I visited Walker Cameras and had a play!!

[Tom Stanworth]

Hi,

After considering a 5x7 camera as a replacement to my 5x4, I visited Walker Cameras. The workshop is little bigger than an ice cream van! As well as a good chat with Mike Walker, I had a tinker with a 5x4 SF and cpomponents for a 5x7 XL. Here are my thoughts...

Mike is a very helpful approachable chap!

The rigidity of the 5x4 SF I played with is nothing short of miraculous. Racked out allthe way it is every bit as stable as my Ebony RSW45 and as much as I hate to admit it, perhaps more so (tho I did not think this possible). There is no slack,play, bend, wobble; everything is tight, but still smooth as you like. I was utterly gobsmacked how solid it was. The ABS plastic is incredibly strong and is not brittle at all, making for a long lasting camera that will clearly withstand a bash far better than wood. Finish overall is very good, but one does not get that same fulffy feeling as with soulful wood for obvious reasons. However, the utilitarian benefits certainly give one another snug feeling. If it gets dirty and dusted with sandy dust from the beach or desert, remove bellows and put it in the washing up bowl! Complete disassembly is easy and quick of you really have to.

I am serously considering a 5x7 XL to replace the RSW 45 giving me bigger negs in mono, 5x4 reducing back with 5x4 chromes, enough movements for basic architecture and rock solid performance. It'll take a 300mm normal or 400mm tele lens, which is 50% up on the RSW45 and a Canham 6x17 back better than anything else on the market. The cameras are so tough and rigid, even this large 6x17 back would not cause any strain or wobble at all. I just need to see if it would fit in my 5x4 bag, how much I could get for the RSW45 and then I think I'll go for it. 5x7 walker for travels (prob with 5x4 packet film I think) and hikes and 10x8 for nearer the car or when I know time will be on my side. Now that I have seen a decent 10x8 neg, the size bug has bitten again, but the 10x8 is not for far flung places I fear. The quality jump from 5x4 to 10x8 is bigger than 6x7 to 5x4 IMHO (and it is physically too), in other words huge! I would be able to use the same films as 10x8 dev'd in the same way (paterson orbital) at cost of 1.5KG over my 5x4, esp as most of my lenses cover 5x7 nicely (90mm Nikkor, 159 Wolly (yet to use) 210 G claron, 300mm Geronar/G claron. I just lack a 110/120.

I digress. These cameras are seriously tough and anyone not wanting to worry about dust, dirt, moisture, knocks and rigidity should really consider them. Apart from Ebony (and Shen Hao) nobody offers this sort of WA performace (no rear movements so great film paralellism from the off) with quick set up of a non-folder and the rigidity of a metal camera. No shit, the SF was MORE rigid than my MPP Mk7...........The only penalty is about 30% more weight, but that brings with it strength and durability way beyond any wood.

More importantly he is an innovative British LF camera maker and it is no bad thing to support him. His cameras are unique and being local to me, I would take great pleasure in supporting him, not out of charity, but because his products merit serious consideration.

At £1250 + VAT, he makes a good value 5x7, which is WAY cheaper than a non folding 5x7 ebony and as good in every respect apart from weight, but then again it is far stronger and I suspect more rigid too. The price difference equates to a whole outfit of used 5x7 lenses!

Tom

[richard littlewood]

Mike Walkers cameras are indeed A1. I use my SF with lenses from 65 to 240 with the same extended bag bellows on, and in some pretty foul northern England weather. Without sounding like a salesman, if you are in the market for a 5x4, 5x7, have a look at his web site.

[WarEaglemtn]

How well will plastic hold up to UV radiation? Will it get brittle or have problems from prolonged exposure?
If it is really cold, in the minus 20 f range and colder, will it have problems? Or if you are in hot climates of 120 f or above, will it have problems?

[John Koehrer]

ABS has been used for matorcycle fairings for years. Somehow I don't see exposure to UV being a real problem. Most of them break by being ground down on pavement or impact with other vehicles at speed.

