Did the Travelwide ever get off the ground?

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Don't DARE mention this over at LFF. Any response other than fervent reverence and unwavering faithful patience is shouted down as being rude and ungrateful, and a total misunderstanding of Kickstarter.

 

[mdarnton]

You nailed it: no one likes a whiner.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

I don't know about this kickstarter campaign nor any other. None will ever see a dime from me. While I have great respect for creative entrepreneurialism, I have too much first hand experience with promises made and never kept. If I loan money to someone I assume it's gone forever and whatever was promised in return in the future will never show. I'm not saying this will happen with this project. I'm only saying I'm a jaded cynical skeptic.

The above stated, I visited the developer's web page and they seem sincere and dedicated. I don't know what their production issues have been but it looks like an interesting product at a decent price.

 

[ciniframe]

If someone itching to start on 4x5, get a speed/crown graphic or even a field camera like I did (Chamonix F1) and start shooting the next day. If the TW does come out, you can sell your 4x5 for pretty much the same price you get it for so there's no meaningful loss per se. I have shot 500 sheets in 3 years. Don't hesitate and wait. Spend a little money now and start photographing.

The Travelwide 90 was never designed to replace a 4X5 view or press cameras like the graphic. With no movements and limited to 90mm lenses it is a very basic 4X5 point and shoot. I backed it because, at $99 delivered it would be a fun and cheap camera to experiment with, if they could pull it off. I already have a 4X5 (it was a kit camera sold by Calumet in the early 80's) Picked it up as a basket case for $25 and rebuilt it as a fixed back with front movements only. I'm too cheap to really shoot 4X5 so will probably stick to paper negatives.

 

[Pioneer]

The Travelwide 90 was never designed to replace a 4X5 view or press cameras like the graphic. With no movements and limited to 90mm lenses it is a very basic 4X5 point and shoot. I backed it because, at $99 delivered it would be a fun and cheap camera to experiment with, if they could pull it off. I already have a 4X5 (it was a kit camera sold by Calumet in the early 80's) Picked it up as a basket case for $25 and rebuilt it as a fixed back with front movements only. I'm too cheap to really shoot 4X5 so will probably stick to paper negatives.

+1 - I agree.

I shoot the daylights out of my little Obscura, not because it is the best 4x5 camera out there, but it is certainly fun.

I foresee that the Travelwide will be more of the same, just with a bit more control.

 

[EdSawyer]

Hopefully they will succeed, but like New55, I didn't take part as an investor. I may buy their product when done (New55, not travelwide), but the risk/reward benefit is just not there to invest in things like this, I think, via Kickstarter.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

With New55, the bigger question for me was value for dollar. I want to see what they charge per sheet for the finished product. The kickstarter price was putting the film in the same price range as 14x17 sheet film (around $15/exposure). At that price point, I'd rather buy sheets of 14x17. If they get the final production price down under $5/sheet, I might be a customer.

 

[MattKing]

Everytime I see a reference to "Travelwide" I think of the large RV with a similar name.

So maybe they should investigate a change in name.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Everytime I see a reference to "Travelwide" I think of the large RV with a similar name.

Ha ha. Me too. From Day 1.

 

[ciniframe]

+1 - I agree.

I shoot the daylights out of my little Obscura, not because it is the best 4x5 camera out there, but it is certainly fun.

I foresee that the Travelwide will be more of the same, just with a bit more control.

Pioneer, do you use a changing bag to reload the Obscura in the field? I like the simplicity of it's design and am impressed with the results but already have an ultralight (13.5oz. with DDS) 4X5 home built camera.

 

[Pioneer]

Pioneer, do you use a changing bag to reload the Obscura in the field? I like the simplicity of it's design and am impressed with the results but already have an ultralight (13.5oz. with DDS) 4X5 home built camera.

Yes I do. Very easy to unload and reload.

