Walker Titan 4x5 XL review

[Mike M]

At the start of January 09 I decided that I wanted to ‘upgrade’ my current 4x5 wooden field camera and sat down to do some serious research into what options were available from the manufacturers of which I was aware.
I had already decided what I wanted and needed out of a camera so straight away that narrowed my choices considerably. After seeing the specs for the Titan XL 4x5 on Mike Walkers website I phoned Mike on the Friday and after a lengthy and very helpful chat I decided that it was the one for me!
Although Mike was busy fulfilling other order commitments my camera was built really quickly and I received it six weeks after I placed the order.



Walker cameras are made out of ABS, which is moulded, matt black/grey in colour and uses stainless steel fittings. One of the benefits for me as a landscape photographer with these materials is that ABS doesn’t expand like wood can in the UK’s rainy climate. The first thing I noticed when I picked it up was how sturdy and rugged it felt.

It weighs 2kg, which is fine for me when I’m hiking.
Being a non-folder it is very quick to set up and use, I can now set up and focus my camera in half the time to when I used my wooden field camera.
To some, the cameras movements may seen restrictive, in fact the rear standard is completely fixed but for me this was another plus point. In the past I had issues with image sharpness. A couple of days ago I took identical images with my old field camera and my Walker, I then printed both negatives and even on 10x8 paper I could see a marked difference in sharpness. I can only put this down to the Walker being made a lot more precisely and having the rear standard completely parallel.
Focusing can be done on both the rear and front standard.
The front standard has rise/fall and swing with axis tilts, which lock tightly, although the front shift is an optional extra but I choose against it.
The camera has bubble levels on the side and top of the rear standard and one on top of the front standard.
The standard bellows has a maximum extension of 190mm and a minimum extension of 47mm. The lens in the pictures is a 90mm f/5.6 Super Angulon and I have had no problems with this lens and the standard bellows although any wider and I think the bag bellows would be a must.
On the rear standard there is an international Grafolk back which unclips at the top to change orientation from landscape to portrait.
The standard screen is a fresnel which gives an extra two stops but Mike didn’t have these in stock so he added a Bosscreen which I think is fantastic at no extra cost. A screen protector is then clipped onto the screen before being packed away.

More pictures and details can be found at www.walkercameras.com

To be honest, I’m like a kid with a new toy at the moment. I really like using this camera, it suites my style of shooting. It hasn’t got that lovely look and smell of a wooden camera but that doesn’t bother me, what is important to me is that I have precise tool which will take great photographs and I don’t think this camera will let me down!

[George S]

Mike - that's a cute looking camera!

I'm delighted that you are enjoying the Walker Titan XL and that you chose to write this review.

I am on the lookout for a nice portable field camera and I had looked at the possibility of getting a Walker but had not read any recent reviews on it.

I'm particularly attracted by the idea of it being:
1. A non-folder.
2. Rigid back.
3. Bomb proof construction.
4. Not as stupidly dear as the Ebony. oh oh I shudna said that!

Thanks for the review.

[Mike M]

No problem George.
The main reason why I wrote the review was because I couldnt find much info about the Titan 4x5 on the net and I think its a camera which people should definatly know about.
Ticks all the boxes for me anyway!

[richard littlewood]

Mike
I'm a fan of Walker cameras too, and I'm especially chuffed that they are 'made in England'. I have an SF, and I decked it not long ago and if it had been made of wood there would have been some serious repairing to do. Dont know if you ever plan using it in the rain, but that was the appeal for me. However I found I got the screen and the back of the camera too wet, and water got sucked up between the glass and screen - cappiliary action I think it's called. It's no problem to take the glass and screen out to get rid of it, but I found the grid lines were prone to being damaged dead easy. Didn't like the idea of this happening again, so I ran a very small amount of black silicon round the glass and frame on the outside to seal it. It's been wet a few times since and it's good now - a bit more weatherproof!
Have fun with it! They are tough cameras.
Richard

[Mike M]

Thanks for the tip Richard!
The biggest problem I've always thought about when shooting when its showery is just what effect the moisture is having on the shutter, surely it must play havoc with the lens moreso than the camera?

[richard littlewood]

Mike
Quite agree. I think I've pushed it once or twice with lenses getting wet, and I always try to shield them from getting too badly wet, but never had one that suffered (I think!) unlike the camera back.
Richard

[Thingy]

You can keep bellow and lens dry by covering them with your black cloth. I use Ebony's large black cloth which is black on the inside with a rubberized white exterior - good for keeping both cool beneath the sun and dry beneath the wet stuff.

