5x4 camera
 

I apologise now for not knowing what I am talking about!. My sister
has written a PhD about a 1970's photographer who used a 4x5 inch wide
format press camera and I wanted to buy her such a camera for her 30th
birthday. I am not sure what 'press' means but if it means a
professional standard then I don't think it needs to be a press one.


The most popular press cameras were the Crown Graphic and the Speed Graphic.
They were called "press" because, of course, they were used to make news
photographs and were light-weight enough to hand-hold. In addition, they had a
rangefinder system for focusing and were considered "fast" operating cameras.
By The 1970s, though, they had been largely supplanted by 35mm SLRs, mostly
because of great improvements in film quality.

You can buy Grahics all day long on eBay for $100 to $300, depending on
condition and vintage. A Speed Graphic has a focal plane shutter and is heavier
than a Crown. You can probably find all sorts of websites devoted to these
cameras.

Good luck.

Bob G