Shen Hao folding camera

optique · Nov 23, 2008

Received my Shen Hao HZX45-11A the other day.

Nice looking camera.

I have one question...How do you close the camera back up? Granted, I am the one who unfolded the camera, so one would think it would be just the reverse.

I looked for the answer in the camera manual but the included pitiful stapled scraps of paper basically gives names to parts, and crude drawings of camera movements but no folding instructions. The English/Chinese versions of the Shen Hao website is also unhelpful. Searching the web otherwise has been unhelpful. The Ebony site has instructions on how to fold the sv45 but I can't get them to work on my camera.

This is probably the kind of problem that I will look back on and laugh, but I am crying now.

I have spent hours tinkering with the camera, always being gentle and I can not get it to fully fold so I can get the clasp locked. The lens board and mounted lens is not on camera.

I have gotten it folded up this far: Rear standard (box part of the camera) laying down flat down against the bed, but the latch will not work because leading edge of the box extends about a half inch beyond the bed.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Thanks very much.
Steve.

DaveOttawa · Nov 23, 2008

Try loosening the front standard movements (rise/fall) and see if this allows you to line the front and back up enough ot close it.

optique · Nov 23, 2008

Dave, The front movements are loose when I try it. In fact, I have tried loosening everything.

This is discouraging. I wish there was a youtube on this.

photomc · Nov 23, 2008

If you check here there should be a link to this site
copy the link and paste into BabelFish

I think it will help...good luck

ps - select translate from Italian to English

optique · Nov 23, 2008

Mike

Tried the instructions and it did not work.

I hate to admit defeat but I think I will take it to a local camera shop. However, no shop in the Houston area sells Shens.

thanks to all.
Steve.

Eric Rose · Nov 23, 2008

This is too funny!! After years of not doing LF I went to my local camera store and bought a used Wista. Got it home opened it up and after awhile decided to put it away. For the life of me I couldn't figure out how to close it. So I called my friendly camera store and talked to the guy that sold it to me. He told me that if I couldn't figure it out I should bring it back for a refund as I clearly wasn't ready to shoot LF. WELL...that did it, I spent the next hour sweating over it and finally figured it out. Couldn't let this piss-ant get the better of me!

photomc · Nov 23, 2008

Steve, Eric is spot on...give yourself a break and you will get it. I had a Shen knock off, that did the same thing, then kept going over the instructions and finally it all came together. Don't let it get you frustrated, just take your time you will get it.

Eric, that is too funny for sure...your the last person I would say "wan't ready to shoot LF"

Bob F. · Nov 23, 2008

The method of closing is from image no. (37) onwards in Mike C's link. Slacken off the front standard and push it back until it meets the rear standard (38) at which point it will want to flop down; let it (39) - the front rise/fall must be slack to allow it to do this properly - then close the back on it (40) - rear tilt must be slack to do this.

It is possible to loosen some movement locks so far that they actually end up locking at the far end of their travel so make sure everything is floppy and it should fold up as shown. You do not need to slacken all the movements to fold the Shen but as you are having problems it's probably best to do so at first until you get the hang of it.

Curt · Nov 23, 2008

Is the back down all the way?

Ulrich Drolshagen · Nov 24, 2008

You may try this Link. There is a gif which shows how it works. It's a Tachihara, but it may apply your Shen Hao as well.

Ulrich

mmcclellan · Nov 24, 2008

Make sure the lensboard holders are pushed in all the way. It took me awhile to figure out that was why I could not fold my Zone VI up! But with every knob loosened and the lensboard holders pushed in all the way, you should be able to make it all work.

I think this is part of the initiation rite for becoming a LF user!

Antje · Nov 24, 2008

I had the same problem - it does get easier though. Make sure everything is loosened and pushed in first. Then I found it easier to hold it against my belly, groundglass towards me, press down on the rails that hold the bottom plate with your thumbs so they disengage, and then push the bottom plate towards you with your fingers. Everything should slide in place easily this way.

Antje

Richard J R Wilson · Nov 24, 2008

With my Ebony, you loosen everything at the front, rise the front standard up as far as it can go, and towards the top it will allow you to rotate the standard forwards - this lets you lower the standard down into the main body without crushing the bellows - essentially you end up with the lens mounting plate facing the bottom of the camera... Make sense?

Cheers

Rich

P.S - Obviously there is no lens attached at this point...

optique · Nov 24, 2008

Well, its morning and I am at work and away from the camera.

I will try these hints if I don't make it into the shop with the Shen Hao before tonight.

I had loosened everything before I tried. Not sure, but maybe the box is not sliding back because the front standard is obstructing it. I saw the Tachihara link posted and that is what I am doing, except mine does not close.