You can see what it looks like by looking at Joanna's avatar though I think she's wearing the smaller version. Mine is like wearing a swirling cape similar to one worn by Count Von Dracula!

[Bip]

look forward to seeing photographs...
Bip

[Joanna Carter]

You can see what it looks like by looking at Joanna's avatar though I think she's wearing the smaller version.

Actually, that is a good old big, heavy Calumet cloth that would absorb more water than it could ever shed, if it rained. Needless to say, I no longer use it

[richard littlewood]

Mike.
I know it's a bit nerdy, but I'm going to go on a bit more about Walker cameras!
You'll find it wears well - the plastic stuff is really stable, and with that expensive paint it wont scuff easily, and it can take plenty of stick without looking at all tatty.
The bellows are waterproof, and dont mind getting wet, then being folded.
Sea spray wont do much either.
Another tweak I did on mine - and even though it's an SF, yours is the same - was to put a weakish spring ( shorteded to about .5"out of an old bike pump) on each of the front rise/fall screws. This means that if I am under the dark cloth I can loosen these 2 screws and the lens wont sink to the bottom of the rails under it's own weight, and I can lift it up, or down and it stays where it stops till the screws are nipped up. I suppose though this may be less important with your camera, as (unlike the SF) you dont have to un-fold it and set it up, and maybe the rise and fall wont be used that much because it's more of a landscapers camera. Who knows!

[vanman]

Sorry Mike,
The camera looks totally unsuitable for landscape photography. the lack of rear movements, especially rear tilt means that the camera design is totally retro. For a landscape image that is in sharp focus from the near foreground to "infinity" you would need rear tilt, and rear swing would be useful at times. Rear shift has also been very useful to me at times. My circa 1912 Ansco, which is more of a portrait camera than a landscape camera has more movements than your Walker.
Large format photography is a slow process, the choice of movements that enable us to control the depth of field that we want in the image, be it wide or shallow, take a time to use and make the neccessary adjustments.
If you are happy to have a minimum of movements and the ability to take photographs quickly you should consider a press camera or going digital with a shift lens.
The bellows draw seems looks fairly minimal therefore restricting the focal lengths of the lenses that you would be able to use. Not every landscape image is captured using wide lenses.
Sorry to be the only contributer to question your choice of camera,
Best wishes,
Vanman

[keeds]

I agree that the rear movements and bellows extension are limited and I wouldn't want to pay that kind of money for camera with those restrictions. But... that's just me. I want more flexibility (whether I need it or not). I'm sure users of Walker cameras have taken those restrictions into consideration and made the choice of less movements for more stability and ease of use. Never worked it out but I'm sure most of my LF images didn't require any rear movements. To say its totally unsuitable for landscape photography is bit harsh. It might not fit your ideal of a landscape camera, but it could (and obviously does) fit other peoples.

[gari]

Front tilt works just as well with plane of focus control, albeit without the looming foreground. I use thr front tilt alot, especially when I don't want that exagerated foreground. As for socal lengths, well I am sure the buyer thought about what lenses they use, I for the most part use 120-180mm, occasionally a 90mm and even less occasionally a 75mm. I have a 240 and 360 that rarely get used, if I didn't use them at all of courss the Walker would be great. So no, not entirely unsuitable I feel.


Gari

[vanman]

Gari,
There are times when you need to get the midground into focus as well as the near ground and "infinity". For this you need to use front tilt, rear tilt and a fairly small F stop (f22 - f 45, more if you're that way inclined).
Try it.
Vanman.

[Joanna Carter]

There are times when you need to get the midground into focus as well as the near ground and "infinity". For this you need to use front tilt, rear tilt and a fairly small F stop

I'm sorry but I have to disagree there. I have never needed to use any rear movements to get the midground in focus; front movements can do that perfectly adequately.

As long as you apply the correct angle of front tilt, when you stop down, the "rear" of the zone of acceptable focus will cover the midground. Take a look at Merklinger's articles on focusing the view camera. In fact, with certain focal lengths, it is possible to apply a minute amoount of front tilt and get everything within an 86° angle, from the hinge point, in focus.

This is a technique I often use to cater for prominent near subjects. See the image entitled "Épave, Toul an Héry" in the slide show at http://grandes-images.com/Grandes_Image ... 007.html#3. this was taken with absolutely no rear movements, simply a minute forward axis tilt - the image is totally sharp throughout.