[LargeFormat] Phillips Compact II 8x10

[Tim Atherton]

Hi All,

first off, there is a fairly good review at the LF site:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/phillips.html

But note that first, the reviewers experience is more with the
lighter/simpler Explorer, secondly Dick Phillips practices what he calls a
"continuous improvement policy" so things can change - generally for the
better - from batch to batch. Also, photos of the camera are hard to come
by, so hopefully I'll get around to at least adding some of those to the
review.

I'm also thinking of writing a review once I've run it through the mill a
bit more. But for now:

First Rich, you are talking about the lighter weight Explorer 8x10 - this is
a horizontal only camera. Dick recommends that if you do more than say 10%
of your shots vertically, it might not be for you. But this means that the
camera can do without a removable back and also bellows that are 8x10 and
not 10x10 - both of which give a substantial weight savings resulting in a
very sturdy field camera that weighs in at just over 5lbs (it also has
slightly shorter bellows than the compact II, which aren't as long as many -
but the theory is it's mainly a landscape camera and light weight is #1).

Back to the Phillips Compact II 8x10 (read the review above, which does give
a good outline) - it's a light weight 8x10 field camera. Made by Dick
Phillips & Sons in Midland Michigan. Basically, there is a waiting list 8
months to a year (mine actually took six months). But unlike some other LF
camera manufacturers with waiting lists, Dick doesn't take any money up
front and you are free to drop out of the waiting list if you wish.

On to the camera. I was basically fed up with lugging around a Deardorff on
a heavy tripod. I love the 8x10 format, but it was just too clunky and
unwieldy (and just darned heavy) for me to enjoy using. The Dorff was 13lbs
+ heavy tripod. Yes, it has more movements than I could ever use, 30+ inches
of bellows (again, which I've never used to their full extent) and it's
beautifully and ingeniously made, but as my colleague, landscape and urban
photography Geoffrey James said, it's a beautiful (but rather heavy) piece
of Victorian furniture.

To my mind, the Phillips takes modern materials, uses a few innovative ideas
along with good craftsmanship to make a very practical, lightweight sturdy
and rigid camera. Think Stealth Bomber rather than Victorian sideboard.

It uses Teflon for some of the sliding surfaces, epoxy/fibreglass
encapsulated marine ply for the main beds etc and black anodized 6061
(aircraft?) aluminium for much of the metal. This, combined with the unique
focussing screw system, gives a light weight - 8lbs along with a very rigid
set-up. This is one of the most rigid field cameras I've used, and is more
rigid than many monorail cameras I've tried too. It doesn't go for lots of
geared this and that, rather it has gone for simplicity and ease of use. So
front rise and tilt all depend on the same two knobs for example. But
because of big oversized knobs with Delrin washers, along with a simple
locking bar you can easily apply a small amount of tension and do either of
these easily. Same with rear tilt and swing. It's not a super precise studio
camera - it's a field camera that actually works well in the field. The
snow's almost gone here (lakes are still frozen...) but a good deal of my
shooting is at way below zero, and this camera will be very easy to use in
gloves - whereas I was for ever having to take them off to use the Dorff.

As for weight - I can get by easily with a lighter tripod and the cameras
sits quite happily on my Arca B1 ballhead with no problem. So my over the
shoulder weight - tripod+camera+head has actually been halved (now if only I
could find some of those Mido 8x10 film holders...!).

Camera has 26" of bellows (and will take down to a 120mm lens I think),
front tilt, swing and shift (2.5") rise of 2.2" and fall of 2.7") Front tilt
is on the optical axis.

Back has 32degrees of rear tilt. Swing (varies between 5 to 13 degrees
depending on how the camera is set up - and I can't remember the last time I
used rear swing in 8x10?).

It also has a back bail, which I'm already loving after 2 days - no more
twisting the tripod head mount by accident when putting in film holders.
Folds up to 13.6"x 12.5" x 4.2" and takes Sinar boards (and you can save
weight there by getting Dick's very light weight resin boards). It has very
practical zero detents and/or zero markings.

The rear focus screw, which is under the bottom at the rear is also great -
it's sort of ambidextrous and in exactly the right spot (there is a picture
in the review above). It also comes with 3 built in levels.

The finish is excellent and very practical and water resistant.

All in all, after quite a bit of research, it's exactly what I expected and
perfect for what I wanted.

I shoot basically landscapes and urban landscapes, a bit of portraiture and
occasionally play around with still life's (and use it for a bit of
architecture work in addition to the 4x5 - those 8x10 trannies wow the
clients!). I recently shot a story on a local airline that uses DC3's and
DC4's and runs the water bomber fleet here of old Canso's
(Catlinina's/PBY's) and brand new Bombardier bombers. All in LF and B&W. The
Dorff was great, but the Phillips would have made climbing into some of the
spots in the hangar a darn sight easier!

I think the competition, in terms of light weight and usability would be the
new Canham 8x20 all metal (a bit more extension, but not quite as rigid I
hear - "spring" than looseness, but more bellows and over 1lb 13ozs
heavier - similar price); the Canham wood 8x10 - more bellows, quite a bit
more expensive, a touch heaver, but, from what I have heard, not as rigid as
the Phillips -  though lots of folks are happy with them) or the Gandolfi
Variant 8x10 - 1/2lb heavier, couple more inches bellows, probably not quite
as rigid, but more options for "precise" or individual movements and a bit
more expensive.

As I say - I'll think about a review as well as putting up some pix but for
now, fire away with your questions

Tim


PS - Dick also makes a 4x5 and 11x14 and some other larger formats, but he
tends to make them in batches or to very special order - so he might run a
batch this year say, but not next. The Compact II seems to be the "standard"
model



> -----Original Message-----
> From: largeformat-admin@f32.net [mailto:largeformat-admin@f32.net]On
> Behalf Of Clive Warren
> Sent: Monday, April 21, 2003 6:16 PM
> To: largeformat@f32.net
> Subject: [LargeFormat] Phillips Compact II 8x10
>
>
> At 09:34 21/04/2003 -0600, Tim Atherton wrote:
> >PPS - I just got my brand new Phillips Compact II 8x10 on the
> weekend - OMG
> >what a great camera - light, quick and easy (intuitive) to use,
> as rigid as
> >most monorails I've used (and more rigid than some). Just from
> two days of
> >trials, this just makes the process of photographing so much
> easier as far
> >as I'm concerned (and with the lighter tripod and head I can
> use, the over
> >my shoulder weight is cut by around 50%).
> >As a renowned photographer colleague of mine said - I will look
> back at the
> >Deardorff with the fondness of someone regarding a beautiful but
> impractical
> >and heavy piece of Victorian furniture :-)
>
> Tim,
>
> Tell us more about the Philips 8x10!  Have heard of the camera but never
> seen one in the flesh. Movements, adjustments, construction etc.
>
> Perhaps you would like to write a review when you have had a
> chance to use
> it for a while.
>
> Cheers,
>             Clive
>
>
>
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