Shenhao PTB617
The PTB617 is a folding field camera for the 6x17cm panoramic format, made by Shanghai Shenhao.[1] Shenhao also makes the non-folding TFC617 cameras for this format. The PTB617 is smaller when folded than those cameras are when fully racked in, and quite a lot lighter. It has comparable bellows draw; it has slightly less rise and shift movements at the front, and no rise at the rear; but good tilt and swing.
Like the TFC617-A and -B, the PTB617 is made from black walnut wood, with aluminium alloy metal parts. The structure of thecamera is quite different, however. It is like that of the Shenhao PTB45, or the Chamonix 045N, or the more recent models of the Intrepid.
The rear standard is mounted on two horizontal arms, slotted front-to-rear, which fasten to the base board with a single wide knurled knob on each side. The rear standard can be let back to extend the bellows by slackening these knobs; it also allows swing simply by different extension on each side. The standard is mounted via a bracket which allows base tilt.
The front standard is mounted in a square aluminium yoke, which allows rise/fall and axis tilt. The yoke is mounted on a narrow board set between metal guides in the middle of the base. A single knob fastens the front yoke to the board, and may be put in one of several holes to vary the extension. Slackening this knob also allows shift or swing at the front. The board is racked forward and back for focusing, with a worm gear attached to a wide focusing knob at the rear, below the ground glass screen.
As on the TFC617 cameras, the ground glass hinges down to allow the film back to be attached. It uses the same NSH617 'Art Panorama' film back as the TFC617 cameras, for four exposures on 120 roll film.
There are two shoes on top of the rear standard, in the centre and at the left end, presumably for optical finders. The camera also has a leather handle.
