New Wanderlust 4x5 camera

[Dr Croubie]

I am not sure Schneider even made 500 90mm angulons.

Quote directly from the wanderlust guys:
"The supply of Angulons on eBay and other outlets has been temporarily tapped out by Travelwide customers, but it will go back to normal after a few weeks... Keep in mind that we still need to manufacture the camera, so people have at least a few months to source a lens, and in the meantime, they can shoot with the included pinhole. The market price for Angulons can't climb too high, because there are so many of them out there!"

Well, I hope so. But they've smashed through the $85k target and still going, so we all get a pinhole to keep us happy in the meantime (every time over the weekend when I refreshed they'd added another few orders). If they hit $100k I want even more goodies...

 

[SMBooth]

gee,I have three of those lens !

 

[Roger Cole]

While I don't know for sure, I suspect they made far more than 500 90mm Angulons, and in any case the camera can be used with pretty much any small 90mm press style lens with just some shimming, shims to be included I think, and the job should be pretty easy with the ground glass they are including.

I happen to have a Linhof Angulon that I got years ago with my Tech III so I bought one of these almost right away, but even if I hadn't, I would have bought one. Keeping an eye out over the coming months would turn up something workable, I'm sure.

 

[Barry S]

I am not sure Schneider even made 500 90mm angulons.

Schneider manufactured 90mm Angulons for nearly 40 years and it was very popular lens. Tens of thousands would an estimate at the low end and likely a lot more. The Angulons have been hard to sell for the last few years because of of the glut of more modern 90's with better optics and more coverage. I'm guessing a lot of people have these sitting in drawers.

 

[Nige]

gee,I have three of those lens !

do you now...

cause I've ordered the camera bit...

 

[Nige]

Schneider manufactured 90mm Angulons for nearly 40 years and it was very popular lens. Tens of thousands would an estimate at the low end and likely a lot more. The Angulons have been hard to sell for the last few years because of of the glut of more modern 90's with better optics and more coverage. I'm guessing a lot of people have these sitting in drawers.

the trouble with this train of thought is do the people with them sitting in a drawer know/remember/care. Will they get around to selling them?

 

[moose10101]

I think there are better solutions to point-and-shoot 4x5s, even at the same price level.

Ed, what are the other options? I've been thinking about trying 4x5 but want to keep it simple in the beginning, and this camera or a similar alternative would be just about perfect (if I can score a lens).

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

do you now...

cause I've ordered the camera bit...

So have I Shane. And I live quite close to you.

 

[Pioneer]

I happen to have a Linhof Angulon that I got years ago with my Tech III so I bought one of these almost right away, but even if I hadn't, I would have bought one. Keeping an eye out over the coming months would turn up something workable, I'm sure.

I have an old Linhof Angulon 90 as well. Bought it two or three years ago thinking to mount it on my Crown but have never gotten around to it. Now I will have a use for it.

 

[Roger Cole]

I've made quite a few nice photos with it on my Tech III over the years. It's short on coverage (a tiny amount of rise is possible - shift too of course but most often it's rise I want with a wide angle) and needs to be stopped down to f/16, preferably f/22, but it's tiny and within those limitations the results are quite good.

 

[munz6869]

Melburnians hoarding 90mm Angulons! I have one Linhof model previously mounted on a Galvin View - I just knew it'd come in handy...!

Marc!

 

[Mick Fagan]

Like Marc, I have a Linhof one mounted on a recessed mount, very tempting to pick one of these cameras up, but I now have so many 4x5v cameras, including a much loved Razzle and being retired, decisions, decisions.

Mick.

 

[Dr Croubie]

bloody victorians hoarding lenses, i don't know what this world is coming too.
First they steal our Grand Prix, now our lenses.

Anyone want to send a 65mm SA over to Adelaide?

 

[Nige]

geez, they're coming out of the woodwork now!

 

[EdSawyer]

A crown graphic springs to mind as a better option for basically the same money. A touch heavier perhaps but just as usable hand-held, and FAR more versatile and better built. not to mention options like a graflok back, interchangeable lenses, movements, etc.

Other good candidates (granted more expensive) for small/light/handheld 4x5: Globuscope, Chamonix Saber, Speed graphic, SUper Graphic, Graphic RB (SuperD), any of the various Polaroid conversions, etc.

-Ed

Ed, what are the other options? I've been thinking about trying 4x5 but want to keep it simple in the beginning, and this camera or a similar alternative would be just about perfect (if I can score a lens).

