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toyosnapper
6-Jul-2008, 03:20
I found the video on this camera & it does look good. Are the fixing screws hexagon allen key heads? If so they are an advancement on the usual cross head screws. Dennis.

Walter Calahan
6-Jul-2008, 05:28
My KB Canham uses fasteners that uses an Allen wrench to tighten or loosen. I think this is an improvement over Phillips style screws, but what do I know?

Matt Miller
6-Jul-2008, 05:36
I don't understand. How does the screw head make a difference?

D. Bryant
6-Jul-2008, 06:18
I found the video on this camera & it does look good. Are the fixing screws hexagon allen key heads? If so they are an advancement on the usual cross head screws. Dennis.

Where's thr video?

Thanks,

Don Bryant

Paddy McKay
6-Jul-2008, 09:35
I don't understand. How does the screw head make a difference?

It's fairly simple. Compare a (useless) slotted to a Phillips, or better still a Robertson (Canadian square head:D ), and then Allen heads. It's about the stability, ease of use when tightening/loosening. Resistance to slipping, stripping, etc.

Don Hutton
6-Jul-2008, 10:03
It's all about distributing the torque over as large an area as possible, as evenly as possible - and the hex slot does this very efficiently; whereas with a normal single slotted fitting the torque is limited to a smaller area and concentrated onto the ends of each slot unless the driver blade is a perfect fit.

mccormickstudio
6-Jul-2008, 22:28
Hi - I made the video. There are actually two videos - here is the newer version which includes the rear standard tilt, which is a beautiful mechanism:
Chamonix Six Minute Exposure (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j7axnQhQWg)

There are a combination of screws - looks like everything setting parts into wood are traditional phillips screws and metal-to-metal parts are rececessed allen hex, metric I would guess. All adjustable tension mechanisms have a hex nut stop and a plastic (or teflon?) pressure washer for tightening. They feel great, allowing for a gradual gentle-to-firm tightening, but have begun to squeak a little.

I've put the camera to the test in the past two months as I prepare for a September show. I've run about 80 sheets through and carried it in a tight backpack. The only concern I've noticed is that the bail has begun to feel a little loose - not yet a problem though. I would feel better if it were a bit tighter.

It is a great camera which I recommend.

Craig

toyosnapper
7-Jul-2008, 04:32
Thanks for that. The video is very useful to the aspiring buyer. Is there one on the Canham 8 x 10 so they can be compared? Dennis.

mccormickstudio
7-Jul-2008, 07:07
I misspoke about the back - it does not have a 'bail' with a lever which holds open the back. It is a spring-loaded pressure fit. I think I've just broken it in a bit, and if it doesn't get any looser it will be fine.

I've never seen a video about the Canham - exactly the reason I made the Chamonix video (which is just a quick imovie, took just over an hour). Unless you can make it to a show, it's hard to understand the features of newer view cameras comparatively.

rwyoung
7-Jul-2008, 08:18
I don't understand. How does the screw head make a difference?

Two words : cam out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cam_out

Philips heads are an improvement over slotted heads. And the hex / torx / square are improvements over Philips.

I like the hex head type and if you use a ball-head wrench, it gets very nice because you don't need 100% perfect alignment to fit into the head, they self-center much like Philips. But once in the ball-head wrenches grip just like a standard square ended type.

Ernest Purdum
7-Jul-2008, 10:37
The only difficulty with the Allen type is that the head has to be thicker than other types.

The aircraft industry uses some very desirable screw head types, Torq-Set, Hi-Tork (I'm uncertain of the spelling), but as you might expect they are expensive.