My Travelwide camera finally arrived!

I backed the Kickstarter when I was researching 4x5 cameras but I was looking for something portable, even more portable than a Speed Graphic. My friend Hank let me shoot a few of his large format cameras on several occasions so I could learn the different types and understand the basics of large format shooting. Eventually I bought a 4x5 pinhole as I am more likely to shoot a camera if it fits easily into my camera bag.

When my Travelwide (finally) arrived I was surprised at how light and easy it was to carry. I got the Kickstarter kit which included a Schneider-Kreuznach Angulon 90mm lens. It's not fancy, but it does the job and it's light enough that the camera doesn't feel off-balance or front-heavy. I also threaded my cable release through one of the channels located on either side of the camera body. It's a simple feature which makes triggering the shutter easier. I don't have a viewfinder for the Travelwide yet so on my first day out I just used the markings on the helical to estimate focus distance. It seemed to work well.

Here are my first few shots from the Travelwide taken on Ilford HP5+. I had a great time shooting as it's a pretty straightforward camera. I started with the camera on a tripod but found I didn't need it as much and shot the final few sheets handheld. I have a feeling I'll be shooting a lot more 4x5 now that I have this, especially since it fits so easily in my bag.