Shen-Hao PTB Questions

[Kevin Crisp]

This looks like an interesting camera. Anybody used it enough to comment?

It says it has an international Graflok back. Does that mean it handles a grafmatic well, with enough clearance to put it in between the ground glass and the back of the camera? Do you have to take the back off to attach a grafmatic? Will a ground glass off a Graphlex camera fit on the back of one of these? (I ask since I have one with a Maxwell screen in it.) Thanks.

Kevin

[Scotty230358]

Yes they will handle a grafmatic back. You don't have to remove the back, it just slips in. There are two types of grafmatic so make sure you get the one for international (grafloc) backs.

[Heespharm]

Looks very like a chamonix 045n-1

[Lachlan 717]

They're both copies.

Can we please avoid another Shen V Cham V Phillips thread?

[LyleB]

They're both copies.

Can we please avoid another Shen V Cham V Phillips thread?


Good job stifling discussion. Ever thought of just not clicking on the thread if you don't want to read it?

[Scotty230358]

Looks very like a chamonix 045n-1

Its practically a clone. One of the obvious differences is that the Shen Hao has a steel on the bed rather than Carbon Fibre.

[Heespharm]

A recent addition to the Shen-Hao line is the PTB 4x5 Light Weight. This an unconventional design, but not one original to Shen-Hao; it is a copy of the Chamonix, which is a copy of the Phillips. It folds, but not in the same way as conventional woodfield cameras. The PTB has a center mounted rack on which the front standard mounts at one of several points along the length of the central focusing rack. Swing and shift are controlled from a single central knob that fastens the front standard to the central rack member which is focused by a single worm gear with a focusing knob centrally mounted under the back. This entire focusing assembly is mounted on a flat bed. The rear standard pivots on two slotted brackets attached to the bed; the brackets can be adjusted for extension and the front standard can be attached to any one of several bushings on the centeral rack to vary extension. Front center tilt and rise/fall are adjusted by a single set of knobs on each side of the front standard, which owes a debt to the Gowland Pocket View. The PTB weighs about 3 lbs., making it among the lightest woodfields. Some view combined controls as more efficient; some may feel they make the camera less precise to set up. $650. Search the LF Site forums for detailed comment about Shen-Hao.

This is perhaps a good place to comment on unconventional designs. The layout of the Shen-Hao PTB/Chamonix/Phillips may not seem intuitive to those who have used conventional field, technical or press cameras. This seems to be the case where designers value capability-to-weight ratio because they need to think outside the box to reduce weight. The price paid for these weight reductions may be performance, convenience and/or having to change long-established habits. While this design provides a folding rear standard whose angle is controlled by locking knobs at the pivot point--a design familiar to several technical models--the front standard is fastened to one of several bushings on the central focusing platform. Changing lenses of varying length often requires unmounting/remounting of the front standard. And focusing is done by rotating a knob on the back of the camera that turns a worm gear.

from: http://www.bnphoto.org/bnphoto/LFN/ViewNeedsEval1fField.htm

this led me to buy the hzx... the weight difference isn't a big deal for my type of photography

[GPS]

Its practically a clone. One of the obvious differences is that the Shen Hao has a steel on the bed rather than Carbon Fibre.

You mean - "rather than the Carbon Fibre plated wood"..?;)

[Lachlan 717]

Good job stifling discussion. Ever thought of just not clicking on the thread if you don't want to read it?

Ever thought about searching previous threads? When I only had 7 posts, that's what I was doing, rather than suggesting how others should use the Forum.

As for stifling the Thread, I see nowhere any reference to Chamonix in the OP's initial posting. So, I would suggest that I was keeping this on track.

[LyleB]

Sorry I haven't run my mouth enough to being allowed an opinion.

[Lachlan 717]

Sorry I haven't run my mouth enough to being allowed an opinion.

You're showing innate talent early.

[Scotty230358]

You mean - "rather than the Carbon Fibre plated wood"..?;)

Please pardon by crap grammar ;)