LF camera kit

<p>I've got the itch to purchase a LF kit and would like to know what I can get for $3,000 and under. I'm more comfortable buying used through a reputable dealer and would be happy with new equipment as well. I'm looking for a field camera, 4x5. Any suggestions? </p>

<p>This is my recommendation for an all purpose camera "kit" in 4x5. It should be noted that I am an Ebony importer & retailer. It should also be mentioned that I sell Ebony cameras because they are the best, and I personally have 6 of them which I use often. The camera which is best for most work (65-300mm lenses) is the RW45 with universal bellows, $1795 in mahogany, around $1500 for a really good used one. Since you did not say what your subject will be, lets include a Rodenstock Apo Sironar S 135 or 150mm lens at $895 new, a lensboard at $45. and 3 boxes of new Fidelity filmholders at $70 each. That brings your total to $2900 with a new camera. Add a darkcloth (Calumet, heavy duty) and a cable release (Ebony or Linhof) and you will be at $3000. If you do not have a large enough tripod and don't want to go much above the budget, consider a Giotto. They are solid pro tripods at a surprising low price.</p>

<p>Another option would be Badger Graphics and their Shen Hao or Tachihara 4x5 kit with 150mm lens, film holders and cable release for under $1500. All new.</p>

<p>David -<br>

$3000 give you enough wiggle room to get a complete kit. Here's what I think you are looking at:<br>

Camera: depending on your choice of camera, and new versus used, you are probably looking at $500 to $1500 for just the camera itself (with one lensboard). Obviously, you can spend more if you want, just as you can buy a beater and save a few bucks. There are a lot of good brands to choose from - Ebony, Chamonoix, Tachihara, Toyo, Canham, Phillips, Zone VI, Shen Hao, etc. There are some real differences that may matter depending on the kind of work you want to do, and then there is a lot of marketing BS. Even the much-maligned Wisner is a good camera, just don't expect to get any service from the non-existent factory.<br>

Lens: unlike 35mm, with LF you want to put yourself on a serious lens diet - they are both expensive and heavy, so the fewer you buy, the better off you are. I suggest starting with one lens - 150mm to 210mm range. The choices are going to be Schneider, Rodenstock, Fuji, and perhaps Nikon (don't overlook Caltars - which are one of the other four with the Calumet label). The price range will be $300-$700 with the major factor being new versus used.<br>

Tripod: I you have one for your 35mm kit, you may be able to continue to use it. My recommendation for a new tripod is Tiltall - about $100 new and very rugged.<br>

Dark cloth: $40<br>

Cable release: $25<br>

Holders: plan on six. The price for used holders is $5-15 depending on age and condition, or about $40 for new holders.<br>

Lightmeter: again, you may already have something. YOu can get a really nice Pentax spot meter for about $600, or a perfectly adequate Adorama meter for $250.<br>

Some kind bag to schlep it in: the range here is very broad - anything from a $30 school book bag to a $250 purpose-made backpack.</p>

<p>thanks everyone, just out of curiosity, B&H sells several LF cameras new but most of the camera manufacturers mentioned are not sold through B&H...they do sell Toyo View, Linhof, Arca-Swiss, Bull Dog? and Horsemen. Are the other manufactures not making these cameras anymore? </p>

<p>By the way, I plan of using the camera on landscapes and if it makes sense, portraits...</p>

<p>David: there are many good LF cameras not stocked at B&H. I import the 2 best wooden cameras, Ebony and Lotus. Others include the Tachihara, mentioned above, and it's sister the Osaka, both budget cameras. Some of the manufacturers have gone out of business because of digital photography and the recession, but there are still many choices.</p>

<p>Midwest Photo (<a href="http://www.mpex.com/">http://www.mpex.com/</a>) is another popular large format dealer. They have a good reputation and lots of used equipment. You will need to decide on bellows length as it is a factor for using longer lenses. If you plan to do a lot of telephoto work a camera with 12in(300mm) bellows may not be the best. Same on the wide angle side. Some cameras need a separate bag bellows to properly work with short lenses and some do not. <br>

If you haven't yet also check out the Large Format forum website. You can spend many hours looking at the useful information on that site. </p>

<p>I have a shen-hao, and love it to bits, but if you have money to burn, look into Ebony. The two I've seen are enviable ;)</p>

<p>Don't forget hefty tripod, cable-release, optionally filters, stock of film-holders or quickloads, etc...</p>

<p>good information, thanks! David</p>

<p>You have $3,000 to spend? You should be able to get anything you want!</p>

<p>There are a lot of wealthy dillitants here who will suggest expensive stuff, but there are also a lot of us "starving artist" types who use inexpensive equipment. With prudent shopping you should be able to do whatever you want, but you should not start with the "what kind of equipment" question, you should start with the "what kind of photographs" question.</p>

<p>Landscapes require very different equipment from studio portraits, for example, and panorama landscapes are different from regular landscapes.</p>

<p>I would suggest this order:<br>

1) determine the categories of photo types you want to take<br>

2) get the best quality lenses you can affort to match those photo categories (Example: if you want panoramas, you might need a Super-Angulon type lens plus a center filter to match.)</p>

<p>3)get a camera body with whatever features you think you might need.</p>

<p>Remember, the most important item is the artistic vision of the person pushing the shutter buttom. [["Migrant Mother" was not shot with a super deluxe camera, but it is one of the most dramatic portraits of the 20th century.]]</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I highly recommend a Linhof Tech IV or V. My Tech IV is solid, they are casually known as the "Leica of large format" for a reason. Tech's are all metal and fold up nicely, fit in a knapsack easily, many wood cameras do not have rear movement perspective controls. Don't even think about wasting your time or money on a wooden body that generally goes for less than 700.00 used. You can pick up a Tech IV or V in excel condition for about 950.00, maybe less. You can't go wrong with that selection.</p>

