Large Format Camera Comparisons

[rory_burns]

Dear All,

 

Thanks so much for all your input on a camera choice.

 

I'm currently borrowing a Horseman 45 FA field camera with a 150 mm lens. All is going well from the first exposure, and I am growing into the movements, (this camera has both front and back). Shooting slow speed slide and negative films.

 

One newbie question I have is is it custom to leave the darkslide slightly in during exposure, or take it out completley? I've been shooting some 10 minute plus exposures at night, and the thing has been flapping around a bit too much for my liking. I'm using normal, not Quickload holders.

 

I believe it weighs about 6 pounds. It is well compact, and I can fit the body, lens, and all else I need in the same small bag I use for my Fuji GSW III 6 by 9 rangefinder, (which I love, but am hoping LF will enable me to make larger and better prints after a drum scan).

 

Sadly, the camera won't fold with a lens in place, (at least this one).

 

I would consider this, (45 FA) camera used, but it is pricey. If a Tachihara/Osaka weighs half what this does, they must be really light, which concerns me as I often take exposures in the 20 minute range, (maybe longer now with LF's deeper stops).

 

It's a bit frustrating being in New York as I can't find anywhere to actually take a look at the Shen Hao or Toho options. While I don't mind buying used, I wouldn't buy a product I hadn't seen a model of before firsthand. I'll be around Los Angeles soon, so if anyone knows a place out there that stocks them I'd love to know.

 

Anyhow I'm getting used to the quirks of LF. Not finding it too much slower than shooting my Medim format stuff, since most time is spent on framing. Main frustration is the ground glass is pretty dark as is on the Horseman 45 FA I'm using.

 

Regarding the comments about 5 by 7, I would love to get a 5 by 7 with a reduction back if it isn't too clunky, but when I look at the film options available for 5 by 7 it seems very limited. Do this and other specialty sizes have to be ordered straight from Kodak?

 

I will post some scans later of my first works if anyone is interested. Until then, here is a link to an extensive review of the Toho mini-monorail camera. Looks interesting-

 

http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/toho.htm

 

Thanks so much for all the help-

[big toys are better]

On the darkslide question, I find it best to take it out completely although I still worry that might create a light leak, especially in older film holders. However, the flapping issue is exactly what I worry about-- vibration due to wind, so out it comes. But I also have half-slides for shooting two exposures on a single sheet, and those of course have to be in when shooting (but the full darkslide was already removed).

 

One other thing on the camera issue-- you can always buy another camera to supplement your first purchase. I still have my first LF camera, an Orbit (B&J) knockoff of the Calumet (or is it vice-versa?). Hope my children will someday get interested, so I keep all of the old stuff just in case. That includes lenses, film holders, filters and the like since they are far more interchangeable than on other formats.