What Field Camera Can Take Extreme Wide Angle Lenses?

[Mike Foster]

Hi,

I want a field camera to use extreme wide angle lenses like the Apo Grandagon 35 . But the ones I have looked at like the Toyo 45AII and Horseman 45FA cannot use such extreme wide angle lenses or with special recessed lens board, which I do not like. Also another problem is the flat bed gets in view.

I will shot mainly 6x9 with a roll film holder but I want 4x5 capability too.

Can you please recommend a camera that will fit my needs?

Thank you very much.

[Doug Paramore]

Mike: Have you looked on the main page at the write-ups on the various cameras? There is quite a bit of info on different brands there. This doesn't answer your question directly, but it will give you a place to start. There is a lot of good info there.

Regards,

[Wayne_6692]

Checkout the Walker XL - it's specialised and will only handle between 35mm and 180mm I believe.

[heidis]

Check www.ebonycamera.com - Ebony makes a 4x5 model that is lightweight and constructed especially for wide angle use. (RW45, I think.) The construction and quality of Ebony puts to shame the other wood field cameras. They're sold in the US by Badger Graphic in Wisconsin. More expensive than most but WELL worth every penny.

[heidis]

Correction, it's the SW45 that I was thinking of. It will take 35mm (with 10mm recessed lensboard) up to 180mm lenses, or up to a 400mm tele with an available back extender.

[Trevor Crone]

Has Danny correctley states the Ebony SW45. I use it with the 35 in 69 and 612 (just about). The bellows are flexable enough to allow full movements with the 35 on a 10mm recessed board. Regards,

[N Dhananjay]

The old Meridian press camera, the 45B version might be something to look at, though they do seem hard to come by. The rear standard sits on a focussing rail and that obviates a lot of the difficulaty typically associated with wides on fields. I estimate it should accomodate at least a 45 mm lens or thereabouts. Good luck. DJ

[andrea milano]

Hi Mike, The most practical camera is for sure the Walker Wideangle model, as previously said, It is a superior camera and even the Ebony cannot match the confort of this camera, great stuff! Greetings,

[Paul Schilliger]

The Toyo VX-125 with recessed Linhof or Toyo field adapter can take a 35 mm with movements. And up, to a 300 mm normal lens. All with one single universal bellows. The recessed adapter takes normal lensboards. I am very pleased with it. But the overall size of it is rather large, if you are loo king for a compact camera.

[Julio Fernandez]

The Linhof Master Technika. David Muench has used it with 47mm WA for a long time. I believe that with the Linhof wideangle focusing adapter you can put a 35mm lens, however I do not think that any 35mm lens will adequately cover 4X5. Even with the Super Angulon 47mm XL, movements are severely restricted by the limited IC. By the way, with the Technika you do not need to replace the bellows as you do in many cameras when you want to use very wide angle lenses.

[Mike Foster]

Hi there,

Thank you for all your advise. It seems there are three cameras to consider:-

Walker Wide Ebony SV45 Toyo VX125

I checked the Toyo web site and it says that the shortest lens that can be used is a 45mm even with a recessed lens board. How can you use a 35 then?

All these cameras are expensive apart from the Walker. But if I get the Walker I am nervous about getting a camera from a very, very small company and the future resale value of it. Also I can't find a place to get the Walker here in the US.

As for the Ebony, it seems way overpriced for a wooden camera. And frankly I had never before heard of Ebony. How sturdy is this wooden camera? Is this camera really as good as the nice people here say it is?

Is there an option to use a field camera with a bag bellows? Would that work? I saw that Calumet has a Zone VI that you can get a bag bellows. Also I think Wista has the same option. What do you think?

Thanks again!!!

[Paul Schilliger]

"I checked the Toyo web site and it says that the shortest lens that can be used is a 45mm even with a recessed lens board. How can you use a 35 then? "

Mike, I measured a 25 mm minimal lensboard to film distance on the VX-125 with t he 40 mm recessed adapter. At this compression, the bellows allows for 5 mm of shift or rise. At 35 mm, you ca n use 40 mm of rise or fall: much more than what you need with a 35 mm. The universal bellows is quite amazing on this camera.

[andrea milano]

Mike, I've met Mike Walker the builder of this camera and was impressed by his personality and by his product. Mike walker is a photographer who turned camera builder. As far a large format cameras go he features among the best builders in the world. To tell you the truth, Ebony is a class A product and surely will appeal anybody if re-selling the camera but why should you resell a camera like that? Ebony is made of precious wood and the metal work is spectacular. Makes a great looker on the shelf, if that's your kind of kick, as much as being a perfect instrument. The Walker is a photographer's camera, it is made of ABS and stainless steel, the best workmanship which is so typical of english products, build to last a lifetime, you can drop it ito a river and just dry it out(please keep the lens dry!!!!!) and keep on working. If you want a camera which you can use and take the occasional bash go for this one. The Ebony is as good but a little too expensive to risk it on wild trips. That's all. By the way I am in the process of importing a chinese camera the Shenahao, made of teak and brass with Titanium coating, wideangle bellows, shift(vertical and Horizontal on the back), you will be hearing a lot , soon, about this. Greetings

[tim atherton]

>Also I can't find a place to get the Walker here in the US.