<p>Vic, I appreciate your enthusiasm but I have to moderate that: Linhof is not a panacea. I had occasion to buy a Technika, for my usual landscape work, and really did not like it all that much. One person's sturdiness is another's heaviness, movements can a real pain to get used to, that sort of thing.<br>

There are plenty of wooden cameras that have rear perspective control - rear tilt/swing - you just have to be aware that you might want it. Where it did win, for me, was in being a more sturdy construction, but when the time came to part with one or other camera, the Linhof was the one that went.<br>

On the strength of that, I'd say if you're in the position of choosing a new view-camera, by all means consider Linhof, Shen-Hao, Ebony and a bunch of other makes, but do <em>check them out in person</em> for suitability, with an awareness of the issues of movements, ease & speed of use, sturdiness, rigidity etc, first.</p>

<p>thanks for your contributions...i'll need to see and learn more about these specific differences and how they apply to my needs...thanks again....David</p>

<p>Tim H, Re: Linhofs :: ""Where it did win, for me, was in being a more sturdy construction, but when the time came to part with one or other camera, the Linhof was the one that went."" For an honest appraisal, was the camera you kept exactly the same cost or higher? Were there any budget considerations in your decision when the 'time came'? I would not recommend a Shen Hao when one plans to spend 3K on a system. I would also not recommend buying a very old wooden camera or even a new Toyo Carbon Fiber, too many possible structural issues. Every repair guy I talked to before making my own decision about a 4x5 strongly recommended a metal camera over any wooden camera - no matter how pretty they are.</p>

<p>Vic: Cost didn't really enter into it, except that I couldn't justify two LF cameras at the time so *one* of them had to go.<br>

I'm open-minded enough that I'd recommend a cardboard box if that's what the purchaser needs to get the results they want. Hence the advice to go check them out in person. Let the user prioritize the sturdiness of metal and usability of Linhof versus consideration of weight whilst trekking for a week for themselves.</p>

<p>you can get a nice used camera, 3 lenses, a ton of film holders, dark cloth, loupe ( if you need it ) <br /> tripod, and a truckload of film for $3,000 ...</p>

<p>Look at Vista 45 SP Field, there are a few now on ebay, beautiful field camera, not heavy. It is on my 4x5 list. Having 3000$ you will buy also 3 lenses, you need not to buy modern lenses, see Horseman 90mm, 75mm, 150mm, Graflex or Kodak Ektar as well. If you want to have very light camera than look at Graflex Crown Graphic late model, not expensive, and for the rest you will buy 3-4 lenses, tripod, film holders and light meter.</p>

 

<p>Well ...... the large format bug has bitten me as well. I got a $250 Speed graphic w/ a 135mm lens, I'm working on a 4X5 polaroid with a 150mm lens ..... <br>

Got a few holders, a roll film holder, polaroid 451, 50 sheets B&W, 80 C41 Fuji quick loads, 200 sheets Kodak .... all e-bay deals .... Call that an other $200 <br>

Using the Gitzo carbon that I already had ..... Just got the first quik loads down to the lab, and it looks like there are no light leaks, but the Kalart is way off! The ground glass seems spot on ;~><br>

I'm keeping my eyes out for an areo ektar. Half the fun is building the kit. For me, there is just no joy in buying new. Seriously, if you are looking to do portriats, check out what can be done with the Aero Ektar. <br>

Just my two cents.</p>

<p>appreciate everyone's help and Dave, your two cents is welcome....David</p>

<p>David:<br>

You are likely to evolve your tastes in cameras as you shoot lots of film. However, your lenses should be a lifetime purchase if selected carefully. I suggest a new, inexpensive wooden field camera such as the Shen Hao, Tachihara or Chamonix. Probably not the last camera you will buy but you will be able to sell it for most of what you paid for it when you move on and you will move on.<br>

There is no perfect camera, they are all designed to different tastes and ways of working and until your tastes develop and mature it will not be possible for you to know what will matter to you. I have owned a number of the cameras mentioned above and they are all fine cameras and excellent photographers will swear by any of them. For instance, I now own an Ebony but would have likely made an expensive mistake if it had been the first camera I bought instead of the last. I started with a Toyo 45AII and have used many others before I decided on which Ebony I wanted and the one I picked was not the one I would have guessed five years earlier.<br>

However, lenses are another matter. If you pick well and wisely, your selection of lenses should last a lifetime. If you buy high quality lenses in new or good used condition from one of the major four (Nikon, Fuji, Rodenstock or Schneider) and are thoughtful in your selection of focal lengths, you should never outgrow them.<br>

The best advice I have ever heard on the subject is to leave plenty of money to shoot lots of film. That will make you a much better photographer than a more expensive camera and fewer shots.<br>

Good luck and have fun,<br>

Dave B.</p>

<p>I'll add my $0.02 and say that the camera is the least of your worries. I don't think I've ever spent more than $100 on a 4x5 camera (The Brand 17, 2 Graphics, and I own and use a battleship-grey Burke & James and a Cambo). What I will spend money on is a lens. I don't know if it's worth spending top dollar for the most recent of the brand name lenses (I don't, but then I'm a 'starving artist'), but you should definitely get modern lenses in some standard focal lengths. Buy the best 90mm lens you can afford, and if you want to do portraits then something in the 210-300mm range. Lots of film. And have fun.</p>