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After going through two Sinar cameras (F/F2), I decided out of the blue to shop for another system. The Sinar was nearly impossible to backpack so I needed something more compact. A field camera was out of the question since I wanted the stability and movements provided by a monorail. After searching the LF Info Forum for reviews and suitable replacments, I came upon a mention of the Carbon Infinity 4x5, a quasi monorail / field camera made mostly of carbon fiber with ultra light weight metals parts. The only problem was it is one of the rarest view cameras around. As luck would have it I found a used one in Christoph Greiner's shop in 2006.
The camera is a beauty, I haven't had much chance to go hiking with it last year but hopefully I'd have more time to do so this year especially with the ultra-wide 55mm Apo-Grandagon I purchased to celebrate my 30th.
Here's a short review I posted in the abovementioned forum:
Adrian Thompson and Angus Noble, designers of the Team Philips boat, designed the Carbon∞ as the first and only 4”x5” large format camera made from, practically, all carbon fibre components. Eighty-five percent of this camera is made of carbon fiber, the other materials are titanium and aluminum alloy. It was unique in its ability to fold like a field camera into its own compact carbon fiber base yet achieves movements found in monorail cameras.
Though quite a few are turned off by the weight of the camera (3.3 kg), one must understand that the designed aimed to satisfy requirements of stability, full and yaw-free movements, durability and portability. As such the carbon fiber components used are thick solid constructions. An all aluminum construction following the same design and similar strength requirements would’ve been much heavier.
Carbon-fiber composites weigh about one-fifth as much as steel, but can be comparable or better in terms of stiffness and strength, depending on fiber grade and orientation. These composites do not rust or corrode like steel or aluminum. The problem is that carbon-fiber composites cost at least 20 times as much as steel, 5 times more as aluminum. Production of carbon fiber and of the actual composites is labor intensive, slow and expensive.
This explains the high cost (£ 3500 / US$ 6,000) of the Carbon∞ camera when it was launched in 1990. In 1994, the company closed with only a total of 120 Carbon∞ cameras produced.
Had it not been for the recession that hit the 90s, the camera design could’ve been bought by Sinar but it was not to be and perhaps will not be as Sinar has changed gears towards digital photography.
Even today, manufacture of products with high-grade carbon fiber components remain out of reach for mass production. With the current worldwide shortage in carbon fiber and with current supplies biased for aerospace applications, reviving this dream of a camera will remain a dream.
Technical Specifications
• Movements: Carbon∞ has virtually unlimited movement, and totally yaw free, matching and perhaps exceeding those of studio based monorails.
Front Rise: 5.1 cm
Front Fall: 5.2 cm
Front Base Tilt: 90º (marked up to 40º)
Front Axial Tilt: Bellows limited; A 7.5 cm long nodal point mount gives the possibility of lens tilts on the correct nodal point of any lens.
Front Shift: 7.1 cm (right), 1.6 (left); The front standard can be rotated to provide a left shift of 7.1 cm.
Front Swing: Bellows limitedRear Rise: 7.1 cm
Rear Fall: 3 cm
Rear Base Tilt: 90º (marked up to 40º)
Rear Axial Tilt: on film plane, bellows limited
Rear Shift: 6.1 cm (right), 2.5 cm (left)
Rear Swing: on film plane, bellows limited
• Bellows
Maximum Extension: 54 cm (Standard Bellows)
Minimum Extension: 3 cm
Bellows Options: Standard or Wide-Angle Bellows
Front Bellows Opening: 8.4 cm x 8.4 cm
Lens board Size: 11.4 with locking pin
• Film Back
Film Back: Horizontal & Vertical International Back
Ground Glass: Bosscreen for Carbon Infinity
• Focusing rails run smoothly on precision rail bearings.
Coarse Focusing: Slider on two parallel rails with positive push button lock
Focus mechanism: Independent Rack and Pinion with a lever clutch lock on front and rear standards
• Closed Dimension: 26 cm x 27 cm x 11 cm
• Weight: 3.3 kilos
• Others
Tripod Socket: 2x 3/8
Locking pin on lens board, bellows, and film back attach to spring loaded lock on the front and back frames
Spirit Levels: Horizontal & Vertical on Front Frame and Rear Frame; Horizontal on both standards
Materials: Carbon Fiber, Titanium, Aluminum
One Lens (up to compact 210 mm) can be kept inside the camera case when folded.
4 titanium pegs on the film back act as a universal holder for reflex viewing accessories from other manufacturers.
• Optional Accessories:
Bellows Lens Hood System with jointed rod and three Hi-Tech filter slots for use with bag bellows. Bellows lens hood system attaches to the nodal point mount.Studio Kit consisting of a base rail, square bellows, standard with nodal point adjustment, and frame for longer bellows extensions.
Black leather case
picsbymac says:
Edwin Lachica says:
Here's my hiking kit:
Franck says:
Edwin Lachica says:
The toyo 125 is lighter by about a kilo than the Carbon Infinity. A Sinar F on it's own is pain to backpack, the Sinar P is close to torture. ;) Why not an Arca Swiss F-Field? It is also compact monorail and quite light weight and they have moved production in france.