Canham DLC - lack of detents, parrallelism, rigidity??

[mosadek_miah]

Hi all,

 

This question is addressed particularly to experienced users of the

Canham DLC, particularly Ellis V., Kerry T., and any others I haven't

come across from reading through the archives.

 

I will be adding a 4x5 field camera to my Fuji GSW690III and Linhof

Technorama 617 kit which I use for colour landscapes prints.

 

My priorities are:

* ease of use with wide angle lenses down to 47mm or 58mm.

* quick setup

* ability to use some sort of 4x5 reflex viewer (dislike darkcloths!)

* lightweight and packs small

* only one bellows (would be nice to use up to a 400 tele)

* avoiding the need for EXPENSIVE accessories

 

I am in Sydney, Australiam, and so cannot experience/rent Canham or

Ebony cameras. There is an Arca Swiss dealer here.

 

After pouring through pages and pages of archives, the Canham DLC

seems to be the camera I am after, followed very closely by the Arca

Swiss F-field, and the Ebony 45S (or RSW45).

 

Specifically I would like to know -

* how manageable are the problems of the Canham

- no zero detents

- difficulty keeping standards precisely parallel

- movement of the tops of the standards with front rise (wouldn't

use much of this in landscape anyway I suppose)

 

* do these problems result in much wasted film (slightly out of focus

images), or in increased time required to setup a shot??

 

In summary, is the Canham DLC suitable for a newcomer to LF?? I am a

quick learner.

 

Regards,

Mosadek

[skygzr]

The DLC is a fine camera. But it has its quirks, like any.

 

I�ve used everything from a 65mm to a 450mm, without having to change bellows. The standards slide forward on the base so that you can use short lenses without having to drop the front, as with other flatbed designs. You can actually get a little bit of rise with a 65mm lens. It�s easier if you raise the standard with the bellows extended, and then compress the camera.

 

I have never used any other 4x5, so I can�t comment on how the camera �feels� compared to anything else. The camera does have zero stops for front and back tilt, although they are a little mushy. I�ve never found this to be a problem. I�ve also never lost a shot because the front and back standards are out of alignment, although I�ve gotten in the habit of occasionally checking the standards.

 

I use a Cambo reflex viewer. It works well, but it�s outrageously expensive. Also, the mechanism that holds it to the camera it pretty flimsy. You can knock it off it you�re not careful. But I prefer it to a dark cloth.

 

When the camera is set to use a short lens, some of the locks can be a little tricky to get to. This doesn�t make anything impossible, it just requires a little extra fiddling sometimes.

 

I can set mine up quickly, but I�ve been using it for about two years. If you get one, practice setting it up before you take it out in the field (good advice for any camera). A little rehearsal in your living room is all you need.

 

You can�t fold it with a lens in place.

 

Hope this helps. I don�t know if the Canham is the perfect camera, but I like mine quite a bit. If you�re going to be using a wide range of lenses, it�s hard to beat.

[hyperfocal]

I have a DLC and love it. The lack of zero detents is an issue if you're not careful. Even after the standards are aligned, they can go out of wack when the camera gets jostled around in the front seat of my stuck on a rough road. Ratehr than trust the witness marks, I cary a plastic CD music case, sans CD, and use this to square up the standards. I suppose that once your witness marks are on the money (shift positions zeroed out)that they to can be relied on.

 

The big deal about the Canham is that it's relatively light, it has a lot of bellows extention, and the bellows are very flexible, eliminating the need for a bag bellows in most cases. The camera is rugged. Mine took a direct hit onto rocks after it fell off the head and suffered no serious damage. The ability to move the standars anywhere on the rail is a real plus with wide lenses, and you don't have to do this silly bed drop routine like on other cameras.

 

One thing to be aware of is that the back, at least on mine, has stiff springs, so you'll want to use care inserting the holders, using reverse pressure on the rear standard to counteract the tendency for the back to move. This really is a minor issue as I've shot numerous shots without chnaging the movements or focus and they are always identical.

 

Another mixed blessing with the DLC is the cut out corners on the ground glass. They are great for checking your coverage, but sometimes interfer with composition if you need to see your image corners. Solve the problem by panning side to side.

 

In the final analysis, all the cameras do basically the same thing. You just need to find one you can become one with, a camera that you're not constantly fighting.

 

Best of luck.

 

H

[clayh]

I think the answer may depend on what you intend to use the camera for. If

you are doing strictly landscape, portraits, etc. the shortcomings you mention

are not that troublesome. If you are intending to do a lot of architectural

photography or table top still lifes, then the lack of 'ground truth' on this

camera may drive you nutty. I have the the 5x7 version of this camera, and I

use it quite a lot and really like its light weight and ease of use. But whenever

Ido anything that requires an absolutely parallel front and rear standard, it can

make me crazy. You really have to depend on a gridded ground glass to help

you out. The bubble levels are the bullseye type, and I find them difficult to get

precisely centered. So, in my opinion, it boils down to what you see as your

main subject matter: organic landscapes are no problem. Architecture or

product photography: you'd better look around some more. For most of my

uses, I consider it a great camera. Your needs may be different.

