Calumet Cadet Camera Package w/150mm Lens

The kit included not only the 150/6.3 but also a couple of Regal 4X5 film cassettes and a nice professional focussing cloth. I have since bought a changing bag and some more cassettes. Basically the kit, with a good tripod (I use the squeeze handle type), cable release, and a light meter (I use a Nikon Pronea 6i with a 28-80 lens) allows you to proceed directly to large format photography. I haven't used other large format cameras, but the Cadet has most the features of the somewhat to vastly more expensive prestige models, and thus is a nice starter. Calumet also allows you a long-term credit of the purchase price of the Cadet should you trade back to them for a more expensive Calumet view or field camera, which seems to be a nice feature I haven't yet taken advantage of. I've found that the perspective control features are nice, although I haven't used them a lot. If I do a lot more large format, I may well move up to a field camera, either at 4X5 or 8X10, the latter of which would of course allow direct contact printing to 8 X 10 sheet paper or film - nice if you do your own darkroom as I do. Finally, the carrying case for the 4X5 is a true delight - the camera and all its fellow travelers fit nicely in the case, with room to spare for odds and ends, and the case itself is designed to exactly and completely fill an airlines carry-on space (you can put it overhead in the storage bins), which makes traveling with the system really great. I'm actually considering buying a second case strictly for luggage purposes. Finally, I'd note that I found the 150 lens somewhat limiting - it seems in large format as I do it (mostly landscape, scenic, and architectural) that a wider lens is better, so I've bought a Cal-Tar 90/8, which is great.

Great value!
Two film cassettes and nice focussing cloth included.
Neat carrying case (extra $100)
Light weight (can be used on a Bogen squeeze handle head mounted on small/medium format tripod legs)
Purchase price leaves you more money to buy a nice wide-angle or telephoto lens, which is the most important part of a large format system anyway.

Lack of TTL metering, which is also true of most large format cameras and lens systems. This is particularly troublesome when doing macro and one has the bellows stretched out enough that the bellows factor becomes an issue. Here the 35mm or medium format TTL systems with fill-flash are really great. I suppose one can buy digital systems in large format which effectively do TTL, but it wil be a while before they rival they rival the convenience and price of, for example, Nikon 3D matrix metering. I understand that some of the Polaroid backs are popular in dealing with this exposure issue, since one can do trial and error on the spot, and not have to return to the darkroom before seeing whether or not exposure and flash were correct.

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