Gateway
to review of Arca-Swiss 4x5 camera, our recommendation for digital
photography.
In
addition to Sinar it turned out that Arca-Swiss and Cambo had the
best 4x5 cameras in
the sense of the sturdiest. Unfortunately no Arca-Swiss cameras
were available, so we opted for the Cambo Ultima. This turned out
to be even sturdier than the Sinar. As a result when we needed an
additional large format camera for field work, we opted for another
Cambo, the Cambo Wide with 90mm lens.
Sinar
is understandably the camera of choice of many professional photographers.
I especially like Sinar's impressive range of accessories. Unfortunately,
in 1998 Photokina the Sinar-Bron
booth at Photokina was so filled with equipment and photographers
that I never had an opportunity to meet with the people there. Besides,
Andrea kept nudging me away from all the alluring models who were
attracting attention.
Toyo
is the camera of choice for Michael Collette, developer of the Better
Light digital system. He suggested that I would find a Toyo
model to my liking. Andrea and I visited the Toyo exhibit at Photokina
and they even had a newer model of what Collette recommended.
But
a variety of factors about the Sinar,
Arca-Swiss, and Cambo
cameras made the best impression. First of all, the developer of
the Arca-Swiss system and head of the company were all there. It
always helps to know the people behind the equipment.
Second,
Swiss craftsmanship is internationally highly regarded. I had long
ago selected the Arca-Swiss tripod head as my favorite for using
with 35mm and medium format cameras. The Arca-Swiss
tripod head is so well liked that several companies in the USA
provide aftermarket accessories for the Arca-Swiss quick release
tripod head system.
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Photograph
of the 4x5 large format Arca Swiss camera with a tripod. |
The
Arca-Swiss exhibit booth at Photokina was practical and done with
Swiss efficiency. No rock-and-roll music, no dancing Swiss Misses
in scanty outfits handing out Swiss chocolate, just good camera
equipment and friendly staff.
Andrea,
my partner, was with me at Photokina all week and she also agreed
that the Arca-Swiss camera would be an ideal model for the new millennium
of digital photography. The Arca-Swiss is a good choice both for
Phase One, Dicomed, Better Light, and other 4x5 digital inserts.
In 2000 I returned for another Photokina and again found the ArcaSwiss
cameras as among the best made at this international trade show.
Why
not Linhof? FLAAR already has a Linhof 4x5 and also a Linhof
8x10.
Why
switch to an entirely different camera system? The Linhof
design is L-shaped, and hence sags with the weight of a digital
insert. The Arca-Swiss has a different frame, more stable. The Linhof
Technakardan we have is an early model (circa 1990) and is wobbly.
The newer model is not as loose, but we don't have that.
At
the recent Seybold '99 trade show the exhibits were more subdued,
no go-go dancers. I thus got an opportunity at last to meet and
speak with key people at the Sinar-Bron booth. As a result Sinar-Bron
it was possible to arrange the loan of a 4x5 Sinar X camera to allow
improving the digital photography equipment review program of the
Digital Imaging Technology Center. As you read this our photo crew
is in Guatemala setting up the studio in the Museo Popol Vuh. The
advantage of photographing in Guatemala is that this Central American
country offers a wide range of photogenic subjects, especially Maya
art and artifacts
Unfortunately
the Sinar was a demo camera. It arrived in bad condition with severe
inner wear on the gears. This did not speak well for Swiss craftsmanship
at all. A few months later Calumet sent us a Cambo
Ultima. It was brand new, never used, Thus it was easier to
notice it's rock-solid construction. Indeed it seemed better built
than the Sinar. Perhaps if we had a brand new Sinar that had not
been shipped across the country countless times to trade shows and
abused by people before it got into our studio, perhaps our opinion
on Sinar should be and could be updated. We treat cameras on loan
with the utmost care but evidently others before us had used the
camera rather roughly.
We
never did get the opportunity to try out the Arca-Swiss. They did
not seem to have any available for evaluation. But that situation
is what resulted in us finding out about the Cambo. I never would
have thought of a Cambo since I knew only the low-end cheap models.
The Ultima is a totally different camera, the top high-end of large
format studio cameras.
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Arca Swiss