[Peter Schrager]

I heard yo can run the Walker Cameras through the wash cycle. Take the bellows off first!
Peter

[Tom Stanworth]

How well will plastic hold up to UV radiation? Will it get brittle or have problems from prolonged exposure?
If it is really cold, in the minus 20 f range and colder, will it have problems? Or if you are in hot climates of 120 f or above, will it have problems?

I stands low temps well. Mike managed to break the rear standard of a camera when it was at -40 degrees. He had to hit it wish a 3lb hammer to do so, hard. The first attempt bounced back. No wooden camera could handle that! Very inert too; does not absorb moisture, swell contract as a result etc. Metal parts are surgical stainless. I dont know about UV, but something tells me it would be fine. It seems flexible, yet rigid and hard (so machines well). I saw Mike bend a rear standard in his hands (he really ripped at it). I picked it up and thinking I was exerting a lot of force, it harldy moved. He must have really been violent with it. I did not dare copy him! If I had done what I did to that standard I would have broken anything made from wood, no question. Mike would have reduced it to splinters. I think If I were dealing with extremes, i would consider nothing else. However, the reality for me would be sea spray, water, dust and fine sand horror and being dropped. Lets face it if you can dishwasher it (which you can), it should be fine.

As for UV, ABS is used in all sorts of outdoor applications successfully. I don't think it would be an issue at all (but I am no expert). I am sure someone here could tell us more.

[Baxter Bradford]

This is very interesting and most informative Tom. I appreciate the way in which you make the extra effort to write in full. Pleased to hear that the manufacturer and cameras meet your exacting standards. The prices, specification and quality make for an attractive package.

I had an RSW which broke when the tripod toppled over. I replaced it (along with lots of extra cash) with an Ebony 45SU and have used the rear movements extensively, albeit not for archetectural images.

The non absorbancy of th ABS would be an asset, as the wood does vary with humidity, requiring perodic tweak with a Phillips screwdriver as the seasons change.

In terms of rigidity, so long as the camera is engineered properly with sufficient strength to hold the standards in position, and that they consistently return to this position, the bend tests are not of great importance to me. Cameras are precision tools to cherish, rather than develop upper body physique!

On the weight front, 1.5 kg seems optimistic as it would not appear to allow for the conversion back and not least the extra for the larger DDSs.

Please keep us posted

[eclarke]

Hi,
When were you there?
Mike just emailed me and said my 4x5 was finished!! You were playing with my camera!! 8))..Evan Clarke

As well as a good chat with Mike Walker, I had a tinker with a 5x4 SF and cpomponents for a 5x7 XL. Here are my thoughts...

[Zan]

You guys think walker will ever produce bigger formats? Im very interested in these cams, but I already have a 4x5 that Im happy with..

[Tom Stanworth]

Hi,
When were you there?
Mike just emailed me and said my 4x5 was finished!! You were playing with my camera!! 8))..Evan Clarke

As well as a good chat with Mike Walker, I had a tinker with a 5x4 SF and cpomponents for a 5x7 XL. Here are my thoughts...

Erm, if it was an SF it might just have been yours. Terrible example, shoddy as hell.......he really rushed it as I was there and kept trying to force the wrong screw int the wrong hole and I scored my name on the baseboard

Nope, it may be the one I played with (atop a tripod) Dont worry, all I did was rack it in and out to feel the smoothness and felt for rigidity (sensibly, I own cameras too!). If it is yours, my god it is solid.........

The real bending of the rear standard was done with a raw machined unfinished compononent, not yours. In any case, a truck running over it would have done no harm.

I too realise that as long as standards return to their original position and would not flex under realistic environmental loads is sufficient, but these cameras are something else, believe me! If it fell from a tripod my only concern would be the lens/bellows, full stop.

I also agree that rear movements are handy; I use them on my Zone 6 and use to on my MPP Mk7. However, I have never found my RSW45 deficient in the fileld regar movements; you just need a bigger circle if using front tilts, rather than rear. I personally have never once needed swing in the field, yet.....there has usually been an element of L to R at at infinity which would prevent this being a solution. Tilt and rise and fall is all I need in the field.