Inexpensive 4x5 field cameras

[Ben]

I've looked at Wista 45, Toyo 45 and the Intrepid 3d-printed black edition. Both Wista and Toyo seem to retail used for about $300 used in good condition. The Intrepid 3d-printed black edition is over $400 new.

- What is your preference of the three models?

- Are there any 4x5 field cameras that sell for even less than these?

[Greg Y]

Ben, In my opinion, if you're getting into LF, you're better off not looking for the cheapest, but look for a solid 'average' camera. Wista, & Toyo, as well as older model Linhofs,... or wood fields like Tachihara, Zone VI, are all good bets. You might find a cheaper one.....& then find out that it needs repairs or new bellows....& any savings are lost. You may find something cheaper in monorail cameras like the Calumet, or even the minimalist Calumet Cadet.

[Lachlan 717]

What’s your intended use? This is important.

[Mark Sampson]

The price of the camera alone is not the whole story. You must also factor in the cost of a used lens (less than they used to be), tripod, film holders, focusing cloth, light meter, etc.
But both the Wista and Toyo are fine cameras with long track records... i'm not familiar with the Intrepid.

[r.e.]

If you do an Advanced Search on this forum for "Intrepid camera", title only, you'll discover that there's been a fair amount of discussion about them. Also, a few have come up for sale used.

The same applies to the Wista and Toyo, except that there will be more threads about them.

There are also quite a few videos about Intrepid cameras on YouTube, and the company has a channel of its own.

[Bernice Loui]

$ of camera should not be the only deciding factor.

What are the image goals, lenses required to achieve these image goals then the camera required to support this.

Seems there was a previous post about wide angle lens choice of Nikkor -vs- Fujinon 90mm lenses. If this is one of the lens focal lengths to be used (90mm)
most light weight field folders should be ok with this focal length_with limited camera movements. This will limit the ability to fully utilize the image circle capability of these 90mm wide angle lenses. On balance, if the image goals do not require full image capability of these lenses, virtually any field folder should be ok. Decide on ALL possible lens focal lengths before even the starting the venture of camera choice. If a longer than normal focal length lens is needed, say 300mm this could be a serious limitation for a field folder (many recent LFF discussion about this problem with light weight field folders). If significant camera movements are required, this would be another very serious limitation for a field folder.

It is crucial to know what the image goals are, then what lenses are required before venturing into any camera choice. IMO, stay way from the current fashion of low buck start up view cameras. While their entry $ appears to be low, long term these might not be a wise choice.. They do and can offer a some-what low cost entry to the doing view camera. It is wiser in the long run to get a GOOD (not cosmetic, functional) view camera from one of the long time view camera brands like Toyo, Sinar, Horseman, Arca Swiss and similar. Know it is very difficult to assess the quality and capability of any view camera for one beginning the LF view camera journey as the knowledge, skills, demands have not yet been properly or fully developed to fully exploit what any view camera/lens and all related is capable of. Those that have been at this view camera stuff for decades and have pushed any view camera/lens and all related to their absolute limits will have a different set of needs, expectations and demands from any view camera system.


Bernice

I've looked at Wista 45, Toyo 45 and the Intrepid 3d-printed black edition. Both Wista and Toyo seem to retail used for about $300 used in good condition. The Intrepid 3d-printed black edition is over $400 new.

- What is your preference of the three models?

- Are there any 4x5 field cameras that sell for even less than these?

[_tf_]

When I decided to give 4x5 a go a couple of years back, even though my primary interest is in landscape, I got a monorail camera. I wanted a camera that would allow me to fully explore the movements (I had had lot of fun with a 6x9 field camera by then, so had some idea about the limitations of that design). Monorail isn't very practical choice for carrying about, but I am glad I went down that route initially because it really opened my eyes to the possibilities. This summer I got the wooden Interpid as a second camera because of it's weight and because it takes standard Technika lensboards (as I think all the cameras on your list do).

