Chamonix vs other <$1000 4X5 Field Cameras?

[Brian Ellis]

I've owned a Tachihara, a Shen-Hao, and now a Chamonix. The Chamonix weighs about what the Tachihara weighs (2 lbs lighter than the Shen Hao), has a longer bellows extension than either camera (about 15" vs 13" for the Tachihara and 12" for the Shen Hao unless you fiddle around with base and axis tilt on the Shen Hao to extend the bellows beyond the camera bed, which gains another 2" but which is a PITA to do and probably isn't very sturdy with a larger lens), has front axis tilt (vs base tilt only for the Tachihara and base + axis tilt for the Shen Hao but I didn't find it very easy to switch to axis tilt on the Shen Hao), has tripod sockets for both 1/4" and 3/8" tripod screw sizes (vs 1/4" only on the Tachihara and I don't remember on the Shen Hao), has a viewing screen that seems about the same as the Tachihara and Shen Hao (i.e. not as good IMHO as a Maxwell but pretty good), has bubbles for leveling and zeroing the front and back forward and backward and side-to-side (the Tachihara has no bubble levels, I don't remember the Shen Hao), comes in a very nice carrying cloth and with a ground glass protector (the Tachihara and Shen Hao have neither), and FWIW is IMHO a nicer looking camera.

My only complaints about the Chamonix after minimal usage are that there's no way to "stop" the back when raising it to make sure it's perpendicular to the camera bed other than by looking at the back bubble level as you place the camera back into position (or if there is I haven't found it). It also has kind of a "floppy" feel to it until it's set up and everything is locked down. By that I mean that unlike most wood field cameras the front standard isn't attached to the camera bed with a strut and knob. So when you first open the camera it's free to move up, down, and all around until you put the front standard in one of the holes in the bed. I also find the position of the control for locking and unlocking front tilt a little awkward. I haven't had any trouble adjusting to the position of the focusing knob.

My complaints are minor compared to what for me are the advantages of the Chamonix (mainly the longer bellows and front axis tilt) and at this point I prefer the Chamonix to either the Tachihara or the Shen Hao though it does cost about $100 more with shipping from China. I wouldn't take the "six month wait" as gospel without checking with Hugo. I received mine about two weeks after ordering it.

[Gordon Moat]

Almost three years with my Shen-Hao HZX45A-II. The only changes I made were to add a Satin Snow ground glass, and I made a wooden ground glass protector. I did move the rear locking lever to the other threaded hole, since I found it easier to pull to lock than push to lock that down. I use the rear movements quite often, so I don't know that I would find other similarly priced cameras as useful. I bought my Shen-Hao through Badger Graphic Sales in Wisconsin.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

[Joseph O'Neil]

Chances are your first camera will not be your last.

-snip-

Now isn't that the truth. In the past 12 years I've wandered through 6 different 4x5s, some of which I still have and use. However, if I popped back in tie 12 years ago and told myself i would go through that many cameras, no way I would believe it.

I suspect your choice will be highly influenced by what is actually available to you when you are ready to buy. I ended up buying a rosewood Tachihara for an $100 from Badger because that's all they had in stock at that time, but I've never looked back.

I've never used the Chamonix myself, but the one thing I can tell you is that the price of used wood field cameras in good shape, especailly on flea-bay, can be rather high, so there's an advantage to buying new, even if there is a wait.
good luck
joe

[Alan Davenport]

I know I'm a heretic, but I still subscribe to the philosophy that a camera -- any camera -- is simply a light-tight box, with a lens at one end and film at the other end.

If I were buying a new field camera today, I'd seriously consider the Chamonix, along with the Shen Hao, Tachihara, Walker and a few others. It really comes down to which camera you connect with...

[BarryS]

...
My only complaints about the Chamonix after minimal usage are that there's no way to "stop" the back when raising it to make sure it's perpendicular to the camera bed other than by looking at the back bubble level as you place the camera back into position (or if there is I haven't found it).

Brian-- If you slide out the two tabs on the bottom of the rear standard the back will stop exactly perpendicular to the bed. You're not the only one who missed that.

[Asher Kelman]

Brian-- If you slide out the two tabs on the bottom of the rear standard the back will stop exactly perpendicular to the bed. You're not the only one who missed that.

Barry,

Could you post a photo showing the tabs. It might allay a lot of fears! There have been a number of reports of difficulty here and your report is most helpful!

Asher

[tOny]

I have a chamonix 4X5 and for the first time using it was not aware of the Tabs/Sliders on the back. I can confirm what Barry S has said they are there and work perfect. This is an amazing camera at this price point.

[Harley Goldman]

The tabs are little slide outs at the bottom of the rear standard. They work very well to square it up when setting up the camera. Slide them back in if you want to to some rear tilt.

I took an awl and grooved the lines on the bottom plates, then painted them in with white paint. It makes it a lot easier to square up the camera in low light (which is what I shoot in most of the time).

For the $$, the Cham is a very impressive camera. It is amazingly rigid. It is a little fiddly when setting up or when you have to adjust the front or rear when changing lenses. It slows me down, but not hideously.

I used the 80mm SS with it with no problems at all. I have not yet tried my 58mm.

[Rafael Garcia]

I assume it is fine to refer to other websites. The article at

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178

has good descriptions of the Chamonix controls, with photos. It includes photos of the tabs.

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks Barry et al, I wondered why the grooved lines were on those "tabs," now I see why they're there. This is really an ingeniously-designed camera once you learn how to use everything.