Wait for new Shen-Hao XPO?

[Lars Daniel]

This is my first post here (Hi!), and though I am spending a LOT of time researching LF, I still have many many questions. Please bear with me.

I feel very tempted by the 4x5 offerings by Shen-Hao. (HZX or the TZ). However there is also now the XPO. The big *thing* about the XPO seems to be that it takes Sinar shutters, and some speak very warmly about those. Can somebody shed a little light on why the Sinar stuff is desirable? As I will likely be getting s/h lenses, I would like to go down a route with ok availability on that market.

Apart from that I tend to like the non-folding concept of the XPO and the slightly higher weight is not a problem. I will be walking with it, but probably not more than a couple of kilometers.

I am sure I would be happy with a HZX or TZ, but if the Sinar-friendly XPO has some profound advantages I will wait for that. FWIW I plan to take a trip to Robert White and do the the shopping. LF is small here in Denmark.

Off course there are many other options, but price/performance for Shen-Hao seems sweet to me.


EDIT: Yes, I have no LF experience. Currently I am a happy RZ67 user, and in particular I love to use the tilt/shift adaptor. But I lust for more movement and 6x12.

[evan clarke]

The Sinar shutter is behind the lens and will allow you to use barrel lenses, pretty cool if you have barrel lenses. If not it's still a very nice camera. Also check the Ebony 45s if you go to RW, a very classy non folding camera...Evan Clarke

[Lachlan 717]

Lars,

First, welcome to the Forum! Awesome source of information.

I've put a heap of information up on this camera in a previous thread.

As Evan said, the Sinars are great for any lens without a shutter. Importantly, this covers the antique brass lenses. Without this shutter, I would have to use a Packard system. I found the lack of shutter speeds with these too limiting. Some of the old Petzval lenses require either quick shutter speeds and/or slow film. The Sinar allows higher shutter speeds!

Also, this camera has a quad extension, giving it over 400mm bellows draw. This will allow both longer lenses or greater close-ups.

All in all, I think it's a great camera!

By the way, you can probably buy one direct from Mr Zhang at Shen Hao. His email address is on their website.

[rdenney]

This particular camera is quite flexible compared to most field cameras, if for no other reason because it does not fold, and it has a quadruple-extension bed.

The reason it can take Sinar shutters is because it is compatible with most Sinar accessories, including bellows and lens boards. The back is not the typical deep box of a folding field camera, and is shallow enough to allow the Sinar bag bellows. Thus, it will accept very short lenses and still provide movements.

If someone wanted a field camera to go with their Sinar monorail view camera, this would be a natural choice, even if they did not intend to use the Sinar shutter.

The Sinar Auto-Aperture shutter is a true leaf shutter of very large size that is mounted to the backside of the lens standard. This allows you to mount lenses without shutters to the front of the lens board. There are very few other alternatives for using barrel lenses, if you need shutter speeds faster than you can managed with a felt hat. Those choices include a Packard shutter, one of various home-made guillotine shutters, or one of very few large-format cameras with a focal-plane shutter, including the Speed Graphic. All of these choices are quite limited. The Speed Graphic shutter, for example, only provides shutter speeds as long as 1/30, which leaves a big gap in the range between a mechanically timed shutter and a manually timed felt hat. Packard shutters only provide a few speeds. As a real leaf shutter, the Sinar shutter provides a range of timed speeds, plus it can be synchronized with flash.

The Sinar shutter can also be used with lenses mounted into Sinar DB boards, which replaces the normal leaf shutter with an aperture mechanism that can be automatically controlled. Most don't take it that far, however. But it does allow one to manipulate the controls entirely from behind the camera.

Rick "who wants one of these cameras" Denney

[erie patsellis]

Rick's pretty thorough answer is spot on, a field camera that is made for Sinar users first and foremost. Ideally, it keeps one from having to have either two sets of lenses, or use a lensboard adapter.

....The Sinar shutter can also be used with lenses mounted into Sinar DB boards, which replaces the normal leaf shutter with an aperture mechanism that can be automatically controlled. Most don't take it that far, however. But it does allow one to manipulate the controls entirely from behind the camera.

Of course there are some of us who are more afflicted than others and actually use DB lenses (as well as keep searching some out.)

[evan clarke]

I had a P2 setup and had an extra shutter with it. I sold the whole setup and still wish I had the extra shutter, with this camera it would be great...EC

[ki6mf]

I' a Shen Hao user, HZX 4X5-IIA. Can't beat the Shen Hao Brand as they have world wide distribution so parts and accessories are available without waiting for special orders to be shipped on a semi annual basis. The build quality is excellent. I prefer leaf shutters in lens. If the one shutter many glass options is what you feel is needed they go for it.

[Lars Daniel]

Thanks for all replys.
Now after a lot of exhausting research, I have finally decided to go a slightly different route: Chamonix 45N-2.

[Lachlan 717]

All the best with it.

What changed your mind?

Have you ordered it yet?

[Lars Daniel]

@Lachlan: I figured that I did not have any real reason to go the Sinar route, since I don´t have any LF lenses yet, and field cameras (folding or not) is definitely my *thing* compared to monorail cams, so I don´t expect to also own one of those.
I could then have chosen one of the *normal* Shen Hao´s, but after some more research I chose the Chamonix. (Mostly gut feeling).
No, I have not laid down the money yet.