 

Clay

[ellis_vener_photography]

1.) Wide angle lenses.<P> If your lenses are mounted on the

standard flat Canham boards , you can use down to a 58mm

with some movements. you don't need a lot of movements with

such short lenses, so that works fine. I had my DLC set up

withthe Technica to DLC adapter panel so when I needed to use

a shorter lens like the 47mm Super Angulon, I used one

mounted in the dedicated recessed Technika board, which you

would also need with the Linhof cameras (I borrowed the 47mm

from a photographer who uses a TK45s.). Arca-Swiss FC you

can use lenses down to 43mm with the lens mounted on the

standard Arca-Swiss lensboard -- which makes setting the

controls on the lens much, much easier. The trade off is that you

need to use a w/a bellows (also true with the TK45s.<P>

2.) Quick set up.<P> How quick is quick? I could attach the

camera to the tripod, unfold it, zero the detents, attach the lens

and start focusing within a minute when I needed to. Even faster

is the Arca-Swiss FC camera as you don't have to unfold the

camera from it's stored condition.<P>

3.) Reflex finders,etc.<P>

The Canham was designed to use the Calumet/Cambo viewing

accessories: binocular and monocular finders, reflex finders, etc.

At one point I owned the Canham DLC and the Arca-Swiss F-line

cameras ( I still own the Arca-Swiss, the tax man got the

proceeds from the sale of the DLC and i miss it) so iwas able to

try both the A-S bino reflex and the Cambo relfex. I liked the A-S

finder better.<P>

4.) Weight and size. <P>No question; the DLC wins in this

category.<P>

5.) Bellows:<P>Once again the the Canham wins in this

category, especially if you are doing a broad range of work from

wide angle to long lenses or possibly true macro work.<P>

6.) Expensive accessories.<P>

Well if you want to use binocular reflex viewing accessories, you

are talking about one very expensive accessory!<P>

7.) The Canham DLC has zero detents except for swing. I don't

know where you got the ide a it did not. It is also rigid once it is

tightened. Some people who have only played with the camera at

a store or at a camera show have commentedthat the camera

'flexes" . well it does when you push hard on it. But in the two or

three years I used it in the field and in the studio, including some

extremely windy conditions including blast from taxiing jets at an

airport, it never failed to hold focus or to put another way, it didn't

move. It is a very well constructed well designed camera.<P>

8.) Wasted film or set up time.<P>this was a non existant

problem for me. But I'm not a sloppy worker.<P>

 

8.) Is the DLC a good camera for a new comer to large format?

Yes and no. I think an Arca-Swiss is better because it has rear

rise andfall, something the DLC lacks, and is a yaw free camera.

Yaw is induced when you have tilted the base or monorail of the

camera up or down, tilt the standards back to vertical and then

need to swing either or bothe standards to control focus

distribution or range perspecitive rendering. Most cameras

(includingthe DLC and the TK45s) are not yaw free designs

unless you turn them on their sides. The Arca-Swiss cameras

are yaw free because the swing axis is above the tilt axis. A yaw

free design really speeds up your work in photographing still

lifes or buildings.<P> If you want a camera that feels as precise

or solid as your other cameras, it may not be the best choice: A

camera like the Arca-Swiss F-line or FC or the TK45s has more

of that that feel of mechanical precision. The tradeoff is weight

and if you are working in sandy or dusty conditions you'll have to

worry about grit getting into the gears.<P>

[kcrisp]

Mosadek: After much evaluation of my options, including review of the comments on the former LF site, I bought the 5X7 version of this camera. There ARE detents on the front and rear standards, though their feel is subtle. On the front, which weighs less, the standard seems to settle into the proper position without any problem whatsoever. To be sure, swing it up to position before you rack the bellows out. It can give the impression that the detent is "stronger" up there, but I think it is a just a matter of weight. On the back, particularly with the big 5X7 ground glass or the beefy reduction back installed, the detent feels more vague. Is this a problem in real life? I don't think so. You can look down at the body of the camera and immediately see where the back has to be to be straight up and down. You're looking at the camera anyway when you set it up so I don't see why it is a big deal. The reviews pointed out this "problem" which is a proper function for a review, but in my opinion people seize on this as a big issue when it is barely worth mentioning. If looking at the rear standard when you set it up is too much trouble, you can feel the proper position with your thumb. With the knobs on this camera you can lock it down easily and it won't move. I have used some enormous and heavy lenses on mine, including the 14" Ektar in #5 shutter (2 1/2 lbs, or more?) and the camera can handle it. With very heavy lenses, you need to leave a slight amount of tension on the front focus lock lever or the camera will shift focus slightly when you lock it down. This happens only with heavy lenses that few sane people would use on a camera like this. Sometimes when rushed or very cold, I forget and only lock down one side of the back or the front or the rise, etc. and the camera still doesn't move. The blur I get from wind in a very rare negative with a lens like the 450C is traceable more to the light weight head I use the camera on than any flexibility in the camera. The difference in set up time between this and a conventional flat bed camera can be measured in the range of 10 seconds or so, and only then if you unlock the front and rear swing when you store it. (If this is a problem carry a Crown Graphic for situations where 5 to 10 seconds would make all the difference in the world.) It looks different and puzzling to set up the first time you use it, though you haven't learned other cameras and shouldn't have a problem. It is quick to learn once you start with it. Set it up and take it down 25 or more times as an exercise (a good idea with any camera) and you can set it up very quickly. Other "likes": nice ground glass and fresnel. Smooth focus. Ton of movements. Reasonably priced and superbly manufactured lens boards. Main dislike: it is thicker than most field cameras which makes a difference in bag choice. I've worked around that. In summary, no camera is for everybody, but I like this design a lot. If it had been my first field camera I would not have purchased another.

