Ebony Camera Case

Mahler_one · Dec 29, 2007

I am contemplating the purchase of an Ebony 45S. I wonder if anyone here has seen, used, or has information about the Ebony Camera Case which is shown on the Ebony web site.

Thanks in advance.

Edwin

Martin Aislabie · Jan 1, 2008

I bought a 45S a couple of months ago and am in love with it.
It is expensive but is very well made.
Being a non folding camera it takes up a lot more room than you imagine in the camera bag - my Photo Trekker bag is now rather on the small side for just a big piece of kit.
A few of things suprised me when the camera came :-
1) No instructions/brochure/leaflet/desciption - nothing at all
2) The bellows are fixed (glued?) to both the front and rear standards - I had expected some release mechanism to allow it to be changed when inevitably it will age and split
3) There is no 12month garantee with an Ebony - no garantee at all in fact.

Having made the above points, I would still buy it over again.
When I put it on a tripod it all works nicely and the adjustments fall to hand easily.

The cameras are put together with huge attention to detail and it is both a joy to look and an use.

Will it make me into a decent photographer - I doubt it - but I love using it as I pretend to be one.
Good luck
Martin

hal9000 · Jan 1, 2008

Hi Martin,
I have the 45SU but I think the mechanism is the same - the bellows can be removed. There are two screws with round knobs on the rear standard and a sliding bar on the back of the front standard to remove the bellows.
I also love using the Ebony, it is a pleasure to touch.
Hal

michael9793 · Jan 1, 2008

I have the RW45 not not as expensive as the 45su or s but I do have a RW810. I didn't know they made cases. neve saw one on their website. must be new.

ma

Mahler_one · Jan 5, 2008

Thanks to all who have thus far responded.

I believe the case might be a new item....check the site.

Hal....how often do you really use the asymmtrical movements? I was toying with the U model, but it is heavier, and much more costly. I had my doubts that I would use the rear asymmtrical movements enough to justify the cost. Furthermore, do you ever miss the absence of rear shift?

Vielen danke,

Edwin

hal9000 · Jan 6, 2008

Hi Edwin,
I don't actually use the asymmetrical movements very often, but when I do it does make adjustments extremely easy. I don't think I use them enough to justify the cost but how can one justify the cost of an Ebony anyway? I'm not sure what you mean by absence of rear shift - I think you are referring to the folding camera SV45U. I have the 45SU which has a 50mm shift of the rear standard in both directions as well as 40mm rise (no fall though).
Bitte schön
Hal

Mahler_one · Jan 11, 2008

Martin: I inquired, and evidently the bellows on the 45S ARE glued on and cannot be exchanged...hmmmm.

I emailed Ebony and asked for details about their case....not a word in over two weeks. I guess they are very busy, or don't care.

Edwin

Mahler_one · Jan 11, 2008

Hal: Sorry....of course you are correct.

Danke, und viele grusse aus Florida....meine frau ist aus Hamburg....

Edwin

paul owen · Jan 12, 2008

Hi. The Ebony Camera Case (holdall) listed on the Accessory page is a re-badged Tenba bag or so I believe.
In reply to Martin -
The reason there are no instructions included is that Ebony assume (rightly or wrongly) that customers will be conversant with LF cameras before investing so much cash in them. The 45S is such a simple camera that there is no need for instrcutions anyway. There are downloadable instructions for the folding Ebony cameras on the website.
Interchangeable bellows are a feature of cameras where the bellows can be exchanged for a wide-angle type. The 45S is designed for using lenses in the range 38mm to 400mm (tele) with just the one set of bellows. If the Ebony bellows wear out they can still be replaced.
You won't need a guarantee with an Ebony. The customer service is second to none and any issue/problem at any stage will be rectified. If you haven't received a reply simply try again!

Bets of luck! Paul

Mahler_one · Jan 12, 2008

Thanks for the information Paul. Can one use a 58mm on the 45S without a recessed board? Any further information about the 45S would be gratefully received. Do you use one?

Edwin

George Hart · Jan 13, 2008

Mahler_one said:
Thanks for the information Paul. Can one use a 58mm on the 45S without a recessed board? Any further information about the 45S would be gratefully received. Do you use one?

Edwin

Edwin, I have the 45S (not the SU), with the fixed bellows, so can possibly help. I don't have the Schneider 58 lens but I do have the Apo-Grandagon 55, and their flange focal distances are only 1.3 mm apart. While it is possible to use the 55 lens with a flat panel, movements are restricted by the bulk of the bellows, and if you apply a lot of front rise, the front standard tends to bow forwards a little. So for freedom of movements I use a recessed board for this lens. And I must say that I can't see why some people whinge about themfor me they are only a small amount of extra fuss, for example to readjust the horizon after applying front tilt.

Enjoy your camera, it is a very fine specimen!

George

Mahler_one · Jan 13, 2008

Hello George: Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. According to the Ebony site, the minimum bellows draw of the 45S is 60mm, and the flange distance of the 58mm Schneider is 77mm. Thus, one would have suspected that the lens would be fully "useable". I appreciate the "heads up" advice. I don't anticipate using very much front rise with the 58mm, but makes one wonder if a recessed board is good insurance. By the way, any further advice about your experiences with the 45S would be appreciated. Have you ever felt restricted in your inability to use longer lenses? Feel completely free to send me a private message if you think such approach is preferable.

Edwin

George Hart · Jan 13, 2008

Mahler_one said:
the flange distance of the 58mm Schneider is 77mm. Thus, one would have suspected that the lens would be fully "useable".

Have you ever felt restricted in your inability to use longer lenses?

