urs_bernhard

here is the web-address:

www.canhamcameras.com

Cheers

Urs

Jorge, the FATIF is a good and very rigid camera. I worked a lot with it in Italy, in 8x10. Nothing to complain about it. And the people are very

nice in the factory (ask for Mr Quintino Piana, if you need to call)

Check their Website (www.fatif.com)

Hallo Lukas,

I found a website interesting for you. Go to www.johndesq.com

John is a Netherland based dealer and Photographer. On this site you haeve information and pics of the camera.

Cheers, Urs

I completely agree with David Goldfarb and N. Dhananjay; I experienced similar reactions from people photographed with 8x10. They feel more

at ease with the big not hideable instrument, which is after a while part of the "background". With the small 35mm a lot of people are

suspisious about the intention of the photographer; especially when the photographer is not speeking to them, revealing his intention verbally

(a lot of photogs are "steeling" their images as hidden as possible). With 8x10 this is not possible; one has to establish a communication with

the subject in front of the camera. It is a part of the photographers art and ability to make the people feel comfortable so they can act naturally

without fear after a while.

And to put into consideration: why do you think are all the selfportraits of Rembrandt such revealing images? Rembrandt was constantly

playing in front of the mirror when drawing; he reveals his personality in hundreds of played roles, coming from his imagination. Posing must

not be false by definition.

A snapshot taken from the undiscovered might be an image more telling about the anecdotic moment than about the person acting in this

moment;or an image of a person aware of the process of portraiing might reveal more the persons character.

 

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Urs Bernhard

B+G Films and paper are great stuff. It is identically the same as FORTEPAN 200/or 400 as well as the B+G Papers are all made by FORTE,

Hungary (only packed in old and relabeled ORWO-boxes)

Also all BERGGER Films and Papers are made by FORTE (identically the same as FORTEs own products), only packed differently and sold by a

French merchant, of course with a higher prize as the same products labeled FORTE or B+G.

 

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The Film b+g NP27 /resp. FORTEPAN 400 in 8x10 I'm using since a long while with great satisfaction; it goes well with PMK( approx.12 min.)

and RODINAL (1:25 at 8 min) or CALBE R 09/FOMA F 09 (basic Rodinal-type; 1+40 at 15 min).

 

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One can get the same films from FORTE under the label "Classic Arts" from Fotoimpex /Berlin (Germany) with good rates for shippment in the

USA; www.fotoimpex.de.

or contact B+G by fax or phone (address stated in a contribution above). or: www. forte-photo.com

As all BERGGER Products (Film and Paper) are straightaway FORTE products, you can go with the time given for Fortepan 200.

Good luck!

Urs Bernhard

Hi Chris, dont hesitate to do the jump. It's worthwhile. Take in serious consideration the ARCA SWISS 8x10 F-line with collapsible rail. It is only

4 kg without lens. I carry it since years in every corner of the world. I use a Stanford -Davis compact tripod with a Gitzo Mk2 Lowprofile head.

I wait now for a custommade Backpack/Wheelcarry case made for me by STREBOR (www.strebor.com) to make it a bit more like "my way".

The ARCA is a very rugged, intelligently designed camera. It never gave any reason to complain. It is the camera you can easily forget, because it

works and works and everything is so smoothly built in your hands, that you can simply concentrate on your picture. Even to set it up it takes

about no time( in any case not more than any 4x5). For any further question, dont hesitate to drop a line.

Good luck! Urs

Hi Jacques Staskon, Hi Raymond Bleesz,

I agree with your opinion about Bill Jay. He really cuts the fat and drills to the bone. I would like to read more from him, but it is not so easy to

get the stuff here in Switzerland. Any news, suggestion, information is therefore very welcome and appreciated.

Thanks and a happy, successful new year.

Urs Bernhard

Hello Jeff,

I have a Walker since about one year. and it is just a great tool. I like how it is crafted, I like the userfriendly, intelligent design( a lot of small

and practical things like the way the tilt-knobs work - one up, one down as your hand automatically would do; aso). It is stable as a tank, but

lightwight. The material used is taking all conditions you can find on earth( a real wetherproof camera). I prefer stainless steel over brass or soft

aluminium, and the ABS is not a toy-plastic, but a heavy duty material, holding the precise form without compromise. The coating has even a

nice and "sexy" feeling.

I'm very happy with this camera, because I like nicely and wellmade tools, not bothering but helping me to take my photos.

Walker has a website: www. walkercameras.com with nice prices for lenses as well.

Have fun and good luck

Urs

Hi Charles,

the WALKERs are all very beautifully crafted cameras, but very well and userfriendly designed. The material is excellent and the cameras will

work under all circumstances and conditions.(the ABS is not a "simple" plastic; it is heavy duty and its coating has a nice feeling to touch.)

If you are more on the WideAngele side have a look in the newest "Viewcamera-magazin". There is a new Walker XL.

Walker has its own Web side: www.walkercameras.com, and there you will find nice # prices as well

I have a Walker Titan, and its just great.

Good luck

Urs

The only camera to try is the WALKER TITAN, a superbly built camera, made from highimpact ABS and stainless steel. A marvelous tool.

Good luck , Urs

Hi John,

Congratulation, you finally made it! You got into real life. Thats all... enjoy it!

Urs

Hi Paul,

WISTA makes a 4x5 to 5x7 back. Check www.wista.com or B+H.

regards, Urs

Hi John,

There is no doubt: the ARCA SWISS cameras are the better cameras. The actual M-Line or F-Line models are far better and more intelligently

designetd than the SINAR; and astronomically far better crafted. Above all ARCAs are lighter and more stable (in the days of the very old Sinar

Norma it was different,but this days are long time passed). Because of the very loud and noisy PR campaigns SINAR always counted on, the

Sinars are a bit more spread in the LF market ( and as a sticky rumour goes in Switzerland also quite at the end of economical wealth).