Try here for probably a very good price (well recomended by other list members - in the UK, but excellent and the US dollar is strong!):

http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/ http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/walker.htm (seems to work out around $1300?) (and he also has the ebony).

or here (US)

http://www.bromwell.com/bromcat011.htm http://www.bromwell.com/bromwell.htm

+ this is where you can get the BOSSCREENS for those who were discussing it

And note, large format cameras often were and still are made by small companies. Eg Canham, Gandolfi (yet they have been around for over 100 years), Phillips, and a hundred companies of yore that aren't around any more etc etc. If the camera is good to start of with, it will resell. Parts for obselete cameras are usually easily made by good repairmen/women or machinists. Don't worry about it.

Tim A

[tim atherton]

+ all the details you want here:

http://www.walkercameras.com/wwagen.htm

[Wayne_6692]

If you buy a Walker camera from Bromwell (and maybe some others) you will get European prices on Schneider lenses as part of the package. You can save the price of the camera if you buy 2-3 lenses. The prices on lenses on Mike's site are only for previous customers - become a customer. I have a Titan, it's an excellent camera. His latest model, the XL, was not on his site when I last visited. The XL is specially designed for use with short lenses, the back is fixed so that alignment between the standards is simplified.

[andrea milano]

Well, everything has been said about the Walker(s), I might just add that The company which sell bosscreen is a Dutch company called stabilix, they sell direct at about half of the price of re-sellers (140 Guilders + tax and shipping) their telephone number is +31 (0)70 3970061 I am not aware of any site, will check on it.

[Bob Salomon]

The Linhof Master Technika 2000 (not the other models) takes the 35mm with full movement.

So does the Linhof Technikardan.

On the TK a deeply recessed lensboard and a bag bellows are required. On the 200 0 neither a recessed board or a different bellows is needed.

Some Wista models easily get down to 45mm with a recessed board.

[Mike Foster]

Bob,

The Linhof Master Technika 2000 sounds nice. Is there anywhere on the web I can learn more about it?

Also what is the price of it?

Thanks.

[Paul Schilliger]

"The Linhof Master Technika 2000 (not the other models) takes the 35mm with full movement. "

Bob, can you tell us what movements are available with a 35 or 47mm? (what is di fferent from a classic Master or Tech V?) Thanks!

[Bob Salomon]

We can mail brochures on the Technikas in the US and the factory can mail them to anyone outside the US.

The price is what your dealer sells it for since we are a distributor and not a retailer.

The movements of the 2000 are exactly the same as the Master Technika. The difference is that instead of a built-in rangefinder the 2000 has a built-in wide angle focusing sysytem in the body. The Master needs an accessory wide angle focusing device for lenses from 55 to 65 and can't properly use shorter lenses without losing alignment.

[Paul Schilliger]

Thanks, Bob. If I refer to my Tech V, there are no direct lens shift or fall ava ilable and very limited lens rise. All movements other than lens rise must be accomplished by pulling the back extensio ns and working with front and back swings and tilts. Feasible but rather off-putting. The camera is right for straight photography though, and an excellent allrounder. Very stable with long lenses.

[Bob Salomon]

"Thanks, Bob. If I refer to my Tech V, there are no direct lens shift or fall av ailable and very limited lens rise. All movements other than lens rise must be accomplished by pu lling the back extensions and working with front and back swings and tilts. Feasible but rather off-putting. The camera is right for straight photography though, and an excellent allrounder. Ve ry stable with long lenses. "

Take another look at your V. The accessory shoe on top of the camera is unscrewe d with a large nut just inside the body. That leaves a tripod socket on top of the body so you can mount the camera that way and get lens drop rather then rise.

All V and Master technika cameras have front shift. Why doesn't yours?

[Ellis Vener]

Look at the Canham DLC as well. With the Technika to Canham board adapter and the recessed linhof board for the 47mm Super Angulon I've had no problems and enough movements on the front and rear. I cannot speak directly to the situation for the 35mm APO Grandagon.

There is also the ArcaSwiss FC camera.

I just read the review of the Walker XL camera in "View Camera" and as most impressed. As long as you don't need rear movements or ever want to use lenses longer than 150mm, it sounds like a fine choice.

[Bob Salomon]

"I just read the review of the Walker XL camera in "View Camera" and as most imp ressed. As long as you don't need rear movements or ever want to use lenses longer than 150 mm, it sounds like a fine choice. "

Or do macro or close ups.

[Paul Schilliger]

All V and Master technika cameras have front shift. Why doesn't yours?

Oh yes it has! But with a 90mm and below the front shift can be from none to a m ax of 10 mm, average 5 mm depending on the front standard position between the two arms. Is the 2000 any b etter in that respect?

As for the flying upside down camera, yes, this provides even a shelter for the lens in the rainy days!