8 x 10 camera used in David Burdeny clip?

[joshdaskew]

Was just watching a video on bwvision.com and came across this little clip of David Burdeny... Anyone know what 10 x 8 camera that is that he is using in Dubai? Thanks.

http://www.bwvision.com/videos/

[vinny]

oops

[Colin Graham]

That looks like a Walker in the clip> http://www.walkercameras.com/XL_8x10.html

[Daniel Stone]

walker titan xl 8x10.

kick ass camera, got the chance to fondle one here in LA, they're terrific cameras. Well built(like a tank), but surpisingly light, and easy to work with. Very straight forward design. All the movements can be 'trued' up, even from under the darkcloth. Especially when you don't need rear movements ;). Great for architecture, or straight-on work, like in the clip from the 1st post.

-Dan

[joshdaskew]

Nice one, had seen these cameras before but didn't know that there was an 8 x 10 version floating around. Thanks for the info.

[Paul O]

I can vouch for the Walker-made cameras having moved to the 5x7 XL Wide after using 5x4 Ebony's for a number of years. They are rock solid and yet surprisingly lightweight. There is absolutley no play in any of the movements and the camera has a reassuringly "grippy" coating that aids handling. All Walkers feature interchangeable bellows too. When Mike Walker first manufactured the Titan range he confidently stated that with the bellows removed you could boil his cameras with absolutely no ill effects whatsoever! Haven't tried it yet!
David Burdeny ahs an excellent website too - http://www.davidburdeny.com/

[joshdaskew]

Can someone explain this comment to me that is regarding the Walker XL cameras....

has a " fixed back which addresses the inevitable problem that afflicts all view cameras when used with extreme wide angle lenses, namely parallelism of the front and rear standards; critical depth of focus declines as focal length diminishes as does the need for swings and tilts. "

Don't all view cameras have a fixed back when they have been zeroed and locked off?

How is that even any different to my current Chamonix or earlier Linhof Tech's that I have had? Apart from the fact that I can actually move the back when I want to?

Thanks Josh

[Frank Petronio]

It means it is a solid block without any pivots or knobs or anything, there is no provision for moving the back at all, it is 90 degrees to the lens axis no matter what.

Most other cameras have backs you can tilt, swing, shift... and better ones lock down tightly and have zeroed detents (really good ones have adjustable detents) but even so, having a joint always introduces a weak spot.

In practical use it hardly matters -- here the advantage to a fixed back is weight, cost, complexity, and bulk -- it makes it an easier camera to pack.

It's like a single speed bike mentality....

[Daniel Stone]

Josh,

the back standard on the Walker cameras is fixed, no movements WHATSOEVER. this "aids" in helping the photog to be able to confidently know that there lines are going to be straight, as long as the lens doesn't have any forward tilt :p, and is level on both axis'.

basically, its one less thing the photographer has to worry about when 'straightening' things up vertical-lines wise.

-Dan