Looking for the perfect wide angle 4x5

[Frank Petronio]

Now that I have my hopped up Speed/Aero on its way, I'm starting to dream about my next "ultimate" camera. What I want is a very compact, handholdable 4x5 with helical focusing, rise and/or shift, a Graflock back, and a nice usable folding hood (like a Graphic, Toyo, or Technika). I want to use a 90/4.5 Grandagon because it is the nicest lens I've used so far - very even. I don't need a lot of movements - 0.5 to 1 inch would be plenty - I like the lens for its brightness and even coverage (no center filter).

I've tried Sinar Handys and older Cambo Wides, and didn't like them for one reason or another. Linhof Technars don't have shift, and I've never seen a Silvestri. I definitely don't want to use a chopped monorail or Graphic because I think they are clunky.

I am tempted to have SK Grimes modify an older Linhof monorail camera, with the larger lensboard, using just the rear frame, Graflock back assembly, and a lensboard and cone for the lens in a focusing mount. They could probably bolt on an Arca plate and I'd be good to go. Has anyone done anything like this?

Are the Linhof studio camera boards square and easy to rotate 90 degrees? If so, I could mount the lens off center by .5 inches and have built in rise, fall, and shift simply by rotating the lensboard. That would save a lot of $$$.

 

[pico]

Curious - what did you not like about the Handy or CamboWide?

Answering your direct question: I use Linhofs and build WA cameras. Linhofs - the Linhof monorails are not handholdable with any tricks I find adequate. They really are tripod-studio cameras. The more compact is the Linhof Color. The Technicardan is completely out of the question. On the Linhof Color with a 90 or 75mm S/A the bellows is collapsed considerably so that about all you have is the rear standard, but some movements are still possible. You would have to shorten the rail to keep it from poking you in the face or appearing in the picture if it is out front - or shorten the rail, which is easy to do, but handholding would require too much of a kludge and it would still be very unbalanced.

The Linhof Technika is highly recommended. It is made to be handheld. The Super Technika's rangefinder means you can actually focus and handhold. Shoot with a 6x12 back and you have a massive rangefinder you never have to glass focus for straight-on or simple rise. Used Technikas show up all the time. Get the V and be happy.

 

[pico]

Oh, to answer your questions regarding lens boards. The Linhof Color and Technika lens boards cannot be flipped 180 degrees. They have specific detents that make that an unwise idea.

 

[JohnArs]

Hi Frank

Look at the following link from UK ebay:http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=627&item=7514215425&rd=1

I'm not in any way conected to this company, but it sounds not to bad. I will not bid on it anyway!

 

[Frank Petronio]

A while back Bob Salomon (the Linhof distributor for the USA) mentioned on PN that you could build such a camera from something like an old Linhof 45s or Bi. Basically you strip everything down the standard frame (no movements, no rail). Ground glass and focusing hood on the back, lensboard on the front. Drill and tap for an arca plate, grip, and maybe a shoe-mount for a Voightlander viewfinder. Attach a helicoil focusing mounted lens to the Linhof lensboard and go. There is a guy in Switzerland selling the focusing mounts for > $200. A beater Linhof monorail might go for $300-$400 tops. It sure is a lot cheaper than a Cambo-wide. Cambo kills you on the extra lenses...

The hard thing is adding a shift. So my main question is whether I could just mount the lens off center and rotate the lensboard to get rough shift movements easily.I could on a Sinar, but I like the Linhof backs better than the Sinar backs.

I had a Sinar Handy briefy and thought it was poorly made and clumsy. Cheap viewfinder, really crappy handle, flimsy plastic focusing cone. Might as well get a Gran-View or one of those Chinese knock-offs. (But I'm fussy.)

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

The Cambo Wide DS looks like it has everything you're after except the cost. SK Grimes can make focus mounts, so you could use your current lenses--

http://www.skgrimes.com/thisweek/1_8/index.htm

 

[Frank Petronio]

yeah, I saw that, plus their adaptation of an Arca with a 6x9 back. Cool stuff.

 

[jjstafford]

See this one: http://elearning.winona.edu/jjs/sw4x5/

 

[Dave Wooten]

If 90mm is your intended focal length....can't a graflex be customized to fit your needs?