dave_henry1 Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Does anyone have any recent experiences with a Tachihara 4X5 such as construction, sturdiness over time etc. I've never seen one and everything on the web makes it look very capable. How well will the finish hold up over time etc. or will it look trashed after a couple years? I do a lot of field shooting and backpacking and have been using a trusty Crown Graphic since the late '60s. My lenses are 65 - 400 and I'll primarily shoot landscapes with it. My two goals are reducing weight (my Crown is 5.4 lbs.) and front tilt (so I can leave my Flexbody home). I'm considering the Tachihara because of its features and price tag. I don't have $1K or more to spend. Thanks so much for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene_singer Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Dave, the Tachi is a good, lightweight wooden field camera. My friend, Jim, at Midwest Photo (mpex.com) is a direct importer and is now selling the 4X5 for under $600, including a lensboard. It's been a long time since I owned a Tachi, and I didn't keep it very long. The camera didn't have the features or movements that I wanted. I moved up to a Wisner Tech Field. Check out the Shen Hao cameras at Badger Graphics (badgergraphic.com). I know they are heavier weight than the Tachi, but you get a lot of camera for the money. The model with rear rise and interchangeable bellows is only $655, including a lensboard. The lower priced model has similar features to the Tachi, with the addition of Graflex sliders on the back. It sells for $475, without a lensboard. If you use wide angle lenses shorter than 90mm, buy the model with the bag bellows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_henry1 Posted October 30, 2002 Author Share Posted October 30, 2002 Thanks Eugene for your comments. What features and movements did you need that the Tachihara lacked? I might be in the same boat as you were. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_kearns1 Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Dave, I have been shooting with a Calumet Woodfield 4x5 (Tachihara with a Calumet nameplate) for about 8 years. It has held up quite well, construction & finish. Mine has a fixed 12" bellows so a 400mm wouldn't work. I shoot with a 150mm Caltar (Schnieder, and do mainly landscapes. I believe some of the newer Tach's may have extension bellows but I'm not certain. I believe you will enjoy it. Happy shooting and may the light be with you. Pat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_lee11 Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 I have had mine since May of this year, and like it very much. On the plus side, it is very light, and has almost all the movements I would like. On the down side, its bellows draw is limited to around 330mm, and I have gone the route of getting a 400mm Fujinon tele lens, instead of a normal lens at that length. It is very attractive - to the point where many times, people have stopped in their tracks, approached me, and either complimented me on the beauty of the camera, or asked me about it. This happens almost any time I go shooting where there are people around. The camera does not have a built-in groundglass cover, and when the camera is folded down, the GG is exposed. When you travel with it, you need to watch out for that. It is so pretty, you probably won't consider this camera as a "banger-upper" like you might consider a Crown Graphic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry_mendenhall1 Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 I've been using mine since March. I've carried it in a LowePro AW Trekker with no problems in some relatively easily traveled areas. Since I'm new to large format photography, I may not know what I'm missing. But the movements on Tachihara have been more than ample for the landscape photography I've been doing. I "think" all that the Tachihara is missing is back swing and back rise and fall, but some of the more technical users may correct me on that. I was worried about the ground glass being exposed as Ken mentioned, but I fixed that by buying a ground glass cover from Calumet. Your 65mm lens may work but it you won't be able to use much in the way of movement. Your 400 is likely to be too much as well unless it's a telephoto design. Other than that, the Tachihara has been a great beginner's camera for me. I'd recommend it, especially if you're on a budget. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_sampson Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 I bought one in 1982 (it was $425.00 then) and used it hard for ten years. A beautiful little camera. Limitation on bellows draw aside, a fine machine for field work. I used a 300mm Nikkor-M for a long lens. It was replaced by a Zone VI, which does more and weighs more. The Tachihara is a great value, and sometimes I miss it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene_singer Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Dave, as others have mentioned, short bellows draw was somewhat of a hinderance with the Tachi. The Wisner Tech Field had a lot more bellows length for use with longer standard-type lenses, like the Nikon 300M, especially for close-ups. The capability to use wide angle lenses, like the Nikon 65 and 75 SW's was important to me. The Tachi did not have interchangeable bag bellows capability. The Wisner and Shen Hao have an optional wide angle bellows. The Shen Hao has even more rear movement capability than the Wisner Tech Field. The Wisner does not have rear shift. The Shen Hao has lots of rear shift. The Shen Hao design also allows the rear standard to slide forward so that there is no need to drop the bed when using wide angle lenses shorter than 90mm. That design feature also allows the weight of the camera to be balanced over the center of the tripod head when using heavy rollfilm or Polaroid backs. The Shen Hao HZX 45AII has more features than the Tachi for, almost, the same price, if you are willing to tolerate the additional weight. Get a tripod head with a quick connect mounting plate, and