Cheap and easy to carry 4x5 monorail.

[Dave Wooten]

with lens and board my orbit is 8.5 lbs 5" x 8.5" x 11" includes focus nobs...and that is for a 5 x 7 orbit..purchased for 125.00....incredibly stable....easy to focus...

 

[bcjesq]

Wayne: Kerry Thallman wrote a very useful article in View Camera a year or two ago about his backpacking gear, and had praise for the Toho FC-45X as a light, inexpensive, full-movement monorail that he used for backpacking on a regular basis. I was trying to make a decision similar to yours (went with a Walker only because a field camera made more sense for me) at the time and recall seeing posts on photo.net and elsewhere that recommended the Toho as well.

Badger Graphic lists it on their web site at $1395, a bit more than it was when Kerry's article appeared. Might be worth consideration and you should be able to pull up some of those threads that I looked at while you're making your decision.

Good luck!

 

[removed account4]

What are the options available for a tough, cheaper and relatively easy to carry monorail? Uses would include downtown architecture to 6 mile hikes in Arizona wilderness. Lenses, a short 90mm to as long as I can reasonably get without becoming unwieldy. I don't mind setups, but if the camera can be carried collapsed around the city it would be nice.

wayne

i have and use a toyo 45cx. it isn't tough as nails, but it might do the trick.
with a recessed lens board, it will take a 65mm lens no problem, you can use a flat board with a 90mm, and there is an adapter that goes between a 110mm square board and the speed graphic boards. it is modular like the rest of the toyo line, and takes a lot of the same accessories ( viewing hoods, compendiums, long rail &C ). the only drawback i have found with mine is that you need the extension rail to use a 370 symmar.

http://www.toyoview.com/Products/45CX/45CXad.html

good luck!
john

 

[ggriffi]

Wayne: Kerry Thallman wrote a very useful article in View Camera a year or two ago about his backpacking gear, and had praise for the Toho FC-45X as a light, inexpensive, full-movement monorail that he used for backpacking on a regular basis. I was trying to make a decision similar to yours (went with a Walker only because a field camera made more sense for me) at the time and recall seeing posts on photo.net and elsewhere that recommended the Toho as well.

Badger Graphic lists it on their web site at $1395, a bit more than it was when Kerry's article appeared. Might be worth consideration and you should be able to pull up some of those threads that I looked at while you're making your decision.

Good luck!

Wayne,

Here is a link to Kerry's page with his review of the Toho:

http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/toho.htm

g

 

[waynecrider]

Wayne,

Here is a link to Kerry's page with his review of the Toho:

http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/toho.htm

g

Thanks for the link. I am familiar with the camera, but it is beyond my price point. Cheap was the operative word in the Title. I'm looking more at the cheaper alternatives like the CX above, a NX or maybe even a Sinar at their lower prices. At $1300 I'd be more inclined to buy a Discovery.