Comparing my 8x10 Arca Swiss Monorail Camera vs Chamonix Wooden Field Camera - Episode 009
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- Опубликовано: 22 фев 2024
- On this episode I do a quick comparison between my Arca Swiss 8x10 and the Chamonix 8x10 Wooden Field Camera.
Both are great tools, and the best way I can describe it is that the Chamonix is a bit like driving a restored vintage Porsche 911, while the Arca Swiss is a built Formula 1 race car.
INSTAGRAM: / yourpalmarcus
WEBSITE: www.marcusubungen.com
CAMERA GEAR I USE: bit.ly/ArcaSwissUSA
Looooove your work Marcus. Would like to see an episode where you discuss your favourite lenses for large format along with some examples ☺️
I like the restored Porsche 911 most 😉
That Arca-Swiss is about as close as a monorail gets to a field camera and for the money it should be as precise and solid as it is. I still enjoy my Chamonix with all its movements by feel. Really enjoying the channel, especially for the story telling aspect, keep up the great work!
Thank you for watching, will be back with stories soon!
More than just interchangeable bellows on the Arca Swiss monorail, it is a modular monorail. This means that 8x10 as configured now can be easily and rapidly changed to 5x7 or 4x5 with bellows and rear standard. Bellows/camera draw is not limited to the current rail on camera, the rail can be easily extended much as needed with added rails and proper support. Another not mentioned in this video is usage of very short focal length lenses, if the flat bed folder cannot drop the front bed or shift the rear towards the front standard, the front bed will enter into the image. This is not a problem at all with the monorail, simply move the rear standard towards the front standard at the end of the rail or if more camera/bellows (bag bellows) compression is needed, shift the tripod/camera support location as needed.
Not mentioned in this video, the Chamonix has lens axis tilt -vs- Arca Swiss base axis tilt. When tilt is used, lens axis vs base tilt has different effects on the image as it is being tilted, essentially there is far less image shift with base axis tilt vs lens axis tilt making adjusting tilt as needed easier.. and due to the geared tilt, the Arca Swiss is easier and far more precise than any "looses the adjustment" field camera.
The whole business of choosing a threaded hole location for a given lens focal length on the Chamonix with the center rear focusing knob is ergonomically "ill" and poor. Given the majority of folks are right handed, the camera controls needs to be on the right side of the camera with the focusing control being the most used, it should be directly in-line with the right hand/arm.
Fact and reality is, majority of outdoor landscape images is not demanding on camera movements or lens focal length varieties, this means much lower demands on camera's ability for precise and ease of applying camera movements and no need for being able to support a very large variety of lenses.. including BIG lenses in barrel with no shutter.
As a side note, the best modular monorail is Sinar for a very, very, very long list of facts and reasons. Arca Swiss & Sinar share a common history as the Arca Swiss folks once made cameras & parts for Sinar many years ago. The Sinar similar to this Arca Swiss 8x10 would be the Sinar Norma 8x10 with a short rail. The modularity and capabilities of a vast modular camera system cannot not be fully appreciated until the image maker puts great to extreme demands on the camera such as lens variety including barrel and Big heavy lenses, very short focal length lenses, camera combined camera movements front & rear, added filter holders and lens shades and more..
There is no ideal view camera, just the best trade-off for a given image goal's needs and demands. Too often today, those new to view camera focuses on the camera instead of what lens is required to meet their image needs and goals and how these images are to be made.. Very often the new to view camera image makers choses a camera only to discover the camera in hand cannot meet the requirements of the lenses needed to produce the images in mind..
one other advantage of a monorail vs a field camera is that the bellows are removable, I mentioned about the extension possibilities already, but I forgot one thing, this allows an aux shutter (sinar, Packard, electronic {rollei, with electric lens control},e-shutter{phase One}) to be placed in front / behind the front standard, so Barrell lenses can be fitted (aka the Dagor, Petzval, etc.) with NO shutter attached, so they can be used here, as well as enlarger lenses, microscope lenses, etc. as this shutter lets you use them, seeing as no copal shutter is included with them (standard LF lens setup).
i have been shooting 4x5 for last 2 years for landscpae, and i am ready for 8x10...
I believe in you! I am also selling the Chamonix 8x10 from this video if you’re looking for a system!
@@BetweenTheBellows i sent a message via instagram!
Another great video. Thanks. I only have a Sinar monorail, shooting 4x5. All movements are also geared and self arresting.
Great camera! Thanks for watching!
some other differences, the monorail can extend longer, and, as the standards are thinner, they can collapse into themselves more, so giving a greater lens choice, from 37mm right up to 360, 400 or more, all depends on the length of extension, and the number of "extensions" purchased; I say this, as I own a s.i.n.a.r. F2 which can do this, also adding extra standards/bellows means you can adapt a lens hood out of basic parts, so no need for an expensive compendium shade. Another advantage of monorail vs field (flatbed) designs is that mono's are more likely to have grafflock fit backs, so can fit anything from a lomograflok back (INSTAX Wide), a calumet C2 6x9 roll film back, standard double dark sheet film holders instead of a spring back common on field designs, limiting the film stock option mainly to standard holders (the gap {gape} between the ground glass and the frame, when open doesn't exceed 1/2" so Can't fit the other options)- or are of a special size, like Linhof tech iii 5x7" single dark holders the frame is specially designed for it, a ledge with a hinged glass, so no other holders can fit.
Yes! Loads of stuff, thank you for sharing. My aim is to highlight some style differences into a bite-sized video so I didn’t have to make an hour-long version of this 😂
Two beautiful machines 😍
Yes indeed!
What are the difference when transporting the Arca Swiss from the Chamonix?
Even though the rail collapses, I think it'll still be more difficult than the Chamonix. With the Chamonix, when folded, the follows are fully enclosed. With the Arca Swiss, I think I see the bellows overhang beyond the edges of the camera. Would you mind sharing how you transport these cameras?
Hi! You’re right the Arca is harder to travel with. Even though the rail detaches, the camera still sits on a mini rail that connects to the longer detachable. So the camera is taller than it is wide, making a backpack solution harder to find . I use the F-Stop Shinn backpack and it’s really big. The Chamonix folds up very compact and can fit into a lot of packs much easier.
Once you get to know the Arca Swiss, same with Linhof Monorail cameras, you can very quickly work out the dismantling system. And then select a carrying case.
The Arca Swiss and Linhof are superior in every way to all of the wooden and metal/wood cameras.