Shipped off the Monorail, now researching for a field 4x5

[Mick Fagan]

Interesting. I am sure the bottom of the barrel will make a good start, if nothing else it will make me appreciate a nicer model if I should upgrade some day. This kit comes with a roll film back, which would make the 105 more acceptable with the 6x7 crop. When you say too wide for 4x5, does this mean vignetting? Can you combat this by stopping down? There is so much I want to learn, getting my hands on a kit is step one... I really appreciate all the feedback!

The 4x5" format requires a lens that will have an image circle around 160mm. If you purchase a lens with an image circle at F22 of 160mm or bigger, it should be alright for the 4x5" (9x12cm) format.

Vignetting is one way of saying there isn't enough coverage, but to my way of thinking it means if I move the lens board up or down more than a couple of millimetres, I run out of coverage and thereby vignette the film.

You need to do a bit of a web search about lens coverage to get a handle on what you will need, doing this will give you far more of an idea of what is what and what you will need. You will be far more relaxed and secure after acquiring this knowledge. You are of course acquiring this knowledge now, but you need to slow down a bit and learn a bit more by reading as much stuff as you can cram into your brain, then sleep on it so your brain absorbs more and therefore you know more.

You'll get there.

Mick.

Ps: I suggest you search on the web for the image circle of the Zeiss 105mm lens.

PPs: almost always image circle is quoted when the lens is stopped down to f/22, if you shoot at a wider aperture, say f/5.6, you may fine your image circle is smaller and you will indeed suffer from vignetting if you are on the limit.

 

[Mick Fagan]

I've been happily photographing with my bottom of the barrel Kia since 1980 is so. In studio and out of the car trunk (boot). Sometimes drag it overland using a 2-wheeled luggage trolley (of similar vintage). I'm sure getting my money's worth!

I like that, nothing wrong with bottom of the barrel stuff. My Calumet units are really bottom of the barrel, but they have produced some stunning results, one just needs correct technique and a good understanding of how things work.

For instance, I replaced my Calumet cameras with a Toyo 45G monorail in March this year, hadn't used one of these in at least 25 years, but I had used Toyo 45G 4x5 and 8x10 units in a studio environment for work, so I should know how to use them and what they can do.

I had been using the camera for a couple of sessions when I re-discovered that it had a rotating back, so much for being switched on.

By the way, if ever you get the chance to try one of these Toyo monorails, I think you will like it.

Mick.

 

[OldBikerPete]

I've just noticed this thread. I have a Wista metal field that you might be interested in. I'm selling my entire LF kit. Includes four lenses 65mm to 210mm, all Nikons except the 90mm which is a Caltar (rebadged big name thing - can't remember the name) Double-darks (lots) three(?) Grafmatics. Minolta spotmeter, and external zoom viewfinder to select which lens to shoot. A set of Cokin-style filters and attachments etc. etc..
About $400 for the body sounds good. Similar for each lens.
Peter

 

[Ian Grant]

I made the decision not to use my De Vere Mororail and get a Field camera back around 1986, it was Whole plate/Half plate/5x4 so much bulkier and heavier than the OP's Cambo and my reasoning was identical.

Back then there were few modern Field cameras available in the UK but I was lucky to find a second-hand Wista 45DX. Now you can find second-hand (wooden) Wistas, Tachiharas Shen Haos etc at reasonable prices all very capable and.

The other option is a metal Field/Technical camera two suggestions are the Toya 45A or the Graflef Super Graphic, but there are others like the metal bodied Wista Peter's offering above. One advantage of these cameras is they are easier to use hand-held if you ever want to.

Other cameras like Speed/Crown Graphics, older US style cameras like the wooden Burke & James mentioned above have limited movements which can be quite frustrating and limiting, that's speaking from experience - I have Speed/Crown Graphics as well as 7x5 & 10x8 cameras with similar movements to the wooden B&J.

Ian

 

[Jim Jones]

that looked like a great option, then the listing ended a half hour later....

Any thoughts on this calumet? I saw one at a local shop today, just for show in the store, it had a nice clunky feel to it, I kind of like the materials. This one seems too cheap to be good.


http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=281693466888

That model of Calumet is a decent camera at a low buy-it-now price. If I didn't already have more 4x5 cameras than I ever use, I'd grab it for myself. Calumet may not be the Rolls Royce of cameras, but who wants to knock about in the boondocks with a Rolls? Calumet, B&J monorail, and Graphic View (my favorite) are capable of making almost any photograph any other monorail can. That should be more important than the convenience and boasting rights of premium cameras.

 

[ic-racer]

I think the biggest offender to field-use is the large box that houses a monorail. If you can put the monorail in a more traditional camera bag the situation can be improved greatly. When you consider the tripod, lenses, film holders and other gear needed to expose a 4x5 negative, you are not gaining that much with the switch from monorail to field camera. Too bad you did not use the monorail much. If you had, you would have a better idea of the type of field camera you need. 90mm is not an easy lens to learn with. It swing has to be zeroed perfectly on the detents to get a horizon in focus. Many field cameras don't have detents. You could have had this all figured out after shooting a couple boxes of film.

 

[Pioneer]

Use a Backpack

I disassemble the camera, put the bellows (standard and bag), the front and rear standards and two lenses in protective bags. That whole lot slides into the backpack with 4 grafmatics. Short and long monorails go on either side on the outside and the Slik or Ries tripod straps on the rear.

The entire load isn't too bad for an old man to pack for day hikes. If I am going in for more than a day I take my grandson. He is the mule that packs everything else.

 

[LMNOP]

I have that lens, it is so good I would purchase that camera just for that lens alone. Talk about sharp.

Pretty good price to get you into the scene.

I have the Shen Hao, and as The Flying Camera states, it has pretty much everything one would ever need in a mass produced and very reasonably priced wooden folder. It also takes bag bellows, takes about 1 minute to change and will allow you to use lenses up to 150mm for normal pictorial type stuff. I have used the bag bellows with a 210, but you are a bit limited if your focus is much shorter than about 4 metres. Rear shift on the Shen Hao is really handy and something I use much more than I thought I would, almost a necessity for architectural stuff I have found, and very handy for landscape work.

Mick.

Got this one. See my 'Pulled the trigger' thread. Thanks for the advice! This will be a slow climb.