New Wanderlust 4x5 camera

TheFlyingCamera · May 7, 2013

I'm looking forward to the 65mm with pinhole - for $99 it's probably the best bargain out there in a 4x5 camera. It will be fun to have it to take along on trips just to throw in the camera bag and squeeze out the odd superwide landscape or architecture shot.

RattyMouse · May 31, 2013

OK, for folks like me who now only just discovered this camera, what can we do? Is there any way to buy one now?

Barry S · May 31, 2013

RattyMouse said:
OK, for folks like me who now only just discovered this camera, what can we do? Is there any way to buy one now?

The production run of the camera will be sufficient to sell the cameras once the Kickstarter orders are filled. So once the camera is ready (hopefully in the fall), you'll probably be able to place your order.

RattyMouse · Jun 1, 2013

Barry S said:
The production run of the camera will be sufficient to sell the cameras once the Kickstarter orders are filled. So once the camera is ready (hopefully in the fall), you'll probably be able to place your order.

Thank you. Do you have to buy a film back to use this camera? If yes, which ones would work with it? I know NOTHING about LR photography and this looks like the perfect way to get my feet wet with it.

Jon Shiu · Jun 1, 2013

RattyMouse said:
Thank you. Do you have to buy a film back to use this camera? If yes, which ones would work with it? I know NOTHING about LR photography and this looks like the perfect way to get my feet wet with it.

You use regular 4x5 Film Holders that are double sided and hold one sheet on each side. Used plastic ones such as Fidelity, Lisco, Riteway are about $5 to $15 each, and new ones are $18 at Calumetphoto.com

Jon

europanorama · Aug 2, 2013

Specifications

So we will get these: pls correction

travelwide 65 for 65 /8 SUPERANGULON only? how about the angulon f6.8?
is it fixed focus only? or two versions?

travelwide90 with focussing mount?
(non-Super) Angulon /6.8, it can also mount other 90mm lenses.

Schneider Super Angulon 90mm /8
Nikkor SW 90mm /8
Fujinon SW 90mm /8
Caltar 90mm /8
Rodenstock Grandagon 90mm /6.8
Caltar 90mm /6.8

2. how about a vertical preshift-version? turning around the camera for a second shot. using 6x7 back or
additional moving the back to cover 6x12 in total. darkslide must cover the uncovered space then.
or using the chinese rotary back for hasselblad-backs(4 shots). pls correct me

Steve Goldstein · Aug 2, 2013

1. The 65mm version is fixed-focus only, designed for 8/65 Super-Angulon in 00 shutter. The 6.8/65 doesn't come close to being able to cover 4x5, it's really a 2x3 lens, but you could use it if you like massive vignetting.

The 90mm version with focusing mount is as you said, the focus mount accepts Copal 0. Other lenses will fit, some may focus past infinity (or not hit infinity) depending on the flange focal length compared to that of the 6.8/90 Angulon.

2. According to the most recent update the mold designs are finalized and mold construction has started. You should have asked about these kinds of features some months ago. You might be able to hack the camera to do this, it's just plastic. But honestly, why not just use 4x5? You can crop in scanning or printing, or in the worst case cut the negative to 6x12 with scissors!

250swb · Aug 3, 2013

europanorama said:
travelwide90 with focussing mount?
(non-Super) Angulon /6.8, it can also mount other 90mm lenses.

Schneider Super Angulon 90mm /8
Nikkor SW 90mm /8
Fujinon SW 90mm /8
Caltar 90mm /8
Rodenstock Grandagon 90mm /6.8
Caltar 90mm /6.8

The 90 was designed for the 90mm Angulon in the sense that the weight of the camera balances with the tiny weight of the Angulon. The 90mm Super Angulon, and some of the other lenses are another story, being very heavy compared with the anticipated light body weight. So it depends on how you want to use the Travelwide, hand held or on a tripod and how that balances out. It is possibly no surprise that given the number of orders for the camera the 90mm Angulon (a very good lens anyway) is being snapped up on Ebay at the moment when six months ago they languished un-loved, sad and lonely.

Steve

Steve Goldstein · Aug 3, 2013

It was also designed for the 6.8/90 Angulon in the sense that the focusing helical is set to provide correct infinity-focus indication. Other lenses, with different flange focal lengths, will have their apparent infinity at different places. It's easy to adjust for, and thankfully not that much of an issue in an event with a 90mm lens.

If you have lots of time on your hands, there's an extremely long Wanderlust thread on the Large Format Photography Forum. It includes many posts from the camera's designers describing their approach, and you can see how features have iterated in response to comments from potential users. It starts here:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?86921-Wanderlust-4x5-P-amp-S

Warning, there are over 1100 posts to date.

Spoons · Sep 1, 2013

Steve Goldstein said:
1. The 65mm version is fixed-focus only, designed for 8/65 Super-Angulon in 00 shutter. The 6.8/65 doesn't come close to being able to cover 4x5, it's really a 2x3 lens, but you could use it if you like massive vignetting.

