Large Format Camera Manufacturers || Film Today

[@alfredv9902]

You forgot Fotoman. Very well built, beautifully finished.

[@hgrgrnd1206]

Wow, I had no idea there were still so many players. That’s promising. Also glad you included Svedovsky... so nice! Thanks for the vid 👍

[@JMaxwell1000]

My personal all-time favorites are the Linhof Technikardan 45S with a Rodenstock 150mm S-Sironar and a Walker TITAN XL with a Schneider 47mm XL! Fantastic combination.

[@rafibenatar2519]

I have that combination with both lenses 🙌🙌🙌👌🏻

[@JMaxwell1000]

@@rafibenatar2519They're superb, don't you think?

[@edwardferry8247]

No wonder intrepid have done so well, the majority of these companies have utterly dreadful websites. You almost have to be a detective to order or find a price.

[@PatAcct]

very good job enumerating vendors and manufacturers currently available.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Thanks!

[@GRAYnomad]

It totally blows me away that not only has LF survived but it seems to be thriving. I'm about to blow the dust off my old Tachihara, seems like I'll have a lot of company 😁

[@bernardlanguillier7970]

Very interesting video, thank you. Although they are not in business anymore you left out what I consider to be the best fields camera. Ebony from Japan. I still own a 45SU together with my Chamonix 8x10 Alpinist.

[@Xingqiwu387]

Excellent overview of LF cameras! Great presentation.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Glad you liked it!

[@grainydaysss]

sweet video, wish I could afford a chamonix 8x10 they're so beautiful. Never heard of Alvandi, gonna have to look into them

[@Lavi-Aemilia-Astori]

you have achieved your dream

[@B2BWide]

As a Hungarian I am really happy that you mentioned both Hungarian manufactories, Argentum and VDS. I use an 8×10" VDS and I am really happy with that, all hand-crafted and customizable on order. They are quite light weight, too. Argentum is quite similar, they have good product line and build their cameras by hand. I am not sure if Argentum produces custom sizes but you can order different ULF sizes from VDS. Also, VDS produces beautiful hand-made pinhole cameras from high quality woods like mahogany or american black walnut with beautiful decoration (which won't add to usability but highly increase the fun). As far as I know both Argentum and VDS do cameras for wet plate. Also my VDS 8×10" came with a second 4×5" backplate.

[@thienhao0910]

I really like Standard 4x5 since it is a low-cost and quite small monorail camera. Thinking going back to 4x5 with this, but have to wait for the review first!

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

It does look pretty good. Considering the price point and weight.

[@olavdalmijn5972]

Hao, I have the Standard 4x5 1.0 and it is a great camera. Extremely light and easy to use.

[@benjamindejonge3624]

Definitely we need the wet plate episodes

[@myronhensel]

Yes please we would love to see the wet plate camera manufacturers. I thought you could use any camera for wet plate though but there's a lot I don't know.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

You can. But some brands make bigger or sturdier cameras to take the old brass glass.

[@LeytonC]

A very useful resource, and I have already linked to some people who I know are interested in large format.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Thanks Leyton! I hope to keep it updated once a year or so.

[@CraigPrentisPhoto]

This was really helpful and informative. Thanks for sharing.

[@luistavares6670]

Very good Man, for People like me in brazil it's very good info, thanks.

[@toulcaz31]

Great overview. It would be nice to make a video on the most iconic Large Format cameras (Graflex Speed Graphic, Deardorff, Sinar Norma at MOMA, Linhof Technika, ...). You could also have one on the most famous large format photographers (see list on Wikipedia).

[@richardt1792]

Wow, superb review of large format cameras. You have an excellent knowledge of these cameras. I own a Cambo monorail but would really like a field camera. Wouldn't mind a used one if I can keep a body for under $1000. I am getting the Lomo Instax wide back.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Thanks Richard, I would be on the lookout for Chamonix cameras, they are rare to see second hand but are great and would be just under 1000$.

[@DanielFarrell]

Such a useful resource! Thank you!

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Thanks, it was some work finding all but still enjoyed it.

[@qxw2535]

wonderful video, very very helpful for my (very limited budget :( ) on 8x10 camera

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Learn all you can on 4x5 and save for the 8x10.

[@B2BWide]

Check out VDS Cameras, you can start around €1500 on 8×10" (plus lens and accessories) and you'll get a nice and well-built camera with lots of movement abilities.

[@steveh1273]

What we need are new high quality, affordable, lenses. The used lens market is healthy, but the quality of the used lenses is not the best and sometimes not as described. I want to stress affordable new lenses, like under $1.500 US.. Would love to see Nikon or Fuji new large format lenses.

