Case for my Cambo 4x5

[Darryl Roberts]

Hi,

I need a case for my Cambo 4x5 (won on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170187770634)). Please advise.

Thank you.

P.S. I cannot find the Cambo C-20 listed on their site.

[Marko]

Hi Darryl and welcome to the club. :)

I took the same route myself a few years ago - bought this nice looking and attractively priced camera and only when it arrived I realized that the beast will require its own transportation. :)

Your best bet is to buy one of those tailored cases where you let the camera hang upside down resting on the rail. They also show up occasionally on eBay and that's your best bet, otherwise you'll pay more for the case than you did for the camera. I saw one relatively recently, you just need to be patient.

BTW, I still have that camera and I really like it, despite the weight.

Good luck.

[Vick Vickery]

I made a nice one out of a large sports bag bought at K-Mart...you know, the heavy material bags with the zipper around the top. Mine has wheels on one end of the bottom and a handle on the end. I built a rack to hang the camera in with 1/4" plywood and have room on the ends and below the camera for accessories and holders, etc. Works great for transporting everything. I use a separate small camera bag from WalMart with dividers for lenses mounted on boards for my Super Graphic for which I built an adapter board for the Cambo; it fits in the end of the big bag when going out for a session. Have fun, be resourceful!!! :)

[Merg Ross]

As Marko suggests, you will probably pay more for the case than you did for the camera. I have the case, which I purchased with the Cambo camera in 1993 and paid over $250 for the case alone. I still have it, and it is a beautiful aluminum case, but very heavy. I use it for storage, and for travel, I put the Cambo in an ice chest. That might be an inexpensive option.

[aduncanson]

Not exactly a case, but still a partial solution to transporting the Cambo; I used a couple of pipe straps to secure a roughly 1x3" board across the uprights near the top of a very long disused boy scout pack frame. I mounted a spare Cambo rail clamp (for the square rail camera) to the middle of the board. I then mount the camera rail and standards (flat, minus bellows, lens & board and camera back) hanging down from the rail clamp. It works with both my 4x5 & 5x7 Cambo cameras. If you have a particularly long rail, you might find that your camera gets caught in the brush.

Below the camera, I was able to secure a large camera bag with strap removed that holds, for example, wide angle & standard bellows, Cambo 4x5 international back, roll film holder, four (smaller) lenses on Cambo boards and in wraps, loupe, 6 double film holders, dark cloth, cable release and light meter; basically every thing you need except for a tripod. Incredibly, I don't think I had to buy anything to assemble this; everything was on hand and not being used. Oh yeah, I keep another Cambo rail clamp mounted to a Bogen hexagonal quick change plate, usually found on the tripod.

Now setting up a Cambo from that state of disassembly is anything but quick, and I sure would not entrust the assembly to an airline, but this seems to address the problem of transporting this particular monorail in the field.

[Darryl Roberts]

Thank you all very much.

[Darryl Roberts]

Anyone know if this one would work (http://cgi.ebay.com/4x5-Fiberbilt-camera-case-toyo-cambo-sinar-horseman-NR_W0QQitemZ130212931940QQihZ003QQcategoryZ107929QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)?

[BigSteveG]

That one doesn't look very sturdy. I have one I'd be willing to sell. But not for a few months yet.

[Merg Ross]

That one looks similar to the early Calumet cases for their monorail cameras. Not the sturdiest case made, but adequate. If the price is right, go for it.

[bbauer]

where are you located? I've got one for a Cambo Legend that I'm going to sell later this month, but I'm in Oregon and it's fairly heavy--ATA-style locks and a thin sheet of aluminum over a plywood frame.

PM me if you're west of the Mississippi and I'll send some pics and put in on the scale.

[Darryl Baird]

Hi,

I need a case for my Cambo 4x5 (won on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170187770634)). Please advise.

Thank you.

P.S. I cannot find the Cambo C-20 listed on their site.

there is one on Chicago Craigslist:
http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/pho/637219625.html

[Darryl Roberts]

Thank you Darryl

[Marko]

there is one on Chicago Craigslist:
http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/pho/637219625.html

That's the one I have and I think it is a very good compromise between rigidity and weight. There's enough room in there for two additional lenses (one on the camera) dozen film holders, a lightmeter, filter holder and a right angle finder (which is pretty bulky), plus some small stuff such as a notepad, a flashlight and such. The price quoted in that ad is the average price I've seen them go for on the eBay too.

If you do buy this one, be aware that it is black inside and out and you will need a small flashlight to find stuff inside. A thing to consider to go with it would be a light photo vest which can hold all the small stuff in its pockets already, so all you have to do is pull it out and put it on. :)