[LargeFormat] about to take the jump

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William Wiseman" <elox@hot.rr.com>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 11:43 PM
Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] about to take the jump


> > Let me suggest one more item... the stability of the
camera.  Old
> > Koronas/B+J/Kodak can be bought cheap.  But are they
sturdy?  A lot of
> > them
> > ( and others like Deardorff, Linhof, Sinar, etc. )are
not stable, they
> > jiggle and move all by themselves.  This is specific to
a specific
> > item...
> > get a return policy, try the thing out, and be sure of
what you buy,
> >
> > My best suggestion is to wait to buy the best camera you
can afford.
> > Ikeda,
> > Tachihara, Nagaoka all made reasonable field cameras.
They would sell
> > for
> > around $300.  Calumet sells a model they call a Cadet
for around $300
> > new....
> >
> > I also suggest buying NEW cut film holders.  While they
seem to be more
> > expensive, once you test them out with real film, they
cost almost the
> > same
> > as new  ones...
> >
> > Overall, the body is a black box.  The lens handles the
exposure and
> > creates
> > distortion, YOUR EYES and YOUR Brain creates the images.
Buy the best
> > optics, and be in the best mood you can be when you go
out to shoot.
> > Then
> > you get the best images you can produce.
> >
> > Frank Filippone
>
> OK, If I remember correctly, all these mentioned are
folding field
> cameras rather than monorails, correct? I would expect
stability to be
> a larger problem when you are dealing with materials
(wood, thin brass)
> that inherently more flexible and made lighter/thinner to
reduce
> weight. However, wouldn't most of these, if in good
condition, be
> stable enough under normal conditions and given a few
seconds to settle
> down after all the adjustments and film loading?
>
> JeffW.
>
>
  Wood cameras vary a lot in rigidity. Both my Agfa/Ansco
cameras are reasonably rigid when locked but I rebuilt the
8x10 which was litterally falling apart when I got it.
  Korona cameras are somewhat more lightly built than either
Agfa/Ansco or Kodak. B&J camereas tend to be sloppy but can
be tightened up quite a bit.
  The old Kodak 2D is pretty rigid but has very limited
movements. The Kodak All Metal View, also called a Model B
View Camera is very stable. It is essentially a metal 2D but
has more movements. Do not confuse this with the Kodak
Master Camera, a folding metal 8x10 of superb quality and
also quite expensive.
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@ix.netcom.com