[LargeFormat] 1. Mildew 2. Inexpensive field cameras

[Wilkes, Don LCS:EX]

What follows is a message I first attempted to send last Friday (25 Nov). I
since learned that my messages were bouncing, and the list was likely not
passing them along. The problems probably stemmed from me attempting to
change my email address right when the system went all pear-shaped.  Today,
I believe I have finally managed to straighten out my account, as I finally
got a test message through.  Many thanks to Graeme and Brock, who have been
helping me in trying tofigure out what the heck was happening.  Onwards!

----------------------------------------------------------


> john (:>))) what should I use to get the mildew oder out of 
> my Unidrum  tanks?

Well, I'd give 'em a shot of good old bleach; that should do it.  If it's
good enough to sterilize the lines in a brewery (and I think we all know how
important *that* is), it should get rid of any little mustiness you might
have in the drum. 

Also, does anyone here have a comment or three regarding the Toyo 45CF,
especially in comparison to the Shen Hao? The price is *really* attractive
for both, but as I live in a smallish city (Victoria, B.C.), I can't see
them to make a live comparison.  Going on specs is --shall we say-- less
than satisfying.  Also, the only view camera I've ever owned is my trusty
old Calumet CC401 monorail, so I'm not used to looking for what might be
limiting factors in movements,  et cetera.  Until recently, I was leaning
towards the Shen Hao, as I've read so many nice things about it, but this
Toyo has me intrigued.  Its tapered bellows will, according to them, let you
use a 90 on a flat board.  The carbon fibre construction is really light,
and isn't liable to warp or fall apart, I should think.

I'm fairly nice to equipment, and not likely to beat the hell out of
whatever I buy, so I'm not excessively concerned with build quality, per se.
Of course, I don't want to buy crap, either; I expect things to last for a
reasonable length of time. I just want to be able to stuff a decent 4x5 in a
backpack, along with the other 20 lb of stuff I always seem to need, and go
for a walk with my toys.  Doing this with a CC401 is faintly absurd,
although Lord knows I've tried.

So --- does anyone on this list have hands-on experience with either of
these gadgets, preferably both?  What's the biggest compromise I'd see in
changing from my monorail?  Would lack of rear movements be annoying at
first, or would I likely hardly notice?  How much of a pain is a drop-bed,
anyway?  If I slap a 90 on the front, would I just automatically assume I'm
going to have to drop it, and start out that way?  And what's the deal with
base movements, anyways?  I'm used to the axis movements of the Calumet, but
from the way some have written about base movements, you'd think they're
better in some way.  This baffles me -- doesn't it make more sense to spin
the lens on its axis?

Now, I'm not above spending appropriate bucks where needed, if neither of
the above are acceptable as anything more than 'student cheapies' -- a
friend recommended a Toyo 45AX, about a thousand bucks more, and I actually
considered it without fainting dead away.  But, if the little CF model will
do the job nicely, I could spend the grand on a bitchin' film scanner or
other toy...

Cheers from Victoria, where the week of fog has given way to nice warm rain
(again).
\donw