forget about carrying the camera mounted on the tripod over your shoulder. That's a risky technique for both you and your camera. You need both hands free when scampering around on rocks and stones on narrow, steep trails. Cameras carried that way have a tendency to loosen and fall off of the tripod. I've seen it happen. What about the Toyo 45CF? Did you give up on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_ellis3 Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 I used a Tachihara for about four years. It's an excellent camera. It's movements (front tilt, swing, rise, and fall, rear tilt and swing) are more than adqequate for landscape work (and for many other kinds of work as well). It's well built, the finish is very nice and mine showed no signs of deterioration after four years. When I bought mine I thought it was clearly the best value for the money then available in large format cameras. Now there's also the Shen Hao so that today someone would have to blance their need for the greater movements of the Shen Hao against its greater weight. But you say you want to reduce your present 5.4 pound weight and the Shen Hao actually weighs more than that I believe, so the Shen Hao wouldn't be a consideration for you. Your 65 mm lens will work on the Tachihara but your 400 mm won't unless it's a telephoto (I used a 400 telephoto on mine). 300 mm is the maximumm in a normal lens with the Tachihara. The Tachihara weighs about 4 pounds so you're getting some weight savings but not a huge amount. If weight is really a major consideration you might consider the Toho or Gowland cameras that I think are in the three pound range. However, for the kind of work you describe I can heartily recommend the Tachihara subject only to the limitation that you won't be able to use a 400 mm normal lens on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_lee11 Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Larry - You mentioned that you got a ground glass cover from Calumet for your Tachihara. I am unable to find a "ground glass cover" on the Calumet site. Any idea where it might be, if they still make it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcrisp Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Dave: My first LF camera was one of the older Tachihara models with the chrome hardware. I used it for 7 years, dragging it everywhere and it got the job done. It was eventually stolen. The only mechanical problems were some creep on the flip levers which lock the front standard on the track. My current newer version seems to have no such problem. If you take reasonable care with your equipment, it can hold up long term. Great ground glass/fresnel, light weight, quick to set up. Downsides: relatively short bellows, no bag bellows on mine. Mine never looked trashed, it is a high quality finish I assume is lacquer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger___3 Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 I�ve had my Tach for about four years. I chose it for price and weight over what else was out there. My previous LF camera was a speed graphic, so I had concerns of a wooden field taking a bit of a beating. I�ve not treated it with kid gloves, but am careful to a degree. I wrap it in a shirt (my dark cloth) and carry it in the bottom of my day pack under my lens package and other accessories. It�s had a pretty good jostling over the miles I�ve hiked. I�ve had it wet from rain and snow a couple of times, but am careful to dry it as soon as possible. All considered, it has a couple of smaller chips in the finish, but other wise looks and performs as new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_henry1 Posted October 30, 2002 Author Share Posted October 30, 2002 Larry, I too am interested in the ground glass cover. Eugene, I haven't given up on the CF yet. I just haven't heard anything from them which I hope is not indicative of their committment to the products they distribute. So far, their actions are speaking louder than their words. Brian, both my 300 and 400 are telephotos. I purposely avoided long-focus lenses because I am using them on my Crown. They both draw around 200mm. My 210 Nikkor actually draws more (220mm) than the two telephotos. With 330mm on the Tachihara, I think I'm safe. I'm really looking to trim weight along with gaining front tilt. Both the CF (3 lbs. 4 oz.) and the Tachihara (3 lbs. 8 oz.) are real attractive. On doing more research, I also like the $29 lens boards for the Tachihara compared to $45 - $69 for the Toyo's. Especially since I need 6! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed_candland1 Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Look here: http://www.calumetphoto.com/syrinx/ctl?PAGE=Controller&ac.ui.pn=cat.CatItemDetail&ac.item.itemNo=CF9970&ac.catTree.detail=y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_jordan Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 I love my Tachihara. I'm afraid that it gets driven pretty hard and has taken some knocks, but it sees to be holding up well. Sure it lacks some bells and whistles and could be somewhat more rigid, but so is my Honda Civic. More than a few of my photos are awful, but it�s not my poor camera's fault! The only real concern issue I have is the front standard. The way it has been engineered, it has a tendency to "rock" within the grooves when unhitched, so that it might not line up to be perfectly zeroed out on its own. This may give some unintentional swing. There are some screws along each groove at parallel spacings, however, that may be used to help "line it up". Good luck! Chris Jordan (Rochester) www.jordanphoto.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry_mendenhall1 Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Ken and Dave Here is the url I just checked this morning: http://www.calumetphoto.com/syrinx/ctl?PAGE=Controller&ac.ui.pn=cat.CatItemDetail&ac.item.itemNo=CF9970&ac.catTree.detail=y I believe someone else has already posted it as well. It's $15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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