[sergio_ortega6]

Mosadek,

 

Most of the issues you've mentioned have been discussed extensively on this site over the years. Just about everyone seems to agree that the DLC is a great little field camera, as are the others you've mentioned. I don't think you could go wrong buying any of these field cameras.

 

After using my DLC for several years now, with a wide range of lenses (58mm to 450mm), in all types of field conditions and for every subject possible I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a well-designed, sturdy, precise, lightweight, reasonably-priced general purpose field camera. I like mine more and more the longer I use it, and if I were to replace it, for whatever reason, I would buy another DLC without any hesitation. I don't think you can give any piece of equipment higher praise than that.

 

The DLC has its weak points, and a couple of minor things I would change, but nothing you cannot get used to, and certainly nothing that would prevent you from easily making excellent images. I think you would be well satisfied with the DLC if you just keep in mind that the only perfect field camera is the one you have not used yet.

[john_luke]

If you are going to use wide lenses, 75 or wider, lack of parallelism without detents can be a huge problem. The ultra-wide lenses need exact parallelism. I know it is a hard concept to grasp, but if the standards are ever so slightly out of parallel on long lenses, you may never notice it. I was running into problems on my Arca Swiss with the 47XL. I couldn't get the darn thing to focus properly. Imagine this scenario- on a 210mm lens, the difference between infinity focus, and focus at 5', may be ±40 millimeters of travel on the rear standard. If the standards are off parallel on one side by 1/2 millimeter, it is such a small percentage of total travel, it will not have that much effect on flat field of sharpness, ie depth of focus ( not depth of field ). On a 47XL lens, the difference between infinity focus, and focus at 5', may be only ±2 millimteres of travel on the rear standard. This being so, if the standards are off parallel on one side by that same 1/2 millimeter, your going to see the an uneven plane of focus. It may go from one side to the other, or from close bottom to far away top. I sent my Arca Swiss camera in to have the detents re-set and the technician said they were indeed pretty far off parallel. I discovered a product called zig-align that is essentially a flat mirror you place into the back where the film goes, mirror side facing the lens board. You then take a spare lens board and affix a round mirror with a sight hole in the center of it, and mount it to the front standard, mirror side facing the ground glass. Both mirrors are now facing each other. You remove the bellows and look through the hole in the front mirror. You will be able to see a reflection of this round mirror reflected into the mirror you placed into the film holder. If the standards are in perfect parallel, the round mirror will render itself as a series of reflections that are perfectly centered concentric rings. If they're out of parallel, the ring reflection will drift off to one of the corners. I am considering adding this to my kit. Their site is hard to navigate through, it can be confusing to see which product you really need. They make LED sighting devices for enlargers also. For a view camera, all you need to buy is their plain mirror and the accompanying ring module which is the round mirror with the hole in it.

http://www.zig-align.com/example_2.html

[tim_atherton2]

Does Bromwell's "thingy" here do the same thing?

 

http://www.bromwellmarketing.com/acc.htm

[jose_angel]

(I think that it's all said, but here it is my contribution)

Last week I have been once more time in one of the peaks of my city. I take the DLC, a carbon tripod and a SS110XL with just two holders.

Like always, I spent more time than I would like to set the standards parallel at zero position, the zero detents and the bubble levels simply doesn't work. I marked in the standards the "zero positions" and with this are more easy to set up the camera. I must take care when inserting the film holder, but I never have a problem with it. The rest of the characteristics of the camera works perfectly for me... (Weight, STRENGHT, bellows, etc.)

I only would change the DLC in this situations (when a faster operation are required) with a folding camera like the Linhofs, but price and weight are out of consideration.

 

Good luck,

[raider_k]

What exactly are detents and should a beginner worry about them?

[ellis_vener_photography]

detents let the photographer know when a camera movement is zeroed, i.e no movement is applied.