Another 'Is this a good deal' thread ...Calumet 4x5 view with Caltar 165mm - ~$190US

[nick mulder]

Calumet large format 4x5 camera in excellent condition with a Calumet Caltar 165mm lens, f6.3 - f45, and Polaroid #500 film holder



... for $ 190 us


a good deal ? an extremely good deal ? an ok deal ? avoid avoid! ?

 

[John Kasaian]

Very good deal providing the bellows are good.

 

[Pastiche]

Well.. consider that the lens probably would run 50$ & up, the holder.. not sure.. I got mine for 40$ .. . figure that +/- 10$. . . so you are anywhere from 80$ & up so far...
The thing I dont like, is the camera. Not saying that you cant take great photos with one in proper working order... I'd just opt for something with more refined controls... for a comparable price, you can pick up a Cambo, wich I'd judge a hair better than what you're looking at... I got mine for 150, two extra lens boards, and two lenses, one of who's shutter promtly died.. but that's no issue.. not when your exposures are in the 30" + range...
Keep shopping man.. it will come along.
I'm still waiting to score that entry level Horseman or Sinar for 300 bucks... waiting for the 300 bucks first though.

 

[nick mulder]

double post whilst editing

whoops

 

[nick mulder]

Keep shopping man.. it will come along.

Yeh - its not like I was in the market for one - I'm actually keen to get into larger sizes (and smaller ones)

But sometimes these things pop up and you think hmmm well at that price I'm sure I could find a reason to want it in retrospect -

I am happy to pass on the details of this listing to anyone interested tho - its a NZ sale only but I guess I could help out there ...

cheers!
Nick

 

[Paul Sorensen]

I thought it looked like a good deal until Noah (It is you, Noah, isn't it?) mentioned the deal he got. I think that the camera is reasonably good for a beginners camera and the lens looks fine. I guess it depends a little on the condition of the shutter. If you have to get it serviced, plan on $45 plus shipping additional. I haven't seen an Ilex lens in a Sekosha shutter before, I wonder if it is the original shutter. Not that it matters. The worst I can see is that you unload it on eBay for at least what you put into it.

 

[Pastiche]

Paul, 'tis. I'll second that about the lens looking pretty good... then again... I didn't catch that about it being an aftermarket shutter... which, for all I know, means it's working..?

Nick, if you'd like someone to handle the purchase and shipping stateside (on another camera), PM me, I'll work on it for ya..

Just to play things off against the possibilities - you might pick it up as a primer, check out the lens, keep the holder, and use the camera, and in short order, unload the camera for 70 to 100$, and pick up something a little more to your liking. All in all, even if you do buy it, and then decide that it's just not for you, you wont loose much $. ... maybe it would be worth thinking of it as an extended rental with a retaining fee?

 

[Dan Fromm]

Paul, I've seen Acugons in Seikoshas.

 

[nick mulder]

Nick, if you'd like someone to handle the purchase and shipping stateside (on another camera), PM me, I'll work on it for ya..

That's a kind offer... might take you up on it one day - I'm patiently waiting to find a mint wide angle lens that covers 8x10 in a working shutter (or even the panoramic sizes like 8x20 7x17 etc...) - the trick is its gotta be cheap - hence the patience ...

I'm also waiting to find a cheap super16 16mm cine camera, and/or another cheaper Bolex to attempt milling and modding my current one (for practice) - either way, its money allocated elsewhere ...

I'm not going to buy the Calumet - I would have if it were some sort of hidden gem, but for now I'll stick with my home made 4x5 with lens cap shutter

 

[mjs]

I don't think it's a terribly good deal, but then I'm notoriously cheap. I bought the same type of camera a few weeks ago from the auction site for US$36, although they usually go in the range of US$60-90. It's a functional, though rather heavy and awkward camera. I'd rather have something more compact (my photography involves quite a bit of walking and carrying things,) but I'm so broke at the moment I couldn't afford better and I'm tired of pinholes.

 

[Claire Senft]

I think it is a good value. The main problem with the camera is that it has very limited use with a wideangle.

 

[Pastiche]

Claire - could you tell us why? I was looking at the attatched thumbnails and couldn't see if there were swings and such. . . it's got tilts... how about all the rest of the movements? And the deal with the WA, is that just for a lack of a recessed lensboard?

 

[jimgalli]

It's a good deal. These cameras are tanks. It could roll to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and other than an annoying hike down to get it, it'd still be useable. They have full movements. Swing, shift, tilt, rise and fall on front and same on the back without the rise fall. The rather large clunky looking front standard and normal bellows limits wide angles quite a bit. That 165mm lens is VERY sharp. Some of the 5X7's I sent around in the last photo exchange were done with one of those. So for $190 bucks you can make the jump to 4X5 and enjoy ultra sharp photos. That ain't too bad in my book.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I think the widest you can use with that camera without a recessed board is a 135mm (you MIGHT be able to focus a 110mm at infinity, but that would be pushing it). Other than that, everyone else is right- it's a tank, a great student camera, and I've seen some people trying to pimp theirs off for $300-400 without any lenses or accessories. So, the deal is good... just have to decide if you really want THAT particular camera. Can you get to the seller and lay your hands on it? Trying it out in person would be best.

 

[nick mulder]

Claire - could you tell us why? I was looking at the attatched thumbnails and couldn't see if there were swings and such. . . it's got tilts... how about all the rest of the movements? And the deal with the WA, is that just for a lack of a recessed lensboard?

