frank_bunnik

<p>I am no expert, having started with large format just a few months ago. Before that I used a Horseman VH-R camera. I now use a Crown Graphic which costed me US$ 175 in bargain condition from Keh. Most people who see this camera consider it lightly used given it's age.<br>

The Crown Graphic has limited moves compared to a field camera. It is an easy 5 minute job to reverse the front standard so you don't have to drop the bed to get forward tilt. However, forward tilt is basically all the moves you can get, together with some very small shift to the left and right. For landscape use, these moves are sufficient most of the times. For architecture they are often too limited however. Keep in mind that the Crown was not designed as a field camera.<br>

The Crown (and the Speed) Graphic have a rangefinder. Mine works flawlessly with my Nikkor W 135mm lens. I mounted a Linhof left hand grip to the side and hand held photography is much easier now.<br>

I would advise you to buy your lenses used. This saves a lot of money. The Nikkor 135 costed me only 110 euro in almost mint condition.</p>

<p>Don't forget that with the Speed / Crown Graphic, you are not limited to the lenses made for these cameras in the 1950's and 1960's. You can use any large format lens, as long as it fits the lensmount. I use Rodenstock Grandagon 6.8 90mm MC, Nikkor W 135mm and Rodenstock Sironar N 210mm lenses with my Crown Graphic. I turned the front standard of the camera around so I do not need to drop the bed to get forward tilt. A job done within 5 minutes and no need to take of the bellows.</p>

<p>For a hotel in Delhi I can recommend the "Cottage Yes Please". It has a website. It is a clean hotel on the edge of the Paharganj area and not too expensive. Unlike the posh hotels it is in Delhi proper so you see the real Delhi when you step outside. Opposite the hotel are 2 very good restaurants. One vegetarian and one non-vegetarian. I had chicken there this summer and it was very good. Nearby are several ATM's.<br>

From the hotel it is a 5 minute walk to the subway station where you can take the tube to Chandi Chowk in old Delhi.<br>

I tried to make a reservation at the hotel over the internet but I never got a reply so I telephoned and got my reservation. I have stayed in this hotel several times when travelling in northern India and it suits me perfectly.<br>

Bring some cash that you can exchange at the airport. When I landed this summer in Delhi none of the ATM's at the airport was working so I was glad I could change some euro's for the taxi.</p>

<p>Jaipur is a half day drive from Delhi and a very pictoresque city (al least the old part). Nearby in Amber is a huge fortress that is well worth visiting. With 5 days to spare you can go from Delhi to Jaipur, spend 2 days there, travel from Jaipur to Agra with a visit to Akbars former capital Fatehpur Sikri on the way to Agra, spend 1 day in Agra visiting the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort (much more interesting than Dehli's Red Fort which is actually a waste of time compared to the one in Agra) and some of the other sites in and around Agra (the tomb of emperor Akbar is well worth visiting), and travel back to Delhi on day 5.<br>

Remember that Delhi in January can be chilly.</p>

<p>While I agree with Jurgen that the Arca Swiss is not a camera for handheld photography, I also agree with Stuart that there is no point in the Alpa, at least not for the price they charge. I admit I was tempted myself when I read the test 8 years ago. However, as has been stated, the Cambo Wide and the Fotoman cameras offer exactly the same lenses (or with the Fotoman even more choice between Schneider, Rodenstock/Caltar, Nikon and Fuji lenses) with a larger image size for a fraction of the price of the Alpa. Both cameras are very well made and I am 100% sure you will not see any difference between an image made with the Alpa or one of the other suggested cameras. Maybe only when the image was made on 4x5 inch compared to medium format.</p>

<p>No, they will not.</p>

<p>Okay Jurgen, I didn't know you could use different filmbacks. I have a 8 year old test of Alpa camera's in a Dutch magazine which said that the image was 6x4,5 cm. Some progress since then. I was aware of the digital backs. Don't know how practical the Alpa is with a digital back to shoot handheld outside though.</p>

<p>I forgot the Cambo Wide which might also be interesting for you, or when you want a cheap solution: a crown graphic with a 65mm super angulon (old mode)l. This together should cost you no more than 500 euro, less then 1/10th the price of a similar Alpa. Remember that the alpa image is only 6 x 4.5 cm. much less than 4x5inch... It might nog be as exclusive as an Alpa but the image quality will be much higher and that is what counts.</p>

<p>You might just as well look for a Fotoman camera. It gives you a much bigger image for much less money. Quality is excellent. The thousands of dollars you same can be invested in film and a nice trip and you probably have money to spare after that.</p>

<p>I have used the GX680 for landscapes and although it is an excellent system, it weighs a ton and the lenses are huge and sometimes very heavy. The 65mm I had weighed almost 1 kg!Same goes for the rollfilm holders etc. Not a problem when you don't venture too far from your car but when you go hiking, you want something else.<br>

I recently bought a Crown Graphic 4x5. Bigger image format, less weight. It is a 5 minute conversion to have forward tilt instead of the standard rear tilt and you can do this conversion yourself. You may not want large format but get a camera with a graflok back and you can use all kinds of roll film holders, from 6x6 to 6x12. The widest lens you can use on the Crown is 65mm on a flat lens board though movements are then very limited if they exist at all.</p>

<p>I forgot to mention that although the Mamiya 23 / Universal are excellent cameras, they offer hardly any movements and weigh a ton. Everything for this system is very old. The Fuji GX680 system is indeed an excellent camera but it weighs even more, also more than most 4x5 inch cameras while still offering "only" a 6x8 cm image.l It weighs almost 1 kg more than my Crown Graphic. The Fuji is completely electronic and is no longer made or supported by Fuji. If something breaks down, chances are that the camera can not be repaired. It is huge, bulky, not made for backpacking into the countryside but for the studio or near your car. Excellent optics but also huge.</p>

 

<p>There is just too much choice. I used a Fuji GW670III and a Fuji GS645S on my trip last summer to Ladakh and the quality of the images is simply superb. These cameras are not too heavy to carry for long distances.<br>

If digital in the future is not necessary, there is a cheap solution: a Crown Graphic 4x5 camera. I know, you did not want to go the large format path. However, get a camera with a graflock back and you can use all kind of roll film holders, from 6x6 up to 6x12. You can probably get a camera with 3 modern (used) lenses for less then what a Hasselblad with one old lens would cost you. And should you get the desire to shoot 4x5, you already have the cameras and lenses so all you need to get are some sheet film holders. These cameras fold up very compact too.<br>

I recently bought one of these cameras and I wish I had done it years ago...<br>

Good luck with your choice,<br>

Frank<br>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/asialover">www.flickr.com/photos/asialover</a></p>

<p>Keh has some lenselements for sale. Look in large format under their fixed focal lens section.</p>

<p>Stunning photos, Like those of Edward Curtis. I just bought a Crown Graphic and I can't wait to take my first photos with it.<br>

Thanks for sharing, Frank</p>

<p>I would recommend a field camera. You can choose a 4x5 Crown Graphic for instance which allows you 4x5, 6x12 cm, 6x9cm, 6x8 cm, 6x7cm etc, all depending on wich back you use. You can also choose a field camera intended for 6x9 cm backs like the smaller version of the crown graphic, or a Horseman VHR / 980 etc, or a Linhof.<br>

Beware that on the Linhof cameras for 6x9 and 6x7 only Linhof roll film holders will fit and that these holders will not fit on a different brand camera. As long as you don't choose a Linhof, your camera and lenses will be cheaper than a Hasselblad.</p>

<p>Thank you all for your advice. I decided to practice first with regular film. I bought 15 regular holders from e-bay and a dutch trading website, the box of Fomafilm and 5 boxes of 6 months outdated Velvia and I am going to try that.</p>

<p>I am awaiting the arrival of my first 4x5 fieldcamera, a Crown Graphic with Graphlok back. On ebay I bought some filmholders and Ialso bought some b&w Fomafilm. I also like shooting slides. The quickload solution is tempting, though expensive (considering the film). Easy when travelling however. I am a bit afraid though that Fuji might cancel quickload film in the near future. I just saw on the website of Robert White that the last shipment of quickload Velvia is december 2009. I just saw it tonight so I was not yet able to ask if this means that Velvia 50 quickload goes out of production...<br>

Has anyone heard rumors that quickload production might be stopped? Would investing in quickload be a waist of money and would it be better to buy a Harrison pup tent and regular (and lots cheaper) regular 4x5 film?<br>

Thanks for your advice, Frank</p>

<p>I have to start. I just bought a Crown Graphic and some lens boards. I have a few lenses I can use from my Horseman VH-R. The camera has not arrived yet. I also bought some film, Velvia 50 (cheap because it dates from March and Fomapan 100, also cheap by the way). Now I have to get some film holders and I would like to get a 6x12 film holder.<br>

Tips are welcome.</p>

<p>In 2001 I travelled for 9 months through India, Nepal, Laos and a little bit of Thailand. for 3 months I travelled through India with just a 30 liter backpack I bought in Kathmandu. In it were just 1 pair of trousers, about 4 pairs of underwear and a few t-shirts. No socks, I walked on teva's. I wore one other pair of trousers. This was in summertime though. I had my laundry washed at the guesthouses.<br>

For photography I used an Eos 1n with 28, 85 and 100mm lenses. If I would go again, I would bring my Canon G10 and use that. Small and light and excellent image quality.<br>

Good luck with your preperations.</p>

<p>I am in the process of upgrading my lenses. I have a multicoated Topcor 150mm lens in a modern Copal 0 shutter and I can buy an apo symmar 150mm in a Sinar DB mount. Can I transfer the apo symmer lens onto the copal 0 shutter or would that not fit?<br>

Thanks four your help, Frank</p>

<p>I have a Horseman VH-R. The Silvestri groundglassholder for the T30 fits perfectly in place of the normal groundglass back.</p>

At least Canon has and will get it's act together with the G10 / G11. Excellent (zoom)lens, image stabalizer, shoots raw, superb image quality (for the G10 at least up to iso 200). The X1 does not even has an image stabalizer and costs about 3 to 4 times more.

<p>US$ 2,000 for an X1. Such a pity, the camera looked so interesting. For that amount of money I'd better buy a D700. Much more value for money.</p>

<p>Bruce, I enjoyed watching both viedos. As others already wrote, you are easy to follow, they are well and clearly spoken and filmed. For someone like me who is just starting out with a fieldcamera, even if it is not an Ebony, it is interesting to wacht. Thanks, Frank</p>

<p>I am still looking for someone to trek with me in Ladakh... I will be in Ladakh from July 20 till about August 14 and I would like to do a trek of about 16 to 18 days with a preference of trekking from Hemis to Tso Moriri or from Rumtse to Kibber village in the Spiti valley. This last trek would include a transfer from Kibber to Manali. All options are open however.<br>

I don't know if your plan includes a trekking. If so, take in mind that trekking in Nepal in this period is a bit more difficult since it is rainy season so the views are not that good. In 2001 however I did fly in early September to Jomsom and trekked to some of the villages. There were hardly any other trekkers, the weather was overall good with just one day of rain, the views were rather good. If you want to go trekking in Nepal, this might also be an option.<br>

Just let me know, all the best, Frank</p>