Where did you get your LF camera from?

[akyiia]

Hello, I am a second year uni student but I do photography for over 12 years now; recently we were introduced to large format cameras and immediately I fell in love:) I thought I would buy one myself but I found them rather pricey. When I was looking for a cheaper choice I came across to a product called Buldog which is basically home made LF camera. But it seems that :cool: it is being sold without any lens so the question of the price is the same. I was just wondering where did you buy yours LF cameras..?? Perhaps you could give me a tip..Many Thanks..ant.

[ki6mf]

In the USA the best used gear site is www.keh.com. They ship internationally. I got my camera new from Badger Graphics.

[Bruce Barlow]

Baby Wista - Zone VI in 1984. Norma - the sadly defunct ProCam in White River Junction, VT. Alice - directly from Richard Ritter Manufacturing's World Wide Districution Center in White River Junction, VT.

[mikebarger]

Sinar F from closing studio
Zone VI field from Ebay

Mike

[venchka]

Individuals. In their homes. Person to person.
You don't need to spend a lot of money. My first kit was a Speed Graphic, Kodak Ektar 127mm lens (stunningly sharp), 5 4x5 holders & 200mm Voigtlander lens for $100.

[John Powers]

Interesting question. I was in college, 45 years after I graduated the first time. I was there as a retired person taking a view camera course in his late 60s when I bought my first LF camera. I had wanted one since I was in college the first time, 1959-1964, studying architectural history.

4x5 Linhof Technikardan, eBay from Scotland to Bath, Ohio USA
8x10 Phillips, eBay from the estate of a man in Louisville, Kentucky to Ohio
8x10 Sinar P, eBay from a closing California studio to Ohio
7x17 Phillips, A friend knew I wanted the camera model that a friend of his wanted to sell, Texas to Ohio

Lenses, loupe, dark cloth, film holders, bags, baby jogger to carry the 7x17, darkroom equipment, all on eBay. I even bought film on eBay, but most was purchased from dealers. Some darkroom equipment was purchased from a company that only salvages equipment from bankrupt printers; large light table, flat files, plate burner for alternate process printing, stainless sink.

John

[MIke Sherck]

Wooden Zone VI 4x5 from Jim at Midwest Photo Exchange. 8x10 Burke & James monorail from Ebay.

Mike

[Dan Fromm]

Um, original poster, it would be helpful to know where you're located.

Four Graphics, one Graflex, all 2x3, all at camera shows. 4x5 Calumet, eBay. 2x3 Cambo, gift from a friend given in anticipation of his death. Yes, he's died. Not the best way to acquire a camera.

Many LF lenses from many sources: web sites, including some junk dealers, i.e., not all of them camera stores' sites; camera shows; eBay (US, UK, France, Spain); several of the French and Dutch equivalents of craigslist; photographic bulletin boards including this one and Compuserve.

[bobwysiwyg]

Hello, I am a second year uni student but I do photography for over 12 years now; recently we were introduced to large format cameras and immediately I fell in love:) I thought I would buy one myself but I found them rather pricey. When I was looking for a cheaper choice I came across to a product called Buldog which is basically home made LF camera. But it seems that :cool: it is being sold without any lens so the question of the price is the same. I was just wondering where did you buy yours LF cameras..?? Perhaps you could give me a tip..Many Thanks..ant.


What is your intended, or primary use? It might help determine the type of LF camera which then might influence where to get it, how much it might cost, etc. If you want one with all the movement capabilities for learning purposes, a monorail might be your best bet and quite reasonable. However, if you plan to take it far and wide hiking in the field it might not be your best bet. As you can see, more info. might be useful.

[cdholden]

I can second the KEH recommendation, but I prefer Midwest Photo Exchange (http://www.mpex.com) for large format gear. Jim has been very helpful in answering questions pertaining to the few things I've bought there. I understand they have a good return policy also, but I've never had to use it.
I've bought and traded a few cameras (and many lenses) here and on APUG. I prefer to deal with someone who has been around for awhile, and not someone who recently joined. Not that they aren't honorable, but a track record of honesty goes a long way in my view.

[Ron Marshall]

I bought my Toho from Badger Graphics; great people to deal with.