You can achieve shift by using two tilts, just keep the planes parallel (unless you want tilt also) - its just as effective, and if you've got the coverage its the only way to get really extreme shifts, its a bit more work as you then have to tilt the whole camera to get it pointing in the right up'n'down direction again

Swing the same ...

 

[Claire Senft]

These cameras were quite popular during the sixties. They were made as two different models. The wide angel model had a shorter bellows. The camera's design does not allow for inter-changeable bellows.

 

[Konical]

I think the widest you can use with that camera without a recessed board is a 135mm (you MIGHT be able to focus a 110mm at infinity, but that would be pushing it).

Good Evening,

I regularly use a 90mm f4.5 Caltar on a Calumet CC-400. Even with the relatively compressed bellows, I get some rise and fall and just a bit of tilt/swing. My Calumet is the model with the 16" monorail; I imagine that the extra bellows on the 22" model would probably preclude use of a 90mm. (I bought my 90mm lens new from Calumet; Calumet also provided a separate, recessed front standard which could be used to replace the normal one; since I found that I could get by without it, I never bothered to install it.)

Konical

 

[Larry L]

I bought one recently for $100 - body only with the caveat that I had to buy a lens from the store as well. Got a Rodenstock Rodagon 135 f/5.6, camera, four holders, a barrel lens for focusing, some filters and 25 sheets of HP5+ for $400. Camera is a bit heavy but have learned a lot in the process. Might be able to do better on E-bay but probably by only $20-30. You'll burn through that in film and chemistry fairly quickly.

Jump in the water's great. I'm having a ball learning all the new stuff - and the negative size is awsome when going to 16 X 20 prints. Can't even approach this on anything other than Technical Pan film in 35mm - which is sadly going away.

 

[Larry L]

I think the widest you can use with that camera without a recessed board is a 135mm (you MIGHT be able to focus a 110mm at infinity, but that would be pushing it).

Good Evening,

I regularly use a 90mm f4.5 Caltar on a Calumet CC-400. Even with the relatively compressed bellows, I get some rise and fall and just a bit of tilt/swing. My Calumet is the model with the 16" monorail; I imagine that the extra bellows on the 22" model would probably preclude use of a 90mm. (I bought my 90mm lens new from Calumet; Calumet also provided a separate, recessed front standard which could be used to replace the normal one; since I found that I could get by without it, I never bothered to install it.)

Konical

 

[Larry L]

I just checked my unit. I have a 20" rail. Recently bought a 90mm F/8 Ilex and am not having any problems at infinity. Rise, fall, and swing are limited but with this angle of view a lot has not been needed so far. The front of this lens is 70mm with 50mm of projection from the lens board so a recessed lens board would be very hard to access. Liking it so far - is really sharp.

 

[Photo Engineer]

I have one virtually identical to that one. Camera, lens board, carrying case, and 6 4x5 holders, but no lens.

It was given to me by my uncle when he retired. It went through Brooks with him and has seen a lot of use, but it really is a workhorse. He took a lot of pictures with it during his undergrad and grad programs there many years ago.

Now, here I am trying to sell it myself. I've never had a taker for the $100 I'm asking. I guess its too much.

They sure are nice cameras. I'm keeping his Horseman. A workhorse itself, if you pardon the pun but a lot bigger and heavier. I see the point of a lot of posts here. Wow, but prices on these 'old' cameras sure are dropping.

PE

 

[Changeling1]

Calumet large format 4x5 camera in excellent condition with a Calumet Caltar 165mm lens, f6.3 - f45, and Polaroid #500 film holder



... for $ 190 us


a good deal ? an extremely good deal ? an ok deal ? avoid avoid! ?[/QUOTE

Well, look at it this way. In 1986 I purchased the same camera but slightly later model in black on an extra-long bar (26") for $90.00. I then purchased an Aus Jena 210mm in a Compur shutter to use with it for about $120.00. I was on a tight budget and we didn't have eBay back them else I could have found a better deal on the glass although this Jena lens is actually very sharp with good contrast. I had to buy the Polaroid back separately. These cameras are truly built well and I've never seen one with bad bellows even though these cameras are often used in photography schools and classes. You might expect to pay about the same for a decent Crown Graphic 4x5 but with the Graphic you wouldn't have all the movements that you would have with the Calumet View camera. If you want to learn how to use a view camera with all the tilts, swings, and shifts the Calumet is by far the best choice. If you just want to try working with 4x5 negs then a Crown Graphic might be a better choice.

 

[Charles Webb]

Well everybody else has had their say, so here is mine. The camera may be one of the most underated pieces of camera equipment ever made. I believe the price is fair with the lens and holder, sure you can wait for ever to look for something to jump into 4x5 with, but this particular camera has a reputation with many professional photographers as a tool that will get the job done regardless of the situation. I have considerable experience with the same basic camera only with extension bellows and bar. I did use a recessed lens board with a 65 mm Schenider WA hardly any movement, but did give a good image stopped down. My normal lens was a Caltar 215 mm. The other guy that wants to sell his for $100.00 is also in my mind a heck of a bargin. Buy it, and I'd bet my boot laces a lens will show up to fit it very soon. Again I will go on record saying that there isn't anything wrong or bad with Caltar lenses regardless of who made them. I also believe that the Caltar is right along with Wollensak and the Calumet 4x5 cameras in being totally underated by most aspiring photographers, the real pro's have known what I am saying has been a fact for years.

Charlie...................