RE: [Leica] OT - Speed/Crown graphic

[BOB KRAMER <BobKramer@COOPERCARRY.com>]

The Koni-Omega looks to be very good for hand held shooting, but it won't
focus close enough for portrait work.  The Graphic XL has no movements for
focus/parallax correction in urban landscape work, and I have heard reports
that the focus helical often gets extremely stiff in cold weather.

The cheap solution:  Crown Graphic with the top rangefinder.  You get some
movement capability at the lens board and ground glass viewing/focus, if
that is desirable for your landscape work.  Close enough focus for portrait
work.  Relatively cheap backs for using the zone system.

The expensive solution:  A technical camera w/ RF, like a linhof or
horseman.  Much better suited for the landscape stuff with front and back
movements, and okay for hand held as well.  The downside is very expensive
everything.

I love my 2x3 Crown Graphic and 105mm Ektar lens.  A very cool retro piece
of gear, particularly with a 2-cell graflite flash hanging on it.  But from
a purely functional standpoint, I have found myself really lusting for a
Horseman VHR lately.

Bob Kramer

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cmrausr@aol.com [mailto:Cmrausr@aol.com]
> Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2000 11:15 AM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] OT - Speed/Crown graphic
> 
> 
> John,
> 
> try this site, it's primarily MF, but has links to many 
> Graflex sites, as 
> well as about anything else MF you can imagine.
> 
> http://www.smu.edu/~rmonagha/mf/cameras.html
> 
> Look also at some of the 60s/70s cameras in MF on the 
> listing, like the 
> Graflex XL, or Koni Omega, or Mamiya Press. They have built 
> in rangefinders, 
> interchangeable lenses, roll film backs etc.
> 
> Scott Stewart
>