I'm interested in buying an affordable 4X5 field camera. Can anyone recommend me a model, something small and light and exactly what accessories I need to have. Thanks SO much. AP

-- Andrew Couch Paynter (andrew@juicedesign.com), January 29, 2002

Answers

The names that typically come up in the affordable 4x5 discussions seem to be Speed/Crown/Super Speed Graphic, Tachihara, and Shen Hao.

There have been recent discussions on the Tachihara and Shen Hao. Scroll down through the posts, check in the cameras section, and check back at the home page.

http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~qtluong/photography/lf/

Between these, you'll get a good idea of what is needed and what cameras you might want to look into.

DW

-- Dave Willis (willisd@medicine.wustl.edu), January 29, 2002.

here is my recommendation: A survey of 4x5 Field Cameras

-- Ellis Vener Photography (ellis@ellisvener.com), January 29, 2002.

The recent addition of View Camera has a review on the 4x5 Shen Hao. Personally, I am curiuos about their 8x10, I have heard good things for the price, but have yet to see anyone in the US actually stock the 8x10.

-- James Christian (jcc928@aol.com), January 30, 2002.

You can get a Linhof III for not to much money on ebay once in awhile.

-- Scott Walton (scotlynn@shore.net), January 30, 2002.