I'm working since years with an 8x10 M-Line with a great pleasure. But the good picture is made by the guy behind the camera.

PS: I'm Swiss, but having no further connections to either brand then the once made decision.

Regard,

Urs

Hi Tony,

Check the ARCA SWISS cameras! The DISCOVERY model or an F-Line with the 6x9 Front standard and the 4x5 Back with collapsible rail will be

a great and light wight tool for outdoor.

Or go for a WALKER TITAN (Bromwell Marketing or Calumet). It is a wunderfull tool as well. With a Rodenstock Apo-Sironar N 135 this camera

is even foldable with the lens on. It is THE CAMERA for all weather conditions.

The tripod could be a BERLEBACH Report 8023 with a GITZO low profile head 1250.

Either way your sister will have great tools. The only thing she need more is a good eye.

 

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Dont go for the TOYO VX125. It is to expensiv for what it is. (basically the material used in the Toyo cameras is not as good as it looks. You will

notice that after a few years of working.)

 

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Good luck,

Urs

Hi Bill,

The Arca Swiss cameras are, as the name says it, Swiss-made. in my eyes this casmeras are the most intelligently designed and superbly crafted

tool one can find in the LF market. This cameras are probabely a little bit more expensiv than others but worth every $. (the other swiss LF

camera Sinar is not half as good designed and crafted, but with a lot of PR noise advertised.

ARCA SWISS cameras are rugged and in the same time very light wight. I use a 8x10 M-Line for years now with great pleasure and no complain.

With the ARCA SWISS DISCOVERY you will have a camera for a reasonable price.

Good luck,

Urs

Hi David,

The M-line is the "all movements fully geared" - Line. It is superbly built, like all ARCA stuff, but much heavier then the f-line(but it is still not

very heavy). I work since years with the 8x10 M-line ( it is simply great!), and I take it for outdoor as well as for Studio. But I will buy me the f-

line kit now for outdoor. As far as I know is the 8x10 back identical for the F-line and the M-line.

Take one of this great WALKERS. You will enjoy it. It is very well made, and it will follow you everywhere and everytimes, under all conditions

and circumstances. It is not a toy, is a tool.

I own since december '99 a Walker Titan. And I just love it. The camera is not only beautiful, it is also very fast and comfortable to work with.

And with the Rodenstock Apo-Sironar N 135mm you can fold it and let the lens on.

It is the right everywhere-to-go and everytime/weather-to-come camera. Great tool.

HEWES /England has a nice sainless steel reel for 15ft 7omm film

I use 70mm with a Linhof Cine-Rollex back on an ALPA 12 WA camera( a superb camera!). The 70mm film is just great.You have no problems with filmflatness as you might have with the paperprotected 120; or the lighttightness of exposed 220's; and you have a big bunch of pictures, what I like with my reportage/streetphotography work. I buy it at B+H readyload in cartridges (Kodak TX 15ft,perf); developing is in a stainless steel reel from HEWES/England (see the website of HEWES) in a custommade tank( one can do it in salad bowl,too). If you have to modify your carriers depends on your enlarger model, but will surely not be a great deal. Hewes offers a loader as well, but you can find a much less costy one at B+H with the brandname ALDEN Bulk filmloader. 70mm could be the ultimate medium format filmsize, if the industry would not be too lazy and finally replace the oldfashioned 120/220 films

Why do I use 70mm film on my ALPA? 1.: I can get the film-flatness I require, because there is no protecting paper of the 120, which obstruct film-flatness; 2.: I have not to deal with the danger of lightblur as I have to with 220; 3.: I have about 60 exposures on one film.

With the ALPA-format 44x66 mm I have a lot of save area around the image, which helps definitely with darkroomwork( the film is less likely to "hang" out of focus in the enlarger because of the larger area hold by the carrier). The film is easy to process with the nice stainless steel reel made by HEWES/England for 5m of 70mm-film. The film I use (Kodak TX) is available as readyload in 5m/15ft cartridges,which I buy at B+H (if on stock (mostly), I have it in 2 days in Europe). Because the film is going from one cartidge to an other, I can even cut it if necessary.

Since I use this 70mm-film I can not understand, why this filmsize is so forgotten, and why all photogs and the industryare staying since decades with the oldfashioned 120/220 films(since 1910!). As far as I know ist Kodak offering 12 filmtypes in 70mm, partly in cartridges, partly in 30m spools to be loaded; Ilford offers FP4 and on request HP5 in 30m spools.

The ALPA is the best camera I ever used. I use it for Reportage/Street photography. It is THE quality P+S camera. My ALPA is equiped with a Zeiss Biogon 4,5/38mm and a Linhof 70mm Filmback, loaded with TX. The Biogon is a superb lens, meeting the high precision of the swiss made ALPA Body. I use the "new ALPA-Format 44mmx66mm" which fits in the 8omm image circle of the lens and has the same ratio as 24x36mm. The 70mm filmback gives me 60 exposures.

I was never so fast, because the scale focusing makes it very easy. The camera is very handy and let you forget the extra pounds you have over p.e a LEICA. No other medium-format-camera with the same features is so handy and intuitivly easy to use. The ALPA is a marvellous travel camera too, because you need not more gimmicks and gadgets then Lens ,body and back to be well equiped. With a ground glass you have even a little view camera.

It costs a bit more then other cameras, I know, but it is worth every dollar and you will have a superb and lasting tool.