I am happy enough with it, it's fine for most of the things I do. It doesn't have any scales, so e.g., it's difficult to reproduce existing setups, and I have to take care with properly locking the front swing, the screw has to be really tight. But it is light, packs well, and the ground glass is bright enough, and there are some nice touches, like the little spirit levels. The movements with a 90mm lens are very limited by the bellows (I expect you might get some small variation between different folders depending on the quality of the bellows, but movements at wide angle need bag bellows really). But most of the time the Interpid is more than enough for what I indented to do, and when I have a specific image in mind that I know will need more movements, I take the monorail (or sometimes make a note to come back to the same place with the monorail ). The thing is you can have any number of cameras that take the same lensboards, and you can upgrade your camera at will later, the initial investment in 4x5 is primarily the lenses, and film holders, and depending on the size of the camera a tripod upgrade (the intrepid is light enough to work with standard tripod designed for a DSLR).

[Bob Salomon]

When I decided to give 4x5 a go a couple of years back, even though my primary interest is in landscape, I got a monorail camera. I wanted a camera that would allow me to fully explore the movements (I had had lot of fun with a 6x9 field camera by then, so had some idea about the limitations of that design). Monorail isn't very practical choice for carrying about, but I am glad I went down that route initially because it really opened my eyes to the possibilities. This summer I got the wooden Interpid as a second camera because of it's weight and because it takes standard Technika lensboards (as I think all the cameras on your list do).

I am happy enough with it, it's fine for most of the things I do. It doesn't have any scales, so e.g., it's difficult to reproduce existing setups, and I have to take care with properly locking the front swing, the screw has to be really tight. But it is light, packs well, and the ground glass is bright enough, and there are some nice touches, like the little spirit levels. The movements with a 90mm lens are very limited by the bellows (I expect you might get some small variation between different folders depending on the quality of the bellows, but movements at wide angle need bag bellows really). But most of the time the Interpid is more than enough for what I indented to do, and when I have a specific image in mind that I know will need more movements, I take the monorail (or sometimes make a note to come back to the same place with the monorail ). The thing is you can have any number of cameras that take the same lensboards, and you can upgrade your camera at will later, the initial investment in 4x5 is primarily the lenses, and film holders, and depending on the size of the camera a tripod upgrade (the intrepid is light enough to work with standard tripod designed for a DSLR).

Or, get a folding monorail like the Technikardan.
But it’s not inexpensive.

[Tin Can]

Every camera is specialized. even the cheapest

Almost every user changes camera/lens/etc as they figure the game out

Buy, learn, sell, repeat

[Greg Y]

Every camera is specialized. even the cheapest

Almost every user changes camera/lens/etc as they figure the game out

Buy, learn, sell, repeat

Maybe. With new(er) LF users there seems to be a carryover from small cameras especially digital... the buy/upgrade cycle... that involves shopping & changing gear. You can very easily buy a view camera.....& just use it. As an example the Toyo 45A is a professional model & although i've never owned one, a colleague has used the same one for 25+ years professionally. I used a '38 Deardorff 5x7 for at least a decade. A single box of 50 sheets of Kodak TX costs $150. Why scrimp on the camera...they are a bargain. Just buy a used pro model view camera. Jay Dusard still uses his Kodak 8x10 Masterview. Bernice Loui makes some really great points related to LF photography in general.....
If you're on the North American continent... or further...... any problems with your Intrepid (cheap) or Gibellini (expensive) will kill you in shipping & time.
Another upside of not buying the cheapest is that you might luck into a local sale and get more than you expected. Or you might buy a camera that appreciates....like an Ebony, (if you had bought it 10+ yrs ago) or an R.H. Phillips. Or you might stumble on a multi format camera like the Deardorff or Canham or Chamonix that will take both 5x7 and 4x5 backs. In many cases of looking for the cheapest, the old saw "pennywise, pound foolish" may apply.