8 at F22 Schneider CF + Sinar Norma Dark Yellow 103mm Glass Disk 1 sec at F22 Legacy Mic-X replenished stock in tray 18 mins at 62F Arista #2 RC 4x 8x10 Multigrade dev

[Havoc]

If it's fixed focus, don't fix it at infinity. Fix it so that at your working aperture (best aperture for your lens), puts as much of the foreground in focus as possible while still keeping infinity at an acceptable sharpness level. (Range of hyper-focal distance.) It's more important (aesthetically pleasing) for close objects to be in perfect focus than far objects. Try to maximize the hyper-focal distance for your lens using the best aperture for your lens.

Good point. I first used a DOF calculator to get the hyperfocal distance at f/16 which turned out to be 14 meters. Then used the Wista and a put it at 14 meters from the house and focused. Then measured the distance from front of the lensboard to the GG. Made the camera to have that distance between the front of the lenscone and the film plane. F/16 is what I need when the light is a bit low. Going to f/22 will only increase your DOF.

[Tin Can]

Very good!


Good point. I first used a DOF calculator to get the hyperfocal distance at f/16 which turned out to be 14 meters. Then used the Wista and a put it at 14 meters from the house and focused. Then measured the distance from front of the lensboard to the GG. Made the camera to have that distance between the front of the lenscone and the film plane. F/16 is what I need when the light is a bit low. Going to f/22 will only increase your DOF.

[Dugan]

A well reasoned approach.

[Drew Bedo]

The cone looks great.

I am thinking that a lathe-less approach might be to use lens multiple boards. Clunky looking top hats could sand in for that smooth looking cone. With no front movements, vignetting shouldn't be an issue. Maybe a recessed board could work for a little 90mm 6.8 too.

[Havoc]

The cone looks great.

I am thinking that a lathe-less approach might be to use lens multiple boards. A normal flat one for some baseline lens and recessed or top hats for a few selected additional focal lengths.

Thanks. It was originally intended for a 75mm swd which would have used a flat board. The hole in the front is large enough to pass the rear group. I made a cone but you can just as well make it a cube. Or a sliding box camera with some fixed positions. Depends on the materials you have at hand and the tools you feel confident with.

[Tin Can]

I tested that concept on my Optical Bench Horseman

I open a door and looksee

The no name NOS Made in Japan

Needs a GG Box