field or view

[sylvain_lesperance]

<p>I'm interested in bying a large format camera. Many are available on in the use market.<br>

What is the difference between a «field» and a «view» camera?</p>

<p>What do you think aout this camera?</p>

 

<h1 >Toyo 45CX Monorail View Camera w/Rodenstock 150mm Lens</h1>

<p>Thank's</p>

<p>Sylvain</p>

 

[randall ellis]

<p>What type of photography are you planning on doing? It's impossible to make a recommendation if we don't know what you want out of the camera. What lenses do you want to be able to use with it? Do you need to be able to swap bellows (bag bellows, extended length bellows, etc)? Do you care about things like weight, cost, accessories, etc? There are a LOT of details that need to be considered before anyone can do much more than provide anecdotal evidence or personal preferences, neither of which are likely to be useful in matching a tool to your needs without more information.</p>

<p>A field camera, generally speaking, is more portable than a view camera. Field cameras use a folding bed that is an integral part of the camera, and therefore are, again, generally speaking, more compact and portable. View camera use a monorail rather than a bed to support the standards (the front and rear parts of the camera) and are often used, in my experience, either in a studio setting, or not too far from the car if used outdoors. The stock rail can often be exchanged for a longer or shorter version, while other version allow extending the stock rail. Depending on what you want out of a camera there are a number of good choices in either style, and personal preference plays a large role in deciding which works best for you.</p>

<p>- Randy</p>

[bob_salomon]

<p>There are several types of 45 cameras. A Technical camera like a Linhof Master Technika Classic or a Wista RF has front and some back movements and folds for portability and is hand holdable and has a rangefinder and either has or accepts a viewfinder. A press camera llke a technical cameras the Graflex cameras are hand holdable, have a rangefinder, accept view finders, have no back movements and fold. A field camera has no rangefinder or viewfinder and has front and sometimes some rear movements and folds. A monorail camera usually has front and back movements and does not fold. An exception are cameras like the Linhof TK45 and TK45S which are monorail cameras with full movements and collapse into a small package for portability. Another exception is the Linhof Master Technika 3000 and 2000 which look like the technical camera, have the movements of a technical camera but do not have a rangefinder. Instead they have built-in extreme wide angle lens capability.<br>

Generally monorail cameras can be modular in that many can be converted into larger and sometimes smaller format cameras. So by buying accessories some 4x5 monorail cameras can be converted into an 8x10 camera. Of course since you have to buy a new rear, a new bellows, perhaps more rail and sometimes a new front you can frequently just buy an 8x10 camera of the same make for the same or less then the conversion parts.</p>

[brucecahn]

<p>A field camera is a portable view camera. As Bob says above, the choice is between a lighter field camera (whether it folds or not) and a monorail. The monorail is heavier and more awkward to transport. It really has no advantages over a modern field camera for most use. The excellent Linhof Master Technika is in a subdivision of the field camera category. It is a field with a rangefinder.--Bruce, Bruce's Field Camera Store</p>

[allen_friday]

<p>Sylvian,</p>

<p>You need to do your research. You are thinking about buying a large format camera, and yet you don't even understand the basics of the two most common designs. Check the archives here on Photonet, google "large format view camera", "large format field camera" and "large format monorail camera." Go to the library and check out the books on large format photography. Yes, there have been entire books written on the subject.<br>

Asking such a general and uninformed question will generate a few quick responses, but it is not a substitute for research. Large format is an expensive undertaking. Save yourself some money and much frustration by reading up on it fully before plunging in. </p>

[bob_salomon]

<p>Allen, or go visit a good camera store and look at some or a trade show. Rent some and try the different types. Get some hand's on experience. And read some books.</p>

[jennifer_spencer]

<p>I have to agree with Allen, that it really can get to be a money sink if you don't choose wisely. </p>

