I've had my new Chamonix 045n-2 for a couple of weeks now. Having spent some time getting to know its plus-points and foibles, I thought I'd post my thoughts.
There are several reviews of this camera online on various web forums, a video review from Michael Gordon but none are particularly detailed on how to operate the camera itself. There is one - a you tube video review, but it is in Russian ... so no good for non-Russian speakers. Through a variety of sources, not least Jon Butler's excellent posts on FADU, I managed to piece together an understanding of how to operate this camera, most of which is straightforward, but this process was not helped by the lack of a users manual.
The Chamonix Viewcamera website gives all the specifications and purchase options for the 045n-2, so I won't go into those here. Mine is in the maple wood and grey metal fittings.
Build Quality and Finish:The camera is much lighter than I imagined. It is compact, solid and sturdy. Every thing feels like it has been well thought out in design. There are a few finishing flaws that I was not expecting:
- The knurled finish to the focusing wheel is damaged/ untidy. It looks like it has been squeezed too hard by some mole grips or similar during construction;
- There are some quite deep scratches on the carbon fibre bed between the screw threads for the front standard (you can see one of them in the above photo); and
- There are some drips where the wood varnish/ finish hasn't been applied carefully.
All of these points are minor issues, and do not affect the cameras use. If it had been bought from a shop in the UK, I would probably have asked for a replacement as I am fussy about flaws and expect a new product to be perfect. Given the long production times, and that I'd have to return the camera to China, I can live with these. I suppose I can say that they make my 045n-2 unique - I'll certainly know which is mine if it gets caught up in a pile of others.
Aside from those issues, it is a beautifully constructed camera. The metal and wood work are made to exacting standards of fit and functionality. The joins are smooth and firm. Nothing has any give or misalignment leading the user to trust in the camera.
Setting Up:
The camera sets up with ease, and the video review by Michael Gordon above demonstrates this very well.
Focusing:
The Focusing screen comprises a 3 layer sandwich. On the inside is the ground glass with etched grid lines and compositional aids for a variety of 120 roll formats. The middle layer is the fresnel screen and the outer layer is a clear protective sheet.
I have some moire/ newtons rings forming in a variety of places on the screen, which I imagine results from the outer layer and fresnel screen touching each other. It isn't an issue at all when focusing or composing.
Whilst the fresnel does make the screen remarkably bright, I find that there is no clear visual 'snap' when focus is reached, compared to my Shen Hao - even with an 8x loupe. It takes a bit more to-&-fro on the focus wheel to be certain.
Once the camera is set up, focusing is achieved by turning the wheel (on the left of the above picture) which moves out the focusing bed in a smooth action with fine control. The focusing mechanism does not lock, but this is not an issue as there is enough tension to hold it when it is in focus. I really like the way this works, and it compares favourably to the clunky rack and gear type on my old Shen Hao.
Camera Protection:The camera comes with a large tenba wrap-style cloth protector. I find this adds a fair amount of bulk, so is not good if space is at a premium in your camera bag. And, it is a pain to use in the field - especially if it is windy. I find it useful for transit between locations though, and is a welcome addition to prevent scratches and minor dings.
When folded, the front standard is not fixed to anything. I was concerned that it might rattle about a bit and get damaged, but the pressure from the bellows and the camera back hold it in place perfectly still. Even so I bought the leather wrap to make sure the camera stays tightly closed during transit. Ok, so it's also a cosmetic thing and seems to add a certain look to the camera, but it is practical also and helps to prevent scratches to the back. The leather wrap has an adhesive coating to attach it to the underside of the carbon fibre bed. I found this is not sticky enough to hold the wrap in place when the camera is on a tripod. Also, the wrap dangles down behind the camera obscuring access to the tripod controls making it quite impractical.
To remedy this, I've used a stronger double sided adhesive, and incorporated some ties into the wrap to make sure it stays rolled up at the bottom of the camera (see picture below). Whilst the treasury tags I used look a bit make-shift, I wonder if a more aesthetic solution could be used by the Chamonix workshop. It has made all the difference and turned the wrap into a functional item.
One other point on protection, the camera comes with a thin carbon fibre cover for the viewing screen to prevent scratches (see below). This is a great idea, but it is a pig to fit and remove. The key is to lift the back whilst moving the cover. It's hard to describe, but makes sense in practice.
Lenses:
The linhof-type lens boards are held in place with two rotating wheels. They are held firmly in place with no play or give.
Movements:
The front standard is able to be adjusted using tilt, swing, rise and shift. However, the controls for doing so are quite tricky at first. Tilt and rise are set using a shared control, as are swing and shift.
The above picture shows the marks on the front bed to aid centring the front standard for swing and shift purposes. This will need to be done every time the camera is set up. There are no stops, or methods for fine control, so corrections can only be made by eye. I've found that when the front is aligned with the points indicating a parallel alignment with the back, the two standard are actually out of line by about 5 millimetres. I'm finding I get a more accurate alignment if I just compare the front with the back by eye.
The front standard has a sliding lock that allows for rise/ fall to be used without inadvertently using tilt. This works remarkable well, as when unlocked, it is really easy to slightly loosen the controls and apply a little tilt without affecting the rise height.
The rear standard has no rise or shift but does have tilt and swing. It also has a wide depth of forward/backwards sliding for focusing and enabling the use of long and wide lenses. To use this option, loosen the large knurled wheels (either side) on the base (above) and slide. The back is fitted on rails to keep it aligned.
To apply swing, loosen the levers on either side ( one is in the above picture on the right). This allow each side to be pushed forward or back independently swinging the angle of the rear standard.
For rear tilt, slide in the vertical stop (above picture, centre just under screw), loosen the knurled wheels on either side and use the indentation marks as a guide. Again, apart from a sliding stop to use for the vertical position, there are no mechanical stops or fine controls to aid this, so it has to be done by eye.
Overall:None of the negative issues above makes any difference to my overall opinion on this camera. It is superb. I bought it due to its size being so much smaller than my old Shen Hao HZ45. Its versatility as far as focal lengths and use were a bonus. I had to use a recessed board on the Shen Hao to get a 105mm lens to focus to infinity. I'm using a 65mm lens on the Chamonix with a standard board with no issues at all. I have no regrets moving on to the Chamonix. I see the problems above as more of a challenge to me, than a failing of the camera. It has aesthetic, technical and practical appeal to me. I can't wait to start using it more and more.
