moving up to this format - advice welcome

Tom Phillips wrote:

JC in Ireland wrote:

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

I've never heard of this brand.

Excellent brands I'd recommend are Toyo, Linhoff, and Wista.

Note that you need to be sure you can use a roll film
back on any particular field camera. I don't think Wista
takes them (at least not _my_ Wista...) But I like the
Wista because it's the lightest field camera (cherrywood.)

Toyo and Linhoff are metal.


(wista also comes in metal but most common is wood.)

Tom Phillips wrote:

JC in Ireland wrote:

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

I've never heard of this brand.

Excellent brands I'd recommend are Toyo, Linhoff, and Wista.

Note that you need to be sure you can use a roll film
back on any particular field camera. I don't think Wista
takes them (at least not _my_ Wista...) But I like the
Wista because it's the lightest field camera (cherrywood.)

Toyo and Linhoff are metal.


(wista also comes in metal but most common is wood.)

Tom Phillips wrote:

JC in Ireland wrote:

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

I've never heard of this brand.

Excellent brands I'd recommend are Toyo, Linhoff, and Wista.

Note that you need to be sure you can use a roll film
back on any particular field camera. I don't think Wista
takes them (at least not _my_ Wista...) But I like the
Wista because it's the lightest field camera (cherrywood.)

Toyo and Linhoff are metal.


(wista also comes in metal but most common is wood.)

Tom Phillips wrote:

JC in Ireland wrote:

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

I've never heard of this brand.

Excellent brands I'd recommend are Toyo, Linhoff, and Wista.

Note that you need to be sure you can use a roll film
back on any particular field camera. I don't think Wista
takes them (at least not _my_ Wista...) But I like the
Wista because it's the lightest field camera (cherrywood.)

Toyo and Linhoff are metal.


(wista also comes in metal but most common is wood.)

There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?

I used a Tachihara for about four years for landscape, exterior
architecture, and general purpose photography. There's a detailed review of
it on my web site, www.ellisgalleries.com under the "equipment review"
section. It's an excellent camera for the money and from what you've said
about your intended usage, would be a good camera for you I think. If you
buy the one on e bay try to make sure that it's the latest version.
Tachihara apparently made various changes to the camera over the years
without designating them by model numbers. The only change I know of that's
obvious is the metal parts. The original version had nickel-looking metal
and weighed only about 3.5 pounds. The later versions have brass-looking
metal parts and weigh a little over 4 pounds. I don't know what other
changes were made but I surmise there must have been some because of the
weight increase.

The Tachihara used to be an easy "best value for the money" among large
format wood field cameras. Now the Shen Hao is also a competitior for that
title. The Shen Hao has a couple more movements and accepts a bag bellows.
The downside is that it weighs about two pounds more than the Tachihara and
from what I read its bellows is about an inch shorter than the Tachihara.
They sell new for about the same price so if you can afford to buy new you
might consider the Shen Hao also.

BTW, where are you in Ireland? I just returned from a trip to Ireland
(Westport area mostly) and loved it. Great country for photography and
wonderful people.

"JC in Ireland" wrote in message
om...
Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

JC in Ireland

There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?

I used a Tachihara for about four years for landscape, exterior
architecture, and general purpose photography. There's a detailed review of
it on my web site, www.ellisgalleries.com under the "equipment review"
section. It's an excellent camera for the money and from what you've said
about your intended usage, would be a good camera for you I think. If you
buy the one on e bay try to make sure that it's the latest version.
Tachihara apparently made various changes to the camera over the years
without designating them by model numbers. The only change I know of that's
obvious is the metal parts. The original version had nickel-looking metal
and weighed only about 3.5 pounds. The later versions have brass-looking
metal parts and weigh a little over 4 pounds. I don't know what other
changes were made but I surmise there must have been some because of the
weight increase.

The Tachihara used to be an easy "best value for the money" among large
format wood field cameras. Now the Shen Hao is also a competitior for that
title. The Shen Hao has a couple more movements and accepts a bag bellows.
The downside is that it weighs about two pounds more than the Tachihara and
from what I read its bellows is about an inch shorter than the Tachihara.
They sell new for about the same price so if you can afford to buy new you
might consider the Shen Hao also.

BTW, where are you in Ireland? I just returned from a trip to Ireland
(Westport area mostly) and loved it. Great country for photography and
wonderful people.

"JC in Ireland" wrote in message
om...
Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

JC in Ireland

Sorry, when I posted my previous response I forgot about your intended use
of a roll film holder. The Tachihara has a spring back rather than the
Graflok "international" type back. That means the roll film holder you would
have to use would be the the type sold by Calumet, which fits under the
spring back. I used that holder and it worked fine on the Tachihara. I
actually preferred it to the Graflok type back that's on my present camera
because with that type you have to remove and replace the camera back to use
the holder whereas the Calumet holder just slides under the back like a
normal film holder. Some people have reported film flatness problems with
the Calumet holder though mine always worked fine. But the Tachihara would
limit your selection of roll film holders to that particular type of holder.
There may be other companies besides Calumet that sell that type of holder
but Calumet's is the only one I've used.

"JC in Ireland" wrote in message
om...
Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

JC in Ireland

Sorry, when I posted my previous response I forgot about your intended use
of a roll film holder. The Tachihara has a spring back rather than the
Graflok "international" type back. That means the roll film holder you would
have to use would be the the type sold by Calumet, which fits under the
spring back. I used that holder and it worked fine on the Tachihara. I
actually preferred it to the Graflok type back that's on my present camera
because with that type you have to remove and replace the camera back to use
the holder whereas the Calumet holder just slides under the back like a
normal film holder. Some people have reported film flatness problems with
the Calumet holder though mine always worked fine. But the Tachihara would
limit your selection of roll film holders to that particular type of holder.
There may be other companies besides Calumet that sell that type of holder
but Calumet's is the only one I've used.

"JC in Ireland" wrote in message
om...
Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?
I appreciate your reply - and everybody elses. keep that advice
coming!

JC in Ireland

On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 18:35:53 -0600, Tom Phillips
wrote:



JC in Ireland wrote:

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?

Note that you need to be sure you can use a roll film
back on any particular field camera. I don't think Wista
takes them (at least not _my_ Wista...) But I like the
Wista because it's the lightest field camera (cherrywood.)

Toyo and Linhoff are metal.

Wista also makes metal cameras, the VX, SP, and RF. The VX is the
lightest and least expensive. It will definitely accept roll film
holders, and there is a nice accessory "sliding back" available, which
allows very quick switching from view/focus to exposure. (Something
you may not need for landscape, but really great for portraits.)

Wista also has interchangable bellows, and a really innovative "wide
angle" lens board if you intend to use short lenses.

Chris Ellinger
Ann Arbor, MI

On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 18:35:53 -0600, Tom Phillips
wrote:



JC in Ireland wrote:

Howdy Bandicoot - I'm being persuaded by the replies here that a field
camera will do it all for me. There's a tachihara on ebay at the
moment, is that a suitable type of camera?

Note that you need to be sure you can use a roll film
back on any particular field camera. I don't think Wista
takes them (at least not _my_ Wista...) But I like the
Wista because it's the lightest field camera (cherrywood.)

Toyo and Linhoff are metal.

Wista also makes metal cameras, the VX, SP, and RF. The VX is the
lightest and least expensive. It will definitely accept roll film
holders, and there is a nice accessory "sliding back" available, which
allows very quick switching from view/focus to exposure. (Something
you may not need for landscape, but really great for portraits.)

Wista also has interchangable bellows, and a really innovative "wide
angle" lens board if you intend to use short lenses.

Chris Ellinger
Ann Arbor, MI