Second 4x5 camera considerations and suggestions?

[monkeytumble]

Started LF with a 4x5 Sinar P. I love the Sinar in the studio, but when I want to set it up more than 20 steps from the car, well, that love affair fades quickly. So, I am considering a second 4x5 "field" camera.

So, I would like to hear your thoughts on what the relevant considerations are when considering a more mobile 4x5 camera and what camera you might suggest. If you would like a little more information about my photographic direction: 1) portraiture, 2) close up (not macro) of things between the size of a basket ball and Volkswagen, 3) landscape; and, I use B&W film and develop my own film.

Thanks,

Jay Decker
Kennewick, WA

 

[archphoto]

How about a Sinar F ? Then you can use a lot of what you have right now.
Basicly you will need just 2 F standards......that can be used as standard for a copendium etc.
More expensive: a field camera, but then you have to either get a second set of lenses or put your lenses onto Linhoff Master Boards and get a adapter-lens-board for the P.
Luxery: Linhoff Master Technica and a adapter-lens-board for the P.

Be aware that field camera's are not so usefull in close-ups, because you focus with your lens.

Peter

GAS: Sinar P2 8x10 and 4x5

 

[Steve Hamley]

There aren't any real 4x5 field cameras that use Sinar boards, and a F/F-1,2 might do well. A Norma might also do you well. For a lightweight folding wood field camera, Ebony RW45. If you want more features (like asymmetric rear swing and tilt) try an Ebony with a "U" suffix. A mahogany SV45U would be nice for the "weight conscious".

Cheers

Steve

 

[archphoto]

Sinar is the LEGO for grown-ups: pick the building-blocks you want to make the camera you want.....

Remember that most of the weight of the P (and P2) is in the standards.......

Peter

 

[MikeSeb]

Jay, if you decide to go the Sinar F route, I may be selling mine soon. PM if interested.

 

[monkeytumble]

... More expensive: a field camera, but then you have to either get a second set of lenses or put your lenses onto Linhoff Master Boards and get a adapter-lens-board for the P.
Luxery: Linhoff Master Technica and a adapter-lens-board for the P.

You bring up a very good point. By sheer luck, I have a Technica to Sinar lens-board adapter made by S. K. Grimes. I friend purchased it for me. The thing looks brand new and he paid next to nothing for it (he picked out of a left over parts bin). So, something that would accept a Technica lens-board might be an obvious criteria.

 

[Nick Zentena]

I'd think about something like the Shen FCL-57. Add the 4x5 back. I don't remember if the current versions use Sinar or Linhof boards. You'll get longer bellows then a common field camera. It's still fairly light. 3kg?? Plus you get to try 5x7 to

 

[archphoto]

Actualy I went the other way: I had a Master Technika with lenses on Tecnika boards. I traded it in for a P2, stupid, I should have kept the Master, and made an adapter board with Wista parts I had laying around.
The biggest advantage is that the Technika boards are compact, so the carrying case can be relative small.
I am an architectural photographer that uses the P2 4x5 on location in Holland.

 

[2F/2F]

A Sinar field model (F, F+, F1, F2) is fairly easy to pack up, just as well built as your P, and you would not have to change anything onto different boards or buy redundant accessories for a new brand of camera. Make one of your standards a multipurpose instead of an F, and you are even lighter. If you can manage to do what you need to do with coarse focusing alone (which you probably can), you can even make both standards multipurpose ones.

Oh yeah. They are also cheap as dirt!

 

[EASmithV]

Started LF with a 4x5 Sinar P. I love the Sinar in the studio, but when I want to set it up more than 20 steps from the car, well, that love affair fades quickly. So, I am considering a second 4x5 "field" camera.

So, I would like to hear your thoughts on what the relevant considerations are when considering a more mobile 4x5 camera and what camera you might suggest. If you would like a little more information about my photographic direction: 1) portraiture, 2) close up (not macro) of things between the size of a basket ball and Volkswagen, 3) landscape; and, I use B&W film and develop my own film.

Thanks,

Jay Decker
Kennewick, WA

You should look into a Graflex Pacemaker 4x5. It's technically a "press camera" and not a "Field camera" but the only difference I'm aware of is that in a "field camera" the film plane is tiltable while it is fixed in a press camera.

They are very tough, and not too heavy.

 

[Jeremy]

You bring up a very good point. By sheer luck, I have a Technica to Sinar lens-board adapter made by S. K. Grimes. I friend purchased it for me. The thing looks brand new and he paid next to nothing for it (he picked out of a left over parts bin). So, something that would accept a Technica lens-board might be an obvious criteria.

Chamonix 4x5. Also takes Technica boards. Under $1000. Lightweight. Can be used for portraiture, close-ups, and landscape. Very rigid for field use.

