Ebony question for you experts

[Peter B]

I looked at an SW in Ffordes a few weeks back and there is one on eBay starting at £1500 with no bids which looks like the one I saw and like the one on Robert White's website.

There is another one, however, that claims to be a "limited edition" SW or Superwide, and it looks quite different, especially that it only has one knob on the side and the back seems to slide out on 2 knobs, but it doesn't seem to have the lever to open it up.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0415202593

I'd be interested to know if this is something rare and exotic, or perhaps something that didn't quite catch on?

[deadpan]

As far as I am aware (can't remember where I read it) the SW you're looking at was one of the original designs that Hiromi came up with initially for himself (before he started Ebony as a company), and then sold in (very small?) quantities (once Ebony was an established company), before refining the design to the current SW. To me, they've always looked a little like an SW with the 452 extension back on them...

I've seen a couple (could be the same one being sold on again and again?) on the auction site over about 4 years, so I guess compared to 'regular' Ebonies, they could be considered rare. I've always thought they look nice, but they might be a bit heavier that the newer SW as they look like they have a bit more wood.

[Peter B]

Thanks for the info. The seller doesn't seem keen to offer much more detail on things like usable lens lengths, so I'm guessing it might be even less than the 180 or so that the SW and RSW can take. Thanks again, Peter

[PAUL O]

The SW was still available to buy new in 1999 as I almost bought one from RW but got a "newly released" SW45 instead. The design was widely available through Ebony for a number of years but was replaced by the "45" version which offered more in the way of rear movements and greater front rise/fall.
I've still got a spec sheet for the SW somehwere!

Its movements were limited to front rise and fall, front axis tilt and a small amount of front shift and swing. The rear did offer a limited amount of movement by way of forward and backward tilt - but only a degree or two and then by adjusting the rear extension knobs. The SW was similar in some respects to the current RSW - but a bit bulkier due to the configuartion of the back - in fact, attach a 452 back extender to the RSW and the result is almost the SW!
As far as lens use I recall that it was designed as a wide/normal landscape camera and could cope with lenses down to 65mm on flat panels - you could probably go a bit shorter with a recessed panel but you would struggle to find infinity focus with anything like a 47mm due to the thickness of the body. The longest lens that can comfortably be used is a 180mm - by employing rear extension.

[Peter B]

You're not Portugese are you Paul? The seller has now replied as follows:

As this camera is designed for wide angle lens use, the maximum bellows extention is 135mm, the maximum focal lengths is probably 150mm, If you would like to use a 210mm lens, it might be possible with a 452 extension back, however, I've never tried it myself, so I can't guarantee it will fit on the back of this model. Movements: Front: Rise, shift, tilt and swing. Back: extention, and micro swing and tilt. I hope this information helps, any more questions feel free to ask. Cheers

Paul, would I be correct in assuming that the new SW you bought was seen as a "better" camera at the time? By that I'm meaning that it was definitely the one to have regardless of it maybe costing a bit more? Thanks, Peter

[PAUL O]

Hi Peter
I seem to remember that I had spent a bit of time at RWs playing with the SW and the SW45. The SW was a fine camera but the SW45 had more in the way of movements (on the rear especially) and was a newer design costing a couple of hundred quid more. I was completely new to LF and had no access to the internet for advice so simply bought the camera (the SW45) on how it felt in use.
Price wise the SW45 was about £1300 (in 1999) and the SW was about £1000 ish.

[deadpan]

Hi Peter
Price wise the SW45 was about £1300 (in 1999) and the SW was about £1000 ish.

Wow! That seems painfully cheap...mind you I guess it was 10 years ago now...

[PAUL O]

Cheap indeed by today's prices!

The 45S was a staggering £1600 (inc VAT @ 17.5%)

I had to really STRETCH to fork out for the SW45 and had a few sleepless nights after the purchase

As a comparison at the same time you could buy a Toyo 45A from RW for about £650!!

[Aender]

The only advantage of the old SW model would be some rear tilt.
On the other hand, the maximum extension really is very limiting and there is no rear rise.

I'm using an SW45 and am very satisfied with the camera. The SW45 relisted on ebay is said to be like new. The actual starting price seems very fair to me, considering the price of a new one here in Europe.

[PAUL O]

Aender, the "problem" with the method of applying rear movements on the (old) SW is that the amount of movement available is small and difficult/fiddly to apply as you are basically forcing the camera back into position and then locking with the knurled knobs.

[Aender]

Hi Paul, I absolutely agree with you. I once had an extension back for the SW23 (similar system, only smaller) and it was no joy trying to use rear movements.

Isn't it significant that the early SW model was given up by Ebony? The reason may well be that they recognized that the design was not yet perfect. Again, the SW45 is a much better camera IMHO.

[Thingy]

With the Nikkor 65mm lens it could well be a bargain if you don't need rear movements, as a starter LF camera. If you sell it later I would keep the lens!