Steve
The 65mm f8 is really a lens for 6x9cm with movements but it does have an image circle that is a couple of mm larger than 5x4 at f16 so it will work just fine. OK it may not give technical excellence but it is not being put on the front of Sinar. There will be some vignetting unless a centre grad is used just like all LF wide lenses.
The 90mm f6.8 actually has a slightly smaller image circle! I have used one of these on my hand held 5x4 for years and it works really well.

Huge credit to the Wanderlust guys for this project, the interest they have generated is amazing, I reckon film sales will be up next year and a lot of people will be having great fun.

Cheers
Spoons

Dr Croubie · Sep 1, 2013

RattyMouse said:
OK, for folks like me who now only just discovered this camera, what can we do? Is there any way to buy one now?

Just an FYI: originally there were two cameras, a 90mm with helical focus, and a 65mm fixed. A lot of people (like me) ordered one of each.
After a few stretch goals and an update or two, they've decided to make both cameras the same and supply both mounts, so people like me are going to get 2 bodies, 2 65mm mounts, and 2 90mm mounts. Once they start shipping, I'd be looking around on ebay, there'll probably be more than a few that won't want both bodies and will re-sell the other one (I might, I haven't decided yet).

Meanwhile, I'm getting antsy waiting for mine. I've stocked up early, got a 90/8 SA and 65/8 SA (in nice lightweight copal 00), got a few film holders and a bucket of film (hp5, delta100, and a 50-pack of expired Original Velvia), a pack of 20 Quickload Astia and holder, a 405 back and a few packs of FP3000, plus a Graflex 23 back. I've also got a 105/3.5 Xenar to play with, GG focussing and FP3000 will make for an interesting street project I've got in mind.
Now it's all sitting around waiting for the camera, I was thinking yesterday I'll go buy a cheap Cambo from KEH to keep me busy for the next few months...

munz6869 · Sep 1, 2013

I can hardly wait - I just dragged my Wista around South Korea during a particularly sunny, warm and humid fortnight, and contemplated throwing the backpack off various bridges and so on. Very sweaty at times, was I. (I did get some nice negatives though - in fact, ALL 30 sheets I exposed well - which is a marvel). It'll be VERY nice to travel with the Wanderlust...

Marc!

pen s · Sep 11, 2013

Wanderlust just put up update #10 on their Kickstarter page. Looks like the project is moving along nicely.

Richard Man · Dec 30, 2013

I am one of those skeptics about 1000+ people shooting 4x5, so how's the project coming along?

Roger Cole · Dec 30, 2013

We've been getting pretty regular updates. Schedule is behind due to some issues with the fabricator. The big thread on LFPF has more updates:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?86921

Scroll toward the end for recent updates.

Newt_on_Swings · Dec 30, 2013

I totally forgot about this camera... I was wondering why there is not that many 90mm f8 lenses on the bay at cheaper prices compared to other lenses, as i was looking for one to use on my wista. Wanderlust kickstarter people are buying them all up!

Roger Cole · Dec 30, 2013

It isn't made for 90mm f/8 lenses but specifically for the 90mm f/6.8 Angulon, not the f/8 Super Angulon.

Newt_on_Swings · Dec 31, 2013

Ah i looked again on the site, it is indeed for the f6.8 lenses, but the f8 lenses also work on it. Maybe they are both being snatched up.

ToddB · Dec 31, 2013

Are therese cameras in production? If so, How do I order?

ToddB

Roger Cole · Dec 31, 2013

The f/8 will work though you may need to adjust for the flange focal distance. I don't remember all the discussion about that since I already have a 6.8 Angulon.

No Todd, they're not in production yet. Those of us who backed them on Kickstarter got the intro price. I think they either have or are soon opening up to pre-orders from others though.

Dr Croubie · Mar 11, 2014

In 3 weeks it'll be exactly 1 year since this launched, and 3 months past expected shipping date.
Sigh, still waiting...

Roger Cole · Mar 11, 2014

IOW it's barely over two months late, and we've had plenty of updates about the problems they've had with the plastic fabrication.

Relax.

Dr Croubie · Mar 11, 2014

Yeah, but the last update was 6 weeks away and promised to be shipping 'real soon'. It's not the lack of camera that concerns me (I've got my toyo to keep me fit lugging around), it's the lack of updates and concrete information.
In my engineering job if we miss delivery we have to give updates at least every day or two to the salesmen to relay to the customers, sometimes more than once a day with those headache-inducing and/or (self-)important customers. And even then they don't pay us until 30 days after we deliver to them.
I'm well happy with waiting for something worth it instead of getting a slap-dash job, but their silence is not doing them any favours for this or the next project.

pdeeh · Mar 11, 2014

I've had experience of Ben and Justin before.
They're not running an engineering company, they are enthusiasts with a vision and they fit all this stuff around their normal lives.
They also keep an eye on their inboxes and if you are concerned then email them.
Sometimes there's just no news and no updates to give.

Richard Man · Mar 11, 2014

Common theme in KickStarter projects. That's why I don't do KS. I think generally speaking most projects do deliver but there are just so many that you have to wait and wait...

New Wanderlust 4x5 camera

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