We have a pre-production Shen-Hao PTB 4X5 Light Weight and you can see photos of it here (http://viewcamerastore.com/pub/shen-hao/).

Final production model should be available in about 45~60 days and should be substantially the same. Most likely additions are bubble levels and indents.

Camera weights 3 lbs. (1.3kg) and feels very sturdy. Bellows draw is 375mm. Workmanship is excellent. We are now taking pre-orders. Cost is $695USD plus shipping.

Fred Newman

That's a very detailed knockoff of the Chamonix. Only the Chamonix uses carbon fibre for the base instead of wood. Being 'inspired' by a design and taking it further I can understand because there are only so many ways to make a view camera, but this seems to be ShenHao's most blatant copy to date.

That's a very detailed knockoff of the Chamonix. ... this seems to be ShenHao's most blatant copy to date.

And the Chamonix is a Phillips knockoff?

And so it goes ...

I do prefer the look of the Chamonix, and am glad I spent the extra $100 for it. However, the wood bottom should be stable enough in 4x5.

Looks like a Chamonix without the spirit level !!! Sorry Fred but not very glamour.

What I dislike at my current shen hao 4x5 is that the back is hung onto two metal clips.
Does this version contain a better mechanism when inserting a sheet holder?
I see that is has changed from the pics.

Will either of these cameras permit folding with the lens board in place?

My Chamonix will - but only with my pinhole board in place! :)

I haven't really found a lens small enough to fit yet, so I would say not on the Cham.

Looks like an interesting design for Shen Hao.. A knock off of a knock off :-) Imitation is the best flattery right. At anyrate, this seems like a steal for a camera like this. I wonder if some of the parts are identical as well??

Could somebody tell me how that's not a FCL? Use small words for my sake please.

Isn't this just a smaller version of the design they use for their 5x7 and 8x10 cameras? I'm not saying that they invented that design obviously, but it seems to me less like a ripoff of a Chamonix and more like they just decided to make the design of their larger cameras available in 4x5. Although maybe the inspiration for that was the success of the Chamonix. Feel free to disagree, I haven't seen their larger cameras in person so I could be totally wrong...

-Dan

PS - It looks like it will be very nice to use regardless.

Well it looks like a nice camera.

OK what is FCL???

http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/product.asp?P_ID=2152&P=ShenHao-FCL810-A-camera

http://cgi.ebay.com/Excellent-SHEN-HAO-5-X-7-Camera-w-Extra-Rails_W0QQitemZ160289497565QQihZ006QQcategoryZ1524 7QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I wasn't aware that Shen Hao made cameras of this design.