Shen Hao TZ45 IIB rotating back & experiences?

[noci]

Hi there,

in researching many LF cameras, I was unable to find extensive information on the back of the Shen Hao TZ45 IIB.. I understand it has an international back that will take most film holders as well as roll film holders - but is its orientation changeable from horizontal to vertical?

Also, could actual users chime in and comment on the camera in general? i.e. does it perform well with 90mm lenses, with or without bag bellows?

Many thanks & kind regards,


Max

[Mick Fagan]

Max, the back has two slides on the top at the rear, you slide these back, rotate the rear then slide the tabs back in again. So landscape or portrait format, is just a few seconds work.

I have a 90mm Angulon, it is on a 10mm recessed board, I only have the standard bellows and I have limited movements but I can run the coverage off the film plane so the camera with that combination will handle a 90mm lens as standard.

The bellows are tightly compressed though, but a further 10mm compression I don't think would be too much of a problem.

If you are intending to use 90mm a fair bit, I think bag bellows would be a very good option. Changing the bellows would take about 5 minutes from start to finish and is very easy to do.

By the way I can carry a folded camera around with either my Fuji 150 or Angulon 90 ready to go. Well the 150 is reversed, but that takes about 15 seconds to fix.

The camera will take a Graflex film holder with the standard back, the springs are stretched a bit, but it handles everything nicely.

With the standard bellows the camera will work nicely with lenses ranging from 90mm through to 240mm. I have a 400 Telephoto with which I can do portraits rather nicely. With the subject about 2½ metres in front of the camera, I still have a fair bit of bellows extension left.

I believe it is a value for money camera, well built and should give you a life time of use.

Which is why I bought one.

Mick.

[ki6mf]

Ditto on Micks comments. I have a 90mm F4.5 Grandagon and while it works the regualr bellows become very compressed and Bag Bellows would make your life much easier.

[Gem Singer]

The Shen Hao TZ45 IIB has a reversible back that enables the operator to change from vertical to horizontal (and vice-versa).

Reversible requires that the back needs to be completely removed from the camera in order to reverse it.

A rotating back enables the change from vertical to horizontal without removing the back from the camera. Rotating backs are available on the Linhof Tech and the Toyo A and AII cameras. Both of which are made of metal. A rotating back adds extra weight.

[wclavey]

I, too, have the 90mm Angulon and the regular bellows. It is very tight and a bag bellows in on the list of improvements I'd like to make. The back is easy to reverse, as described above.

BTW, when using the 90mm lens, I get internal reflection from the inside polished wood that makes the frame that the back attaches to. I have had to cover it temporarily with black felt and I will probably paint the inside with flat textured black paint or cover it with black telescope flocking paper.

[Gem Singer]

Hey Westley,

I just finished explaining that the Shen Hao doesn't have a rotating back.

It has a reversible back.

[wclavey]

Hey Westley,

I just finished explaining that the Shen Hao doesn't have a rotating back.

It has a reversible back.

yes, sorry, my mistake...

[noci]

thanks for all the answers! It seems I'll get the bag bellows with it, then...

Also, does anyone happen to know whether the fuji instant holders (pa 145 and 45, the latter I'm interested in more and more) do in fact work with the back?

kind regards,

Max

[noci]

well, finally assembled almost all of the gear but the bag bellows - as previous posters mentioned, for a 90 they really seem advisable. Movements are possible with the standard bellows, but they make the front and back standard strain against each other in certain positions. The standard groundglass of the TZB is sort of dim towards the corners when using my caltar 90 4.5.. I find a homemade plastic fresnel addon to be a great improvement that lessens the (albeit expected) center hot spot effect. The Fuji instant backs fit just fine, though really press up against the springs, so I'll probably take off the GG most of the time. Same for the Wista 6x9 holder.
Thanks again for all of your helpful previous posts - in the end, I agree with Mick:
"I believe it is a value for money camera, well built and should give you a life time of use." It is well made, indeed.. I was lucky enough to find one used, and it stood up well.
I'll post pictures to my gallery once I return from a longer trip, where I'll hopefully get lots of LF opportunities ;P

[gliderbee]

Just found these messages, and I have a further question:

I have a ShenHao TZ45-IIA and would like to get a rollfilm back. Which one would you guys recommend ?

As I understand it, I'll have to remove the groundglass each time I'll be using the rollfilm back; is that right ? That means each time again putting the groundglass back for the next picture if composition changes, right ? Are there any rollfilm backs that can be slided in like a standerd film holder ?

Thanks,

Stefan.

[RmFrase]

I also have the Shen Hao TZ45 IIB, and have been using the Fuji Quickloader and just recently bought the PA-45 Instant back from Badger and it fits perfectly.

I also have a 90mm and a 210mm lens

-R

[noci]

yes there are slide-under-the-gg roll film holders but they are pretty expensive I think.. I think Linhof produced some, too, but can't really remember.

taking off the gg on the shen is not a real hassle.. I personally don't mind working that way, as I usually move on after having taken a shot,.,.,