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  #21  
Old 26th July 2009, 03:41 PM
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B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
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It certainly looks a very durable and useful camera and I can see why you were attracted - enjoy :-)

Neil.
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  #22  
Old 10th August 2009, 10:56 AM
Paul Owen Paul Owen is offline
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Mike - Not your Walker XL for sale on Ebay UK?
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  #23  
Old 12th August 2009, 09:51 AM
Tom Stanworth Tom Stanworth is offline
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I have the 5x7 and it is incredible. I too have found the Walker the preferable camera over ebony having used the ebony for years (RSW45 and 45s).

You dont know the meaning of the word 'solid' with respect to LF until you use one of these.

PS the 5x7XL can use a 400 tele with ease. Thats gives you a flat pane capability of 72-400, which is more than enough. I got the 5x4 reducing panel to make life easier for when I want to use quickloads.

still, seem to be shooting only 35mm/120 these days. When i am back in civilisation I will be quick to bust out the walker thats for sure. Wonderful and I agree, totally underestimated. Mike W lives down the road from me (when I am in the UK) and you could not deal with a more pleasant or dedicated person. The camera may be plastic, but they are surprisingly impressive to the eye. I was skeptical at first but if I ever go back to 10x8, or even a smaller 5x4, it will be a Walker. I have a suspicion the 5x7 will be all I will ever need, however.
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  #24  
Old 31st August 2009, 06:35 PM
JimW JimW is offline
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Does the lack of movements on the rear standard cause any grief or limitations? I only ask this because I have two options for my home built Arca/cambo 10x8; one is a fixed rear standard, the other is to use the function carrier of the arca toprovide shift, tilt and swing (no rise/fall). It's just that the fixed option is so much more stable...
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  #25  
Old 31st August 2009, 07:05 PM
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Hi Jim, if I may interject. I don't have a Walker Titan but I do have an Ebony SLW810 which has a fixed back. I went with this option for the very reason you mention, stability.
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  #26  
Old 31st August 2009, 08:56 PM
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Thanks Trevor. You dont find it limiting then? As a litho printer for my day job the idea is to get it right first time. I don't want to finish the build job and have to take it apart to do it again. As most of my photography is lansdscape (away from people who are liable to ask me what I'm doing-and as I dont know myself yet....) I think I should be okay. What limitations if any have you found? Thanks for your help.
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  #27  
Old 31st August 2009, 09:47 PM
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Jim, I haven't found the lack of back movements limiting for the type of photography I do. My 4x5 camera has back rise which I do use if I run out of front fall, but this is rare. Lenses designed for 8x10 don't have an enormous amount of coverage anyway. The only limitation I have found is a lack of front shift which I find useful when photography buildings square on and I need to shift viewpoint to the left or right. Most of my photography uses, front rise, fall and tilt.
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  #28  
Old 1st October 2009, 12:06 PM
A Sanderson A Sanderson is offline
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My 10x8 which is the same design as the 5x4 shown at the start of this thread is a dream to use. I have not found the rigid back to be a problem, though I would prefer a little more drop front. Other than that, it is easily the best large format camera I have ever used (and I've used quite a few). Mike is a great guy and a craftsman with a photographic background. so you get a quality product. If you are thinking of buying a camera from him, get in quick as he has other projects which may begin to take up more of his time soon.
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  #29  
Old 13th October 2009, 10:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A Sanderson View Post
My 10x8 which is the same design as the 5x4 shown at the start of this thread is a dream to use. I have not found the rigid back to be a problem, though I would prefer a little more drop front. Other than that, it is easily the best large format camera I have ever used (and I've used quite a few). Mike is a great guy and a craftsman with a photographic background. so you get a quality product. If you are thinking of buying a camera from him, get in quick as he has other projects which may begin to take up more of his time soon.
I nearly bought one of those, but backed out. I have a Sinar 8x10 monorail which works very well, despite being on the heavy side. I still like the Walker 8x10, but would need to sell the Sinar and MPP 5x4 cameras and lenses first.
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  #30  
Old 24th January 2011, 09:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Meal View Post
At the start of January 09 I decided that I wanted to ‘upgrade’ my current 4x5 wooden field camera and sat down to do some serious research into what options were available from the manufacturers of which I was aware.
I had already decided what I wanted and needed out of a camera so straight away that narrowed my choices considerably. After seeing the specs for the Titan XL 4x5 on Mike Walkers website I phoned Mike on the Friday and after a lengthy and very helpful chat I decided that it was the one for me!
Although Mike was busy fulfilling other order commitments my camera was built really quickly and I received it six weeks after I placed the order.



Walker cameras are made out of ABS, which is moulded, matt black/grey in colour and uses stainless steel fittings. One of the benefits for me as a landscape photographer with these materials is that ABS doesn’t expand like wood can in the UK’s rainy climate. The first thing I noticed when I picked it up was how sturdy and rugged it felt.

It weighs 2kg, which is fine for me when I’m hiking.
Being a non-folder it is very quick to set up and use, I can now set up and focus my camera in half the time to when I used my wooden field camera.
To some, the cameras movements may seen restrictive, in fact the rear standard is completely fixed but for me this was another plus point. In the past I had issues with image sharpness. A couple of days ago I took identical images with my old field camera and my Walker, I then printed both negatives and even on 10x8 paper I could see a marked difference in sharpness. I can only put this down to the Walker being made a lot more precisely and having the rear standard completely parallel.
Focusing can be done on both the rear and front standard.
The front standard has rise/fall and swing with axis tilts, which lock tightly, although the front shift is an optional extra but I choose against it.
The camera has bubble levels on the side and top of the rear standard and one on top of the front standard.
The standard bellows has a maximum extension of 190mm and a minimum extension of 47mm. The lens in the pictures is a 90mm f/5.6 Super Angulon and I have had no problems with this lens and the standard bellows although any wider and I think the bag bellows would be a must.
On the rear standard there is an international Grafolk back which unclips at the top to change orientation from landscape to portrait.
The standard screen is a fresnel which gives an extra two stops but Mike didn’t have these in stock so he added a Bosscreen which I think is fantastic at no extra cost. A screen protector is then clipped onto the screen before being packed away.

More pictures and details can be found at www.walkercameras.com

To be honest, I’m like a kid with a new toy at the moment. I really like using this camera, it suites my style of shooting. It hasn’t got that lovely look and smell of a wooden camera but that doesn’t bother me, what is important to me is that I have precise tool which will take great photographs and I don’t think this camera will let me down!
I have recently received my 4x5 Titan XL from Mike Walker. I am still deciding whether to bring it along to the Dartmoor meeting this weekend. My lens is also a 90mm Super-Angulon, but the older f/8 multi-coated version.
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