I'm not sure if it's a popular size, but can I get some 5x7 camera recommendations?

[tdicorcia]

K.B. Canham is putting together a bulk order right now for Ektachrome 100 in 5x7 -- 50-sheet boxes. https://www.facebook.com/K-B-Canham-...1324393576850/

[tdicorcia]

My Toyo-View 57G with bag bellows. Added a 5x7 rear standard to my Toyo-View 45G. It took a while to locate the 5x7 parts. Toyo (Sakai) discontinued 5x7 some time ago. The format was never very popular in Japan and film choices here are even more limited than in the U.S. or Europe. But, as I have no enlarger, and I like contact prints, 5x7 suits my needs. The Toyo-View is very solid, very flexible, and very precise, but not very portable. So, I have an old B&J box camera, fixed focus, wide angle camera that is 5x7. And I have two native half-plate (4.75x6.5 inch) cameras that I hope to convert to 5x7 -- a Toyo Sakai metal field camera and an unmarked Japanese wooden field camera. Pictured is my Toyo-View 57G

[manfrominternet]

Has anyone ever shot 5x8? Since 8x10 film is so readily available, it seems as though it would be easier to purchase any of the available 8x10 film, cut it in half to 5x8 (or even 4x10) with a rotatrimmer and shoot it that way.

On a piece of paper, I drew out the various film sizes - 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 - and noticed that 5x7 isn't really that much bigger than 4x5. Even though it's only 1" wider than 5x7, 5x8 really starts to feel like a larger negative.

I guess what I'm really asking is what is the biggest bang for your buck (or rather what is the largest film size I can use per dollar).

[manfrominternet]

Also, is the Linhof Super Technika V 5x7 really that bad of a camera for landscape photography? I know someone who is selling one and is willing to give me a pretty good deal for it.

I know the camera is heavy, but is it easy to set up quickly? Can I leave the lens on the camera when it's folded?

[Delfi_r]

The Linhof Super Technika V 5x7 it's a great camera. If you chose lenses that can be folded (some need to be reversed to close the camera) you can put a camera on your tripod and have it on infinity in seconds. You can mount a 72 mm lens and a 450 mm lens with the internal focusing rail and the triple extension of the main rail. Wen extended you should fix it to the tripod by the main bed so it's better handled. I have one, my first large format camera, and it's my all purpose camera, even I have other cameras.

[manfrominternet]

The Linhof Super Technika V 5x7 it's a great camera. If you chose lenses that can be folded (some need to be reversed to close the camera) you can put a camera on your tripod and have it on infinity in seconds. You can mount a 72 mm lens and a 450 mm lens with the internal focusing rail and the triple extension of the main rail. Wen extended you should fix it to the tripod by the main bed so it's better handled. I have one, my first large format camera, and it's my all purpose camera, even I have other cameras.

Thank you for this info!

So it looks like I'm down to 4 cameras. I hope I'm not annoying the LF community to death with this, but if someone can help me narrow this down, it'd be much appreciated.

1.) Chamonix 58N (5x8) - It's a horizontal format only. I like the idea of a 5x8 camera because 8x10 color film is more readily available. I suppose I can cut 8x10 film down to 5x8 with a rotary trimmer. The aspect ratio looking too much like a 35mm camera's and the fact holders are $200 is of concern, but hey, it's 5x8!
2.) Linhof Super Technika V (5x7) - It's heavy, but I move my camera gear remotely on a wheeled backpack. I can apparently leave a lens on it while closing/opening it, meaning I can take a photo relatively quickly, which is a huge plus. The rear easily converts to portrait from landscape orientation as well. I'm already in the Linhof ecosystem with my Technikardan 45S and all my lens boards are Technikas.
3.) Chamonix 57N (5x7) - Horizontal only. This is the least expensive. 5x7 color negatives might be difficult to get, but the camera looks great.
4.) Chamonix 57Fs-2 (5x7) - This one is by far the most expensive option. Has both portrait and landscape orientation for the ground glass. It's also pretty light and easy to use.

In all honesty, I'm leaning towards either the Linhof Super Technika V (5x7) because the person I know who is selling it is giving me a really great deal for it or the Chamonix 58N (5x8) because of how readily available 8x10 film is. While I haven't seen either camera in person, they both look great. If anyone can nudge me a bit further towards one of these cameras (or the other two that I mentioned), that'd be extremely helpful.

[rfesk]

I would make sure the Super Technika V has front swing. Older Technika's didn't.

[Roger Beck]

"My Deardorff doesn't have enough swings/tilts/bellows/rise/shift and its too heavy and too big" said no one ever.

[paulbarden]

"My Deardorff doesn't have enough swings/tilts/bellows/rise/shift and its too heavy and too big" said no one ever.

I rarely take my 8x10 Deardorff out anymore, precisely because it is too heavy to truck up and down steep terrains.

[John Kasaian]

I rarely take my 8x10 Deardorff out anymore, precisely because it is too heavy to truck up and down steep terrains.

But a 5x7 'dorff is the same size as a 4x5 'dorff---only the back is different, except for one rare model, IIRC, built to skirt some restriction imposed by a World's Fair. I wish Ken Hough's Deardorff Historical Website was still up!