what in the world ? ....

[david b]

what is this thing?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3869298069&fromMakeTrack=true

 

[eric]

Cheaper than a flexbody or linhof. Never heard of the company though

 

[BWGirl]

For something "ultra compact" it looks pretty huge to me....I wonder what size ammo it takes....

 

[Nick Zentena]

They claim it takes RB backs so it takes almost anything you want to feed it -) The compact term maybe relative but it looks like it weighs less then a RB. Of course many cars do to-))

 

[Mongo]

I have to admit that I'm fascinated by this thing. I have both an RB system and a Nikon system, as well as LF lenses. It looks like you could use this to put either the LF lenses or RB lenses (with an adapter) on the front, and either an RB back or a Nikon body on the rear. Unfortunately, most of the pictures embedded in the text aren't coming up for me (is everyone having that problem?) so it's hard to tell just how useful this thing would be.

Having said that, this gives me some ideas for building a system like this out of my Cambo monoral (a system that doesn't see much action these days). I already have a 6x7 back for it, so all I'd really need to do is to build an adapter to mount the Nikon on the back, a lens board that could hold the mamiya lenses on the front, and a bag bellows so I could get the standards closer together. I have a short extension rail that I could use...hmmm...it's dangerous to get me thinking this early on a Sunday morning!

(Since I've finished both restoring my Korona Pictorial View and building my 4x5 enlarger, I've been looking for a new project. Maybe this will be it!)

 

[bobfowler]

Yeah, it may look cool, but I'll stick to my "Dave Schneider Special" - a modified Toyo 45E with a permanent "super bag" bellows that I keep on a short monorail.

Let's see now, the seller is in Shanghai, China, only accepts wire transfer payments...

 

[Nick Zentena]

Let's see now, the seller is in Shanghai, China, only accepts wire transfer payments...

That also describes Shen Hao but they ship Fed Ex.

They sell an adapter to fit RB backs which I guess then fits any graflok back. Would seem the cheapest/simplest way for anybody wanting to use RB backs would be to get an adapter. Maybe Mpex or Badger carry them. At least I think that's what the "RB67 4*5" they sell is for.

 

[rbarker]

. . . Let's see now, the seller is in Shanghai, China, only accepts wire transfer payments...

I thought the ambiguous payment method was "interesting" as well. Plus, I enjoyed reading some of the feedback comments, such as, "东西很好，人也拎得清。"

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

With the Nikon body on the back, this is going to be a fancy macro bellows with movements, and won't really convert your 35mm camera to a particularly functional view camera, because you'll only get infinity focus with lenses starting around 75-90mm, I'm guessing.

With an RB back and LF lenses, though, it could be a pretty neat addition to an RB system. That said, you can find a Galvin 6x9 monorail, which I think can take RB backs for around $350. This looks like it has more precision movements than a Galvin, though.

The porthole-style groundglass looks interesting but would be a real pain to have to replace.

 

[Mongo]

With the Nikon body on the back, this is going to be a fancy macro bellows with movements

David-

This was what I was thinking. I have no interest in having movements on a 35mm camera for any use other than macro work. But seeing this did get me thinking...put a Nikon body on the back of my Cambo and a Nikkor 35mm on a reversing ring on the front...it could be a lot of fun. Of course it'll require more light than every lamp and worklight I own combined...but it could be fun for long exposures and light painting.

I'll probably knock something up out of hobby plywood and some adapter rings I have sitting in drawers just to see what I see. Focusing's going to be a true bear, though.

As for the MF, I'll just use the Graflex back I already have. This could easily become my project for the next week or so now that I seem to have picked up a cold and have no interest in going out in the snow.