Maybe this question is a little of a tangent, but how do you focus on a Crown when the bed is dropped? The rack-and-pinion focussing won't operate (much - and even then, you're straining it.) so it appears that you have to focus by unlocking the gross adjustment lock and sliding it by hand on the short rail. Of course, depth-of-field will be greater for the shorter lens, but thsi still seems an unsatisfactory way to focus. Am I missing something?
The Speed Graphic is limited to about a 75mm minimum because of the extra thickness of the focal plane shutter mechanism. The Crown, with no FP shutter, can use a shorter FL lens.
Regarding focusing the Graphic with dropped bed, if the lens is so wide you need to drop the bed, then the front standard should be riding on back portion of the rails which are behind the hinge and are not dropped.
The degree of movement required for focusing with a lens that wide is extremely small, and the rails will handle it, even with the bed dropped.
I've found you only need to drop the bed with lenses wider than 90 mm.
I have owned all three of the cameras you mention. I find the Tachihara to be very easy for very wide lenses, the rear standard comes forward so there is no bed interference. I sold the Crown and also my Linhoff Tech V. I now have a Canham DLC45 and the Tachihara. I find the Tachihara easier to use with the wide (I have a 65 Super Angulon) than any of the other camera bodies I have used. They can all be used, with the compressed bellows, movements are restricted, but with the wides I use, so is the circle of illumination, so it is an acceptable tradeoff. If hand holding is a needed feature, as another poster mentioned, then just get an attachable grip. There are many on the market. Some may have to be modified, but that is easy. The Tech V was the reason I bought the Tachihara. The cost of a wide angle adapter was about the same as buying the Tachihara. Never regretted the purchase. I do not like to push brands since most of the cameras will do an equivalent job, but in the price range, the Tachihara seems like a good option to chose.the wind effect is monimized with the compression of the bellows. I found that the Linhoff was the most rigid of the cameras I used, but I chose not to shoot LF in heavy wind anyway.
Andy I just got started in large format and I own a Nagaoka (similer to Tachihara) I recomend going this way. I think you'll find the extra movements allowed by the Thachihara will be usefull and maybe crucial down the road. I too shot landscapes and such with my 24mm or 28mm lens with my 35mm camera. I have found though that with LF even a 150mm lens seems to wide at times. I would suggest you try a more normal length lens first (try renting one) befor you buy. As far as pulling out your 35mm. I have become so enthralled with the 4x5 format that my 35mm gets very little use anymore. I think you'll soon feel the same. Rob
I would go with a Crown with a side Kalart rangerfinder, I think you can do most anything you want with this except alot of movements. It's used like a F5 or EOS1-V with a big negative. You can hand hold it and shoot away. There's a lot of older lenses out there that can be used on it. If it breaks, you can fix it or a older repairman will gladly do it. For $1000 you can get a nice older system, plus if you start using bulbs for flash, you'll be surprised at how much light they put out. I really think the Crowns and Speeds are really underrated, besides over 50 years ago, they were the cameras to get and they got the pictures to prove it.
John Miller
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