Well it seems like I'm getting a lot of different opinions here, as expected. Lots of good tips and advice though. I think I'll check out the interwebs and see if I can get more info on the camera along with some other new cameras with roughly comparable pricing. I'm curious though why some people prefer the shutter on the speed graphic vs the crown graphic?
Do you know who is selling them? I've been to B&H's site and they're all well over $1000. What brands are they? I'm also seeing that most crown graphics with a lens are going for about $600 on ebay. That seems a far cry from the 150-400 that another member quoted. I'm thinking they must have been quoting camera minus a lens. Any thoughts?
Well it seems like I'm getting a lot of different opinions here, as expected. Lots of good tips and advice though. I think I'll check out the interwebs and see if I can get more info on the camera along with some other new cameras with roughly comparable pricing. I'm curious though why some people prefer the shutter on the speed graphic vs the crown graphic?
The Speed has a focal plane shutter built in. If you want to use old brass lenses which don't have a shutter you can use the focal plane shutter in the Speed.
Yeah, everyone has an opinion. That's because we are all different. There is no camera perfect for everyone. I was just teasing my friend Sirius but his camera works for him.
I think the only reason you would want a Speed Graphic with the focal plane shutter would be if you were going to use lenses without a shutter. Frankly, the small lens board on a Graphic makes that difficult anyway.
Thanks Alan for the differentiation between the Super Speed Graphic and the Super Graphic. Apparently the Super Speed Graphic rarely reached it's touted 1/1000 sec shutter speed. I have the Super Graphic. I enjoy using it with a monopod. As Sirius points out they are good handheld cameras. The revolving back is quite a nice feature that the Crown and Speed Graphics lack.
So the intrepid is 250 gbp, the cheapest Gibellini I saw was over two thousand euro, and the VDS started at 900 euro. Intrepid is definitely a front runner for sure. I understand why they caused such a stir when they started up their kickstarter campaign now.Hi Ces1um, look for Intrepid, Gibelline (the low end 3-D printed one), VDS or something similar just introduced one, and someone in UK just started a KickStarter on 4x5 acrylic cameras. All of these are under $500. To be honest, I see things like these announced on various FB groups rather than here.
I think the only reason you would want a Speed Graphic with the focal plane shutter would be if you were going to use lenses without a shutter. Frankly, the small lens board on a Graphic makes that difficult anyway.
Thanks Alan for the differentiation between the Super Speed Graphic and the Super Graphic. Apparently the Super Speed Graphic rarely reached it's touted 1/1000 sec shutter speed. I have the Super Graphic. I enjoy using it with a monopod. As Sirius points out they are good handheld cameras. The revolving back is quite a nice feature that the Crown and Speed Graphics lack.
So the intrepid is 250 gbp, the cheapest Gibellini I saw was over two thousand euro, and the VDS started at 900 euro. Intrepid is definitely a front runner for sure. I understand why they caused such a stir when they started up their kickstarter campaign now.
interesting. On their main website https://www.gibellinicamera.com/shop there isn't anything in the price range you quote. BUT on https://www.theitaliancamera.com/ they havea 4x5 called the proxima century for the price you're quoting. I wonder why they have two websites?NO!!! There are under $500 versions of Gibelline (I think called Bellatrix) and a new one, I think from VDS or another one of the recently established LF camera makers. This is why I mentioned them. I don't have the links handy. I meant exactly what I wrote.
As btaylor says there is the Super Speed Graphic. There is also the Super Graphic. The Super Speed Graphic has a lens with a really fast shutter. The Super Graphic is the same camera but without that lens and shutter combination. From my understanding the front tilt on these two cameras tilt both ways unlike Crowns and Speeds. Also they both have revolving backs so you don't have to tilt your camera on it's side for portrait view like with the Crown and Speed Graphics.
With these cameras you can use a 90mm lens if you drop the bed. A 90 is as wide as you can go though which may be fine with you.
A very good friend of mine owns a Super Speed Graphic. It lovingly resides in an antique glass display case because it belonged to his father. He has a Toyo field camera for shooting.
One of our LFPF buddies told me the Super Speed Graphic shutter had a hard time hitting 1/1000 of a second even when new. Some of those old guys have a wealth of knowledge.
Is that just for the Super Graphic and Super Speed Graphic? Because on my Anniversary Speed Graphic I don't have to drop the bed or do anything funky when using my 90mm lens (an SWD Fujinon 5.6), and the lens board stays out of the shot. In fact, I can't really drop the bed while using it and focusing on infinity, because the infinity focal point of that lens is right where the bed hinges, so if I try to drop the bed, I don't really have a place to secure the lens board on the rails. However, the Fujinon SWD 90/5.6 is a slightly retrofocal design with a flange focal length of 101.1mm, so it doesn't sit quite as far back as a true 90mm would. I've also heard of people using 75mm lenses with the Crown Graphics without any issue, other than having to drop the bed. I don't know if it would work on a Speed Graphic. I haven't tried. But there's still some rail left behind the bed when you drop the bed, so I wouldn't be surprised if you could. Especially since many have a flange focal length longer that 75mm. But I know that the Crown Graphics will allow you to pull the lens board closer to the film plane than the Speed Graphics will due to the lack of a focal plane shutter.
Seriously, there are a few $500 or under new 4x5 out there as I mentioned. I'm not going to post every link, but here's the other one I mentioned:
http://www.stenopeika.com/prodotto/hyper-camera-4x5-advanced/
Up your google-fu.
So for what it is worth I'd say don't get a Crown and Speed Graphic. In 1998 when large format equipment was much more expensive getting a crown or speed graphic was definitely the right step towards getting into large format. IMHO get a field camera made by Intrepid, Toyo, Horseman, Anba Ikeda, or Tachihara. They will serve you better in the long run and are newer cameras with a wider range of movements. I was going to get an Intrepid 4x5 but stumbled onto an Anba Ikeda field camera for a good price. It's 2.6lbs and does everything I need to do with a wider range of movements, that I use regularly, than what I would have gotten from on of the graphics. Nothing wrong with Crown and Speed Graphics for what they are but why not take one small step forward and get a true field camera.
Also, my first post here. I was lurker but will be no longer.
If that's one of the person's requirements then absolutely, go for one of the Graphics. Horseman, Wista, and Linhof also made 4x5 cameras with rangefinders.I disagree. Crown and Speed Graphics allow the flexibility of photographing both hand held and as a view camera. There is a lot of fun using a press camera with flash bulbs; do not try that with a view camera. If one will not be shooting hand held then look at other cameras.
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