Does buying a brand new camera in 2022 with the same technology of early 19th century make any sense? Of course not, at least no more than buying a piece of marble to create a statue when you have cheap 3D printers these days. But if you are here you already know that, although being quite at ease with technology (sometimes I forget I am a Computer Engineer), old or traditional photo gear is my weak spot!
And so here we are to discuss, or rather give you my first impressions, of the magnificent Chamonix 45F-2 I just received from China. I need to say first impressions as at the moment of this writing I still haven’t had the time to test if, and for some good reasons:
- I just came back to Paris from a long 2 months stay in Sicily and my house is in a huge mess
- I finished all my 4×5 film (and I am waiting to see whether Bergger will release again the Pancro 400 that I want to test in large format)
- I have no Linhof boards to mount my lenses (as I have them on Sinar boards right now)
- I really don’t have the time…
Waiting for a more in-depth analysis, this is what I can tell you: the camera is a pure joy to see and to handle. I am not a huge expert in large format cameras but having used a Sinar P for quite some time, and being used to go around with a Mamiya RZ67 or a Pentax67 or even my Hasselblad 501CM, this thing is LIGHT…extremely LIGHT. Entirely made of high quality woord and carbon, it is perfectly crafted and, even though you lose the micrometric adjustments of a monorail camera, I believe it will not make any difference for those like me who take portraits (landscape photographers might think otherwise).
The camera will allow me to use all the standard lenses I have (65mm and 150mm) and the ones I would probably buy in the future (210mm, maybe a 300mm) without heavy extension tubes, with a good range of movements, and most importantly a bright fresnel ground glass. I might lose the ability to micro-adjust and have extreme movements but again, for portraits, I think I might only need a couple of degrees of front rise and front tilt.
Stay tuned for more to come.
davide rizzo photography 