[LargeFormat] Canham Field Cameras

[Clive Warren]

At 3:32 pm +0000 14/1/02, Pete Caluori wrote:
>
>Thanks for the suggestion Pete. I did have a quick look at the Canham web
>site and the cameras have a fairly unique approach to the folding stuff
>(metal rather than money).  Is your Canham the all metal or wood/metal
>camera?  It seems from the web site that the version with some wood is a
>5x7/4x5 and also accepts a 4x10 back - well that''s interesting....
>
>The other thing that I like about the camera is the way that the metal
>parts function to achieve bellows extension. The one thing I do not like
>are the fastening knobs, but I guess that could be changed easily enough.
>How do you find it for stability when racked out to near max. bellows
>length? It seems a bit larger than some of the competition, I guess from
>being a modular 5x7/4x5.
>
>Presumably it has a rotating back, but didn't see any mention of this on
>the web site.  Also, does the bed fold up into the camera?
>
>Cheers,
>            Clive
>
>Hi Clive,
>
>Canham takes a unique approach with his camera; they way I sum it 
>up: it's a cross between a monorail and a field camera.  In 
>incorporates features of both.
>
>I have the metal camera: DLC.  I'm not 100% sure about the other 
>models, but I think the wood 4x5 is really a 5x7, with a 4x5 back 
>and either back can be fitted and with the cange of bellows and 
>back.  It can also be fitted with a 4x10 back.  I'm actually 
>considering getting his 5x7 for this very reason.  Lens boards for 
>all of his cameras (at least the 4x5 & 5x7 models) are the same.  I 
>think this is also true for his larger cameras as well.  The back 
>does indeed rotate.
>
>The knobs do protrude, but it's one of the features that attracted 
>me to the camera.  This is one of the few cameras that I can operate 
>in very cold weather while wearing large gloves!
>
>Stability while fully extended is not a problem, but I must 
>elaborate a bit...  This camera as any, contains a series of 
>compromises.  In trying to make the smallest package, with the 
>largest amount of movement, a compromise was made.  While most 
>wooden field cameras fix the front and rear standards at two points 
>for stability, the DLC is only fixed at one point - the bottom. 
>Even when fully locked, if you manhandle the camera the back "could" 
>move.  Now with that said, using care I've exposed a sheet, removed 
>it from the camera, reinserted it and exposed a second time.  The 
>resulting negative was in perfect register.  This "problem" is most 
>noticable when using the 72XL with movement.  I don't have a bag 
>bellows, instead use Keith Canham's recommendation of forcing the 
>standard bellows into position.  I have to use quite a bit of force, 
>but the bellows will deform then pop right back into position.  With 
>all that bellows compressed and deformed and a huge lens like the 
>72XL only a short distance from the ground glass, the force it 
>exerts on the rear standard significant.  To align the standards, I 
>use the bubble levels bult in and overcompensate before locking them 
>down.  It sounds like a pain, but it's really easy and quick to do. 
>BTW, his bellows is IR proof.
>
>The camera does fold for an easy package to carry, but not into a 
>"box" like most field cameras.  The front standard folds onto the 
>bed, then the rear standard folds onto the front.  I've set this 
>camera up, exposed and packed it away in just under two minutes. 
>No, I wasn't trying to set a record , just trying not to get zap'd 
>by lightning.
>
>Let me know if you want any more info.  I just acquired a digital 
>camera, so I could take a few pix and send them.
>
>Regards,  Pete

Thanks for that Pete - take your point about the camera being easy to 
use in the cold with gloved hands. The achilles heel of most wooden 
field cameras seems to be the point of contact between the front and 
rear standards and the focusing rail. However much triangulation or 
number of fixing points appears on the standards, the stability lies 
in the design of how the standards interface with the focusing track 
and the locking method used when desired bellows extension is 
achieved.

I do prefer cameras that have separate adjustment points for 
rise/fall and tilt. Geared back tilts with adequate locking is also a 
favourite.

When I am next in the USA hope to meet up with a few people from the 
list and have a closer look at some of these cameras!

Yes, it would be great to have a few shots of your Canham - you can 
either send 'em to me off the list and I'll put them up in the 
"cameras" topic in the f32 Forum, or you can do so yourself!

Look forward to seeing the photos.

Cheers,
        Clive