Monorail for field use-Any experience?

[gabriel_benaim]

Hello again,

 

Having considered my options, I'm tending towards getting one of the

lighter monorails, like the Sinar F or A, given long lens use,

weight, and price considerations. Basically the only field cam that

allows some long lens use under $1000, the Shen HAo, is almost as

heavy as a light monorail (6lbs SH vs 7lbs Sinar A/F). Since I

don't backpack, because of back problems, but rather carry my gear

using a little cart, I'm wondering whether it doesn't make more

sense for me to go w a monorail. So I was curious if there are any

photographers out there using monorails in the field, and what you

can report from such use. I especially want to be able to use

lenses in the 400mm range, and the price difference is also

tempting. Thanks in advance.

[anthonyb]

I use a Graflex Graphic View in the field. I take it everywhere! For the first few months

that I had it, I carried it, 12 holders, two lenses, meter, dark-cloth, and filter set in the

camera's original case. The case, fully loaded weighs about 25lbs. Add a tripod that

comes in at 15lbs., and you're looking at 40lbs. total! I would carry all this crap in hand

for miles to get at the shots I wanted. After about a mile assent up a 30 degree incline

like this, I started looking for an easier way to lug this stuff.

 

A few weeks later, my company had it's big annual meeting, and as usual, they give away

door prizes. This year it turned out to be quite a nifty, soft-side cooler with wheels and a

telescoping pull handle like that of airline luggage. And wouldn't you know it, my case fit

in it perfectly! There's even extra room for a rain coat, shot log, and other miscellaneous

stuff.

 

After using the monorail, I don't think I could goto a field camera. The extra movements

is worth the weight to me (at least while I'm still young).

 

Just my two pesos!

 

Adios and good luck!

[ronald_moravec1]

If you use a cart, bulk doesn`t matter. I go too many places where I can`t do the cart thing. Zone 6 field camera was my answer.

Z6 and Wisner have cameras that stretch to 20 in.

[conrad_hoffman]

When I was in high school, and much younger and stronger, I used to carry my Calumet 4x5, holders, lens, meter, etc around town in its fiber hard case. Plus a Tiltall tripod. It wasn't light, but was more portable than one might believe. Never did find a way to bicycle with it.

[ellis_vener_photography]

I use an Arca-Swiss 4x5 F and for field work it does just fine. it is a co-incidencethat yo

uask this morning becasue I'm about to walk out the door to do some city scape work

withthat camera. I carry mine in a Calumet photographic View camera case along with 5

lenses --65mm, 90mm, 150mm, 210mm and 300mm -- meter, film holders (Fuji

Quickload, Polaroid 545 and Horseman 6x9cm roll film back), bino viewing hood, etc.

 

Get the Sinar F/F1 or F2 over the Sinar A

[jerry_flynn1]

I have used both an A1 and F2 in the field. Of the two, I would recommend the F2 mainly because the rail is shorter and will fit a backpack better. I use an Eddie Bauer pack I got at Target that holds the camera, a couple of lenses, dark cloth, a 6" extension, spot meter and WA bellows. The film holders - Grafmatics, go in a pouch on a belt around my waist. This is not a setup designed for hiking into the back country for a week, but worked well on a recent trip to the 4 corners where I was hiking relatively short distances.

[Glenn McCreery]

I use a Linhof Kardan Standard monorail in the field. It is light weight (about 5 lb) and fits nicely in a backpack which I have modified; the monorail sticks out the back encased in a protective tube. The rail is only about 18 inches long, so using a 400 mm lens at anything closer than infinity would be a problem. How about a Linhof Technika? It has a long bellows draw and a used III Version V (with Graflok back) or IV can be obtained for less than $1000.

[mbrianmills]

I used my Sinar F2 all around San Francisco and lugged it on several different carts in my years there. I prefer the Sinar because the weight, size and the availability of additional components--the price was extremely nice--as you mentioned to be the case for view cameras.<br><br>

It seems that you already have the cart that you want to use, but after going through a few different ones (wore the wheels off a luggage cart in my first 2 months in S.F.) I settled on one that I have not been able to destroy. I would highly, highly recommend the RuXXac Fold-Flat Cart. I paid over $100 for it, but it has now survived a couple years and I have also used it for moving two times hauling dressers, book-cases, etc. In addition, it folds up so small that I can hide it nearly anywhere in the house and fit it easily in the car.

[leonard_evens]

I have a Toho FC-45X. See www.thalmann.com/largeformat/toho.htm for a review.

 

It functions as a genuine monorail, but it is as light as anything you are likely to find---a bit over three lbs. It also comes apart easily for transport and can be carried easily in a backpack.

 

I have been very happy with mine. My longest lens is a 300 mm lens. Much beyond that would require the use of a lens of telephoto design. In the above review, I believe Kerry Thalmann describes how he manages to use it with lenses as long as 400mm My shortest lens is a 75 mm lens, and I can manage some movements with it. Toho also makes an eccentric lensboard which allows more movements and functionally gives you what you would get with a bag bellows.

 

Its cost is a bit over what you specify, but I would be surprised if you found any camera costing less than $1,000 which was easy to carry and which would accomodate a 400 mm lens without some special arrangment.

