How much does your view/field camera weigh?

[Surly]

I am thinking about making some mods to my Calumet C401 to make it a bit more portable. I have not weighed it yet but I am looking for a reasonable target to shoot for, if I can even pull this off. Thanks.

 

[Nick Zentena]

The 401 doesn't have a weight problem so much it has a length problem. If I intended to take it for a walk I'd do one thing

Remove the rail. Pack the rail with the tripod while the standards are packed on their own. But my memory tells me it's not that easy to remove the rail.

Sure it's not a light camera but I can't see making it a light one. But if you can pack the rail on it's own then it would be a much easier to haul camera. If you don't need the 26" rail then get yourself a shorter rail for the field.

 

[JG Motamedi]

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/cameras/camera-weights.html

 

[Ian Grant]

That list's quite poor as no Wista's, MPP's, 5x4 Speed or Crown Graphics, so many popular cameras are missing

Ian

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/cameras/camera-weights.html

 

[ReallyBigCameras]

That list's quite poor as no Wista's, MPP's, 5x4 Speed or Crown Graphics, so many popular cameras are missing

Ian

That list wasn't meant to be comprehensive. It was compiled from a thread I started comparing advertised weights to actual weights for many common LF cameras.

Please feel free to click on the link and add the weights for any cameras you own. The more people who do so, the better the list will become.

Kerry

 

[Surly]

I have a plan to make a multi-piece rail that can be broken down for portability. With my design, you could have several different length sections and use the shortest one for the application. It's still in the design stages, but I think it will work. This would facilitate putting the camera in a backpack. Which brings me to making it lighter. I'm not a weight fanatic, so I thought I'd start with a weight comparison of other cameras and if it was immensley heavier then try to shave a little off. Perhaps I should have said all this in my first post. Sorry.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I am thinking about making some mods to my Calumet C401 to make it a bit more portable. I have not weighed it yet but I am looking for a reasonable target to shoot for, if I can even pull this off. Thanks.

About 3 lb/1.4Kg for my Toho 4x5 including lens, no holders or case; 65 lb/30Kg for my 12x15 inch Gandolfi with 3 holders and case...

Cheers,

R.

 

[Nick Zentena]

I'm not a weight fanatic, so I thought I'd start with a weight comparison of other cameras and if it was immensley heavier then try to shave a little off. Perhaps I should have said all this in my first post. Sorry.

Okay you've lost me. Are you asking if the 401 is heavier then the average 4x5? Then yes. It's not much different then some light weight 8x10s. It's heavier then my 5x7.

 

[Ian Grant]

Point taken Kerry

I'd gladly add a few weights, it wasn't meant as a criticism of the compilation merely it appeared to be referred too as more than work in progress.

Could you amend the table for those of us in the rest of the world by adding a metric weight column !!!!!

Ian

 

[Phillip P. Dimor]

I've a top-rf Crown Graphic with spring back and small 135mm lens. That's the lightest camera I own by far.

The tripod on the other hand..

 

[Curt]

The camera is made of heavy metal connecting components and the shaft, rail, rod on it is heavy. I have one sitting in the corner. I would suggest taking it completely apart and weighing each component. Then see which could be "lightened" by reducing the amount of product without having it fall apart. The rail could be replaced with a synthetic part and made in two parts that screw together. It's a tough build but if you are totally committed it probably could be lightened. Maybe ditch the front metal lens holder and replace it with composite or wood or even aluminum? The revolving back is nice but the curved metal could go, it's just stylish. Good luck.

 

[Surly]

Nick, what I meant was if my camera is say 8#'s and the majority of field cameras are around 8#'s I'll leave it alone. If the majority is 4#'s and mine is 12#'s then maybe I could do something to make it lighter. These numbers are just an example.

 

[Pinholemaster]

If you don't like your camera's weight, you can always add more! Grin.

 

[Nick Zentena]

Let me put it this way. The 401 might not be the heaviest 4x5 ever but it can't be far off.

 

[ReallyBigCameras]

Could you amend the table for those of us in the rest of the world by adding a metric weight column !!!!!

Ian

Ian,

I didn't make the table, but it's based on the information in the thread I started. The table was compiled by Ralph Barker based on information in the thread. However, it looks like there is a lot more information in the thread than in the table. So, perhaps an update is in order.

If you check the thread, you'll see that I (and others) included the weights in both grams and pounds/ounces. If a few more people revive the thread by contributing some new iformation we can probably convince Ralph Barker to update the table with the new information and probably add a column for metric weight at the same time. The best place to make that request is in the thread itself as Ralph is a moderator of that forum and will most likely see any new posts in the thread.

Kerry

 

[ReallyBigCameras]

Let me put it this way. The 401 might not be the heaviest 4x5 ever but it can't be far off.

Not even close. It's about half the weight of the 4x5 Linhof Kardan Master GTL. Of course, it's also about 1/100 the cost. So, pound-for-pound it's a heck of a deal.

Kerry

 

[Nick Zentena]

Damn that's scary . The Linhof is 16lbs?

 

[Surly]

O.K. I just weighed the Calumet. On my incredibly accurate bathroom scale "calibrated" with a 5# bag of flour (note heavy sarcasm). The CC-401 weighs 9 1/2 - 10 pounds with no lensboard. My hard case with all my gear (camera, lenses, polaroid, rollback, etc...) weighs 39 pounds.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

I just weighed my Super Graphic with WF Ektar 100mm lens mounted, cable release, and QR plate and it came in at 4.8 pounds.

I weighed my camera bag with darkcloth, Super Graphic, additional Ektar 203mm lens and lens board, spot meter, and 4 DS film holders and it came to 12.8 pounds with out the tripod.

I weighed my C-1 8x10 with Vitax Portrait lens and it weighs 22.4 pounds.

Guess which one I carry in the field.

Wayne

 

[ReallyBigCameras]

Damn that's scary . The Linhof is 16lbs?

It's in the 18 - 19 lb. range.

Kerry

 

[reellis67]

My Korona 4x5 (with two lenses) weighs in at 7 lbs and the 8x10 weighs 12, 2 of which are the most often used lens and shutter.

My tripods weigh in at 11 lbs for the large one and 4 for the backpacking one.

- Randy

 

[Monophoto]

My LowePro backpack, complete with my Zone VI Lightweight, 210 and 90mm lenses, 6 film holders, light meter, misc. accessories, and Tiltall tripod, weighs in at about 28 pounds.

That's the only number that really counts - cuz that's what I have to schlep on my back!

 

[Curt]

Which model is the Tiltall? Sounds like the right amount and weight of equipment.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Tiltalls are all pretty similar. The Marchionis are very nicely finished. The late Leitz models have some nice qualities like heavier knobs on the pan and tilt controls and a divot on the collar so the head can tilt back farther (mainly for storage, but you could use this feature. The Star-D Tiltalls are considered to be on par with the earlier models. The current version isn't quite as nice.

 

[Kobin]

My Crown Graphic, stripped of rangefinder and accessory viewfinder, with Graflex shutter and Optar 135mm lens and a Riteway double sided filmholder, weighs 2.3kg, .4kg less than my Mamiya C330 with its 180mm lens set.

K.

PS
My DyanaTrans carbon fiber tripod with aluminum tilt-pan head (bought for 81 USD including S&H!) weighs 2.7 kg (manufacturer rates it for 5.9kg).