At the end of last week, a very bad experience happened to me: my Tachihara camera was stolen, together with my 3 Rodenstock lenses and other accessories (including a Sekonic L508 light meter). The story is that the bag (Samsonite brand) containing all these items was stolen from the back of the rental car I was driving in Santiago de Chile. One of the two bad guys pinched my rear tire, and while I was changing it, the other took the bag from the back of the car and ran away. They almost certainly won't even know how to open it, and maybe just sell it as an antiquity... If you ever find a used Tachihara for sale in South America (which is not that common...) please tell me !

Now the good part of the story, I am now looking for a new camera, and also lenses. I am thinking about an Ebony. As I am taking mostly landscapes (with some architecture), what would be the model recommended by the Ebony users present on this forum ? I am tempted by the 45S model, which is simple and lightweight, but the SV45U seems more capable in terms of movements.

Thank you for your help, and sorry for bothering you with such a sad story...

Pierre.

-- Pierre Kervella (pkervell@yahoo.com), March 27, 2002

Answers

If the price doesn't deter you, go for the SV45U, I have owned several different cameras over the years and I really love the Ebony, it truly is the "Leica" of field cameras. I couldn't recommend it high enough.

I purchased mine from Chuck Farmer www.charlespfarmer-photo.com and he is extremely knowledgeable and gives great service.

Good luck and sorry for your misfortune.

Ken

-- Ken Meyers (kmeyers@jps.net), March 27, 2002.

The non-folding concept is great - it would not surprise me if other manufacturers have non-folders in the works as they are simpler in design, and thus probably less expensive to manufacture. 45S, 45SU, SW45, depending on your needs and wallet. Not RSW45, you will miss rear rise. Åke

-- Ake Vinberg (ake@vinberg.nu), March 28, 2002.

I think that Shen Hao is also producing a non folding wideangle model , this cameras are also very simple and look a very interesting alternative, Ebony is the rolls royce of the cameras though!

-- andrea milano (milandro@wanadoo.nl), March 30, 2002.

I bought an Ebony RW45 along with a quartet of Fujinon lenses. I could not be more happy. The Ebony cameras (at least in my limited experience with the RW45) are excellent in all respects. You can get an RW45 from Badger Graphics for $1495.

Good luck with your decision.

-- Robert J. Fox (aa8yo@yahoo.com), March 30, 2002.