[LargeFormat] Planning Advice

[Douglas Cooper]

On 4/3/01 1:20 PM, Pam Niedermayer expressed the following:

> 
> The Gowland Pocket View (I have a Calumet branded one with all
> movements except rear rise and fall) is small, light weight (depending
> on model 3 - 4 lbs), easy to set up, easy to rotate the back, easy to
> change bellows (although not cheap, since the front lens holder body
> is glued to the front of the bellows, I'm in the process of modifying
> this slightly) nice looking to me.


I too have a Pocket View.  I had Peter modify it a bit (which he considered
overkill, but it makes me happy) -- mine has rear tilt and rise, and both
standards focus (instead of just the front standard).  This makes it much
easier to install the extension rail.  Love this camera.  And Peter Gowland
is a gentleman and a scholar.

My only complaint about mine is that my bellows was glued on a bit
cock-eyed... I suppose this is easy enough to fix.  And of course the thing
has no zero detents (although I find these of limited use, anyway -- you
usually want to fiddle with things, so an approximation of zero is good
enough to start with).

Another possibility, although heavier, is a Super Speed Graphic.  Compact
and bulletproof, with surprisingly good movements.  Check out the review on
cameraquest.com.  

The PVC camera is the Walker Titan.  Beautifully machined, but seriously
heavy, and a bit complex to open and close.  The Walker that interests me
most is the dedicated wide body...

Just as a matter of interest, Pam, how are you modifying the front bellows
attachment on your Gowland?

cheers,
 

Douglas Cooper
http://www.dysmedia.com

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