Chamonix 8 x 10

[toyosnapper]

I found the video on this camera & it does look good. Are the fixing screws hexagon allen key heads? If so they are an advancement on the usual cross head screws. Dennis.

[Walter Calahan]

My KB Canham uses fasteners that uses an Allen wrench to tighten or loosen. I think this is an improvement over Phillips style screws, but what do I know?

[Matt Miller]

I don't understand. How does the screw head make a difference?

[D. Bryant]

I found the video on this camera & it does look good. Are the fixing screws hexagon allen key heads? If so they are an advancement on the usual cross head screws. Dennis.

Where's thr video?

Thanks,

Don Bryant

[Paddy McKay]

I don't understand. How does the screw head make a difference?

It's fairly simple. Compare a (useless) slotted to a Phillips, or better still a Robertson (Canadian square head ), and then Allen heads. It's about the stability, ease of use when tightening/loosening. Resistance to slipping, stripping, etc.

[Don Hutton]

It's all about distributing the torque over as large an area as possible, as evenly as possible - and the hex slot does this very efficiently; whereas with a normal single slotted fitting the torque is limited to a smaller area and concentrated onto the ends of each slot unless the driver blade is a perfect fit.

[mccormickstudio]

Hi - I made the video. There are actually two videos - here is the newer version which includes the rear standard tilt, which is a beautiful mechanism:
Chamonix Six Minute Exposure

There are a combination of screws - looks like everything setting parts into wood are traditional phillips screws and metal-to-metal parts are rececessed allen hex, metric I would guess. All adjustable tension mechanisms have a hex nut stop and a plastic (or teflon?) pressure washer for tightening. They feel great, allowing for a gradual gentle-to-firm tightening, but have begun to squeak a little.

I've put the camera to the test in the past two months as I prepare for a September show. I've run about 80 sheets through and carried it in a tight backpack. The only concern I've noticed is that the bail has begun to feel a little loose - not yet a problem though. I would feel better if it were a bit tighter.

It is a great camera which I recommend.

Craig

[toyosnapper]

Thanks for that. The video is very useful to the aspiring buyer. Is there one on the Canham 8 x 10 so they can be compared? Dennis.

[mccormickstudio]

I misspoke about the back - it does not have a 'bail' with a lever which holds open the back. It is a spring-loaded pressure fit. I think I've just broken it in a bit, and if it doesn't get any looser it will be fine.

I've never seen a video about the Canham - exactly the reason I made the Chamonix video (which is just a quick imovie, took just over an hour). Unless you can make it to a show, it's hard to understand the features of newer view cameras comparatively.

[rwyoung]

I don't understand. How does the screw head make a difference?

Two words : cam out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cam_out

Philips heads are an improvement over slotted heads. And the hex / torx / square are improvements over Philips.

I like the hex head type and if you use a ball-head wrench, it gets very nice because you don't need 100% perfect alignment to fit into the head, they self-center much like Philips. But once in the ball-head wrenches grip just like a standard square ended type.