Most travel-friendly 4x5 setup?

[darr]

My lightweight 4x5 is an Ebony RW45. It will handle up to 360mm standard lenses, but isn't ideal for wide angle work shorter than 90mm. Ebony was the finest quality wooden line ever, with the best hardware (machined titanium). I chose the lighter weight pattern-grade mahogany version (versus heavier actual ebony wood). It's plenty compact.

In terms of what is still in production, I'd look at one of the Chamonix models.

There was a time when hikers and backpackers mostly either went for lightweight little Wista woodies (or something similar), or, on the other hand, distinctly heavier but more durable Linhof Technikas. My brother was a Technika guy, but never carried it very far from the car, while I did many long strenuous backpacks with an even heavier, more versatile Sinar monorail system. The little Ebony folder was a wise pre old age investment.

+1

I acquired a mahogany RW45 last year. Between the RSW & RW, I’ve got my lenses covered.
I wanted one for the reasons you mention.

[Corran]

Grafmatic 6-sheet holders might be a good way to go. A bit of a learning curve to load and use, and they aren't cheap any more.

This, and yes it's too bad they now often go for $100+ individually. However, in the last few years I still occasionally find a bulk lot of them for affordable prices, which I pick up, but I think I officially have enough (over a dozen lol). I've seen people selling 3-4 of them at a time for about $40-50 a piece occasionally which isn't much more than typical DDS holders. A few years ago on a road trip I was able to bring a single bag with about 150 sheets of various types loaded into Grafmatics and DDS holders and so never had to load/unload film which was very nice.

[spotless_camera]

Couldn't agree more!
Toyo's modern CF cameras are great, I have their view camera version the "CX" and couldn't be happier with it..

I hate to ask this s_c if my comment is too late and you already found something
and you only used 1 lens what lens was it ? im thinking of making a "travels flat" box camera where people just supply their lens ...
I mean as long as you know your lens and what you are pointing to, point and shoot on a leveled tripod works great..

Jak

All the suggestions for "camera X with a 150mm or 165mm lens" I have ruled out, since as stated I primarily operate at 90mm. Maybe even 65mm. 150mm or longer would be "nice to have" at most.

The Ebony RSW look nice but I am not sure they would hold up to the rigours of travel. How do you keep everything protected when folded down for travel, without a box around it like the Technika or Graflex cameras?

The technical cameras are extremely attractive since you cannot get pinholes in the bellows if you do not have a bellows. Being able to set up in a hurry is a definite plus. Being able to scale focus and rely on the ground glass only for composing is also nice.

The selection of lens is likely to be driven by the camera. There is a very limited selection of lenses available for the Cambo Wides. For a folding camera, the lens must be compact enough to fold into the camera -- the Super Angulon XL for example is at a disadvantage because it would require removing the lens board every time you pack up.

[darr]

If you’re serious about using a lens as wide as a 65mm, which happens to be one of my favorites, especially for panoramas, then folding field cameras are not the way to go. I own the latest Linhof Master Technika 3000, and using a 65mm on it is a PIA no matter how Linhof spins it in their advertising. That’s actually why I’ve stopped using it and switched back to my Ebony RSW.

It’s far easier to adapt a dedicated wide-angle 4x5 camera to shoot longer lenses using top hats, than it is to make a standard 4x5 (designed for 90mm and longer) work with a wider lens.

Figure out how wide you really want to shoot, and start your camera search from there.

[darr]

Your question about transporting non-folding cameras is actually easy to answer: use either a large lens wrap or a fitted case. Personally, I use the same style of case whether I’m traveling with my Ebony RSW (a non-folder) or my folding RW. It’s lightweight, practical, well-made, and crafted by a fellow forum member, Daniel Stone.

My RSW kit:

[Havoc]

Your question about transporting non-folding cameras is actually easy to answer: use either a large lens wrap or a fitted case. Personally, I use the same style of case whether I’m traveling with my Ebony RSW (a non-folder) or my folding RW. It’s lightweight, practical, well-made, and crafted by a fellow forum member, Daniel Stone.

My RSW kit:

Do you have a reference for that yellow case with the 2 lenses on their board? That looks something very useful.

[Oren Grad]

The Ebony RSW look nice but I am not sure they would hold up to the rigours of travel. How do you keep everything protected when folded down for travel, without a box around it like the Technika or Graflex cameras?

As with any other camera, you put it in a well-designed case.

The selection of lens is likely to be driven by the camera. There is a very limited selection of lenses available for the Cambo Wides.

You've already said that your primary needs are 90 and maybe 65. Available lenses for the original version of the Cambo Wide that cover 4x5 include 47XL, 58, 65, 75 and 90.

For a folding camera, the lens must be compact enough to fold into the camera -- the Super Angulon XL for example is at a disadvantage because it would require removing the lens board every time you pack up.

That takes a few seconds.

That said, if maximum speed, convenience and physical robustness are your highest priorities and you're willing to accept some extra bulk as well as being limited to parallel movements (i.e., no swing/tilt), the Cambo Wide might be just what you're looking for.

[darr]

Do you have a reference for that yellow case with the 2 lenses on their board? That looks something very useful.

Sure, right here: https://www.stonephotogear.com/cases/45459-lens-case

[tgtaylor]

A 75mm Grandagon f4.5 is the widest 4x5 lens that I have which I seldom, very seldom use. 90mm I use a lot. To use the 75mm on the CF you have to use a recessed lensboard and employ the drop bed function but portrait compositions will show the bed in the frame so you can only use it on landscape compositions. My Toyo 45AX can be used with 65mm lens on a flat lensboard with full movements and using recessed lensboards lenses down to 47mm can be used. The AX also has tilt and swing on the back. But the AX is almost 2x the weight of the CF. A 75mm lens is equivalent to a 24mm on 135 and 65mm lens equivalent to 21mm; 47mm would be be equivalent to 15mm in 135 world.

[Maris Rusis]

I've sometimes gone out with a Tachihara 45GF 4x5 camera, three Grafmatics, and a Schneider Super Angulon 90mm f8 as my only lens.

What you don't hear very often is that the SA 90/8 can be used as a convertible. With the front half removed my lens becomes a 195mm f18, near enough.
Is that 195/18 sharp? It's sufficiently sharp if it is stopped down, way down to where diffraction tends to dominate lens faults. And the #25 red filter that's often on it suppresses a whiff of chromatic aberration.

I prefer to make small-ish landscape prints, typically 8x10, where long exposure times are not a problem and super lens sharpness won't be seen anyway.
On a serious landscape journey I'll take the "holy trinity" of lenses, 90mm, 135mm or 150mm, and 210mm. Basically that's enough for a lifetime's work.