I have purchased many lenses from KEH Camera Brokers. Also Badger, Midwest Photo, Camera West.

For film: Badger; B&H; Freestyle Photo.

Chemicals: Photographers Formulary

[eric black]

4x5 ARCA F-line from ebay about 10 years ago- many add-on pieces and parts from the same. Lenses from private sales, ebay, and some new at Badger

4x10 Canham purchased through this forum via the For Sale section.

[SamReeves]

I usually shop at Adorama or KEH, and have good results with them.

[Vick Vickery]

I was given my Super Graphic by a good friend...doubt if he has another for you! :) Bought my Cambo 4x5 on eBay. View cameras are so simple with so little to go wrong that I would have little hesitation to bid on one as long as the photos are clear. I've had very good luck on eBay with lenses, but there is alot more to find wrong with a lens and shutter, so I'm a bit hesitant to recommend that anyone else take such a chance. KEH has some pretty good prices on lenses as does the "For Sale" section here (after you've been here the required time), and both are probably pretty safe places to shop...do a lot of reading and study so you'll know as closely as possible what you want...for example, know that a 65mm Super Angulon is NOT most folk's first choice as a portrait lens! :) Welcome to group therepy!

[jp]

I've bought 2 LF cameras on here, 1 on Ebay, 1 on Craigslist. I've paid $100-400 per camera. (2 Speed graphic, B&J field camera, antique studio camera) You could probably fine a decent press camera or monorail camera in this price range, with a lens for $200+. At the $100 end, things can get sketchy as far as how beat up a camera is, how good/bad the bellows are, etc...

I've bought 4 LF lenses on here, 2 on Ebay, 1 from KEH. ($130 on up; Won't post values for the more expensive ones in case my wife googles this). Figure that if the lens sale description does not say it has had a recent CLA, you will need to budget perhaps $100 for the CLA (clean lube adjust)

I've bought film holders on here and ebay. Some came with a camera.

Already had a tiltall tripod for 4x5 and made a tripod for the 8x10 with a cheap surveying tripod, (ebay) 1/4-5/8 adaptor from pacific laser systems (amazon), 1/4-3/8 thread adaptor (ebay), and a ball head (ebay). And I can still use it for surveying for the rare construction project.

Bought an enlarger on Ebay, 1 enlarger lens on here, 1 on ebay.

Consumables from B&H, Freestyle, and Bostick&Sullivan.

[Darin Boville]

Just buy it here.

Put up a thread (this one?) asking folks to help you figure out what you want. Then if someone hasn't already offered you something just put up a wtb thread in the classifieds section. I've *never* had a problem here and never expect to. Just deal with people who have been posting a bit--people with two or three posts are essentially strangers.

--Darin

[David Karp]

If I was going to buy my first LF camera from a store, I would look to Midwest Photo Exchange and talk to Jim Andracki. Their website is www.mpex.com. I purchased my fourth LF camera from him, a used Walker Titan SF. He is very helpful. He will even talk you out of buying something that he has, that you want, if he thinks it is not right for your stated needs. Even if he does not have what he thinks will work for you in stock! Jim is a great guy.

[Daniel_Buck]

Jim at MPEX, KEH, E-bay, and right here on the LF forums :)

[jnantz]

stores ( ep levines in boston )
ebay ( a stop in montreal whose name i can't remember, and a pro selling off his stuff )
individuals i met on apug, or somehow i found ... and the phsne show

[Drew Bedo]

I bought my 8x10 Kodak 2-D as a previously owned item in 1992 at the Houston Camera Show in the Marriot Hotel near Hobby Airport. I came with an Ektar lens and cost ~$300. In 2002 I bought my 4x5 Zone VI from its original owner at the same event at the same hotel. It came with a complete shooting outfit: 90mm, 150mm, 210mm lenses, film holders, loupe, BITZ hood . . .even film. All of it was in a nice LowePro back pack and cost ~$1,300. In fact , most of my photographic equipment was purchased used at one camera show or another.

Sad to say, a changing world has made the Houston Show a thing of the past. I would guess that your best bet for used equipment now is e-bay.

