Is this an Arca Swiss?

[kompressor]

A retired photographer offered this camera to me in an email (see attachment). In ten -14 hours i will go and see it with my own eyes. Any one here at APUG who know if this is an Arca Swiss and is it worth buying? Today i do all my LF with an Chrown Grapich 45 and i really love to use that camera. But with a monorail i can do more tilt/shift/drop/rise What can what shown on the phot be worth in dollar?

 

[resummerfield]

That's a very early Arca, something pre-early 80's. Probably worth around $500 or so, if everything works. I would look for a newer model Arca, something that current Arca models will interchange with. There is a discussion about a very similar camera on LFF.

 

[Jerevan]

These cameras are wonderful! I had one of these, which I stupidly sold to a norwegian guy. This is a model from the late sixties, early seventies, I would guess. You have to look at the foam in the front and back standards as it is prone to deteriorating, also check for cracks in the black (plastic?) material, but I don't think there will be any. Also, the camera seem to have a reduction back, unless the 4x5" back is taken off in the photo. Lightweight and precision are the words that come to mind. And of course "I want it!"

The interchangability issues resummerfield talks about, I think is a minor point if the camera is complete and in good working order. In that case the camera will be a good for years to come.

 

[kompressor]

These cameras are wonderful! I had one of these, which I stupidly sold to a norwegian guy.

And im from Norway, so is the seller How about tripod use. Is it hard to connect the monorail to my Berleback Tripod.

 

[Jerevan]

Mine had tripod holes on the underside of the rail if I remember it correctly. I suppose a quick release plate for the tripod would be the easiest way to connect the camera to a tripod. And yeah, I know you're in Norway, that's why I mentioned it. Back then I used a Manfrotto 055 with a 029 head. But the camera is very light for a LF camera, somewhere around 2 kg.

 

[RJS]

I am in the process of selling my Arca. I have owned Linhof Technikarday, Sinar Norma and P (no flat bed ,wood or 'field' cameras. i found the Arca the easiest, most intuitive to work with and would be and is my first choice. But the images that come out are all the same, given equal lenses etc.