New Phillips 8x10 Explorer-just arrived

[Dave_B]

Folks:
A while ago I ordered a new Phillips 8x10 Explorer from Richard Phillips. It just arrived. If this camera is not the last 8x10 he makes, it will be close. His next (and probably last) run of cameras will be 4x5's. The camera is wonderful-light, strong with many nice design features. It is a pleasure to use. I am thrilled with it. For those LF camera junkies out there who enjoy such things, I have attached some photos. The first two photos show it with a Nikkor 450M and the last with a Nikkor 120SW. One of the very nice features this camera has is a bail to open the back to make it easy to insert and remove the film holder.
Cheers,
Dave B.

[Dave_B]

Folks:
A few more photos, including one of the bail.
Cheers,
Dave B.

[naturephoto1]

Hi David,

Looks like a beautiful camera. Use it and enjoy it. Look forward to seeing some results. What are camera specs?

Rich

[Phong]

Congratulations ! I waited for more than a year for my 8x10 Compact II, and it is an absolute delight to use. I mostly use a Fujinon 450mm C and a Docter Germinar W 240mm on it.

Cheers,

[Dave_B]

Specs for the Camera are:
Extension: 515mm max, 80mm min
Rise: 2.75"
Fall: 2.5"
Shift: +/- 1.1"
Optic Axis Tilt on front standard, swing
Back Standard has base tilt of 30 degrees, swing of roughly 10 degrees
Weight 6.0 lbs, 13.5"x11.5"x3.5"

[Frank Petronio]

congrats! lovely camera

[Dave_B]

congrats! lovely camera

Thanks

[Jrewt]

Only camera that makes me envious. I still like my wehman a whole lot though!

[Vaughn]

A beauty! Is this a model that is hortizontal only? If it is how easy is it to use on its side?

At 6 pounds, that doesn't sound too bad. I used a 4x5 (2 pounds) that I also had to turn on its side for verticals. Once I got use to swings becoming tilts, etc. it was not awkward at all.

\Vaughn

[David Karp]

"Lord Vader, your film holders are ready."

Good looking camera. Enjoy.

[LargeFormatShooter]

Good morning Dave,

One of my colleague use this camera for several years when he photograghy in location shooting. It is a lovely camera for lifetime shooting.

I alway jealous of his camera with bail control.

congratulation from me.

[venchka]

Good luck with your new camera. May it generate photogrpahs that gather the ultimate complipment: "You sure do have a good camera." :)

Sidebar: Which Gitzo head is that? Obviously you feel it is fine for a 6 pound camera + lens + 8x10 holder. It looks very similar to one that I am interested in and saw online at B&W Photo.

[Dave_B]

Good luck with your new camera. May it generate photogrpahs that gather the ultimate complipment: "You sure do have a good camera." :)

Sidebar: Which Gitzo head is that? Obviously you feel it is fine for a 6 pound camera + lens + 8x10 holder. It looks very similar to one that I am interested in and saw online at B&W Photo.

The head is a Gitzo G1570M. It is built like a tank and could probably hold one.

[venchka]

Thank you. Sounds perfect for my needs.

Enjoy your new camera!

[Michael Mutmansky]

The 1570 is an excellent head, and will easily handle an 8x10. I've used one on a 12x20 without difficulty, even in vertical orientation. It's not the head that will be giving you trouble with that combination...

Actually, the 1370 is probably equally sufficient for most regular 8x10 field cameras. It's a bit smaller and lighter, but made equally rigid. It has a smaller plate, though. On some cameras, that will permit the camera bed to flex more.

I have both here along with a 410 tripod and am planning to put them up FS, so if interested, PM me.

---Michael

[Marco Milazzo]

How can one get lensboards for this camera? I need a couple -- one w/ Copal 3-size hole, and one for an old Betax #5.

Thanks,
Marco / El Paso

[nelson_chan]

The Explorers are Technika size boards, but you can also get them from SK Grimes. Phillips gets his boards from them.

[A Charles]

Dave,

How do you compare this Phillips to your Shen Hao FCL-810a?

[venchka]

The 1570 is an excellent head, and will easily handle an 8x10. I've used one on a 12x20 without difficulty, even in vertical orientation. It's not the head that will be giving you trouble with that combination...

Actually, the 1370 is probably equally sufficient for most regular 8x10 field cameras. It's a bit smaller and lighter, but made equally rigid. It has a smaller plate, though. On some cameras, that will permit the camera bed to flex more.

I have both here along with a 410 tripod and am planning to put them up FS, so if interested, PM me.

---Michael

PM sent RE: tripods head.

