Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/01/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>I have seen this camera in Shanghai few weeks ago. There are two
>model, 6x12 and 6x17. Price is around 800USD on the 6x17.
>
>Regards,
>
>Nelson
I saw one in Beijing as well. It looks reasonably made, and seems
good value. There are a couple of manufacturers in China making
similar cameras. Shen Hao is one, I believe. They also make 6x12 and
6x17 and 6x24 backs for view cameras.
I've had a couple of Cambo Wide cameras since the 70's, and at times
use a 6x12 back on that (as well as 4x5 and 6x7). It takes lenses
from as short as you want to 135 or so, but is most useful with the
shorter ones. At present I have the 35 APO-Grandagon, 47 SA-XL and 65
Grandagon on mine. All cover 6x12 easily with some shift, and the 35
covers all but the very corners of the 4x5. Makes the 12mm VC on 35mm
look like a narrow angle.
They work quite differently than the Xpan, and are not really
interchangeable. The 6x12 and 6x17 cameras are hand holdable, but do
better on tripods. Guess focussing is the order of the day for the
most part, and with 4/8 shots on 120/220 for the 6x17 you tend to
shoot rather more methodically. Also, loading film across that large
opening is not something you want to do in inclement weather.
The Xpan works just like a slower Hexar RF. It's main downside are
the slow lenses, especially the 30 which needs the center filter, and
then has an effective aperture of f/9.5. The Cambos or 6x17s of
course also need center filters, but on a tripod that doesn't matter
so much. I usually shoot the 35 on the Cambo at f/11 and the others
at f/16, and then there is the center filter factor. At effective
apertures of f/22 and f/32, hand holding gets problematic.
For hand holdable panoramas, the Xpan is easiest, but other
possibilities are swing lens cameras. The Horizon 202 is inexpensive,
has an f/2.8 lens that is quite good at f/4 and is a lot wider than
an Xpan with the 30. It's a pain to load, though. It also doesn't
have the banding problems that the Widelux does, so I sold the
Widelux a while ago. In larger sizes I use the Noblex 150 of which
there are various versions, which has an outstanding 50/4.5 lens and
is also quite hand holdable; again with a wider view than any 6x12
camera. This one is very easy to load, and is actually quite good on
a trip, if the bulk doesn't bother you. If you want wider than that,
the Roundshots will do it. My 28-220 is quite hand holdable, and
relatively compact. Makes a 6x whatever and approximately a 6x17
negative for a 360 view.
About 9 years ago I took a couple of Leicas with lenses from 21 to
135, a Mamiya 6 with its 3 lenses and a Noblex 150 on my
Nepal/Annapurna trek. All were used, although the Leicas got the
major workout.
--
* Henning J. Wulff
/|\ Wulff Photography & Design
/###\ mailto:henningw@archiphoto.com
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