[LargeFormat] Calumet vs Toyo

[Dan Kalish]

IMHO, the most sturdy 4x5 camera I've ever seen is a Plaubel.  Weighs a ton
but the movements are gentle.

Now for the economics question.  Why are large format cameras, such as the
Linhof Kardam M and the Gandolfi Varian L1A I have, so much more expensive
than point and shoot cameras (which I don't have)?  The large format cameras
don't have bells and whistles, they are merely ways of positioning a lens
and film with respect to each other.  The p&s s have lots of bells and
whistles: automatic focussing, automatic exposure, film advance, etc.

Just wondering.

Dan K.

> Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2003 14:46:31 -0400
> Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] Intro & Camera [now Calumet vs Toyo]
> From: Les Newcomer <LNPhoto@twmi.rr.com>
> To: largeformat@f32.net
> Reply-To: largeformat@f32.net
>
> My only concern is the reliability of it. I've seen college kids break
> an anvil in the middle of a plowed field.  I was originally going to
> suggest the calumet 45n which is what I have and what the local comm
> College has here.  5 years in a college is like 5 years of combat
> photography.
>
>
> On Thursday, June 19, 2003, at 09:55  AM, Kent Gibbs wrote:
>
> > I have a Cadet.  It will do anything you want to do.  You will run out
> > of lens coverage before you run out of movement.  It is relatively
> > light weight (6 lbs.) and will accept the polaroid 545 holders,
> > readyload and quickload holders as well as the Calumet roll film
> > adapters.  For the money, I don't think it can be beat.  You could pay
> > alot more for less camera.
> >
> >
> > --- Jonathan Taylor <jtyr@sover.net> wrote:
> >> Stuart Phillips asked:
> >>
> >>> What about a new Calumet for $399?
> >>
> >> How does the Cadet compare to the Toyo 45c? Can it take advantage of
> >> the
> >> rest of the Calumet system? I like the Toyo because it looks like it
> >> will be
> >> very adaptable and useful for a variety of needs. I don't want to get
> >> something I'm going to want to trade in next year. (Although their
> >> trade-in
> >> deal makes it significantly less painful.) Also can one only buy new
> >> Calumets from Calumet? Although we can certainly add them to our
> >> vendor
> >> list, doing so is a small pain, in which case I'd like to have some
> >> compelling reason for going Calumet.
> >>
> >> I just popped over to their website; boy the prices on their packages
> >> are
> >> pretty compelling.
> >>
> >> Although Burlington is considered "the big city" by many Vermonters,
> >> we are
> >> really in the hinterland here. We have no major photo dealer within
> >> two
> >> hours. We are blessed with a great little repair shop/used dealer,
> >> but
> >> that's really it. I wish I had a knowledgable sales person to walk me
> >> through this process. At this point though I need to get this order
> >> done and
> >> into the system.
> >>
> >> jt
> >>
> >>



Dan Kalish
Flushing, New York, New York, USA