Looking for smallest 4x5 camera

<p>Hi, i am a serious amateur photographer. (sorry my English are not much good)<br />I Use the Canon 50E, & Agfa Isolette 6x6 and fuji X100T. <br />In this winter I would like to move to large format. I I have ordered the <a href="http://www.zeroimage.com/Pinhole_Camera_45_2015.html">Zero image 4x5 pinhole camera</a> and now I'm looking a cheap 4x5 camera but as smallest is better for me.<br>

Which camera can you suggest me?<br />And which folde can i use the FP-100C or FP-3000B on the 4x5 camerea?</p>

<p>Thank you very much.</p>

<p>Handheld or tripod? Folding camera or a one piece fixed unit? How wide of a focal length do you want? Wider will be physically more compact.</p>

<p>I think I will use it on a tripod, I would be practical and more compact, i think a one piece fixed unit is good for me. Also I want camera with normal focal length. <br /><br /><br /></p>

<p>I'm not sure it's the smallest, but a Crown Graphic (or Super Graphic) would fit the bill. Light (a little over 2kg), inexpensive, and versatile. Only potential drawback is Graphics have limited camera movements. </p>

<p>The presumption here is that for standardization and efficiency your LF camera will use regular 2 sheet film holders. While there are lots of options--you want smaller so that rules out the rail systems.</p>

<p>There a lot of fine folding LF solutions out there, many to be found in the old press camera group. Since none of this stuff is made anymore--and some of it is approaching 50-70 years of age or more, some thought is required. </p>

<p>Graflex is pretty common--and a fine brand. Due to age, it is probably best to avoid models that use the focal plane shutter--sticking with newer models such as the Crown, Super Speed, and Super Graphic. These were made up until the 70s. Another great brand is Busch Pressman and the C model. All of these fold up to a nice package, and have limited movements similar to a rail mount system.</p>

<p>I have owned each of the models listed above. My final choice has been the Busch, as it offers the greatest range of movements of all--and is also the lightest.</p>

<p>One could also spend the big bucks and go for a 4x5 'technical' camera...</p>

Patrick,

That doesn't rule out all rail cameras. The Linhof Technikardan 45 folds into about the size of a hard back book and opens

into a 21" monorail with all movements and capable, with the bag bellows, of using a 45mm lens.

What would rule it out would be cost and, perhaps, weight.

 

But it does fold smaller then many folding box and technical type cameras.

 

There was also a very small and light monorail made by Gowland way back when. Canham also has a folding monorail

camera.

<p>What do you think about Horseman 980 or rangefinder 4x5?<br>

? </p>

<p>Bob, that's right. Once I acquired a pair of Linhof Color rails. Cast rear "shroud" standard, short but extensible rail--and very light. Even concocted an over the shoulder frame that allowed me to handhold and shoot! Beige was not my color though... :-) Sold both, but solid performers in the plus three hundred dollar price range.</p>

<p>Indeed, there are many options. But when we start adding the names Horseman, Linhoff, Alpa, Arca-Swiss, Sinar, Wista, and Tachihara to the equation--we are no longer talking about what appeared to be Andrea's primary qualifier--"<strong>a cheap 4x5 camera</strong>."</p>

Does he really want a "cheap" camera or a reasonable or inexpensive one? Cheap does not exactly infer quality!

<p>Well, cheap to me means anything under $250US in what we are talking about!</p>

<p>The Pressman D usually sells for less than $100 without a lens, and less than $200 with a Wollensak 135mm on it. That's pretty cheap for the build quality and movements one gets in these. I have a Nikkor 150mm f5.6 in a Copal 0 hung on mine...</p>

<p>If is possible, the camera I will not exceed 250-300$</p>

<p>If you look on the hated auction site, you can probably find a decent Pacemaker Crown Graphic in that price range, complete with lens. If you're lucky, the shutter will be in spec, but you should probably expect it will need an overhaul, because leaf shutters get gummy. (If it does need an overhaul, start a new thread for that question.)</p>

<p>The good thing about Graphics is there's a lot of them out there, and also most (not all) of them came with the Graflok back, which allows you to use rollfilm holders when you can't be bothered with sheet film. If you don't know about the different types of backs, read about it on graflex.org.</p>

<p>One bad thing about Graphics is they're common in the U.S., but much less so in Europe, where you are, so you might have to make an internet purchase. I lived in the U.K. in the 1980s, and dozens of good used MPP cameras were available second-hand at that time-- but it was diabolically hard to find parts for my Century Graphic. I don't know what's available in Greece, but I suppose the internet has solved a lot of that problem.</p>

<p>Keep us posted with what you end up getting, and tell us how you make out with it.</p>

<p>Good and relatively cheap are not a problem, but adding a requirement for minimum size and you have a problem! The smallest 4 x 5 camera I know is the Toho (not Toyo) view, but it is not cheap!<br>

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Toho+camera&qpvt=Toho+camera&qpvt=Toho+camera&FORM=IGRE</p>

The smallest and lightest, if it ever gets into regular production, is the TravelWide 90 that was a Kickstarter project. They

have started to ship them to backers (I received mine) and, according to Ben they want to make them to sell for $150

each. They are set up specifically for the Angulon 90mm f6.8 which you buy separately. I had to smooth some mold

flashing in the helical valleys to get mine to focus smoothly. Keep in mind that this is a very light camera and that with any

lens it is very front heavy. It will also take a variety of 90 mm lenses such as the Super Angulon f8, some Nikkors, Fujis,

and Wollensaks. The creators of this project have a strong interest in producing these for sale because of spending a lot

of their own money, well past the KS funding, to complete it and get rewards shipped. They would like to recover some of

those losses. They have a website, Wonderlust Cameras.

<p>That's https://wanderlustcameras.com (not wonderlust) </p>

<p>There need to be modifications to get the holder for FP-100C to fit to the back, however. They will take the Polaroid 545 for type 55 / new55 out of the box, however. </p>

<p>Gowland Pocket View Camera:</p>

<p>https://web.archive.org/web/20060219022935/http://www.petergowland.com/camera/</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thanks everyone for the response. The wanderlustcameras is an interesting proposal. Also I found 2 holders for the FP-100C to 4x5 camera. They are the Polaroid 405 or Fuji PA-145 but a bit expensive :/</p>

<p>You can get a hand-holdable camera like a Speed Graphic/Crown Graphic, or a field camera that folds up rather than a studio rail camera. But there really isn't any such thing as a small 4x5 camera. It's just the nature of the large negative in terms of height and width, and the length is tied to the type of lens used. "Small" and "large format" don't go together.</p>

<p>What about a Gowland/Calumet Pocketview?</p>

<p>Light, Folds up small and has about any movement you could need.</p>

<p>I got an idea about what I can get. Thanks for the help and the proposal. </p>

<p>if you don't mind the 1900 aesthetic you might think of a delmar or cyclone box camera</p>

<p>Used Polariod cameras that use FP-100C are fairly easy to find (in US) and also reasonably priced,<br>

except for the 180. If you want to use FP-100C, I would think that is a better choice.</p>

<p>This is separate from a 4x5 camera.</p>

<p>BTW the 4x5 film is now available again. if you don't need both a positive and a negative it costs about 2.00 a sheet <br>

http://www.new55.net/</p>

<p>and then Fomapan 100 costs about 1.00 per sheet</p>