Edwin

Edwin, if the ffd is 77 mm then you may well be fine with a flat board. I was working from the Super-Angulon XL 58/5.6 datasheet that I have, which gives the ffd of this lens as 69.3 mm. It is possible that the lens you have is not an XL, or whatever, and if the ffd is indeed different, then I would not buy a sunk panel in the first instance without trying the lens on a flat board first.

The longest lens that I use on a regular basis is a 240 mm, but then again I use this camera mainly for roll film, not 5x4. I have a 300 mm lens mounted on an extension panel, which works just fine too. I have not tried anything longer on this camera.

I find that it's one of the easiest cameras ever to use! Very rapid to set up, easy to operate, etc. You have to remember to zero the front standard before bringing the standards together at the end of a session, otherwise you will squish the bellows off the default folds, and they may end up not as pretty. Easy to forget to do if it starts raining, or if the wife was expecting you back at the car 20 min earlier

George

Marcust101 · Jan 14, 2008

I got an RW45 a while ago and spoke to Bruce at photobackpacker, they were able to recommend a case from their range which fits into their modular system. The case is simple, fits really well and seems well padded, light and water resistant. A quick look on the site would probably show you the possibilities.

Marcus

Mahler_one · Jan 14, 2008

Good suggestion....I already use "the system" for my Canham 4x5...simply a matter of switching out the camera cases...now to figure out what to do with the lenses....I think the best solution ( assuming I keep the Canham, which I might not ) would be to ask Adam at SKGrimes if he can make an adaptor board, Canham to Ebony I guess...

Speaking of lens boards, which one(s) are suggested? The Ebony boards are certainly more costly, but there are "generic" boards out there that would probably work as well. Anyone think there is any difference at all between the various lens boards? Geesh.....I hate the thought of remounting all of my lenses....

Ed

Marcust101 · Jan 14, 2008

I use a linhof board on my ebony and it works happily, doesn't seem to much difference except in cosmetics

Baxter Bradford · Jan 14, 2008

If you are considering using a 58mmXL then you really ought to consider the wide angle fresnel lens assembly for the Ebony (~£250). The standard fresnel isn't designed for such short focal lengths. The replacement assembly which uses the international back fittings is very quick to fit and makes a big difference. I had no idea such a thing existed and struggled without. I use the SU and bag bellows for the 58mm on a flat lens board. The other issue that adds expense to this lens is the centre filter and a separate Lee holder to fit on the outside of this.

In terms of lens boards, I use the cheap generic ones from Robert White.

Mahler_one · Jan 14, 2008

Thanks for the information Baxter. I had thought about the center filter, but I'm not sure that my landscapes would include enough of open sky ( I often shoot in "old Florida woods" which are rather dense) which would make the center filter necessary. Good suggestion about the Fresnel screen, but the added expense is something I might want to avoid if possible.

Speaking of added expense: Is anyone using one of the Ebony "viewers"? Using one would appear to make the entire process easier.....out with the camera with lens already attached, onto the tripod, open viewer...off to the races.

Speaking of speed....I just returned from our local state park and a photo hike down a some what isolated dirt road. Setting up the Canham 4x5 is really not a big deal....relatively quick....I mean, not Leica quick, but about 5 minutes from unfolding to composing. What IS heavy is that Ries tripod with their special tilt head...

Edwin

hal9000 · Jan 14, 2008

Edwin, as far as viewers go, they are helpful when you can look at the focussing screen straight on, but I think with wide angle lenses they are less useful since the light moves out from the sides so you need a lot of freedom of movement in viewing. I use the generic viewer without loupe from Robert White (see link) which looks just like the 'Ebony bellows focusing shade'. This is much quicker than a dark cloth and works fine with my 150mm and 210mm lenses but it is not usable with my 90mm lens.

Mahler_one · Jan 14, 2008

Thanks Hal....I wouldn't have known that the viewer restricted the use wide angle lenses. At least some money will be saved!!

Ed

Mahler_one · Jan 14, 2008

By the way Hal, my wife and I were in Berlin several years back ( in the Winter! ) for the wedding of our cousin. There were building cranes everywhere. Museum Island was in full swing, and one had to be impressed with the incredible holdings of the musuems that were previously behind the Iron Curtain. We thought that Berlin was becoming-once again-one of the most exciting cities in the world. We'll be back either late this year, or next-BUT NOT in Winter!

Edwin

Martin Aislabie · Jan 15, 2008

paul owen said:
Hi. The Ebony Camera Case (holdall) listed on the Accessory page is a re-badged Tenba bag or so I believe.
In reply to Martin -
The reason there are no instructions included is that Ebony assume (rightly or wrongly) that customers will be conversant with LF cameras before investing so much cash in them. The 45S is such a simple camera that there is no need for instrcutions anyway. There are downloadable instructions for the folding Ebony cameras on the website.
Interchangeable bellows are a feature of cameras where the bellows can be exchanged for a wide-angle type. The 45S is designed for using lenses in the range 38mm to 400mm (tele) with just the one set of bellows. If the Ebony bellows wear out they can still be replaced.
You won't need a guarantee with an Ebony. The customer service is second to none and any issue/problem at any stage will be rectified. If you haven't received a reply simply try again!

Bets of luck! Paul

I was expecting a few useful operating tips on the maintainance of my camera when I got it.
For instance, the rear standard wobbles a little when fully extended.
I e-mailed Ebony and got a quick response back.
But I did wonder why such simple instructions weren't included in the first place.
By the way, if your rear standard wobbles a little at full extension then :-
Here you will see how to tighten the back 4 Phillips screws (two on each side) in the rectangular metal plates that cover the camera rails. There's a bit of a knack to tightening the screws -- you should exert quite a lot of downward force while turning them. A few degrees is usually all that is required. Please let me know if this solves the problem
Thanks
Martin

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