Need Help Choosing a Chamonix 4x5

[westpost]

Macro photography is something I would leave to digital.

I will take this to heart. There are ways to go from digital file to wet plate.

[xkaes]

Unlike wood, you can thrash a monorail around and it won't fall apart...

A stereotype in the making.

Just like there are rugged monorails, there are rugged wooden folders. I've never babied my TOKO 4x5. It's taken plenty of beatings in the backcountry from Canada to Mexico -- and still works like it's new. I can only think of a couple of monorails that could have done what my "woodie" handled.

[Bob Kerner]

A stereotype in the making.

Just like there are rugged monorails, there are rugged wooden folders. I've never babied my TOKO 4x5. It's taken plenty of beatings in the backcountry from Canada to Mexico -- and still works like it's new. I can only think of a couple of monorails that could have done what my "woodie" handled.

That wasn't my intent. My point was, in general, they are durable machines and the OP shouldn't be too worried about the used market. I'd be more concerned, on the used market, about a wooden camera. My wooden field had a focusing knob tear off from the camera a few months after I got it....and it was made to order, so to speak. And it wasn't because I dropped it, either. I just think there are more caveat emptor issues with used wood than used metal. In general.....of course as long as last user wasn't hammering nails with the monorail

[narayan67v]

The 45N-2 is optimized for foldability and weight, but lacks some adjustments. Since I'm not bringing it backpacking, I think I would do better with a different model. The 45H-1 is meant for wide angle work, as per the website. So does that leave me with the 45F-2? I see that it has separate front controls for rise/fall and tilt, and asymmetric rear tilts. I know the rear adjustments are for architectural and landscape work, but don't know if they would help with macro photography. Are there other considerations that I am missing? I have found an earlier thread of the subject of how to choose a Chamonix 4x5, but since my requirements are different, I felt this warranted a separate post.9apps

[xkaes]

Rear tilt is mostly used to correct the perspective when the camera is tilted -- up or down. It's not just tall buildings -- although that is a good example. Tall trees are another -- think REDWOODS and CLIFFS.

With macro work, the camera is more likely to be pointed DOWN -- and creates the opposite problem. For many small subjects, that is not a big problem, but for others it is -- think jewelry, watches, stamps, any small objects that have "lines" and edges that you want to appear "normal". Pointing the camera down distorts that -- but can be corrected with the back tilt.

But MOST field cameras have more than adequate rear tilt -- forward and back.

[Alan Klein]

The 45N-2 is optimized for foldability and weight, but lacks some adjustments. Since I'm not bringing it backpacking, I think I would do better with a different model. The 45H-1 is meant for wide angle work, as per the website. So does that leave me with the 45F-2? I see that it has separate front controls for rise/fall and tilt, and asymmetric rear tilts. I know the rear adjustments are for architectural and landscape work, but don't know if they would help with macro photography. Are there other considerations that I am missing? I have found an earlier thread of the subject of how to choose a Chamonix 4x5, but since my requirements are different, I felt this warranted a separate post.

Did you check with Hugo Zhang at Chamonix?

[westpost]

Regarding monorail studio cameras, do they tend to have rotating or reversing backs? I can see from photos that the bellows all tend to be square, which is an indication that backs could — at least in theory — work in either orientation.

[Vaughan]

Regarding monorail studio cameras, do they tend to have rotating or reversing backs? I can see from photos that the bellows all tend to be square, which is an indication that backs could — at least in theory — work in either orientation.

Toyo made both types of 4x5 backs that are interchangeable: the rotating was often on deluxe models, the fixed on cheaper. None of the 5x7 or 8x10 backs rotate.

[Drew Wiley]

I wonder how many people here even bother with asymmetric or yaw-free controls. I have em on both my Sinar F and P components, but prefer the earlier Norma version, which doesn't even have that feature. It can be useful for speeding up studio tabletop photography; but otherwise, I haven't bothered with it for decades.

westpot - most monorails employ reversible vertical/horizontal backs, not rotating. Another fancy feature seldom used. I remember rotating backs on the old mahogany 4X5/5x7 Deardorff Special.

[Greg]

I wonder how many people here even bother with asymmetric or yaw-free controls. I have em on both my Sinar F and P components, but prefer the earlier Norma version, which doesn't even have that feature. It can be useful for speeding up studio tabletop photography; but otherwise, I haven't bothered with it for decades.

Agree 100%. I swear that I can set up my 4x5 Norma faster than my 4x5 X in the field. Though for shooting 8x10, I actually do prefer the P. I one time had a chance to shoot with a P that was modified to be an 11x14... thought it was a "pig" to set up and shoot with.