I'll also mention I've had good luck getting parts for my Chamonix 4x5, and Hugo was excellent help.
Kent in SD
I'll also mention I've had good luck getting parts for my Chamonix 4x5, and Hugo was excellent help.
Kent in SD
In contento ed allegria
Notte e di vogliam passar!
I've got an early model cherry Gibellini and I like it a lot, it's very solid. My friend has a new Gibellini 4"x5" and he loves it.
I have no experience with Chaminox but I hear they are great cameras.
Wrong thread pls delete
Thank you, Andrew, though I'd hardly call myself an expert in 8x10.
An expert in throwing away money, yes, I'll wear that hat. So if I can caution others, great.
Shhhhh, Ari. Your wife might hear!
We all waste money on gear at one time or another. I figure it's a lot less money than what our wives spend on products. I barely have room in the shower for a bottle of shampoo and a bar of soap. There are shampoos, conditioners, conditioners that preserve dyed hair, face wash, body wash, foot butter, etcetera etcetera, etcetera.
P.S. Don't try to butter your toast with the foot butter. It tastes as bad as developer!
Another +1 vote for Chamonix, I’ve got the 14x17, 8x10 and 4x5 versions. All are excellent. Customer service as mentioned before is top notch. Price is competitive. I’d give a pass on the Chamonix holders in 8x10, too expensive, and get new Toyo ones.
Just wanted to add one more note, lest anyone think I have an axe to grind wrt Gibellini:
No doubt Alessandro has some happy customers, I personally think they're the lucky ones.
After experiencing his service and the company's way of doing business, it seemed all very slap-dash and haphazard, with no one really listening to customers.
I try not to focus on my own experience only, but the larger attitude at Gibellini. They turn out some very good-looking cameras, but don't seem to be able to deal well with the problems they create through a lack of research and basic understanding of the average large-format user.
I have a Gibellini 4x5 and Chamonix in 4x5 and 8x10. The Chamonix cameras have been an amazing value and performance is excellent. In terms of customer service, I wish all companies were as good as Chamonix, I consider them to be the best in the biz. My experience with Gibellini has been on par with the other comments here, I regret buying it and wish that were not the case. Like others, I have light leaks, terrible bellows with lots of pinholes and as pretty as the camera is to look at, it is a PITA to use. It's all show and no go.
Get the Chamonix and consider it money very well spent and enjoy it!
there is a whole lot more to designing and building a camera that actually works correctly than merely making one that looks sexy.
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