I've accidentally started my LF journey with best camera for me ... or have I?

[JaZ99]

No camera is perfect -- your Crown is a great place to start. If you change cameras ($$$) over a little thing like the front tilt then you're never gonna find one which meets ALL your needs.

That's why I created this thread. To make sure that there is no better camera for me.

I'm a happy Crown Graphic user, if you want more movements, you might look at the Toyo field models, and the Toyo CF.

Toyo CF cannot accommodate the grafmatic holder (I've asked the APUG seller, so I'm pretty sure it is true).

Why do you think that the 4x5 Crown Graphic is "very limited for moderate wide angle?" I ask because the camera's minimum flange-to-film distance is 52.4 mm. So it will focus, e.g., the 45/4.5 Apo-Grandagon to infinity with mm to spare. Not only that, the bed drops and the inner and outer bed rails are linked so focusing a lens that makes infinity with the front standard on the inner rails is easy.

I was talking about movements for wide angle. The problem is not the flange distance but front standard design and hard or no access to the locking screws.

[mdarnton]

If wide angle movements are going to be a consideration, then you need to get a small view camera of some sort, not a press camera of any type. We all have our faves of those. I think Cambo offers the most camera, bar none, for the money (a full-bore modern modular view camera with all the bells and whistles for under $200), but it's a bit big. Something like a Nagoaka would work, at 3X+ the price, but when squeezed tight won't have as many movements as a real view with a bag bellows.

[Bill_1856]

JaZ99, I have (and use) a Crown Graphic, Busch Pressman, Super Graphic, and Linhof Technika, (as well as several tripod mounted 4x5s). There's a lot to be said for each of them, but since you've already got the Crown I don't think it's worth changing.

[Jim Jones]

. . . That's why I created this thread. To make sure that there is no better camera for me. . . .

There is always a better camera somewhere, but we have to stop searching and concentrate on shooting sometime. Bill is right in the above post.

[JaZ99]

we have to stop searching and concentrate on shooting sometime

Amen!

Thank you all for comments and informations.

[graywolf]

What is bothering me:
* no front forward tilt for wide angle lenses and very limited for moderate wide angle

You do have forward tilt! Just mount the camera upsidedown on the tripod.

The easiest way to do that is by using the tripod socket under the strap and tilting the tripod head 90 degrees to the side.

[EdSawyer]

Reversing the front standard for tilt is one option, but only if you dont' use the rangefinder. Another might be to swap the front standard from a super graphic or super speed graphic to the Crown. Apparently it's easily done and offers a lot more movements.

Another good camera that is great with wide-angles (even better than the crown possibly) is the Meridian 45. (45A, B, or C were the versions). It also has back movements like the Technika, but it's lighter and more wide-angle friendly.

[Sirius Glass]

I think a hand holdable LF camera is the best of both worlds.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Meridian 45B is late 1940's metal folder that has extensive moves, weighs 5lbs, folds with substantial lenses stored inside and unreversed. It's really good for wide angles with an inner focusing rail. Has posts for back moves similar to a Deardorff Triamapro or Linhof Technika of the same era. Synthetic bellows that hold up extremely well, unlike leather bellows of Busch cameras. I've seen them selling for a pittance, recently. One thing it doesn't have is a Universal or Graflok back, but this never stopped me from using it with a Grafmatic or a Quickload back (some short spacer blocks or washers are all that is needed).

[Rael]

A couple years ago, I made up a little video on flipping the front standard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAoHIZl9MR0

If your crown has a graflex back, any holder can be used with it. It can also have a metal folding shade. Some graflexes have metal shades, others have 3 sided flip down/up shades with cloth sides.

I really like graflexes. I'd use a crown, but I need the builtin shutter of the speed graphics as I have a taste for old and non shuttered lenses.

I just tried this, and then discovered that with the mod, I couldn't close the camera because the reversed knob hits the range finder focus control inside the camera...bummer.