[J Ney]

Tachihara 4x5 w/ lens from Craigslist... it was my first camera, sold by an older gent who'd had it since the '80s. It was nice to meet the person who had used it all those years, and I still go through Craigslist to find diamonds in the rough.

Other than that, lenses from eBay & KEH.

[Sirius Glass]

I have bought cameras and lenses from KEH and I am happy with the equipment and the sale.

I bought my two 4x5s from a private party I could trust, otherwise I would have bought from KEH.

Steve

[akyiia]

Um, original poster, it would be helpful to know where you're located.

Four Graphics, one Graflex, all 2x3, all at camera shows. 4x5 Calumet, eBay. 2x3 Cambo, gift from a friend given in anticipation of his death. Yes, he's died. Not the best way to acquire a camera.

Many LF lenses from many sources: web sites, including some junk dealers, i.e., not all of them camera stores' sites; camera shows; eBay (US, UK, France, Spain); several of the French and Dutch equivalents of craigslist; photographic bulletin boards including this one and Compuserve.

I live in Southampton, UK; I had a look at ebay and other websites but new camera is too expensive for me and as a student i am not sure if i can take the risk of buying a second hand camera on ebay..:o Although I know that if I never try I get will never get anything.

[akyiia]

Thanks a lot you all guys; I found your advice very useful and certainly will try to use it when I look around..:)

[neil poulsen]

I've had two 4x5's that have played a noteworthy role in my photographic life.

The first, a Deardorff 5x7 NSF (no front swings) with a 4x5 back, was purchased from KEH. It had been refinished by Ken Haugh.

The second, an Arca Swiss Classic F, was purchased later in 1995 or so at a local Portland camera swap meet for $450. It came with the standard bellows and a compendium lens shade with the four blades. Great buy!

These days, it's hard to say whether or not camera swap meets are still relevant. In those days, if a camera had a name brand and it functioned OK, it was probably worth buying.

With digital, all bets are off. For example, my digital camera had a serious flaw that I discovered sometime after purchase. Under an extended warranty, I was able to get it fixed at no charge. I would never have known about that defect, had I purchased it used at a swap meet.

[sun of sand]

Scott G gave me mine

[Brian Stein]

I live in Southampton, UK; I had a look at ebay and other websites but new camera is too expensive for me and as a student i am not sure if i can take the risk of buying a second hand camera on ebay..:o Although I know that if I never try I get will never get anything.

Second hand is fine. I have lusted, but never been able to cost justify new. KEH will ship internationally and I have been happy with them; shipping internationally is expensive. Ebay has been pretty good for me also by sticking to people with a track record. The gear I have purchased from here has been very good; like others I recommend it.

Remember with large format a camera is just a container to keep the dark in, hold the film steady, and wiggle the lens. It really doesnt have to be fancy. Most of them are also bullet proof: its not the latest electronic marvel that you cant find batteries for or needs new firmware.... My cheapest camera a Toyo 45D, is ugly, heavy, cost about $80, and can do everything all the nicer ones do. I have bought a number of cheap old cameras to try, and then sell and move on: just never got around to the sell part :D

You may find the hardest thing is to decide which format to settle on.

What is your budget?

[richardhkirkando]

I got my first gen Speed Graphic w/ 150mm CZJ Tessar (along with a Mamiya 645) on craigslist ($80 total for both). Still works great, just a fairly limited camera.

Second camera was a pretty beat up Toyo 45C from ebay - seller didn't disclose some pretty major issues with it, but I kept the camera because returning it was too much of a pain. I recently grabbed an 'as-is' 45E for $10 on KEH, which I had intended to use as a parts donor to fix the problems on the 45C - as it turned out, the as-is KEH camera was in MUCH better shape than the ebay one. The 45C is a more capable camera, so I'll probably get around to fixing its issues eventually, but in the meantime, I've just been shooting with the 45E.

(tl;dr: ebay sucks)

I also picked up a no-name (B&W) press camera from a garage sale, which was essentially a free throw-in with a Nikon F3. Great features for a press camera (lots of movements, rotating back), but not very well built. Haven't used it yet.

