Which is the most beautiful camera in your opinion?

[sol_campbell]

Well looks like Ebony is in the lead so far. I would like to see one!

But they are so darn rare!

 

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Personally the most beautiful camera I have seen is a Tachihara 4x5.

This camera had a dark red bellows, beautiful mahogony wood and

shining golden knobs.

 

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Y'all don't like red bellows???

[sol_campbell]

One thing I forgot to ask. Everyone is raving about the beauty of

these Ebonies. But which one? There are so many of them. I like thier

web site, www.ebonycamera.com and there are SO many cameras! Which

one is the best looking???

 

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Thanks for taking interest in this thread!

[bill_smithe2]

Every Ebony camera is a piece of art in it's own right. They are all

magnificent.

[peter_west]

For beauty, a Sinar "NORMA": for a bed partner, a P2 !

[kevin_harbottle]

I have both an Ebony 5 x 4 and a 6 x 9. They are the finest view

cameras made. They look great, feel wonderful to the touch, and even

smell nice. Ebony - a total experience!!

 

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Kevin Harbottle

London

England

[ariel_chisholm]

An Ebony if you're into wood; anything made by Linhof if you're into

metal. Have you seen the medium-format Alpa 12WA/12SWA? (www.alpa.ch)

 

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Ebony's website does not do justice to the beauty of their cameras.

If I am not mistaken, there is a picture of an Ebony RW45 on the

frontpage of Robert White's UK site (www.robertwhite.co.uk). Compare

this image with the RW45 picture at www.ebonycamera.com.

[scottt_lawson]

Believe me, I looked long and hard when I was in search for a camera

to replace my Horseman L-frame 4x5. What I finally decided on after

months of research (and I work at a pro camera shop who deals in

practically everything photographic) is the Ebony SV45U2. Not only

is it the most versatile large format camera, in my opinion (and the

asymmetrical rear tilt & swing are higly addictive!), but it is hands

down the most beautiful camera out there. That deep, rich Ebony wood

(from a very slow growing Persimmon tree) and the contrasting

titanium hardware makes for a gorgeous work of art that doubles

perfectly as a large format camera. It's as at home packed into the

mountains in my LowePro Super Trekker as it is doing product or

portrait photography in the studio. On location, it tends to draw a

crowd, which is almost embarassing.

 

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Many of the large format wooden field cameras out there are just

plain gaudy, in my opinion. The Ebony is designed with the

photographer in mind, by a photographer. It is a joy to use, and I

honestly can't think of a single thing that I can't do with this

camera that perhaps I could do with another.

 

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I also have a Crown Graphic that I use for more candid portrait

work, when I'm moving about and have a need for a handheld large

format (such as shooting a mother with a nursing baby). For this, I

don't need tilts, swings, shifts or rise/fall. I'm working on an

adapter so I can just pop on my lenses which are already mounted on

the Tech boards that the Ebony uses.

 

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I think the most beautiful 35mm would be the Leica M6. The Contax

G2 is quite a handsome camera as well, but for sheer simplicity and

engineering, I prefer the Leica. They truly invite you to MAKE the

picture, not TAKE the picture. Wonderful things for candid,

unobtrusive photography!

 

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I would like anyone who is interested in a wooden field camera to

know that my experience with Ebony- as a company- has been

exceptional. All of my questions were answered quickly and fully,

and I have been absolutely 110% satisfied with my dealings with

them. My satisfaction with the actual camera has been every bit as

wonderful, and I can recommend with full confidence at least the

SV45U2. If you decide to purchase one, you won't regret it.

 

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-Scott

[jsbc]

A rolleiflex 2.8F, just black and chrome. Even more beautiful when you include parts like the Rolleifix (isn't that an art deco work of art) and Rolleikin (which is an elegant solution to a useless problem).

 

Some of the other accessories, such as the design of the waist level finder, are also ingenious.