Digital BW, The Print

Wow, Arne, this is a tough question...

Asking which is the best 4x5 camera is like asking which is the best digital
camera, or the best car, or the best watch, or . . . . . If you want to lug
the weight of a wooden flatbed, I would look at either the Zone VI
(www.calumetphoto.com) or the Wisner (www.wisner.com). You don't indicate
what price range your considering...the Zone VI is relatively inexpensive
and, to my mind, good value for the money. Wisner makes absolutely beautiful
finely crafted instruments that get quite expensive when you get into the
Expedition models.

If you want something that can take just about any abuse you throw at it, go
with one of the metal field cameras such as Linhof Tecnika, Wista SP,
Horseman, Toyo, etc. Might make sense for you to stay in the Linhof family
since your lenses are already mounted on Linhof boards. Used Linhofs, even
the Master Tech, are fairly reasonably priced.

I've been tromping about my part of the world (US) with large format cameras
(4x5 and 8x10) for about 30 years, now. A few years ago I bought a Toho
FC-45X; a lightweight (1.4kg) metal monorail. That's right, it's TOHO not
TOYO. It is well built and surprisingly sturdy once all the controls are
locked down. I've really grown to like this camera and now use it for all my
fieldwork. Toss in a carbon fiber tripod, readyload film and 3-4 lenses, and
I've got an outfit that fits into a very small backpack. I haven't seen any
purely digital capture solution, yet, that will beat this combination once
the image is on paper. Well...OK...maybe the BetterLight scanning backs, but
that's a whole different ballgame which is not suitable for field use.

Anyway, a couple of thoughts from this side-o-the-pond,
Alan Huntley

P.S. I love my Hasselblad, too. And, the fact that Swedes must not like cold
butts! Couldn't live comfortably without those heated seats in my Saab 9000
Turbo. <g>

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Arne Olsson" <535olsson@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2004 10:57 AM
Subject: [Digital BW] The best 4x5 field camera


Hi all Photographers in the World!

Here in Sweden it's soon springtime and every year I feel the same.
I just have to buy a wooden flatbed 4x5" field camera, just for fun, to use
in the new light.
Otherwise I use Nikon D100 today for snapshots and my Swedish Hasselblad for
BW Fine Art.

Which camera do you recommend me to buy? Which are the absolutely best for
nature photography and
which give "most for the money"? Are there any special accessories you will
call attention to?
I already have bought 4 Rodenstock lenses in Linhof Technica boards.

I'm then going to scan the BW negs into Phsp and print using an Epson 2100.
But some of them
I will treat conventionally in the darkroom. Just for fun and to relax from
the daily stress. It's time to
stop, look back in the mirror and fulfill an old dream. This camera must
also be beautiful but not to heavy.