<p>I like a view camera, because I could not afford a new field camera that would have all the movements I wanted. Usually the older field cameras make up in convenience for what they lack in choice of movements. I like tilt & swing quite a bit, and use them to create distortion, but the older, used field cameras I was looking at didn't have much range for those movements and often didn't have them in front at all. I happened to find the only 4x5 camera at a sidewalk sale at one of my favorite camera shops. I bought the body (no lens, broken ground glass back, but all movements and levels looking good) for $90. It had essentially brand new bellows. It's a Graphic View monorail camera from the 1940s with a tripod mount incorporated into the design. I am very happy with it largely because it hasn't cost me a fortune to refurbish, and it does what it is supposed to do. I bought a new glass and a used lens from KEH, some good film holders from the Bay and I was ready to go.</p>

<p>A few months before I bought that Graphic View, I also bought an older field camera on the Bay from a guy who was a photographer and claimed this old one was still usable with light-tight bellows. On arrival they were more like Swiss cheese and the wooden base of the camera was cracked completely through the tripod mount. It was so badly cracked it would have jiggled every time you breathed near it - camera shake ruining any images the slow shutter could provide, and eventually falling apart. Probably close to $800 to fix if I could even find a bellows or a craftsman to make me a new base. Ouch. And the movements in front weren't as good as I'd hoped. Fortunately I checked this guy's policy before I bought and was able to return it. Oddly, his response was 'well of course it's going to be a project and not work immediately - it's old, what did you expect?" when he'd advertised it as at least working quality. Weird. I think, given how challenging it can be to find bellows, and how expensive they can be when you find them, that it is wise to buy from a vendor who will take a return upon your inspection, and your camera technician's inspection, of the goods. I am glad I could return it.</p>

<p>No harm in buying one that's not too expensive to start with, just to try it out and see if you like it, but I'd get it from someone I could trust to be honest about its condition or refund my money afterward. And I recommend you know for sure which movements you are going to want and what degree of movement from those that you will expect. Look up the Toyo's specs in this case and see if that's going to do it for you.</p>

<p>For some people it is very important to them to know which lenses the camera can take, also. The bellows length and the size of the opening for the front will determine what lenses you can use. My Graphic View is probably not going to work for any lens shorter than 90mm, for instance, so if I wanted to do super-wide angle photography with that camera, too bad. Fortunately, that's okay with me. For you, maybe not - see what I mean? My friend bought this awesome 210mm Schneider lens that is the size of my head for his camera, but when he got it, it was about 4mm too wide to fit into the front standard for his camera! He was crushed. He sold it to me because it fits in mine, barely. These are just some of the kinds of issues that can come up with large format cameras, so it is wise to try to determine some of your needs and buy the right thing. For a longer focal length lens, you might have to make the bellows longer than it could originally go by getting an 'extension bellows' and an extension rail to go with it. If the camera's 100 years old and hard to get parts for, or the design prohibits an extension (as a field camera might), that might not work out so well. </p>

<p>Just some things to think about.</p>

[john_liberty]

<p>I'll second Jennifer's choice of a Graphic View camera. The II model is a little better, but w/ these cameras it's more about which camera is in the best condition. I love mine, it's relatively light (probably around 7 lbs w/o a lens or anything else), and is small for a monorail camera. It isn't a Sinar or Linhof, but then it only cost me $115, and it's plenty sturdy w/ more than enough movements for what I do. If you are going to be doing primarily landscapes you can get by w/ a camera like the Crown/Speed Graphics. They're lighter and fold up into much easier to carry packages. Either way you go I suggest buying from KEH as they have a great reputation and a return policy that is friendly.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that large format shooting is generally a total immersion thing. Meaning most people put their own cameras together w/ their choice of bodies, backs and lenses, they develop their own negatives, and do their own printing, at least w/ B&W. If you are sending things out to a lab the costs can get out of hand very quickly. By all means get some of Ansel Adams books from the library and get a feel for this medium before buying anything.</p>