BlueMoonCamera
Advertiser
It was a dark winter day when a shiny beautiful thing walked into my life.
Sitting on Blue Moon Camera's showroom shelf was a Crown Graphic Special 4x5 press camera. Fully restored.
I had seen it briefly the night before, just as the shop was closing. When walked in the next day, I pointed to it and said to my coworker behind the counter, "That one. Now!"
I had owned one 50 years ago, purchased from a pawn shop. It was a bit battered, in a battered kit. I lived with it for about four years before I became convinced a field view camera was the answer to all my photographic needs.
Silly me.
Decades later, I sold all my large format gear for a digital kit. I'm happy I did, I love my new setup. But something was missing.
Here at the shop, we're surrounded daily by dozens of great analog cameras. Being a digital convert, I had become immune to temptation. Or so I thought.
I've always loved cameras with bellows. They're simpler, and view cameras really are the most versatile cameras that ever were created.
Between nostalgia and a nagging thirst for something tangible, I succumbed to temptation. And anyways, I still had a dozen or more film holders, right?
Why, besides personal history, would I choose this camera? It's solid, rugged, built for hard use. It's compact, it's versatile, and while it has limited camera movements, there are enough for casual use.
The lens is an excellent Schneider Xenar in wonderful condition. Other lenses common to this camera likewise were fine optics. The image circle is somewhat limited, but it's enough.
I've added a couple of lenses to my kit, and a blank lens board fit with a pinhole. The rangefinder makes quick focusing simpler, and the ground glass is there for critical work.
Another great thing about these cameras is their availability. We typically have Crown and Speed Graphics in stock, as well as other press cameras.
They're common on auction sites, and they're usually reasonably priced. They come in 4x5", 3x4", and 2x3" formats, with accessories such as roll film backs readily available. They often are sold as kits.
If you're curious about large format but think you don't have the budget, press cameras are an easy entry. You don't even need a lens right away - slap on a pinhole and go to town.
And don't worry if the one that strikes your fancy isn't in pristine condition. They're made to take a beating and keep working, and working, and working.
You can learn more about press and view cameras in the International Camera Museum on our website, and while you're there, sign up for The Loupe, our free weekly newsletter!
Sitting on Blue Moon Camera's showroom shelf was a Crown Graphic Special 4x5 press camera. Fully restored.
I had seen it briefly the night before, just as the shop was closing. When walked in the next day, I pointed to it and said to my coworker behind the counter, "That one. Now!"
I had owned one 50 years ago, purchased from a pawn shop. It was a bit battered, in a battered kit. I lived with it for about four years before I became convinced a field view camera was the answer to all my photographic needs.
Silly me.
Decades later, I sold all my large format gear for a digital kit. I'm happy I did, I love my new setup. But something was missing.
Here at the shop, we're surrounded daily by dozens of great analog cameras. Being a digital convert, I had become immune to temptation. Or so I thought.
I've always loved cameras with bellows. They're simpler, and view cameras really are the most versatile cameras that ever were created.
Between nostalgia and a nagging thirst for something tangible, I succumbed to temptation. And anyways, I still had a dozen or more film holders, right?
Why, besides personal history, would I choose this camera? It's solid, rugged, built for hard use. It's compact, it's versatile, and while it has limited camera movements, there are enough for casual use.
The lens is an excellent Schneider Xenar in wonderful condition. Other lenses common to this camera likewise were fine optics. The image circle is somewhat limited, but it's enough.
I've added a couple of lenses to my kit, and a blank lens board fit with a pinhole. The rangefinder makes quick focusing simpler, and the ground glass is there for critical work.
Another great thing about these cameras is their availability. We typically have Crown and Speed Graphics in stock, as well as other press cameras.
They're common on auction sites, and they're usually reasonably priced. They come in 4x5", 3x4", and 2x3" formats, with accessories such as roll film backs readily available. They often are sold as kits.
If you're curious about large format but think you don't have the budget, press cameras are an easy entry. You don't even need a lens right away - slap on a pinhole and go to town.
And don't worry if the one that strikes your fancy isn't in pristine condition. They're made to take a beating and keep working, and working, and working.
You can learn more about press and view cameras in the International Camera Museum on our website, and while you're there, sign up for The Loupe, our free weekly newsletter!