Opinions wanted - Easiest 4x5 field camera to focus.

[AuditorOne]

My 4x5 Crown or my 4x5 Graflex are pretty easy to focus. Different systems but they both work extremely well.

When I first started using 4x5 I went for monorails as I believed they would be much easier to change lenses on and still focus. After about a year I realized I was still using the same 150 Schneider I started with. I went and bought a nice Crown and have been perfectly happy. A slightly wider view but very fast to work with, especially if you use a Grafmatic.

[ryanmills]

Odd. I don't know how a Sinar would vibrate unless you are either using a substandard tripod and head, or if it is in fact an Alpina, which does not use the standard
rail. Sinar F's compact rather easily for travel in a briefcase - that's how they were designed; but there are 4x5 folders which are even more compact. Technikas
are basically clamshell design "technical" cameras (sorta a half-breed between a view camera and a press camera), as is the similar but much more affordable Horseman FA, something you might look into if you work in somewhat wide to just somewhat longer than "normal" focal lengths. Lighter than the Technika and likewise beautifully made, but without the triple extension rack.

Camera is on a very solid, very old metal tripod that has to weight 15+ pounds. I use it just for the weight. It does not move. The F1 and F2 have much better standards, mine is the very cheapest one they make it does not have the standards you can replace or upgrade to a 8x10. Its not a huge vibration either but you can see it. I shoot a lot at sunset and by the time im nearly done im shooting at 1/30th to as much as a 1/2 on a 135mm lens. I need it to be pretty darn still. When i swap in a holder it shakes both the front and rear standards and I have to sit and wait. Would not matter for landscape but with portraits those seconds count. It does break down but its not friendly and the TSA took it out last time and back it back in with the standard twisted the wrong way, prob lucky it did not accordion out and have him drop it. He basically mashed it into the flight case trying to make it fit. So yea, smaller solid metal easy to fold camera is ideal and I talked to the Maxwell glass guy today and that looks like its going to be easy to do. You have a valid point in the triple rails. I do shoot with a 210mm sometimes and I have an extension rail for my Sinar for close ups. Its going to be the only major trade off with a folding camera. Since its coming down to replacing the glass im thinking either a toyo or a technika. See what I can fine. That Horseman FA looks like an option too, plenty in japan.

[Tin Can]

Uh, hand raised! I love Horseman and have way too many, but don't get an FA or HD, the lens boards are too small and you will regret it, particularly if it's your only camera. I have an HD and the smaller 6x9's that all use the 80mm lens board.

But I have other cameras also.

[jp]

It won't fold down as small as a field/speed, but a Graflex RB (such as a 4x5 Super D) SLR camera might work. The chimney hood is dark and lets you eyeball focus. You could use reading glasses if you needed modest rolleiflex-like focus magnification but it's probably not necessary. Downside is no any-speed x-sync or movements. With portraits, focus is more likely to be lost with subject movement rather than focusing error.

[Jim Noel]

I currently have a 4x5 Sinar F that I have used for about 2 years now. It was cheap and I can make it work but its not really ideal. I would prefer a field camera over a rail since I travel quite a bit. The biggest feature I need on the next camera is a brighter easier to focus ground glass. The sinar f I was using with a rather nice 135mm rodenstock apo-s was a challenge. Not sure if its the fault of the lens or ground glass but even at 5.6 it vignettes very hard and its hard to focus (even with a 10x loupe). I got to try an 8x10 master view and man that was easy to focus and see everything. Do I need to go up to a linhof technika or can I get a clean speed speed graffix and replace the ground glass? Hoping to spend around $1400, maybe more if I have too. Thoughts?

The coverage of your lens,not the ground glass is responsible for your vignetting. The cameras you mention will be more difficult to focus than the Sinar. I believe you are better off spending your money on a lens with larger image circle.

[Drew Wiley]

I've never even encountered a Sinar Alpina, but it's the only model of Sinar I can think of that did not use the tubular sectional rail. I've used true Sinar F's for decades of really rough conditions, including thousand of miles of mtn and desert backpacking, and exposures as long as an hour. Never an issue. I currently use
the even more rigid Sinar Norma system, which is interchangeable with all the F and P components. If TSA is going to trash your monorail, they might ruin a folder too. I carried on a couple of Pentax 6x7's, lenses, tripod etc etc this month and they never even opened the flight bag. Instead, they got in my wife's stuff, pried apart her laptop, left things all loose, and it was useless for the duration of the trip, and required repair plus a new battery. But it's been a long time since they opened up any bag with a view camera in it. Guess they have their marching orders what to be suspicious of. Or maybe I'm just starting to look too old and dumpy to worry them.

[Drew Wiley]

Regarding the Horseman FA - there are plenty of excellent small lenses within its limited bellows range that will fit their boards (though not necessarily close with the lens still on it, but that would be the case with Technika too). Just a suggestion, one among many.

[Richard Wasserman]

Just to chime in about the Horseman FA. I have one and like it a lot. It is my travel kit—FA with a Maxwell screen and 90, 135 and 210mm lenses. It folds very small and is light-weight. It does have it's limitations—don't we all— but most of them are pretty easy to work around. It doesn't do everything, but it does a lot. That said I also use a Technikardan when I need more versatility.

[ryanmills]

Just to chime in about the Horseman FA. I have one and like it a lot. It is my travel kit—FA with a Maxwell screen and 90, 135 and 210mm lenses. It folds very small and is light-weight. It does have it's limitations—don't we all— but most of them are pretty easy to work around. It doesn't do everything, but it does a lot. That said I also use a Technikardan when I need more versatility.

Im looking pretty strongly at the FA, do you find you have enough rails using a 210mm for headshots? Other than the screen thats the only thing im worried about.

[blindpig]

I have a Crown Graphic 4X5 with a"normal" 135mm lens and a slightly longer 180mm that I use for portraits. The camera came with a Fresnel lens attached to the ground glass and I wouldn't have it any other way.It's almost indestructible and I've punished it for over 45 years.
Just my $.02 worth...