[Phil]

I've purchased two 8x10 camera kits, a Calumet C1 (the green one) and a Kodak Master, directly from professional commercial photographers who converted to digital. One was a local shop that posted a classified ad in the newspaper, and the other was from a posting on the Usenet rec.photo.marketplace (that one was a while ago...)

I recently got a Kodak D2 from a posting on craigslist that include six Protar lenses, a universal iris clamp, a Packard shutter, and 6 film holders. It was delivered to the parking lot at my office.

Keep your eyes open and talk to people - someone may have something they no longer use that is just what you are looking for.

[Eric Woodbury]

I borrowed a Speed Graphic from a friend.

[Rick Moore]

I'm not sure any dealer would want to sell me another camera, since both the dealers from which I've bought LF cameras are now gone.

I bought my Tachihara 4x5 from a dealer named "Lee Beeder Cameras" in 1978. He was in the LA area and imported Tachihara and Ikeda cameras directly from Japan. He used to have an ad in the back of Modern Photography. The camera came with one page of information printed entirely in Japanese.

I bought my Canham 8x10 Traditional from "The F Stops Here" in 2000. This California store was run by Jon Simich. He moved to Illinois in 2001 or 2002, went out of business, and now (as of 2009) runs the St. Aubin Trains store in Woodstock, IL.



--
Rick

[rdenney]

If you know what you are buying, then you can buy from ebay or other private sale. If you don't know about the camera being offered, then you can't evaluate whether it will fulfill your requirements, and you'll need help or guidance from a seller.

Thus, I would suggest answering a few questions for yourself:

1. Will you photograph primarily people or things?

2. If things are your subject, do you have to approach them on foot any significant distance?

3. What size prints will you make?

4. Do you own (or have access to) and enjoy using a darkroom?

5. Do you prefer to make photographs in black and white, or color?

6. Back to the things. Are the things you will photograph buildings or interiors of buildings?

7. Are the things you will photograph much larger than the image projected on the film, or not?

8. What lenses do you typically use on your current camera? (Mostly wide or very wide, normal, or long?)

9. Do you enjoy meticulous technique, or do you care more about agility and timing?

10. How much space do you have in your transport?

11. Will you make pictures on Fujiroid? Will you want the ability to make pictures on roll film?

12. Did you fall in love with the big camera, the idea of using a big camera, or purely the image quality? (This one requires honest self-awareness.)

Answering these questions will make it much easier to know whether you need a press camera (such as a Speed or Crown Graphic), a light-weight and compact (when folded) field camera, a more flexible but heavier and bulkier view camera, a camera supported by interchangeable system parts, a unique antique, a camera with an International/Graflok back, and so on.

My first large-format camera was a Newton Nue-View. I had not answered those questions adequately, and was mesmerized by the price ($200, with lens, in about 1980--very cheap for a view camera in those days). I still have the lens, and it's worth about that same $200. But the camera is long gone, and good riddance. It did not provide any of the things I needed. To answer your question specifically, I bought it at a used camera store.

My second camera was a Calumet CC-400, which was heavy and suited only for normal and longer lenses. It did not have a Graflok back, so it would not accommodate other film types easily. I bought it at a used camera store, and used it quite a lot.

My third camera was a Calumet/Cambo 45NX, which gave me the Graflok back, bag bellows, and the ability to handle a 90mm lens pretty easily. It is also a system camera with considerably configuration flexibility. But it is big, bulky, and difficult to carry very far from a (good sized) car. I bought it at a camera store. All of these purchases were made before the Internet was known and long before such things as ebay. But I bought most of my needed accessories in those days from Midwest Photo, Del's (defunct), and a local used camera store. Nearly all the local camera stores are now defunct, but even 20 or 25 years ago a lot of stuff was sold by mailorder because large-format stuff was often not fully stocked locally.

My current camera is a Sinar F, which has all the flexibility and interchangeability of the Cambo (and more besides), and also has the ability to easily accommodate very short lenses (down to 47mm). I bought it at KEH in the last couple of years. I now buy most of my stuff from KEH, this forum, eBay, Badger Graphic Sales, and Midwest Photo, in order of dollars spent.

All of my main large-format cameras are view cameras, because even with plain landscape subjects, that's the style of camera I prefer.

