Question re Brooks Veriwide 100

[sooner]

I stumbled across a fairly modern looking Brooks Veriwide 100 with 47mm Angulon lens on the Bay, but when I search for this camera only the much older version is discussed. Anybody know anything about this camera? Is the lens the same on the black/newer body as on the older one? Is it an okay lens? Also, isn't that lens a little wide for the 6x9 format, like 21mm equivalent on 35mm? I'll admit to being thrilled at discovering some of these cameras, including the Razzle conversions, that don't sell for thousands like some of the better known brands like Horseman. Does anyone have comments on the quality of the Razzle 6x9? One just sold at auction for $649, something I could aspire to afford......Thanks. -Sooner/John

 

[Bryce]

I have a Brooks Veriwide, the type you've found for sale. Mine is an 'XL' model with 47mm F/8. Newer versions were available with an F/5.6 lens.
I love mine, in fact paid nearly $1300 for it from B+H and haven't been sorry.
It isn't something you're likely to shoot handheld, the shutter release just isn't accessible. That's too bad, because it would be very shootable otherwise.
You've probably noticed the beastie is pretty primative- winding and shutter cocking are separate, shutter release is pretty much via cable.
It is called an 'XL' because it is compatible with Graflex XL parts. You can buy a back adapter that will let you use a Graflok 2x3 back on it if you're so inclined. I've thought about doing that to make it a little more compact since I backpack the thing to very very rough places.
The lens is faultless with one exception- light falloff in the corners is quite noticeable and can overpower slide film's latitude. I use mine for B+W and just cope with it, but for slide film a center filter would be really nice.
21mm perspective is too wide? Buy something else! I went out of my way for something nice and wide with a 120 size negative, and it was either this or a Mamiya 7 or a Pentax 67; the Veriwide fit my budget and needs better.
See my post in the "Ilford Challenge" thread for a couple of sample images, shot less than a week ago. Both of the abandoned ship images were taken with that camera.

 

[sooner]

Bryce, thanks for your information. Actually, I don't think 21mm is too wide, just surprising because it seems most MF cameras aren't so wide--as you point out. I love my Fuji GA645 but I am hankering for a bigger negative and something a bit wider, without having to pay $3k for a specialty camera. I'll have to start watching for bargains.....

 

[Bryce]

I'm sure I paid more for mine than I had to, but FWIW it showed up on time, in nearly new condition, and works like a charm. If you're willing to take a risk, I'm sure the price of entry could be much lower.
Either way, I hope you find something to scratch your wide itch. As I said, I haven't been sorry in spite of having paid more for it than any other piece of photo gear.

 

[Doug]

There are a few other fairly-common solutions to medium-format wideness... for instance the 45mm f/4.0 for Pentax 6x7 with a 89° angle of view. And a similar effect with the 35mm f/3.5 for Pentax 645, and I believe one other 645 SLR offers a 35mm too, maybe Mamiya. Then there's the Hasselblad XPan, which takes 35mm film but the frame is 65mm wide arguably bringing it into the MF camp, and there's a 30mm for it as well as its 45mm.

 

[sooner]

Thanks, Doug. I'm on a slippery slope here. I definitely don't want an Xpan because I can't afford it and scanning is a problem. Besides, I can buy a much cheaper 6x9 and crop to get more negative for the same effect. But there's also a much bigger size difference in the cameras. I would prefer a hand-holdable solution, which suggests a folder 6x9 except for the wide angle need, or maybe a Fuji GSW with the 65mm lens. Then again, the Veriwide and Razzle cams have a cool factor I can't deny!