[Marco Milazzo]

Re: Lensboards for the Phillips, I received the following from SK Grimes yesterday:

"Thank you for the inquiry. We do carry Phillips compatible lens boards. They are fabricated out of aluminum and while they do not feature a 1/4" bevel on the top and bottom, they do fit the cameras. Price per board is $60 +s/h. Boring the board to a specified diameter is $25. Boring board and mounting a flange is $30. If you can supply is with the mounting flange for the Betax shutter, we can properly install it on the board. We would
require you to indicate the 12 o'clock position on the flange to insure that the lens is oriented correctly when mounted to the camera." -- Adam Dau

The lensboards I have are made of some kind of black plastic or composite material -- light and rigid. I'm sure the Grimes boards are very well made, but $85 for a 5½" square of aluminum with a hole in it, seems kind of steep to me. I think I'll look eleswhere.

Anyone have other ideas?

[Rory_5244]

Wow. Lovely camera, congrats! How is the GG? Bright?

[Dave_B]

The Shen Hao is a fine camera. I bought it to use while waiting for the Phillips and was quite happy with it. However, the Phillips is a much different beast. It is more expensive but really worth it IMHO. No question, I prefer the Phillips but they are not easy to get. The Phillips will be my last 8x10 camera.
Cheers,
Dave B.



Dave,

How do you compare this Phillips to your Shen Hao FCL-810a?

[John Powers]

Re: Lensboards for the Phillips,
The lensboards I have are made of some kind of black plastic or composite material -- light and rigid. I'm sure the Grimes boards are very well made, but $85 for a 5½" square of aluminum with a hole in it, seems kind of steep to me. I think I'll look eleswhere.

Anyone have other ideas?

Marco,

There are many Linhof and Linhof copies sold at a wide range of prices on eBay. I have bought just the board, or with a lens I also wanted attached, or one with a Technikardan attached.

Midwest Photo offers Linhof boards in copal 0-1-3 at $139 and various copies from $29-$35. They can probably arrange to have a blank board cut to fit your shutter.

John

[Marco Milazzo]

John,

Thanks for that, but the boards I need are 5½ in.square, not Technica-size. (I don't know the name of the model I have -- I bought it from the widow of a photographer. I has backs which can be rotated.)

I looked closely at one of the boards I have, and what I thought was plastic or composire is in fact, wood that's very well finished. So I can probably have some made. I think I'll look into plastic though, because it might be simpler. I'll let folks know if I come up with anything.

Marco / El Paso

[Marco Milazzo]

John -- apologies; I'm not awake yet. I read "Technikardan" as "Technica." I'll look into the Technikardan boards.

MM

[tim atherton]

Marco, if you have the vertical/horizontal back and the camera is all black, it's probably the Compact II and not the Explorer.

In which case it just takes Sinar style boards. Horseman also fit as well (actually, I recall the Horseman boards fit slightly better - I have a Horseman to Technica adapter I use most of the time and there may have been one version of the Sinar boards that was a touch too thick...?). That said, I have both types and have used both on the Explorer

Sinar/Horseman boards are pretty easy to find used or new. They do just as well as Dick's original composite boards

tim a

(ps technica/technikardan boatrds are the same thing btw)

[nelson_chan]

Hola, I have a Compact II and am getting an Explorer from Dick in a couple of weeks. Tim, you said that you use a Horseman to Technika adapter because of the two cameras? Should I probably go with this route if I wish to interchange my lenses for both cameras? Thanks in advanced.

[tim atherton]

Hola, I have a Compact II and am getting an Explorer from Dick in a couple of weeks. Tim, you said that you use a Horseman to Technika adapter because of the two cameras? Should I probably go with this route if I wish to interchange my lenses for both cameras? Thanks in advanced.

Actually I got the adapter before I got the Explorer because with the Compact II you have nice compact, light 8x10 and end up with lenses on some of the biggest lensboards you can get....

So most of my lenses (apart from a 12" Ektar and a Super Angulon which remain on Horseman boards) are now on Technika boards. Much more compact for transportation.

I got the adapter board on ebay. The only minor problem is that with the way the latches for the technika boards are set on the adapter board, I have to use it "upside down" (that top "drawbridge" latch on the Phillips Compact comes down quite a way). It's not really a problem the lens just end up the other way round to how I use them on the Technikardan...

But there are several different Sinar to technika adapters (I just happened to get this one for a good price on ebay) - one by Sinar I think, one by Horseman, I think Bromwell sells one, and SK Grimes will make one (with the latter you could no doubt have the fittings set so they didn't interfere with the mounting to the Phillips standard)

[nelson_chan]

Thanks for the advice Tim. One more question, do I need to get a spacer ring to lift the copal 3 from the board so that the aperture ring doesn't interfere with the Technika mounting latch?