David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 12/17/2009 5:01 AM dadiOH spake thus:

David Nebenzahl wrote:

The single exception I can think of is the Graflex press cameras
(Crown and Speed Graphics), made here in the US and used around the
world up through the 1970s.

Thank heavens they expired

Why do you say that?

I still say that the Crown Graphic (which I have) is the single best
cost-effective way for people to break into large-format (4x5)
photography, even at this late date. They're still available on eBay
for very reasonable prices, along with fantastic lenses. They may not
be all one would want in a view camera: limited movements, no
rotating back, etc. But compared to the Lexuses and Mercedes of LF
cameras, relatively speaking, they're a great deal. And they were
extremely well-made.

The next step would be a Busch press camera, also American-made.

And after Graflex went under, Sakai bought the tooling and continued to make
them for another decade or so in Japan as the Toyo Super Graphic.

I used to think that such things were quaint anachronisms until I found out
what they could do. Never got into large format myself but one of these
days . . .