Walker cameras

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richard littlewood
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Walker cameras

Post by richard littlewood » Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:10 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Any one seen these new cameras yet?

timparkin
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Re: Walker cameras

Post by timparkin » Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:02 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I saw his cameras at focus including some pinholes if that is what you are thinking of?
Waiting for the developing bill - 2 hours (and it's so small now!)

Georges Giralt
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Re: Walker cameras

Post by Georges Giralt » Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:42 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hello !
A friend of mine used a Titan 5x4 for years. This camera is made of ABS plastic, and seems to be lightweight. I wrote seems because in fact there are comparable wood cameras as light as this one.
Maybe the design has improved but my friend sold it for a Linhof Teknikardan which is a whole different beast (he sold it 5 or 6 years ago if I recall correctly).

richard littlewood
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Re: Walker cameras

Post by richard littlewood » Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:52 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I'd heard he was releasing some new cameras to show at Focus. Just wondered if any one clocked them.

Adrian Twiss
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Re: Walker cameras

Post by Adrian Twiss » Wed Mar 09, 2011 7:13 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I have owned a Walker Titan SF for a couple of months. I purchased it as a replacement for my Shen Hao. Here is my short "first impressions" review which I posted on another site

I must confess I have limited experience of large format cameras having only used an MPP Micropress in the late 70's, and a Shen Hao TZ45BII since mid 2009.

Firstly weight - the camera weighs just over 6lb and although 2lb heavier than my Shen the extra weight was not apparent or burdensome when carrying it. I use a Kelty Redwing rucksack fitted with Photobackpacker cases. Much better than the old Lowe Pro super trecker I used to own.

Finish - Dark, understated and not unattractive. In fact when the light falls on the camera you get lots of little coloured speckles. If you are wood kind of person the finish might leave you cold but I have always been a function over form person. One of the great boons is that you can use the camera in the pouring rain and not worry about it warping.

Now the important bit - operation and performance: As a relative newcomer to LF one of the first things that impressed me was just how easy it is to operate right from the first. All the controls fall easily to hand even when I have my head under the dark cloth. As previously mentioned My camera is fitted with a boss screen and Ebony wide angle Fresnel. Even when using my 300mm f9 Ronar and 450mm F9 Nikkor the image was bright and contrasty. In fact when stopping down to f22 to check for DOF and focus shift the image was a great improvement over the Shen Hao which was fitted with with a standard Ebony Fresnel.

My camera was set up to take account of me a) being left handed and b) having a damaged finger on my right hand. I focus with the left and hold my Loupe with the right hand. The focus knob turns in the opposite direction to the lock knob which is a very natural way of doing things. The only "issue" is that as you rack the focussing out the locking knob tightens down on its own. Its not a real problem in practice. Focussing is very smooth and there is no creep when you lock it down.

The rise, swing and tilt controls are also easy to locate when viewing under a dark cloth. Although the tilt mechanism is set close to the axis of the lens you still have to refocus following each application of tilt. I understand that it is actually impossible to have true axis tilts unless a camera is set up of one lens only. This is one of the best features for me. There is no detente on the tilt control. My Shen Hao had base tilts with a detente and it was really awkward to apply very small amounts of tilt. Getting past the detente usually meant you applied too much tilt and then when you backed it up it dropped back into the detente again. The was very frustrating. Not so with the walker - just slacken off the knobs a fraction and away you go. Rear tilt does have a detente but it presents no problems when using it.

Front rise and fall is just as easy and very smooth.

There are 3 spirit levels on the rear standard - one on each side and one on top. There is a single bubble level on the front standard.

Changing the bellows is very simple - remove the back, turn the two small knobs on the front standard and then pull the bellows out through the rear standard. Fitting the bellows is just as easy - push the bellows through the rear standard - the front and rear frames easily locate in the standards. There are two convenient tabs in the rear frame to show you which way up the frame goes.

The only "issues" I had were that I had to re-mount two of my lenses. One was my APO Ronar 300 with a Compur electronic shutter. I had to turn it through 90 degrees so that the battery compartment does not foul the tilt mechanism. The other was my 450mm Nikkor. I had to turn this through 180 degrees as the aperture control lever fouled the mounting bracket. I should point out that neither of these issues could be attributed to the design of the camera.

So the question is does the Walker represent an improvement over my old Shen Hao. The answer is an unreserved yes. The image is brighter and the movements are a lot slicker especially front tilt. Rigidity is also markedly superior. Add the fact that it is impervious to foul weather and I am onto a clear winner. I wont outgrow this camera in a hurry and can say with a fair amount of confidence that I can't see me replacing it in the foreseeable future.

I hope this helps.

I have just come back from Focus. Mike had a Walker Titan XL and a number of his new pin hole cameras on display. His web site www.walkercameras.com is a mine of information.

Paul Arthur
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Re: Walker cameras

Post by Paul Arthur » Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:33 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I saw the new camera(s) and spoke to Mike about them at length - they're 5x4 pinhole cameras with interchangeable fronts to change focal length. There are three focal lengths, but I cant for the life of me remember what they are.

They're going to come in at just over £100 i think, made of the same ABS plastic.

They're making the final decision on whether to make it in the next few weeks and then they will be available towards the end of the year.

Paul

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Re: Walker cameras

Post by dave_whatever » Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:57 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Adrian Twiss wrote:Although the tilt mechanism is set close to the axis of the lens you still have to refocus following each application of tilt. I understand that it is actually impossible to have true axis tilts unless a camera is set up of one lens only.
I think this is common to all axis tilt cameras. If you look on lens spec sheets (like the ones on the Schneider site) it'll tell you how far from the lensboard the optical centre is, it varies quite a lot across the different types of lens design. Some are pretty close, a mm or two, and will mean minimal refocussing. Some are a few cm, away meaning more refocussing, and tele lenses are obviously a mile off!

richard littlewood
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Re: Walker cameras

Post by richard littlewood » Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:01 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Adrian. Thanks for your SF review. As someone who has used one for 10 or so years I can add they wear well, and the paint finish is near indestructable.

So the new cameras are pinhole only? OK for some I suppose.

mark e mark
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Re: Walker cameras

Post by mark e mark » Thu Mar 10, 2011 9:20 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

The planned focal lengths for the pin hole cameras are 72mm, 110mm and 150mm I believe.
MPP VII and VIII user + Walker XL 57

CarlRadford
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Re: Walker cameras

Post by CarlRadford » Wed Apr 13, 2011 12:34 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I had a Walker Titan SF for a number of years - great camera. Look on Andrew Sandersons youtube and you'll find a review of the 10x8.

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