Movements of the Anba Ikeda 4x5 field camera?

[Alex_B]

Hi,
I am new to this forum, and from Europe where it seems sometimes hard to get lightweight wooden field cameras.

Currently I am looking for a 4x5 similar to the Tachihara (which also appears hard to get at the moment), and found an Anba Ikeda for sale online. Does anyone here know about the movements possible with this camera?

Cheers,
Alex

[Richard Wasserman]

Take a look here, it is basically the same camera— http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/nagaoka_1.html

[Tim Meisburger]

I don't think it is the same as a Tachihara. It lacks front shift, but has rise, front and rear swing and tilt. They are very light. If you are looking to use a lot of movement you would probably prefer something more modern.

[Bill_1856]

Some of them have front swing, but some don't.

[goodfood]

The max extension on mine is 270mm.

[Joseph Dickerson]

Alex,

I once borrowed an Ikeda for a short period of time. I found it not very reassuring, it felt very flimsy. I really didn't like the way the movements worked, especially the swings. I returned it and bought an Osaka, which is a much superior camera. I was able to compare the Osaka and the Tachihara for an article I was working on, and they are indeed clones of one another.

Many people have stated in response to similar questions that the Ikeda and the Tachihara, or Wista, or Osaka, or Horseman, or ????, are identical cameras. I strongly believe these folks have only seen the Ikeda, if even that. Even the most cursory comparison will convince you that they are very different in build quality and design.

I know there are happy Ikeda users, just as there were probably people who loved their Yugo, but I would never be happy with one.

I believe that Robert White in the UK is a dealer for the Shen Hao, as is Badger Graphics in the US. Nicely made and pretty solid little camera, but I don't know what the logistics of getting one from the UK or US to where you are would be.

JD

[Oren Grad]

Many people have stated in response to similar questions that the Ikeda and the Tachihara, or Wista, or Osaka, or Horseman, or ????, are identical cameras. I strongly believe these folks have only seen the Ikeda, if even that. Even the most cursory comparison will convince you that they are very different in build quality and design.

The 4x5 Ikeda and the earlier versions of the 4x5 Nagaoka are close cousins, but not identical. Later 4x5 Nagaokas are different.

The basic 4x5 Tachihara and the 4x5 Osaka are essentially the same camera, but different from the Ikeda/Nagaoka. The 4x5 Tachihara has been built in a variety of structural and cosmetic variants.

The Horseman Woodman 45 has some similarities to some later versions of the 4x5 Nagaoka.

There are many models of the 4x5 Wista, with varying features and cosmetics. All of them are different from any of the above cameras.

The construction details and quality of these various cameras have changed over time, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.

A side note: the "clone" relationships among these brands are somewhat different in the 5x7 and 8x10 formats.

It is difficult to give definitive advice solely on the basis of the brand of one of these cameras.

[Gary Beasley]

I had an Anba for a while, yes very flimsy but it will shoot a 65mm lens on a flat lensboard. You just have to remember to move the rear standard up to the front so you don't get the rails in the picture.

[Alex_B]

Thank you all for your valuable replies!

I actually decided against the camera I found on ebay.

(So right now I am more likely to decide for Tachihara/Osaka or Wista.)

[Alex_B]

I believe that Robert White in the UK is a dealer for the Shen Hao, as is Badger Graphics in the US. Nicely made and pretty solid little camera, but I don't know what the logistics of getting one from the UK or US to where you are would be.

JD

Thanks, from the US it can be a pain, with extra tax/customs and also shipping is more expensive ans slow.
From the UK things are simple, within Europe there is no customs, and shipping is not complicated either. Robert White is certainly a good address :)