 

[Venchka]

Lots different

You should look into a Graflex Pacemaker 4x5. It's technically a "press camera" and not a "Field camera" but the only difference I'm aware of is that in a "field camera" the film plane is tiltable while it is fixed in a press camera.

They are very tough, and not too heavy.

A Pacemaker Speed Graphic is a lot more different than that. Enough different that after using my Speed Graphic for awhile, I bought a proper field camera. I'm keeping the Speed Graphic because it does one very special thing that the field camera doesn't do: it has a focal plane shutter for my very special barrel lens. It also accepts Graflok back accesories that my field camera won't accept. Most field cameras have Graflok backs. I guess Fred Picker didn't need such accesories.

 

[Richard Kelham]

The best solution would seem to be one of the folding field cameras that take Linhof technika boards, plus an adapter to use those boards on your Sinar. Otherwise build up dedicated sets of lenses for both cameras! That would at least widen your choice of field camera.

For instance, do you want wood, metal or plastic for your camera body? How much weight are you prepared to carry?

 

[BlueLemon]

I have had the same setup as you - and problem.

The Sinar P is just a beauty in studio, but these 20 steps away from car made me purchase a Linhof Technika V.

The Technika boards will now fit my Sinar adapterboard, but i use this adapter very seldom, since i have bought some really nice and huge portraitlenses for the Sinar which will not fit the Technika, and the lenses which I use for the Technika is primarely for landscape.

But I recommend this setup - not cheap, but not the most expensive either

 

[Matus Kalisky]

Well, I think that if you want to make longer hikes, than you really want a lightweight camera like Tachihara (I have one) or Chamonix or similar - weight bellow 4 pounds. If you are also more serious about macro or similar, than you would probably prefer a camera with rear standard focusing. Maybe a Technikardan TK45S or Arca Swiss Field F Compact (with 6x9 front standard) could be a solution. Both of these are about 6 - 7 pounds. Not as light as a field camera, but much lighter than you Sinar P (around 12- 14 pounds I guess). There is also a very interesting Toyo VX125, but is limited by the bellows draw to 300mm (non tele design) lenses. On the other hand it does not need a bag bellows.

I am in opposite situation - having a Tachi and looking for a relatively light weight "field" monorail. Sinar F is definitely the cheapest option but also the heaviest and most bulky to backpack.

 

[Anthony Lewis]

I have a Sinar P2 and F2 that I use for most of my needs, eg studio, very long lens, very short lens, near car, macro, and so on. For backpacking I have the Toho with these lenses in Toho mount, Schneider, 80mm, 110mm, and 150mm, as well as Fuji 240mm and 450mm. I have had SK Grimes make up a Toho to Sinar adapter board, so I do not have to change any lens boards when changing cameras.
Now I feel I have the best of both worlds. A Toho for backpacking, and the Sinar for everything else. Works for me!

 

[keithwms]

You might look into the old pocos. I have a 5x7 and an 8x10 poco. They both came with quite nice convertible Bausch & Lomb lenses (with bulb activated shutters), and the are *extremely* lightweight. People cannot believe how light they are. They go for $200 or so on the bay and will require bellows patching, but that's about it.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've settled on the same setup, more or less, as Blue Lemon--8x10" Sinar P at home (with 4x5 reducing back and sliding back), 4x5" Technika V out and about, and Sinar-Technika adapter boards for most of my lenses. The big portrait lenses that don't fit on a Technika board go on Sinar boards, since I'm not usually carrying those around anyway. I've got other large format cameras as well, but I've got most of them using Sinar lensboards. I've still got to convert my 7x17" Korona to Sinar lensboards, which I'll probably do when I have the bellows out for replacement.

 

[kirkfry]

A crown graphic does so many things a Sinar P does not do, it is a great second camera. Now you just have to figure out what the 3rd camera will be. Lots of good suggestions here.

 

[ic-racer]

I prefer to stay within a system. However, if you do look outside the Sinar system, the Horsaman FA is a nice lightweight, small 4x5 field camera. There are a lot of things it does not do (so that it can be small and light) but you probably don't need 2 cameras that both do the same things.

 

[Shmoo]

I prefer to stay within a system. However, if you do look outside the Sinar system, the Horsaman FA is a nice lightweight, small 4x5 field camera. There are a lot of things it does not do (so that it can be small and light) but you probably don't need 2 cameras that both do the same things.

Don't the Horseman cameras use the same lensboard as well? I think they do (I could be wrong).

I have an F2, and it is still heavy when you carry just 2 lenses and a handful of film holders, but the camera is so terrific that I just kept it. I ended up buying a Tachihara, but you could easily go with any of the light wood field cameras (Shen Hao, Chamonix, etc.) and remount the lenses (easy enough to do). Or you could get an adapter board.

 

[Grev]

I was wondering, how relevant are these "field cameras" in the field? If the shooting speed can be as fast as a medium format camera then it might be worth it.