[@Dmitryzakharov]

affordable under 1500$ ? ....... affordable would be something like under 300$ or even less. Define the group of people who you mean consider something around 1000$ affordable.

[@pablovi77]

Almost no one will buy a $1,500 lens for large format. 99% of people still shooting it, don’t make any money off of it. I make money with digital full frame and digital medium format.

[@BelmontHillTV]

new lenses when they were being made were crazy expensive...

[@pablovi77]

Daniel Duarte Yeah, because all Architectural, Commercial and Product photography was made with a large format camera. There was a lot of money to be made.

[@Foxglove963]

Steve H. What do you mean, used lenses not the best? A true Petzval of 100 years old is still the very best for portraiture. And the renowned Taylor, Taylor and Hobson lenses are marvellous, including those designed to dial in soft focus,...the list of fine lenses is almost endless.

[@bthemedia]

Great thorough review and summary Nico! Would only suggest including the name of the brand/topic you are talking about in the bottom left corner for reference. Would be especially helpful when something you say catches viewers interest, but then they have to scroll back to find the topic.

[@curiousmonkey5995]

great video! thank you!!!

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Thanks!

[@rafibenatar2519]

Don’t you think colorful bellows will have effect on film color cast for color negatives?

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

The inside is always black.

[@miguellopez-araus7020]

Tio, te lo has currado!!. felicidades!!!. Siempre me digo que algún día me meteré en el mundo del formato grande y con videos como este me dan ganas de empezar a mirar.... De todas formas ya llevo tiempo mirando las cámaras que llamas técnicas y mas concretamente las Malefic, Ya te he oido que vas a probar una, así que espero con impaciencia tu video . Me parece un buen punto de partida por lo barato y lo manejable que son. Una ultima cosa Nico, ese amigo que tienes en Nueva York que usa las Alvandi, ¿podrías decirme su pagina web o su nombre para ver sus fotos? Muchas gracias por todo

[@gillesmatteo7325]

Could you record a video using Chamonix field and portrait camera with wet plate operation (OEM and third parts accessories)?

[@JakeBorchenko]

Very helpful video. Thanks!

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Thanks Jake!

[@filmlovephotography]

Hey Nicolas, for these days, the world of the large format is not bad at all, but it's a shame there's no company producing shuters and lenses. Maybe in the near future, who knows. Big hug my friend.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

That is the main issue in the near future.

[@pedromeza2398]

All large format cameras are similar, what makes the difference is the lens; lens boards are simple to make too.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

They work in a similar way but there are very different cameras, at the end a field camera or a monorail have not much to do with a camera like the Alvandi or a Graflex RB.

[@Socrates...]

great video, thanks

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Thanks Socrates!

[@JohnAlanDay]

Would you suggest building my own wet plate camera or try to find a resale one? Can I find parts, bellows etc. if I find an old one to repair?

[@BarbasMinecraft]

Very helpful. Nice video ;)

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Thanks!

[@fotolookconde]

Nicos Photography Show Great overview of large format cameras, Thank you. With all these choices could you please comment/advise what used/old cameras system can be used with a digital back and which brands (camera V backs) are compatible?

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Thanks! You would need a camera with a graflock back that can support a digital back plate. Not a digital back user myself so cant really help much. But considering the amount of crop you will get you want a camera with bag bellows and micrometric movements. So my guess is a Sinar P2 4x5.

[@terrywbreedlove]

I love my Chamonix F1 it is the perfect camera for me.

[@AtlantaTerry]

As is mine.

[@lvcnlvcn5534]

I have one for years, very nice touch.

[@terrywbreedlove]

@@lvcnlvcn5534 Wow this is from two years ago. Still shooting my F1 :)

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

I still own and also use the F1, its a great camera.

[@terrywbreedlove]

@@NicosPhotographyShow With this bad winter weather wind snow and rain we have here. I have put it up for the winter. I shoot my Hasselblad 503 which thankfully I bought a few years ago before the prices started going up. :)

[@chipblock2854]

I was given a Prinz 4x5 view camera. It came with two lenses and two film holders. One for the obsolete Polaroid film and one that is a standard type. I know it was made in Japan but I don't know much else. Does anyone know much about this camera and where I could purchase film holders? Thanks.

[@kelvinahkian5809]

Standard Camera 4x5, it seems not many people did a review on it.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Yeah, Im working on one as I type.

