Steve Goldstein
Subscriber
This Anba Ikeda Wood View 4x5 appears to be unused. The only obvious flaw I can find is a small scuffed/imprinted area on the bottom - it looks like it was pressed against some screws. The camera has no signs of having been mounted on a tripod, the wood finish is in excellent condition all around other than the marks already noted on the bottom, all the metal is unscratched and shiny, and the leather handle looks new. All the various knobs are present and functional. The bellows looks new and passed the flashlight test in my darkroom. Maximum usable extension is around 12-1/2". My kitchen scale puts the weight at 1.232kg, or 2 pounds 11.5 ounces. Racking out the extension is a little tight as it hasn't been used enough to wear in.
When my wife saw this her first comment was "It's new!" and she suggested I keep it and sell my "daily driver" Nagaoka. But I don't think I could bring myself to take this out into the field even though I'm extremely careful with my equipment. And besides, this pristine one might garner me a few more bucks, which I could use right now, in the market.
I've had no difficulty using a 300mm on my Nagaoka, so you should have no trouble doing so with this Ikeda. My 300 is mounted on a mild (~20mm) ebay top hat lens board and I've never had any difficulty focusing close enough in my landscape work.
My asking price for this camera is $475. This includes my usual careful packing and insured shipping via USPS in the US. PayPal G&S is fine, they provide a useful service and deserve to be compensated for it. International sales are OK but will cost more as shipping costs are (ridiculously) higher.
When my wife saw this her first comment was "It's new!" and she suggested I keep it and sell my "daily driver" Nagaoka. But I don't think I could bring myself to take this out into the field even though I'm extremely careful with my equipment. And besides, this pristine one might garner me a few more bucks, which I could use right now, in the market.
I've had no difficulty using a 300mm on my Nagaoka, so you should have no trouble doing so with this Ikeda. My 300 is mounted on a mild (~20mm) ebay top hat lens board and I've never had any difficulty focusing close enough in my landscape work.
My asking price for this camera is $475. This includes my usual careful packing and insured shipping via USPS in the US. PayPal G&S is fine, they provide a useful service and deserve to be compensated for it. International sales are OK but will cost more as shipping costs are (ridiculously) higher.