 

[Roger Cole]

If you've ever actually tried to find something like a Crown in decent shape with rangefinder and lens with matching cam ready to go, you may understand the word "despair" and I doubt seriously you'll touch it for anywhere near the price. OTOH if you really understand those cameras and know your way around the bewildering bits of them you can probably put one together. The more I looked the more bewildered I became until I just wrote off the idea of handheld 4x5 as a lark I didn't need. This one re-sparked that interest because it's cheap, simple, very light, and is designed to use a lens I already own.

 

[Barry S]

A Crown Graphic is a totally different animal. A Crown weighs about 6 pounds without a holder, compared to the 1 pound 6 oz of the Travelwide (with Angulon & film holder). I love my Speed Graphics, but they're not fun to carry around all day.

 

[winger]

A crown graphic springs to mind as a better option for basically the same money. A touch heavier perhaps but just as usable hand-held, and FAR more versatile and better built. not to mention options like a graflok back, interchangeable lenses, movements, etc.

Other good candidates (granted more expensive) for small/light/handheld 4x5: Globuscope, Chamonix Saber, Speed graphic, SUper Graphic, Graphic RB (SuperD), any of the various Polaroid conversions, etc.

-Ed

I can't possibly use my Crown or Speed graphics without a tripod. I did get my Crown with a lens all matched up to the rangefinder for about $100 (don't hate me, it makes up for overpaying on something else, I'm sure), but I wouldn't put it in the same category as the Wanderlust.

 

[Pioneer]

I can't possibly use my Crown or Speed graphics without a tripod. I did get my Crown with a lens all matched up to the rangefinder for about $100 (don't hate me, it makes up for overpaying on something else, I'm sure), but I wouldn't put it in the same category as the Wanderlust.

+1 with major emphasis.

I own and use a Crown Graphic with a working rangefinder and I do shoot it handheld. I do enjoy working with it but it is an animal, nothing at all like the Wanderlust. The Wanderlust, ready to go, is lighter than my little Zeiss Ikon rangefinder, and the ZI is very easy to pack around.

 

[Richard Man]

I bought a Crown with a matching RF, but then realized that what I really want is a "proper" view camera, and sold the camera within a couple hours. The person didn't even want the 135mm Nikkor since he already has a 135mm lens. Good deal for both of us.

I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed with the Wanderlust, when they realize they either have to pay a lot for development, or do their own.

p.s. and I love the Chamonix 4x5 F1 I got. I may pick up a "P&S" 4x5 soon, for more night exposure stuff...

 

[munz6869]

I took my Crown Graphic to Norway a few years ago, to use handheld. I got some satisfying pictures, but never again... I replaced it with a Fuji 6x8 rangefinder for handheld stuff (and a Wista field camera for tripod things). The Wanderlust plastic camera may just get me back to handheld 5x4! I am looking forward to it, and can't think of anything wrong with a popular new film camera, really...

Marc!

 

[Dr Croubie]

Having never shot LF before, how handholdable do you guys reckon it would it be?
I've handheld my Bessa L and 21mm Skopar to 1/10 easily, and have done my Mamiya 645AF and 45mm down to 1/30 before I get nervous about wasting blurry shots.
With those numbers as a rating of 'my stability', do you think I could hold it at 1/50 or 1/100? Faster or Slower?
Basically, if I'm going to have to use f/16 or even f/8 at the fastest, on a regularly-lit day, I'm wondering if ISO100 would be enough or if I should try stocking up on Provia400F?

 

[munz6869]

I actually think the 'lack of weight' will be the biggest issue - I have the Harman Titan 5x4" and that thing is lighter than a film holder (or it feels like it) - you would use that handheld, but it does give a sense of how light a camera like this might be - and the 90mm Angulon doesn't really add much weight at all.

Marc!

 

[Barry S]

Shooting at 1/50 should be pretty easy--slower if you can brace the camera. It should be comparable to shooting any rangefinder with a wide lens.

 

[Andrew K]

bloody victorians hoarding lenses, i don't know what this world is coming too.
First they steal our Grand Prix, now our lenses.

Anyone want to send a 65mm SA over to Adelaide?

Us hoarding lenses? Never!

I do have a 90 mm Angulon mounted to my Pacemaker Crown Graphic, plus a 90mm Graflex wide mounter onto my home made 6x12....

Come to think of it, I think I have a Linhof Angulon somewhere too, or did I sell that one

Oh - and I've never owned a 65mm - so I'm not hoarding one!