[@kelvinahkian6389]

@@NicosPhotographyShow - Looking forward to it. :D

[@myronhensel]

I've had a lot of light leaks issues with the bellows, leaf springs and lens board on my intrepid mkiii . Have you used your intrepid mkiii?

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Still havent used it. Was going to test it next weekend. Sorry to hear about it. Try telling them to see if they can exchange your camera.

[@pepeg.luthier566]

@@NicosPhotographyShow I have one Intrepid 4x5 Mk II and no leaks. The only problem I found is that the quality control is not that good. For example, my camera is hard to rotate the rear standard. Intrepid recomended to put some grease, I did and still too hard. They used to monitor the social media for questions, but not anymore. It takes for ever to hear from them to answer a question. That is why I want to switch to Chamonix;

[@IntrepidCameraCo]

Hi Pepe, sorry we didn't reply to your facebook message, no one was at the workshop due to it being the weekend, I think Naomi just emailed and we should be able to get the problem with the back sorted for you. Thanks, Max

[@pepeg.luthier566]

@@IntrepidCameraCo Max, thank you for your answer. I got already the response and are waiting for your mailing. Thank you.

[@Foxglove963]

Myron. Reckon you should not have bought a rickety camera made from cheap triplex.

[@EmsVision1]

What about the Ebony cameras? Do they still make them?

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

They sadly closed.

[@gabrielp8660]

many thanks

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

You are welcome!

[@SalvadorCalaf]

Very good info! I got curious about the Alvandi New York photographer, can you please share a site link or name? Thanks

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

His name is Adam Friedberg and you can find his work on Instagram and Facebook.

[@SalvadorCalaf]

@@NicosPhotographyShow Very nice indeed! He also have a webpage. Thanks!

[@SalvadorCalaf]

@@NicosPhotographyShow Eres vasco! yo soy de BCN!

[@diuco17]

How big does it possibly get?

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

As big as you pretty much can want. I know some people shooting real life body portraits 1:1.

[@diuco17]

@@NicosPhotographyShow But can you buy them or do they make them themselves? I mean... What is the largest format that was commercially sold? Thanks.

[@pepeg.luthier566]

Nico, your link to the Chamonix does not work, one has to copy and paste. Then, it takes us to a Spanish store with limited supplies. For example, it dos not carry the 45N-1 or 2.

[@BarbasMinecraft]

Nico please make a video about wet plate manufactures!!! I love wet plate.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Will try to do the research. Not my specialty

[@BarbasMinecraft]

@@NicosPhotographyShow donchev cameras are wonderful

[@AtlantaTerry]

Chamonix. They make wet plate backs so I assume they also make wet plate cameras.

[@godman2382]

What is Arca Swiss rl 3d camera ?

[@my_negative_world]

What about pinholes like NOON 4x5 btw it’s produced in Poland 🇵🇱 that’s were I come from :)

[@CalumetVideo]

Intrepid is the best in its price range.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Best is a hard word to use in my opinion, it is the cheapest new camera for sure.

[@coolbreezevlogs8087]

Dude, you kinda rushed this...so...Chamonix vs Shen-Hao film holders....which is better...? Thanks.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Sorry, no script so wanted to do it in one go. I prefer Chamonix holders.

[@AtlantaTerry]

Toyo makes 4x5" sheet film holders that have metal dark slides. In the past, it was discovered that their plastic dark slides were not fully opaque to light.

[@lesliesmith5266]

Agggghhh! It is not a Seeeenar! It is Sinar, pronounced S eye nar! Some of you Americans mangle the name Hasselblad into Hosselblod too! Why? We don't mangle Cadillac into Codilloc! Or Ford into Frood. Flippin heck!😄

[@allenlevin8208]

Nico I watched his last night. I appreciate you comments and views but have to caution you. When you make a statement such as I don't like cameras made out of Acrylic, for example, you should state why and the reason should be substantiated with fact. When you make comments about manufacturers, you affect their livelihood and the decisions of people making or who have made purchases.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Hi Allen, I understand your statement and I was raised in the 80s and 90s where plastic was king and from past experience certain materials dont last as long. In a camera wood or metal will last a very long time without loosing any properties, I dont look to make a business make less sales, I was trying to help users take meditated decisions. If you look for "Chroma Camera In Depth" I made a video with Steve about this and other issues.

[@allenlevin8208]

@@NicosPhotographyShow Thank you for the link, that interview was excellent! I am anxiously waiting for my carbon fiber Chroma. Getting back into photography in these virus ridden times is helping me get through. I like your videos and appreciate the hard work. Thank you.