I am at least somewhat relieved to see others have wrestled with this. You know, Misery Loves Company.

Thanks for the hints.
Steve.

Venchka · Nov 24, 2008

Steve, if all else fails, I'll take you and your Shen Hao down to Katy for some first hand instruction from a Shen Hao user. I sent your PM to Westley. hopefully he can shed some light on the inner workings of the Shen Hao.

wclavey · Nov 24, 2008

Steve, I am working from home today so I can spend time on the phone or even meet up with you at some point if necessary... if you PM me with a number, I'll call you when I have a break between meetings.

Nick Zentena · Nov 24, 2008

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=12202&highlight=closing+shen+hao

Don't feel bad. You aren't the first. You won't be the last.

Shangheye · Nov 24, 2008

Ok..I know because I helped a friend of mine do it several times when he had trouble in Australia recently while we were on a job. We agreed at the time that the Shen Hao's main disadvantage was set-up/put away time, but that it's movements compensated for the inconvenience. So here it is: Make sure that the front standard is in the Fall position (it will not close if it is in the normal position). Then pull the standard down flat against the base plate, so that it is face down on it...the bellows allows enough flexibility for this. Then having loosened everything in the back (all of them...push the joints that would normally allow you to tilt the back forward, and and as you do so raise the back up and downwards towards the base plate as you do so and then then gently close it down. The two sides (base plate and back) should then mate...

Since I said at the start I helped him SEVERAL times...it it will prove difficult the second and third time you put it away....he now could put it away blind folded. Rgds, Kal

Erik L · Nov 24, 2008

I'm sure you've tried this already, but if you haven't figured it out the struts that control the front and rear tilts are spring loaded and fit in a notch when in the zero position. If you move the struts toward the back of camera a quarter inch or so it will allow you to fold the back standard forward. Even if you have the knobs loosened it the standards won't move without getting out of the zero notch detent. I hope that makes sense.
good luck
Erik

Eric Mac · Nov 24, 2008

When you do figure it out, you may want to take Fred Picker's advice of setting up the camera a 100 times in a row. His actual advice included taking it out of the car, setting up the tripod, putting on the lenseboard, etc., and then packing it all away, but this is a bit extreme. I did open and close my camera many times in front of the tv during a football game, and yes it did make this part of the photography process quicker.

If only I can learn to frame and expose a scene properly, I'll be getting somewhere.

Enjoy the light..

Eric

optique · Nov 24, 2008

Hey guys,

Westley has graciously agreed to meet to me sort this thing out.

Expect to hear a big Woop when it finally closes!!

Thanks to all who posted.
Steve.

Colin Corneau · Nov 24, 2008

I'd laugh except I went through much the same thing when I got mine (from Beijing!).

It's surprising how much you can remember from high school when you really need to.

jovo · Nov 24, 2008

Eric Mac said:
When you do figure it out, you may want to take Fred Picker's advice of setting up the camera a 100 times in a row. His actual advice included taking it out of the car, setting up the tripod, putting on the lenseboard, etc., and then packing it all away, but this is a bit extreme. I did open and close my camera many times in front of the tv during a football game, and yes it did make this part of the photography process quicker.

This is incredibly good advice! I've gotten very, very facile with my Shen, but I have acquired a Manfrotto 410 geared tripod head that I'm waaaay less familiar with. I was setting up for a shot on a wooden landbridge over a tidal wetland in Cape Cod, and a few folks who were walking along stopped to watch (they thought a "real" camera...especially one they believed to be an antique...was a cool thing to observe), and I was chagrined to have encountered trouble figuring out how to get the camera firmly attached. It was embarrassing, but instructive to me.......practice, practice practice !!! (fer chrissakes I'm a cellist...you'd think I'd know that by now). :rolleyes:

photomc · Nov 24, 2008

optique said:
Hey guys,

Westley has graciously agreed to meet to me sort this thing out.

Expect to hear a big Woop when it finally closes!!

Thanks to all who posted.
Steve.

Good on you Westley...Think you are in good hands Steve.

Expect to hear that Woop anytime now this evening up here in North Texas.

bobwysiwyg · Nov 24, 2008

In the not too distant future, I hope to be looking for a folding field cam and this seemed like an attractive one, including cost. However, from all these posts, it sounds like a bit of a pain to set-up/take down. Are most folders this bad? Despite what seems like a pain, most posters have not said they regretted getting one. If I might ask, is this because they are worth the effort, or is it a case of, "Well I bought it, now I'm stuck with it?" In other words, would you purchase it again knowing what you now know?

Shen Hao folding camera

Membership Council

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency