rick_moore3

I've used a Sherpa Cart for five years and love it. I have strapped a Tenba PBH pack to the

cart and use it to haul my Canham 8x10 with six lenses and five film holders. Like Dave, I

have both handles, but have used only the T. Also, like Dave, the tires do not hold air well

- I'll have to get the rubber seal inserts. The Sherpa cart, at least the older model I have,

is very well constructed with good welds. The handle folds nicely and the wheels detach

easily.

 

I've hauled the cart fully loaded over pretty rough trails with about fifty pounds on it. It's

made it possible to go places I simply could not have gotten to with the pack on my back.

For an inexpensive wide angle that will cover 8x10, the 159mm f12.5 WA Wollensak with the yellow dot works very well. Coverage is good, with limited movements. The Alphax shutter is heavy, but very sturdy.

 

For the $300 I paid, there's not much else that delivers a quality image.

Tim, I'd say the usable image circle of my copy of this lens is about 365mm. I

get about an inch of movement in the corners of the 8x10 frame at f32 before

the quality drops off.

You should also check out the Fujinon-C 300 f8.5. Very small and light, sharp as a tack, and mine covers 8x10 nicely.

I have the coated f12.5 version of this lens and use it on an 8x10. Other than the normal care needed when using any lens this wide, I've never had any problems with flare. I do use a compendium lens shade.

I'm in Chicago's far south suburbs. I'm definitely interested.

I've been using a Nikon 90/8 SW on an original (1977) model Tachihara

for many years and have been very satisfied with the performance of

both the camera and lens. A very lightweight combination, with more

movements than I usally use. The Nikon lens weighs less than half

what the 5.6 and 4.5 90's weigh, probably a third what the 90XL

weighs, and is razor sharp out to the edges. Unless you're working

indoors with natural light, it's not hard to focus.

 

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I mention the age of my Tachihara because I know there have been

changes over the years, but the latest ones still use the Linhof

boards and have the same bellows specs, so I can't imagine you would

have any trouble using this lens on the current models.

I have Gitzo 1410 legs with the 1570M head. Not too heavy and solid

as a rock.

Another vote for the Canham 8x10. I've had mine for a little over a

year and am still in love with it. The longest lens I have now is a

450mm and the camera has no problems with rigidity, even when

focused closely. Of course, I shield it with a large golf umbrella

when it's windy.

 

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The Canham design really shines when using wide angle lenses. The

bellows is pretty flexible - I've had no problems when using my

120mm and 159mm lenses.

 

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I also have the Canham compendium shade. It's quite light, easy to

attach, and very effective. I have the optional fresnel lens and

find it is provides good eveness of illumination without being too

course.

 

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Once you practice a little, the Canham is a snap to set up and take

down. When folded, the camera fits perfectly, along with five film

holders, into the inner case of a Tenba PBH backpack.

 

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The quality of the fit and finish is outstanding. The support Keith

Canham provides his customers is also outstanding.

 

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My only real complaint (a very minor one) is that the levels are

mounted on the top of the rear standard and are visible only from

the top. At the tripod extensions I tend to use, the levels are

usually too high for me to see.

I use the Gitzo 1570M and 1410 with my Canham 8x10 and it's a rock

solid platform without being too heavy. CF would be a couple of

pounds lighter, but several hundred dollars more.

You simply won't get better service anywhere than at Badger. Jeff

imports many foreign-made items directly, which allows him to offer

prices substantially lower than many other US dealers. He is also

one of a few dealers in the US to directly import Fujinon lenses and

Fuji sheet films.

 

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I have purchased two Fujinon lenses from Jeff in the last year.

Both arrived, mounted on the board I specified, the very next day

via FedEx. I have also purchased a number of used items from Jeff

and all have been in even better condition than he specified.

If you take your 300mm as the equivalent of a 50mm in 35mm terms,

then the 250 will be about a 40mm equivalent. The 250 WF Ektar is

an excellent lens, with two caveats. First, if you want one

without "cleaning marks" in the soft Kodak coating, it will cost

you. Second, the #5 Ilex Universal is probably the weakest feature

of the WF 250.

 

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The 250 Fujinon-W is a very fine lens. Both it and the 240 G Claron

are better values and come in modern Copal #1 shutters.

I agree with George that you want to consider the complete system

available, even if you don't plan on using all the pieces now. The

Canhan 8x10 has 4x10, 7x17, 8x20, 11x14 and 12x20 back and bellows

conversions available, as well as 4x5 and 5x7 reducing backs.

