Which Shen Hao 4x5 camera?

[ornate_wrasse]

It was suggested in an earlier thread that a Shen Hao camera would be good for someone new to LF Photography. It was also stated that they can be purchased new from Badger. If I can't buy the used Woodman for a price considerably less than is being asked, then I may go with the Shen Hao.

I looked at the available offerings of Shen Hao 4x5 cameras on the Badger web site and found numerous options as follows:

XPO 4x5 (non-folding)
TZ-45IIB (Folding Professional Camera currently out of stock)
PTB 4x5 (New Compact Light Weight Field Camera)
HZX-4x5IIA
TFC 45-IIB

The question is: Which of these cameras is recommended to start out with?
And also: What are the positives and negatives of the most popular models?

Thanks for your help.

Ellen

[Lachlan 717]

XPO for me.

If you're interested, have a look here

I have 2 Shen Hao cameras, and really enjoy both. And I'll no doubt look at another at some point, when I can no longer ignore the itch!

[dave_whatever]

I have a TFC-45. Its probably not the best all rounder, but if you are looking at primarily wide-to-normal lens use then it takes some beating, especially given the low price. Basically "inspired by" the Ebony SW45 but at about one fifth of the cost.

Non-folding so the setup time is practically zero (you can leave the lens on) and takes wide lenses no problem without having to tart around with recessed boards etc. I used a 65mm on mine and you could go wider and still stay on a flat board. If you have designs on ever getting a chinese 6x17 back then this type of camera will allow you to still use a 90mm lens on a flat panel - most folding field cameras will struggle with this.

The downside if you can see yourself wanting to use (non tele) lenses longer than 180mm very often then get soemthing else.

[ki6mf]

HZX 45II is what I have and its been in production for several years now. It does fold up in self contained box, most modern lenses do not fit inside when closed up, and its advantage is extra protection when packed away in a camera bag. Cant be beat! If you shoot longer focal length lenses , typically over 300 MM, you would need lens extender. It can not be beat! I noticed the package price for the lens film holders etc is currently a bit lower than when I purchased my kit. You rarely see Shen Hao on e bay

[engl]

In order to get good recommendations, it helps to include what you want to use it for. All cameras balance ease of use, weight, wide angle compatibility, movements, bellow extension and stability.

If you want to explore many different types of large format photography, get one that does "everything", but be prepared for having a camera that is (somewhat) heavier, (slightly) slower in use and (not fatally) less capable with wide-angles than a more specialized camera. Id think a TFC-45 is a pretty cool camera, but Im not interested in lenses longer than 150mm so...