Is the Travelwide 4 x 5 camera from Wanderlust a reality?

Richard S. (rich815)

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If they ship before Christmas I'll be surprised. Sorry for being cynical but just speaking from lot of kickstarter experience.
 

baachitraka

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They look not so pretty to my eyes...
 

ciniframe

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I'm a backer and most backers have been very patient and understanding of the delays. Some backers have been very vocal in accusing them of everything, from being lazy to downright fraud. Did they get in over their heads? Yeah, it looks like it. But, they are carrying through and although the camera could be a year late (it is seven months late now) hopefully it will be worth the wait. One thing that has happened is that now the camera is much better designed and now, those who backed either the 90 or 65 version will be able to switch between the two with supplied parts and a screwdriver.

They say they are on tract to ship by this summer but Ben had made many statements that have not worked out and I'll not be surprised if this too falls aside as more complications develop.

In the end, when it gets into the hands of *all* 1136 backers then it will have been successful, not when they have shipped the first twenty or thirty units.
 

ciniframe

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As far as production goes; they already have thr first batch of 1500 cameras spoken for, 1136 to Kickstarter backers and 300 sold on a pre-order site.

I asked Ben how many cameras need to be sold to make a viable production run and he said at least 500. So now, unless they get firm orders, with deposits, on 500 cameras, they will not be able, economically, run another batch of cameras. Any who are interested in this camera need to go to the Wanderlust site and sign up for the mailing list so they can get an idea if there are enough people who will actually buy the camera.
 

mgb74

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In the end, it will be the quality and functionality of the camera that remains in our mind. Once these are in people's hands, and assuming the "buzz" is positive, I don't see much issue with another 500 or 1000 firm orders. Beyond that - who knows.
 

TheFlyingCamera

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I'm one of the kickstarter backers. I'm just waiting patiently. From the latest update, it sounds like they will be ready to ship before the end of July/beginning of August (they're only waiting on a couple more pieces, but have the rest of the parts in hand). I've waited this long, I'm willing to wait a bit longer.
 

Regular Rod

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Likewise +1

I like the look of them too...


RR
 

ciniframe

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I just noticed that there have been 3 more comments to the last update. Ben says once all parts and packaging is in hand then 10 people can assemble and box 1500 cameras in one day and that they can be shipped out quickly. Good news!
 

Poisson Du Jour

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It must be real, or I would not have placed my order for one...
In their most recent email update they spoke of minor engineering tweaks that followed the first version.
 

Dr Croubie

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I'm still hanging out for both of mine. I've never seen anything wrong with the project besides the lack of communication 6 months ago, I think they've learnt from that and that's why they've given more updates in the past few months.

Seriously, I can't wait, my 65mm f/8 Super Angulon is just really annoying.
It's on a recessed technika board, which goes on a recessed technika->toyo adapter, and it still only just reaches infinity.
The shutter screw-mount points perpendicular to the shutter, it fouls the recessed lensboard and is very hard to get in and out, only 1 of my cable-releases is short enough.
There's no focus, only Bulb, which isn't so good since my only cable-release that fit it in the recessed adapter got dropped and stepped on, I have to hold the button down to focus now.
I've got the centrefilter for it, to try to even out the inevitably large vignetting, that's another annoyance taking on and off each time to focus.
And there's no real room to shift or tilt anyway so it's rather pointless on a monorail.

I will be so extremely happy when I get my travelwides, the 65mm SA is going straight on one of them and is never coming off. No focus, no rise/shift/tilt? Point and shoot only? Bliss!
 

pentaxuser

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ciniframe said:
I just noticed that there have been 3 more comments to the last update. Ben says once all parts and packaging is in hand then 10 people can assemble and box 1500 cameras in one day and that they can be shipped out quickly. Good news!
Click to expand...

That's 150 cameras per person. If we assume an 8 hour day that 480 mins so roughly 3 mins per camera including boxing. Does that sound right? You can't do much assembling including boxing in 3 mins. Just curious

pentaxuser
 

Richard S. (rich815)

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pentaxuser said:
That's 150 cameras per person. If we assume an 8 hour day that 480 mins so roughly 3 mins per camera including boxing. Does that sound right? You can't do much assembling including boxing in 3 mins. Just curious

pentaxuser
Click to expand...

No lunch or potty?
 

ciniframe

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The truth is, they have had the body, helical, focus collar, retaining tabs and indicator grip as of June 12th. According to the last update July 7th they should now have the spring back and VF. They could be assembling complete cameras right now and as the other parts arrive, the pinwide, pinwide cap, plastic focusing screen, and CHOMPY, these can be placed with the cameras awaiting packaging. When they get their custom cartons it would be a matter of packaging, labeling, and ship out. This assumes they will have been preemptive enough to have completed the survey about current address and whether or not single camera backers want the conversion parts shipped with their Travelwide. By now a basic 'how to' instructions should have been completed and printed ready to place in each carton. An alternative is to include a link to the website where said instructions can be downloaded (this is probably the best choice).

A good feature from them would be a list that would be updated as each remaining batch of 1500 parts arrived. It would give heart to those who have waited so long for this to come to completion, a countdown if you will.

I so excited I'm sure I'll have to get a box of Depends.
 

TheFlyingCamera

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Ok- more delays - they're having to re-do the focusing collar because it expands with the heat and locks up so it can't focus. And they're re-doing the ground glass. And CHOMPY isn't going to happen, so they'll work out something else as a substitute (too many variations in size of flanges/retaining rings even for shutters as seemingly standard as a Copal 0). Now they're targeting end of August.
 

timparkin

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I!m a backer and small business owner. I was fairly certain of at least a 6 month delay and not surprised at more. Unless you've worked in industry on projects like this you have no perception of how long things take. My general rule if thumb used to be to double whatever time i think it will take. The weird thing is that if you plan for the doubling then it doubles again - don't understand that but there you go...

I'm excited to have another camera to play with
 

erikg

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pentaxuser said:
That's 150 cameras per person. If we assume an 8 hour day that 480 mins so roughly 3 mins per camera including boxing. Does that sound right? You can't do much assembling including boxing in 3 mins. Just curious

pentaxuser
Click to expand...

Don't think I'd want a camera put together that quickly.
 

Dr Croubie

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Depends what they have to do it it. I'm imagining just grabbing the body, grabbing the helicoid, screwing it in, and attaching the back with a few screws, putting it in the packing along with the pinwide and viewfinder. 3 minutes including turnaround might be a bit optomistic, but I'd easily believe 5.
 

BradS

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They **might** also be working quite a bit more than 8 hours per day.
 
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