What 4x5 Camera and Lens to start with?

[michael_moghaddam]

<p>I am interested in getting into LF. I am leaning towards a 4x5 Field Camera. I primarily like landscapes, but I also would like the flexibility to shoot portraits. I also own Canon digital gear and medium format gear and I wanted to use an adapter to attach those cameras to the back of the LF camera. I found a company that sells cheap adapters for attaching digital cameras and Medium format backs to LF cameras here's the site http://www.fotodiox.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_30. That being said I want to make sure that the camera is strong enough to support the digital backs. With lenses I would like to find something that is of high enough quality that I won't quickly grow out of it if I really find I like LF. Some cameras I have looked into are Toyo-View, Wista and maybe Bulldog (I think it sounds cool that I can put together my own camera, I just don't know if it's strong enough to support the weight of the digital back). All around I would like to keep the price of camera & lens under $2000.<br>

Thanks</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>Michael, I do hear great things about Ebony cameras, and they have a good following. I have never used one, but I do use a Sinar X, Toyo F, and Crown Graphic. Sinar's have exceptional build quality and are very sturdy. I also like their DOF calculator. On the other hand, the Toyo's benefit is price, reliability (though flimsy), and parts are really easy to find. Also in this category (but to a lesser degree) would be a Cambo. Toyo also benefits from being distributed by Mamiya USA, and their support, to me, has been superb. The Crown Graphic is like a reliable old friend that I've owned for about 30 years, and I still use it more than the others because it is so compact and well made.</p>

<p>Other than these, I really don't know the wooden cameras that people like so much. I've used Linhof, which are very well built, but parts can be expensive. I also like Horseman L series cameras. Feel free to ask more specific questions you might have.</p>

[bruce_watson1]

<p>What you gain by attaching a digicam to a 5x4 LF camera is... expense and frustration. If that's all you want, I advise buying a tilt/shift lens for your digicam and be done with it. Really.</p>

<p>The real problem with doing this is the small image area. You'll need really short lenses to get an acceptable angle of view. The really short lenses are harder to find and the cameras that can use them are harder to find. Then there's the problem of seeing what you are doing. The smaller the image, the harder it is to see what's in focus and what isn't -- IOW, using tilts and shifts with any kind of accuracy becomes nearly impossible.</p>

<p>There's a reason that the people using the astronomically expensive medium format digital backs like the Phase One P65+ mostly use them on MF cameras and not LF cameras. The smaller the sensor, the worse it gets. Just sayin'.</p>

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

<p>I have no doubt that the RW 45 is an excellent camera, but it's probably a bit expensive for someone who is just testing the waters. Perhaps a used Tachihara or Shenhao would be a good place to start. Lots of good info is available here:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.largeformatphotography.info/roundup4x5.html">http://www.largeformatphotography.info/roundup4x5.html</a></p>

[sg_adams]

<p>Can I ask one other pertinent question? Weight, how much or do you care how much your camera weighs. Do you intend to lug it around, hike with it etc? I've been using the Crown Graphic 4x5 for years, and I backpack with the Crown Graphic 23 6x9 camera and have no problems getting all I need out of these for landscape, some stills, and other various stuff. I also own a Graphic View II, but that is a heavy camera so I tend to keep that around the shop. Any of these make fine portraits, and none cost me more than a hundred bucks. That does not include the better lenses I use, but the ones they came with were adequate to get started and make a lot of nice images. All have grafloc backs, so I can adapt all sorts of film holders. The Pacemaker Graphic series of cameras has some movements like plenty of rise, a little side shift, a drop bed and tilting front standard which once you figure it out can be more versatile than folks would have you believe. But the one thing it lacks that a true field camera has is a moveable back which tilts, but this can be got around in most cases. On the up side a well running Crown Graphic with a calibrated rangefinder can be used handheld. Not so field camera. The problem I feel for a lot of folks is getting a Crown in decent condition. The lenses I set mine up with are the original semi wide 135mm Optar (awsome tessar with limited coverage with a soft feel wide open and crisp stopped down), a 90mm Angulon wide (very sharp, but also older limited coverage lens with almost no movements), a 150mm Symmar-S (for something offering more movement shorter than normal sharp and contrasty), the formidable Kodak 203mm Ektar (which is insanely sharp, excellent coverage, and light weight though not a fast lens), for portraiture I have a variety of vintage lenses I can use with 2x3 roll backs and go up to the big 15in Tele-Raptar 5.6 lens with 4x5. When I first started out with a Crown 4x5 and a Century Graphic it took me a few months to get my lens boards and filter holders all figured out, but of course I tried to get lenses on boards right off. <br>

I've been looking for a decent price on a good wood field 4x5 for about eight years and don't seem to have one yet, so I must not need one all that bad. And certainly not at the prices I see for something like the Ebony stuff. But I can sure appreciate the quality and longevity I see there. I suppose<br>