 

[EdSawyer]

Yeah, New55 needs to be under $5 sheet to be viable I think. you can get good (old-stock) 55 for close to that, which is undoubtedly a better product assuming it still works. But the stuff from 2009 should still be viable for a while yet.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

...which is undoubtedly a better product assuming it still works.

Undoubtedly? Meaning, lacking all doubt whatsoever? How in the world can you say that? New55 has yet to even make it to market, let alone be available for comparison testing.

What if New55 turns out to be better?

Their R&D samples reportedly demonstrate a very good speed match between both the positive and negative sides of the image. Posted side-by-sides appear to confirm that. If it can hold up through production, that quality right there would make New55 a significant improvement.

Ken

 

[Gadfly_71]

In case any body hasn't been checking, Ben left this little tidbit in the comments section yesterday:

I actually received updated samples a few minutes ago, and will need to do some quick environmental testing to make sure they can hold up in the real world. But for now, the fit feels better than it ever has. This is the last puzzle piece, so I can't help but feel very optimistic.

 

[Pioneer]

Thanks Gadfly_71. So far good news.

 

[Gadfly_71]

A brief update was posted today. Looks like the Travelwide will be here sooner, rather than later:

Hi guys, sorry for not updating you sooner—we got the helicals, and they look great. Now we're trying to schedule a team to do assembly.

Shipping will likely happen in large batches or possibly one lump shipment. If we need to stage them in batches, the batches will be sorted by geography and backer number, followed by preorders. In short, your place in line will be preserved as much as is logistically possible, but they'll all basically go out at the same time.

If you need to update your shipping address, you can do that via Kickstarter. Please keep it updated if you're moving in the next few weeks (a strangely high number of you are).

Hang in there! At this point, the project is 100% logistics, and luckily this is simpler than injection molded helicoid interfaces.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

A brief update was posted today. Looks like the Travelwide will be here sooner, rather than later:

I can see that comment was just published an hour ago but isn't it pretty much what they said in an update a month or two ago?

 

[vdonovan]

A month ago they had run samples with the new materials and the samples looked good, but they hadn't done the production run. Now it seems they have completed manufacture of the helicals. Now they just need to put the parts together and ship.

 

[Gadfly_71]

I can see that comment was just published an hour ago but isn't it pretty much what they said in an update a month or two ago?

This update indicates that they're nearly ready to ship. All requisite parts are on hand, the only remaining tasks are final assembly and shipping.

 

[480sparky]

There's what.... six or nine total parts? Sheesh.... send me a box of parts. How hard can it be?

 

[Pioneer]

There's what.... six or nine total parts? Sheesh.... send me a box of parts. How hard can it be?

Obviously your momma never taught you the value of patience.

EDIT - Hey Ben! Did you get that! sparky only wants a box of pieces! As for me I prefer it comes in one piece.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

This update indicates that they're nearly ready to ship. All requisite parts are on hand, the only remaining tasks are final assembly and shipping.

Yeah perhaps. He says "they look great". A bit to vague for my taste.

 

[Gadfly_71]

Ben posted an update this weekend. Assembly is ongoing, with a pickup party for Chicago locals scheduled for Aug 23rd. Shipments for all other backers will commence after that, though they don't have a confirmed ship date.

Soon folks. Soon.

 

[Pioneer]

Have you ever seen pictures of Tigger bouncing around the yard on his tail? That is kinda how I feel right now.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Have you ever seen pictures of Tigger bouncing around the yard on his tail? That is kinda how I feel right now.

I WANT to feel that way, but after two-plus years of delays, double-speak and obfuscation, I'm not getting excited, and I'll be flat-out knocked on my ass if I have the thing in hand in time for my fall vacation. Part of me is very pissed off that the major cause of the delay is a part I wasn't looking for anyway - I wanted the 65mm pinhole, so if in fact the pinholes were ready to go over a year ago, I think they should have shipped those when they were ready. And the latest excuse/comment about the shipping - they're trying to figure out the logistics of shipping, NOW???? You've had two damn years to figure that out. All that should have been figured out a long time ago so as soon as the cameras were assembled they should have been in the mail.