Thoughts on using a monorail for outside work...

[RalphLambrecht]

I'm new to LF and looking to purchase a 8x10. The reason why I would like an 8x10 over a 4x5 is that I want to print photos up to 44X90. I'm lucky enough to have a printer that can do this. I have a chance to get a TOYO-VIEW 810GB 8x10 View Camera for $1700 mint. This is a monorail and I have heard folks say that these monorails don't do well outside due to there weight. Frankly, I can't afford some of the field cameras that are $2,500+. Any advise on using this for taking on the road would be great. Thanks...

Spencer

I have used monorails road trips.It can be done but you need a sherpa to help you carry all he equipment and that gets old fast.I went to a Hasselblad system and never looked back;similar image quality to LF and a lot more relaxed working

 

[DREW WILEY]

The nice thing about most modular monorails is that you don't need to break them down to pack them around. You can leave a favorite lens or shade
on them, expand the bellows, and bag your shots a lot quicker than with typical folding cameras. The trick is to find the right kind of pack or pack
frame to do this. Some people simply strap 8x10 monorails onto hunter "cargo" pack frames intended for carrying big game. Breakdown would only
be needed if you were trying to put one in an airline carry-on or something like that. Remember, every time you fully detach that bellows, you're going to increase your risk of dust getting inside. Working outdoors and expecting immaculate big negatives or chromes is a very unforgiving business. Otherwise, what shape are your back and knees in? You might want to seriously consider a lighter option than that Toyo.

 

[CropDusterMan]

Another trick for stabilizing a tripod is to buy a Mathews "Fly-away" sandbag...they are empty canvas sand bags
that have a velcro enclosure that you fill with sand or rock on location...I used them often to stabilize a tripod from
the hook under it...once you're done, empty and go.

 

[DREW WILEY]

There's really no substitute for a seriously built tripod when the camera itself is big and heavy. Adding extra weight with a mesh bag and rocks hanging form the tripod might indeed help; but vibration in lighter tripod material itself will remain an issue. And the root of all evil will be a ball heard or other substandard support between the camera and tripod. Constant wind is a fact of life around here in the Spring and Summer and
certainly capable of separating the men from the boys in terms of tripod construction.

 

[macmaster77]

i believe mr ritter was very involved with the design and manufacturer of the zone vi cameras ...
===
thats a lot of $$$ for a green monster. but then again it has a lens which can and often does cost
more than the camera...

good luck !
john

That is what I read somewhere. That was one of his projects before he went on his own. The camera I'm looking at also has a Nikon W 300mm f/5.6.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Again, a competent lens, but otherwise a big heavy clunker that is not exactly coveted for outdoor use, more suited to the studio, in a category that typically resells cheaply because the current mantra happens to be ergonomics and portability.

 

[Tom Taylor]

My first 8x10 was an all black mint Toyo 810G that I came across on ebay and got it for ~ $510 delivered. While it could be broken down and carried in a large backpack like a Lowepro AW Trekker, I used it for urban or near to the car photography. I got a hard case for the camera and a two wheel dolly and can tool around the city all day with the camera and tripod with minimal effort - except of course when you come to stairs. If you will be shooting on location but will be moving around that location, simply use a tripod dolly. Just be sure that you always have a firm grasp at the center of gravity when tooling it about.

For off road 8x10, I have the Toyo 810MII which I pack in the big Lowepro along with a series 3 Gitzo CF and Arca Tech ball head.

Thomas

 

[Ronald Moravec]

People make and use all kinds of carts. For side walks, suitcase roller wheels are acceptable. My cart has 6"dia spoke wheels and is good for made paths. I have seen a box over an axel with wheel chair wheels or bicycle wheels and a handle like a baby buggy. It was used for rougher terrain and ultra large format. for city, there are all kinds of freight carts.

If you wish to go motorized, atv with cargo area. John Deer & Mahindra come to mind.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/172316-REG/Wesco_220617_Superlite_Folding_Handtruck.html

Mine came from Calumet, but is the same. I have an optional one with long handle. If you are tall,
the standard will hurt your back. Just checked and mine is 42 tall, same as what is offered. The shelf is about 18" so it holds plenty. Best $99 I ever spent

 

[carioca]

I'm new to LF and looking to purchase a 8x10. The reason why I would like an 8x10 over a 4x5 is that I want to print photos up to 44X90. I'm lucky enough to have a printer that can do this. I have a chance to get a TOYO-VIEW 810GB 8x10 View Camera for $1700 mint. This is a monorail and I have heard folks say that these monorails don't do well outside due to there weight. Frankly, I can't afford some of the field cameras that are $2,500+. Any advise on using this for taking on the road would be great. Thanks...

Spencer

You're lucky to have a printer that can print that big. But whatis the cost of one of those 44x90 prints and how many are you planning to print that size, are you getting them printed for free? I would start doing the math from here.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Exactly what I was thinking. If you can't afford $2500 for a camera, how are you going to afford huge prints, which if well made, routinely cost more
than that apiece to print and mount.

 

[Pioneer]

I don't know how the Cambo SC 8x10 monorail camera compares to one you are looking at but I pack mine inside a large toolbox with wheels on one hand and a handle on the other. Bought it for $35 plus tax from Home Depot a while back. I screwed tw0 1x6 cross bars inside with notches and hang the Cambo, completely assembled, upside down from the monorail in the notches. Everything else fits around it in padded bags and a large tripod is bungied on top.

 

[Doc W]

Setting up a monorail and taking it down all the time would drive me crazy. I have an 8x10 Kodak Master that fits into a backpack, although I have to keep my accessories to a minimum. Kodak Masters usually sell for 2K or less. They are relatively light and set up quickly.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

IF you are planning to do a lot of outdoor shooting, be it landscape or urban locations, I'd stay away from the Calumet C-1 "Green Monster" or "Black Beast" (they made them in two flavors, with the green ones being magnesium and slightly lighter than the black ones, although there are some black ones in magnesium instead of aluminum, and I believe vice versa). I had one and shot with it in the field for a while. It is truly a beast - they're heavy and bulky and don't carry well, and most of them were used professionally for many years so they're very well worn and may be missing odds and ends and/or just loose and sloppy. If you're super handy, you can rehabilitate one, but it's a labor of love as spare parts are no longer available new, and neither are blank lensboards. A wooden Zone VI would be a much more practical choice. That, or get a Kodak 2D. The Kodak 2D doesn't have a ton of movements, but they're common and relatively inexpensive, and they weigh a fraction of what the Calumet does. Plus it will give you a chance to get your feet wet with LF without a massive investment. If you find it insufficient, you can always sell it on for about what you paid for it and upgrade to something else later.

 

[Doc W]

IF you are planning to do a lot of outdoor shooting, be it landscape or urban locations, I'd stay away from the Calumet C-1 "Green Monster" or "Black Beast" ....

+1

There are very good reasons these cameras have been named "monsters" and "beasts." Presumably a work-horse in the studio but, weighing as much as a horse, they are not easy to carry any distance.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Beastie cameras have very little resale value. Everybody seems to prize portability these days, whether in cameras or lenses, unless you just plan on
studio use, though much of that has gone digi. I've got my 8x10 Phillips in my pack for tomorrow.

 

[Pioneer]

But if you are young and have a stronger back than wallet, the "beastie" may be a wonderfully inexpensive way in to large format.

Just sayin ya know...

 

[Greg Heath]

I have a Cambo SCX and it's a nightmare to carry. I think I would shoot allot more 4x5 if I had a smaller field camera, or something to carry it like some wheeled contraption.