I could sell ten of my Graphics and get an Ebony, which would certainly clear some shelf space ! </p>

[charles_mason]

<p>Easy, Chamonix. Contact Hugo Zhang and get yourself one. Most bang for the buck I've seen in a wonderfully designed and sturdy but lightweight 4x5!</p>

[marike1]

<p>I would also vote for a Chamonix. I use a Chamonix 045n-1 and couldn't be happier. I've used a Wista DX and briefly a Tachihara, and the Chamonix has longer bellows extension (if can focus with a 300mm and longer lens) and seems much more rigid due to the carbon fiber base. That being said the wood field 4x5 camera like the Wista, Zone VI, Tachihara and Shen Hao as good choices to starting with LF. </p>

[michael_moghaddam]

<p>Thanks everyone for all the advice. To reply to some of the questions and comments, first in response to one post I fully intended to take 4x5 pictures with the camera not just use it with my digital still, I just wanted to make sure whatever camera I got was sturdy enough to support that because I thought it would be another fun thing to use the camera for. Weight is defiantly an issue for me, I hike and I would like as light a camera as possible, that being said though I am used to lugging allot of gear with me, I usually bring both my dslrs and 3 Canon L lenses, filters, tripod and other stuff, so I can deal with some weight. The only reason I was interested in a field camera over a view camera was because I thought there weren't any view cameras that were really good for backpacking, but I'm starting to see that there are some good options. Also I would really like the flexibility to use a Polaroid back and other formats. I have medium format gear and I find I like shooting Polaroid more then color neg or slide. The big issue for me is that I don't have too much money and I don't know how frequently I'd be able to use the camera and I don't want to make too large of an investment and find I never use it because film cost are too high or it's so heavy I leave it at home or after taking it with me a couple of times it starts falling apart because it's not built very well. I did find some used Calumet, Cambo, Toyo and Crown Graphic, I know there are many models with each of these brands, but I wasn't sure which brand is typically better for what I'm looking for. I am still looking into the other suggestions, which I have to say are some really beautiful looking cameras (like the Chamonix, Ebony ect.) hopefully I can find one used or maybe convince my wife to let me spend more. I hope this answers some of the follow up questions that people had and thank you so much everyone for being so helpful, I'm really excited about LF!</p>

[frank_bunnik]

<p>When I was in the market for a 4x5 field camera, the Chamonix was on the top of my list. However, my budget was limited and I didn't want to spend most of it on the camera. So I eventually bought a Crown Graphic, a Grandagon MC 6.8 90mm lens and a Nikkor W 135mm lens for about the same price as the Chamonix.<br>

I must say that I really like the Crown. It has limited movements, but it takes only 5 minutes to turn the front standard around to get forward tilt without the need to drop the bed first. The movements it offers are usually enough for landscape photography. The camera is sturdy and well made. Not too heavy. I find the rangefinder very handy to take portraits since I can focus and shoot immediately, instead of focussing on the groundglass, closing the shutter, set the aperture and shutterspeed, load the filmholder and then finally making the exposure by which time the model very likely will have moved. I calibrated my rangefinder with the 135mm lens and I mounted a Linhof left hand grip on the side of the camera to make hand held photography easier.<br>

Good luck with your choice.</p>

[ivan_j._eberle1]

<p>A $2000 budget will buy you a hell of a nice LF kit if you do your homework and are patient.<br>

If you're into portraiture, you'll probably want to consider a camera with a revolving back. This narrows the field somewhat to Graflex Super/Super Speed Graphics, Busch Pressman D, Wistas, Linhof Technikas and Meridians.<br>

What I did was work backwards to buy a camera that would accomodate the lenses and movements I needed (I have a couple of Meridians and a Super Graphic. The SG I bought specifically to use with a 135mm lens, a focal length I really like. The Meridians really shine with either a very wide angle or a 210mm Plasmat with a lot of image circle.)<br>

I'd suggest not worrying a digital back on a 4x5 to start. The specialized camera bodies for digital MF (with geared instrument movements needed to be efficient with the 645 format of the sensors), albeit expensive, are almost chump change compared to the cost of the sensors themselves.</p>

[dan_south]

<p>FYI - I checked the Chamonix website and it looks as though they're going to introduce a new 4x5 camera soon, the 045N-2. I wonder what changes they're making.</p>

[marike1]

 

 

 

<blockquote>

<p>FYI - I checked the Chamonix website and it looks as though they're going to introduce a new 4x5 camera soon, the 045N-2. I wonder what changes they're making.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>I spoke to Hugo Zhang, the US Chamonix rep, about the 45n-2 and the only thing he said was that it would have minor improvements, would be 10% more expensive, and they will finally have Teak in addition to the other woods available. </p>

 

 

 

[pompom]

<p>I have an all metal Wista 5x4 camera, it's a heavy one, but they do make wooden cameras. I use 90mm, 150mm and a Nikkor 180. A 65mm is a useful lens to have.<br>

Raymond Wood</p>