Nick Thornton
12-Mar-1999, 05:43
Can anyone recommend good sources of large format equipment in the UK? So far I have found Robert White (mail order from Dorset) and TeamWork (mail order and an excellent shop in London). Both of these have been extremely helpful but seem t o have a very limited range of second-hand equipment.
Before I take the plunge and buy new I'd like to check the used market, as the g eneral consensus seems to be that this is a better starting point.
So far I've looked at the Wista 45VX and the Horseman 45HD. After looking at the spec, web pictures etc I thought I'd prefer the Horseman. Once I tried the two in the shop this soon changed. The Wista seemed far more solid and robustly engi neered even thought the Horseman seemed more precisely engineered - rather like the difference in feel between a H'blad and a modern Nikon (industrial engineeri ng compared to micro engineering?). So (with apologies to Horseman users) I wasn 't comfortable with the flimsy feel of the Horseman. Incidentally, I was also to ld that the Horseman did not use a full size lens board and so was less flexible .
So, I'd appreciate any views on whether the Wista is a good move for: - an absolute beginner to LF (35mm and 6x6 up to now) - mostly outdoor landscapes - local use (i.e. not backpacking) - moderate wide-angle lenses but nothing extreme - someone who would rather spend money on the lens than the body.
Thanks for your help Nick
Before I take the plunge and buy new I'd like to check the used market, as the g eneral consensus seems to be that this is a better starting point.
So far I've looked at the Wista 45VX and the Horseman 45HD. After looking at the spec, web pictures etc I thought I'd prefer the Horseman. Once I tried the two in the shop this soon changed. The Wista seemed far more solid and robustly engi neered even thought the Horseman seemed more precisely engineered - rather like the difference in feel between a H'blad and a modern Nikon (industrial engineeri ng compared to micro engineering?). So (with apologies to Horseman users) I wasn 't comfortable with the flimsy feel of the Horseman. Incidentally, I was also to ld that the Horseman did not use a full size lens board and so was less flexible .
So, I'd appreciate any views on whether the Wista is a good move for: - an absolute beginner to LF (35mm and 6x6 up to now) - mostly outdoor landscapes - local use (i.e. not backpacking) - moderate wide-angle lenses but nothing extreme - someone who would rather spend money on the lens than the body.
Thanks for your help Nick