Of the places that have been suggested, Midwest, Badger, and this forum can provide the most guidance, and ebay the least. Guidance is valuable, however, and worth paying for. Ebay sometimes gets a "guidance" price for "no guidance". Caveat emptor.

Rick "thinking 'where' to buy comes after decisions on 'why', 'what', and 'how much'" Denney

[IanMazursky]

Ive received most of my LF cameras from my grandfather. He owned a studio (Honey Photographers) on long island NY for 50+ years.
He retired about 10 years ago and ive been slowly restoring and using them.
From his collection he gave me, Korona 12x20, Korona 5x7, Kodak Panoram 4c (not working) and Crown Graphic 4x5.
He has a bunch more for me when i have time, 8x10 kodak, lots of MF and 35mm’s.
I bought a few MF cameras from ebay and a bunch of lenses from KEH. I highly recommend KEH for LF and MF lenses.
Their BGN rating is fantastic and if there is a problem, they will fix it.
I did get royally screwed on ebay when i bought a korona 8x10. It was supposed to be in great condition but it so far from it.
Dry rot, rack and pinion gears striped, missing or bent hardware, bellows full of holes….moral of the story, ask questions and make sure of a return policy.
Im thinking of using it for wet plate since it will never be good for film.

[Vaughn]

I bought my first LF (4x5) camera in San Diego, 1979 or 80 -- I think the shop was called Camera World. I saw an ad for a $525 new Raja, with a 210/6.3 Computar lens (Copol 1). It had a major light leak where the film back married to the back of the camera -- they fixed it for free (after I had used it for 3 months in New Zealand). Feeling guilty for ruining all those NZ shots, the owner sold me a floor model Gitzo Studex (300 series) for $100.

Bought a new ($220) Gowland PocketView, marketed by Calumet, in 1985 to replace the Raja (the Gowland was used for a repeat trip to NZ), along with a new Caltar IIN 150/5.6 for $235. Eventually the Raja (an exact copy of a Deardorf Special) was given a Deardorf 5x7 back and with the 210mm was my main camera until 1995.

That camera left me and in 1995 I bought my present Zone VI 8x10 and a FujiW 300/5.6 from Mid-West Photo. I also bought a Kodak View 5x7 recently from someone on this forum, as I like that format and want to play with it again.

I have few odds and ends (a wood Speed Graphic, for example) that have found their way to me one way or another.

[John T]

I bought my Tachihara 4x5 from a dealer named "Lee Beeder Cameras" in 1978

Rick, was it Lee Bender, not Beeder?

My first LF was also 1978. At the time I worked at Tarzana Camera. The owner Lois Lacy was the widow of Madison Lacy, a Hollywood studio photographer. I bought his Pacemaker Speed Graphic from her to start me on my way. Still have it.

[Brian Ellis]

"Camera" singular? Who's only bought one? I've owned about 14 in three different formats. I bought three from MidWest Photo Exchange (a better source IMHO than KEH if they have what you're looking for), one from a friend, another from an outfit called "Pacific Rim," another from a now thankfully defunct outfit called "The F Stops Here," one from Adorama, one from the Chamonix factory through Hugo Zhang, one from Igor's Used Cameras (or Igor's something, I forget the exact name he uses but I know Igor is in it), and three or four on ebay. I'm probably forgetting some. All of mine were bought used except for a Tachihara from Adorama, the Chamonix, and an Ebony from MidWest.

[Rick Moore]

I bought my Tachihara 4x5 from a dealer named "Lee Beeder Cameras" in 1978

Rick, was it Lee Bender, not Beeder?


I found the original reference:

Lee Beeder Cameras
1728 N. Vermont Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90027

There is an article about handmade wooden cameras, including Tachihara, Ikeda, and Nagaoka, in the May 1979 issue of Popular Mechanics:

http://books.google.com/books?id=d88DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA127&lpg=PA127&dq=Lee+Beeder+Cameras&source=bl&ots=AIKVlM5JzL&sig=9tnUcLtdK7jApGfiKT0IppVZSfQ&hl=en&ei=Q5uOTLffIdCinQfYuoC4DA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CD4Q6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=Lee%20Beeder%20Cameras&f=false

OP, please forgive me for hijacking your thread.


--
Rick