Pre-Owned - Pan-Field 4x5 Large Format View Camera w/ Schneider Kreuznach Apo MC Symmar 150mm f5.6 Copal 0 Lens
The Pan-Field 4x5 Large Format View Camera is a rare, precision technical field camera designed by the late architectural photographer Andrew Meintjes in Johannesburg, South Africa. Introduced in the early-to-mid 1990s, it functions as a highly rigid hybrid between a traditional field camera and a studio monorail system.
Key Specifications & Design
- Design Philosophy: Built specifically with architectural and commercial automotive "rig-shot" photographers in mind. It prioritized extreme stability and generous front rise over traditional folding compactness.
- Weight & Body: Features a durable, metal-body construction weighing approximately 1.9 kg (4.2 lbs). This makes it significantly lighter and more solid than many standard monorails while retaining comparable stiffness.
- Bellows System: Outfitted natively with a neoprene bag bellows to maximize flexibility when shooting with ultra-wide-angle lenses without binding. An optional extension kit allows for a second bellows to support longer telephoto lenses.
- Lens Compatibility: Uses standard Technika-style lens boards to easily mount large-format shutters and lenses.
Schneider-Kreuznach APO-Symmar 150mm f/5.
The Schneider-Kreuznach APO-Symmar 150mm f/5.6 is a highly regarded, professional-grade large format lens designed primarily as a standard "normal" lens for 4x5 view cameras. Celebrated for its legendary German engineering, apochromatic correction, and exceptional edge-to-edge sharpness, it is a staple for landscape, studio portraiture, and architectural photography.
Technical Specifications
- Focal Length: 150mm (equivalent to a standard ~50mm lens on a 35mm/full-frame sensor).
- Maximum Aperture: f/5.6 (provides a bright ground-glass image for easy composition and critical focusing).
- Minimum Aperture: f/64.
- Optical Design: 6 elements in 4 groups.
- Shutter Size: Copal #0.
- Angle of View: 72°.
- Image Circle: 220mm at f/22. This massive image circle easily covers the 4x5 format and leaves generous room for creative camera movements like tilts, swings, and shifts.
- Filter Size: 58mm (varies slightly depending on the exact generation, such as the later "L" series).
- Weight: Approximately 250g (8.8 oz).
Key Performance Benefits
- Apochromatic Correction (APO): Minimizes chromatic aberration (color fringing), ensuring perfectly aligned color wavelengths for pristine color fidelity and micro-contrast.
- Multi-Coated (MC) Optics: Features advanced multi-coating to aggressively minimize internal reflections, ghosting, and lens flare when shooting into harsh lighting.
- Compact and Lightweight: Its small physical profile makes it a favorite for outdoor field photographers who need to pack light without sacrificing image quality.