[gabriel_benaim]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. Just curious, Ellis, why you reccomend the F over the A Sinar. What are the A's disadvantages?

[david_richert]

I have thought about getting one of those modern jogging strollers with the big wheels anybody tried one ?

[chi_cheung]

If you consider Sina monorail, the Norma is best for field use.It is much more compact and rugged then both F and A. It uses standard P rails and accessories. full movement. I take out the bellow and fold it up and fit my medium camera bag. It goes for $600 to $700 if you can find one.

[jbq]

I have a Sinar F, which I use with a 360mm with a single 6" extension rail (that's really the upper bound of the 6" rail and standard bellows, as I have to actually reverse the standards on the rail to get enough bellows). I carry it in a small backpack with the rail sticking out of the top of the backpack and the standards as close to each other as I can get them, or folded "the sinar way".

 

I've played with a friend's "non-monorail" camera (or whatever those are called) and I veyr much preferred the operation of my Sinar, especially when it comes to movements. Remember that the Sinar F doesn't have horizontal shift, you need to use some parallel swing to achieve the same result.

 

Be careful about a 400mm lens, you'll need a 12" extension rail and you might need an extra standard and an extra bellows (though in that case a 18" bellows plus a WA one would do the trick).

[jerry_flynn1]

I am a firm believer in to each one's own, but I have used both the Norma an various F's and the A1. I did not find the Norma any more compact nor rigid than the F2. I was also surprised to hear that the F did not have lateral shift: my F+ definitely did. I thought the only difference was the rail clamp.

[jerry_flynn1]

The disadvantages of the A1 are that it does not use the same rail as the rest of the Sinar line. It is an "a" shape in cross section. There was a 6" extension available, but other Sinar accessories that fit on the rail, such as multipurpose standards, will not fit. The rail is about 18" long, which I thought made it a bit cumbersome. There is no rail clamp as such: there is a sliding attachment in a channel on the under side of the rail. This means the rail sits down flush on the tripod head. I found that this caused the rods for the rise/fall to impinge on the handle of my tripod head in some cases.

 

Other components are the same as the F1.

[35mmdelux]

I used a heavy old Omega rail for years in the field and loved it. I got it for about $100 in a junk shop. Obviously I didn't backpack it, but was able to walk a fair amount of distance holding it upside down. Based on that experience I've picked up a 8x10 rail.

 

The trick IMO is that I have specific applications for it. For my next rainforest trek I may shell out for MF wide angle or Toyo CF. Probably Toyo for its better price point and versatilty.

 

To your question, I love the rail cameras - Linhof has some old awesome ones cheap these days as the week-end warriors have gone digi. And I love using them outside. Serious trekking is another issue.

[ken_lee11]

I like the Arca-Swiss Discovery. You will need an extension rail to accomodate a 400mm lens, unless it happens to be a Tele design.

 

<p>I have placed a brief write-up <a href="http://www.kenleegallery.com/html/tech/tech.html" target="_blank">here</a>. You will need to scroll down a bit to find it under "Favorite 4x5 Camera".

[mike_lyons]

Hi Gabriel,

another vote for the Norma. It's a bit cumbersome, but I use mine with lenses up to a 450mm on the 45cm/18" rail. Built like a tank but better looking........

Mike

[gabriel_benaim]

OK, so I'm leaning more and more towards a Sinar F, but am now a little concerned about use of long lenses. One of the posters mentioned that the longest lens one can use with the standard bellows is 360, which doesn't get me too far away from the Shen Hao. So would I need an extra standard or a longer bellows for anything over 360? What camera would you recommend for frequent long lens use in 4x5?

[mbrianmills]

Gabriel,<br>

<br>

I would still lean toward the Sinar if I were you. I purchased 2 Sinar bellows supports, 2 addtional bellows, and 2 additional 12" rail extensions for under $350.00 through ebay (I can now have up to 36" (about 90cm) of bellows extension (primarily used for photomacrography)). The opportunity to add to and availability of parts for the Sinar is what attracted me to it in the first place.<br>

<br>

So I am still voting for the Sinar.

[jbq]

About the extra bellows, don't forget that you'll need a WA bellows if you want to shoot 150mm or shorter with significant movements, and that the Sinar system allows to use a spare bellows as a hood.

 

If I remember correctly with a single 18" bellows and my 360mm lens (Schneider f/6.8, not a telephoto), I can reach about 1:5 magnification with no movements, a bit higher with some front tilt, i.e. about 430mm of bellows. That's good enough to reach about 1:13 with a 400mm, i.e. to focus on subjects 20ft away or further (very rough estimate).

[felix_ackermann]

I can only reenforce the advice of chi cheung:

 

The ideal marriage of lightness and solidity of a monorail camera is undoubtely the Sinar Norma.

 

I can only report the judgement of a professional of some fame: He used the P in the studio, but considered them as too heavy and too clumsy for field use. He never considered the F a serious instrument of work. He always used his Norma outside the studio.

 

Myself I only work with the Norma (mainly Architectural shots on site). I also tried a P and an F - but I felt quite uneasy with them...

[felix_ackermann]

long lenses on a Sinar: This is no problem; I sometimes use an Apo Ronar 600 mm, that needs two bellows and the auxiliary standart...