 

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I have had my 8x10 almost a year now and I am even more enthusiastic

about it now than when I first got it. I do not think it's overly

complex, and opening/closing it is trivial once you get the sequence

down. I find the controls very intuitive. One of its real

strengths is the ability to bring the rear standard forward very

close to the front standard, making the use of wide angle lenses

simple. The range of movements is quite wide, and includes front

swings, base and axis tilts, and rear swings, base tilts and

shifts. The shortest lens I've used is a 120mm, the longest a

450mm, and I've had no bellows compression problems at the short end

or rigidity problems at the long. I've been told that the camera

loses some rigidity when the bellows is fully extended to 36 inches,

but that is probably true of all large view cameras. I've had no

trouble with my 300mm at 1:1 in this regard. The 8x10 Standard

model I have weighs 9.4 pounds, which is not bad for a full-

capability 8x10. There is a 8x10 Light version available that

weighs one pound less by using a smaller front standard. However, I

wanted the ability to use lenses with large rear elements afforded

by the standard model, which uses 6 inch Toyo View lens boards - the

light model uses the smaller Canham or Toyo Field boards.

 

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My camera is exquisitely made and finished, but does not give one

any impression of delicacy thst would distract one from using it for

its intended purpose, making pictures in the field. The black

anodized aluminum hardware is of very high quality. The company that

does Canham's machine work does most of its production for military

contractors, which is also the reason there are sometimes delays in

getting delivery of the larger cameras.

 

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Another plus with Canham cameras is the attitude of Keith Canham

towards his customers. Although he does not have a web site or

email support, which I would like, he has never failed to return a

phone call promptly, and he is willing to talk at length to answer

any questions one may have. I have not had any problems requiring

modifications or repairs, but he has a good reputation for making

repairs quickly and inexpensively.

 

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BTW, all the cameras you mention, with a few exceptions, are within

a couple of pounds of each other in weight. The Gandolfi Variant

Level 2 weighs 8.8 lbs, the Gandolfi Traditional 9.3 lbs, the Ebony

SV810 (mahogany) 11 lbs, the Wisner Traditional Field and Expedition

10.9 lbs, the Wisner Pocket Expedition 9.5lbs , and the Lotus 11

lbs. Only the Ebony SV810E (ebony), 14.3 lbs, and the Wisner

Technical Field, 17.5 lbs, weigh significantly more. I don't have

the Phillips specs handy, but the lightest Phillips models, which

trade some functionality for weight (the lightest one has a non-

reversible horizontal back, for instance), are quite light, less

than six pounds if I recall correctly.

Actually, according to the Robert White web site, the QuickChange

system is reusable, and you can use any 4x5 film for the

reloadings. You're only limited to Fuji emulsions for the first

eight shots.

I own and use both the Fuji 300C 8.5 and 450C 12.5 lenses, and I can

state without reservation that they are among the sharpest lenses I

have ever used on my 8x10. At both the center and the edges. I use

them for landscape and portraits, usually stopped down to F22-32.

 

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The pair of lenses cost me (new) about what one 360 5.6 plasmat

would have cost, also new.

 

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One other factor not really mentioned in previous responses, is the

matter of filters. Both the above lenses use 52mm filters. I use B-

W filters, which list for 18.75 at B&H for 52mm. One 82mm B+W lists

for $61.75 (for standard #22, 40, 60, 61, etc.). The set of four I

routinely use costs a litte more than one larger filter and weighs

about as much as two of the larger filters.

 

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Unless you need the extreme coverage of the plasmats in a studio

environment, save the money and weight and go with the smaller

tessars and dialytes.

I don't think dilution is a good idea, but others may have some real

experience with this.

 

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You can store exposed film in a refrigerator for 2-3 months without

any degradation whatever. Seal the film into a freezer container or

ziploc with a bag of desicant list silica gel. If necessary, dry out

the silica gel in an oven and let it cool before placing it and the

film in the sealed container. Most camera stores sell packets of

silica gel that have an indicator that turns different colors to show

when the packet needs drying out.

 

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Most important, when removing the film from the refrigerator, let it

warm back up to room temperature before opening the sealed

container. I allow several hours, just to make sure. This will

prevent moisture from condensing on the cold film surface.

I've had one of the Tenba over-the-shoulder bags since 1977. It;s

the original orange Cordura with chrome fittings. It's carried a

Tachihara 4x5 kit since 1978 and is still going strong. I can't

imagine a better made bag.

 

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I recently bought a Tenba PBH backpack for my Canham 8x10. While it

weighs a ton fully loaded, it does hold the camera, five film

holders, four lenses, spot meter, loupe, dark cloth and everything

else I need. The camera and film holders are placed inside a

separate padded case that comew with the PBH. This goes into the top

half of the pack and the other items are in the bottom half,

accessible without opening the top.

 

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The bag is as well made as the 1977 model. It has a pretty good

harness set up, with lumbar belt and chest straps. I've only hiked

two or three miles at a time with the bag, but it seems to carry the

load well. I'm sure a Kelty would be more comfortable after twenty

miles, but the Tenba does a much better job of holding a large view

camera.

I use the Canham compendium on my Canham 8x10. It fastens to a

threaded hole in the top of the front standard. I suppose you could

have the same thread added to your front standard. The shade itself

is the typical Canham superb engineering, combining flexible

configuration, light weight and ease of use.

Canham 8x10. A very beautiful machine.