which 4x5 camera can be handheld and shoot polaroid/fuji instant film?

[EricWHiss]

Hi All,
I've been looking for a camera that can take the 4x5 polaroid/fuji pack film for a project but is not too cumbersome that it couldn't be hand held if something like that exists.  More restraints - I kind of want to use a wider than normal lens and don't want to spend too much on the camera because I'll probably not use it much after finishing the project.   Anyone here shooting with one of the polaroid 110 conversions that are so common on ebay?    What about the polaroid 600se or the Fuji FP-1 ( I think these only takes the smaller polaroid pack size?) or what about something like the speed graphic ?    Suggestions welcome and someone has something interesting they are not using by all means feel free to contact me.

Thanks,
Eric

[feppe]

Folding cameras from the late Peter Gowland are very small and lightweight, not sure if they take the types of polaroids you talk about, though.

If you don't get help from here, try largeformatphotography.info forums. They are on sale there and on eBay occasionally.

[douglasboyd]

Speed Graflex, Crown Graflex, etc will do this well.  I believe there are also some Horseman and Linhof models similar to Graflex which will work.  In the case of the Linhof, be sure to it comes with a Graflok back.  There is a special Graflok Polaroid film holder that takes the new Fuji 4x5" instant color and black and white film.  Polaroid never was able to develop decent color instant film.  Only Fuji goes up to the full 4x5 inch size in a film pack which is a pretty useful size for snapshots today.  The only difficulty I have with 4x5 Graflex is finding the adapter from the twin prong flash synch terminals on the lens to a converntional pc connector for modern strobes.  I'm sure there is a good solution out there somewhere, or simply make your own by modifying a cable.

==Doug

[RawheaD]

Speed Graphics for sure.  Unless you mount an Aero Ektar on it, it's very hand-holdable.

Then again, I shoot with an SG with AE mounted on it handheld all the time

Here's a shot using FP-100C45, handheld:


Photographer not in action by Dr. RawheaD, on Flickr

[john milich]

i've got one of these Polaroid 180 kits with close up lenses in pretty good shape I could part with for minimum $

(similar to this ad from the bay (not my ad)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Polaroid-180-Instant-Land-Camera-Case-EXC-/390323451229?pt=US_Vintage_Cameras&hash=item5ae117355d#ht_4728wt_1054

[TMARK]

I used a Littman Single.  Just sold it.  It was the best of the Polaroid 110 conversions.  The Linhof Tech V works really well, the rangefinder is very accurate.  Graflex Super D works really well.

The Gowland cameras are pretty big, if I recall correctly.

[colinb]

Rawhead, I'm off topic and all that, but I think that's astoundingly beautiful. Well done you!

c

[KevinA]

I have one of these http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~razzle/. To be honest I am no longer sure what the point of a hand holdable 5x4 is, chances are you will need to stop down a fair bit to get the depth of field you want, by which time you really need a tripod, then I miss the movements and wish I had a folding field camera. Consequently I shoot on a 6x7 or a Rolleiflex and leave the 5x4 in the cupboard.
I would happily have a Linhof TECHNIKA again, best of both Worlds.

Kevin.

www.treewithoutabird.com

[ondebanks]

Just another idea - have you looked at 4x5 lens-on-a-cone type models? They are solid, compact, and are designed with handles etc.

Cambo Wide, Sinar Handy, GranView, or one of the many Chinese variants (Dayi etc.).
AFAIK all should have a standard 4x5 Graflok back fitting.
Focusing would be by scale focus, if you are not shooting in a manner amenable to ground glass focusing.

[EricWHiss]

All,
Thanks for the suggestions, etc.  I appreciate it.   

 Rawhead, nice photo and wow looks like there's a whole lot of you shooting with the SG and AE combo....  I found a whole website dedicated to that particularly setup.   I see that the crown graphics are much lighter than the speed graphics and can take slightly wider lenses - but don't have the focal plane shutter.   Any further thoughts?

Eric

[EricWHiss]

addendum:

I ended up buying a Speed Graphic kit with three lenses and a fuji pa-45 pack holder.  I am also building a very simple camera using my rollei X-Act2 lenses fit to a board that holds the PA-45.   I bought an auxiliary rangefinder and will set the homebuilt camera to a fixed focus distance for portraits and set the rangefinder to that distance.  Should be really simple but I hope will work okay.  Well one of those two options should work!

Thanks to all,
Eric