Iston, a low budget Deardorff knockoff...

[jtk]

What's your experience with Iston flatbed view cameras?

Years ago I bought an Iston 4X5 flatbed view camera...a low budget Deardorff knockoff . It was represented as "Indian." Seems to be made of teak. Never got around to doing much with it...the focusing rack gears and track and the various knobs deserved careful cleaning that I didn't take the time to address. Looking at it today, I clearly got a good deal. Guess I'll make a couple of lensboards for a couple of similarly ignored "modern" low budget lenses (e.g. Xenar).

Looks good on my bookshelf.

Do/did you do much with yours?

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Sounds like a camera sold as the "Rajah" in the 1980s. I thought of buying one, but I found a V8 Deardorff with 8x10 and 4x5 back, four filmholders, and a case for about $200 more & bought it.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I looked on gurgle, what came up is not a Deardorff clone.

 

[cowanw]

Is this it?
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/cheapwood.html

 

[E. von Hoegh]

One picture of a camera clearly marked "Iston" - http://rare-camera.com/cameras/large-format/camera-iston-5x7.html#

Clearly not a Deardorff design, for reference - http://www.largeformatphotography.info/deardorff-8x10/

 

[John Earley]

I believe Iston was a brand made by Shen Hao prior to the time they upped their game and started to produce better quality cameras.

 

[AgX]

I got one in 8x10. Very basic in manufacturing. But back then I could not get anything else at that price.

 

[jtk]

Several of the above posts are correct as is this link (thanks): http://www.largeformatphotography.info/cheapwood.html.

Yes, it's a very cheap Deardorff copy. Yes it's "rough", and undoubtedly some form of teak. It has virtually unlimited movements (equal Deardorff). It has an adequate back (equal to Deardorff: the half dozen of which I've seen in use enjoyed salvaged Graflok backs). I don't think I'd want an Iston larger than 4X5 because the locking gizmos would be annoyingly fiddly...but they do lock where one sets them.