Ebony SW45 advice

[Dphoto]

Hi everyone,

my first post at APUG heralds my return to film after 4 years shooting digital. (previous to that I was using a Mamiya RB and Silvestri S4. As a landscape photographer primarily, with a bit of architecture as well, I have decided that an Ebony SW45 is what I need. I'll be using rollfilm, 6x7s and 6x12s mainly. I have Schneider 58mm XL, 75mm and 135mm lenses already and plan to add a 35/38 and a 47mm.

I would appreciate opinions and advice regarding my choice of camera and lens.

Also, what additional equipment would be helpful whilst shooting rollfilm? I'm thinking in terms of screens, fresnel lens, viewers, loupes - I have rollfilm backs.

Many thanks

David

 

[Tom Stanworth]

a recessed panel will allow more movement with short lenses. I had a RSW45 and it was great - perfect for use with wide lenses. sounds like you are all set to be honest! However, be sure that you wont need to use longer lenses, as the 45s comes into its own with lenses longer than 150. It'll handle a 240 fine and a 210 with ease. Might be worth considering as I got fed up with using a top hat panel on a 203 Ektar - what a lens!

 

[Dphoto]

Thanks Tom,

I've dug a little deeper and had a look at the RSW45 from Robert White, plus discovered the SW45S which has the same wide angle capabilities as the SW45 but will take a 400mm lens. The SW45S adds an extra 300g of weight and there is some rear center tilt. I had decided to sacrifice longer lenses so that I could use the 38mm - I didn't realise I could have the best of both worlds! It costs quite a bit more though.

David

 

[Trevor Crone]

Hi David great choice of camera.

I enjoy using the SW45 with wide angle lenses, certainly suits my vision on the/my world.

Do get the Ebony fresnel, its a God send in helping with focusing with the wider lenses.

The widest lenses I use is the Super Angulon 47XL. There is some darkening of the corners (4x5) which suits my b/w photography but may prove undesirable with colour material, so a centre filter may needed. Its fine on 6x9 and 6x12cm. I also use a 35 Apo-Grandagon, this requires at least a 10mm recessed lens board for infinity focusing. This lens is not full frame on 4x5.

On occasion I use lenses to 240 (Tele-Congo) and to allow infinity focusing I use the Ebony 'Top Hat' tubes and lens panel.

Enjoy,

Trevor.

 

[George Hart]

discovered the SW45S… I had decided to sacrifice longer lenses so that I could use the 38mm - I didn't realise I could have the best of both worlds! It costs quite a bit more though.

David

Just a note of caution in dreaming about the SW45S—the longer bellows may make it more difficult to use movements with very short lenses, simply because there will be more of them scrunched up behind the lens, compared with the SW45. No camera works best at the limits of the bellows, either the long or the short, and the beauty of the SW45 is that it does the short lens end extremely well. Sure, the SW45S allows you to use longer lenses, but it's possible that you may not really get the best of both worlds with this camera.

I have never seen the SW45S but I have used the SW45, and I own the 45S. I use the 45S mainly with a 6x9 RFH, and the shortest lens that I use is the 55 Apo-Grandagon. While this will work on a flat panel, movements are tight, so I use it on a 10 mm sunk panel. At the long end, the 240 Fuji A lens works extremely well (and is one of my great favourites for 6x9!)

All in all they are great cameras, but deciding which is best for you may take time to work out. I second Trevor's recommendation to get the fresnel which is excellent.

 

[Dphoto]

Trevor and George,

Many thanks for some good tips and valuable information. The more I read the more I realise that one LF camera isn't enough! However, I can only afford one, and as the wide angle is much more important to me, I'll concentrate on the SW45.

I'm interested in the extension tubes that Ebony offer. Bearing in mind that I'll be using 6x7 mostly what do you think the longest lens is that I could use?

David

 

[George Hart]

I'm interested in the extension tubes that Ebony offer. Bearing in mind that I'll be using 6x7 mostly what do you think the longest lens is that I could use?

David

The increment is ~35 mm per tube, so a "top hat" panel with 1 tube (ie standard) would allow you to focus, at infinity, a lens with a FFL of 190 mm (max bellows specified) +35 mm = 225 mm. The Fuji A 240 mm lens would require another extension tube, allowing a FFL up to 260 mm, so comfortably exceeding the quoted FFL of 238 mm for this lens.

But it depends really on what you want to do. Add more extension tubes and they will make the lens vignette. There are the tele lenses, which are not in general beloved of LF photographers for several reasons, including greater mass, limited image circle, and awkwardness with some movements such as tilt. The Nikkor 270 tele has a FFL of 188 mm, so theoretically it can be focussed at infinity on an Ebony SW45 camera without an extension panel. But it weighs 590 g (again, brochure spec quoted), so it will cause the standard to sag right at the limit of its extension, and I should think that it would not be very comfortable to use on this camera, for example on a windy hillside.

You can't have it easy all ways, and your original post indicated a wish to use really short lenses, 35-38-47. Those are (relatively) great with the SW45, but at the longer end a 180 mm lens at infinity would be close to the limit. But the very light 180 mm Fuji A lens, if you can find one, should be really easy to use at infinity focus on this camera.

 

[Dphoto]

Thanks for introducing me to FFL George. I know what I should be looking for now.

I've ordered a nearly mint SW45 at a good price and the 38mm also. I'm bound to have more questions later!

Many thanks.

David