HOW DO YOU FOCUS WITH YOUR ALPA

[GrahamWelland]

Excuse the nasty iPhone pics & hotel room white balance but this is what I have on my STC. I reverted back to the Really Right Stuff MPR-73 for the base and BPNS-S for the side for rise/fall use. The front horizontal bar of the MPR-73 is relocated to the center settings which makes for a very rigid and twist resistant base.

 

[PeterA]

Jurgen - much better!

Anders interesting link thanks

Graham - I am wondering why you need a plate on the rise fall side? My guess is that you do because that way you can switch orientation of back from landscape to portrait - without taking back off - flipping the camera on to side?

one of the benefits of the Sinar external and Leaf internal rotating back designs directly addresses this issue - and why I am hesitant to sell my Sinar....

 

[Anders_HK]

I can happily testify that both Markins plates and ballheads are very high quality and durable tools .

one of the benefits of the Sinar external and Leaf internal rotating back designs directly addresses this issue - and why I am hesitant to sell my Sinar....

Albeit assuming shimming of such back is made for the horizontal position of sensor, a question is how well the vertical position of such sensor is to equally tight tolerances. Shimming of backs using Alpa system is very exact. Anyone with experience of how the rotating sensors hold up in this regard?

Thanks

Regards
Anders

 

[dchew]

Peter,
The STC has movements in one plane only. In the landscape orientation the back slides left/right, but not up and down. To get rise and fall you have to change the camera orientation with the handle down. Then the movement is up/down.

Dave

...I am wondering why you need a plate on the rise fall side? My guess is that you do because that way you can switch orientation of back from landscape to portrait - without taking back off - flipping the camera on to side?

one of the benefits of the Sinar external and Leaf internal rotating back designs directly addresses this issue - and why I am hesitant to sell my Sinar....

 

[dchew]

Anders,
I think it depends on how it is shimmed and where the alignment issues are. If the only shims used are the complete square shims, then there is a good chance rotation won't matter. However, if trimmed corner shims are used then that might pose a problem depending on where the tolerance is off.

Dave

 

[PeterA]

I can happily testify that both Markins plates and ballheads are very high quality and durable tools .



Albeit assuming shimming of such back is made for the horizontal position of sensor, a question is how well the vertical position of such sensor is to equally tight tolerances. Shimming of backs using Alpa system is very exact. Anyone with experience of how the rotating sensors hold up in this regard?

Thanks

Regards
Anders

...

I have to get an AFi adaptor for my Alpa to do that test...

Thanks to you DChew for explaining the Alpa configuration - for some reason I thought the STC had movements in both direction..

 

[cmb_]

...

- for some reason I thought the STC had movements in both direction..

Here is a visual for you Peter:

Normal orientation for Left and Right Shift

View attachment 40811

View attachment 40812

View attachment 40813


Oriented for Rise and Fall

View attachment 40814

View attachment 40815

View attachment 40816

 

[PeterA]

Thanks CMB - now I 'get' the fuss about the mounting plates..

I think Alpa have been very clever introducing the 12STC ...at the price point they have chosen less than a MAX and a LOT less than an artec ..Alpa are asking the user - well what features do you "really" need and use the most and how portable do you want something versus full movements?

 

[dchew]

Well, I did it:
Alpa STC w/ Rosewood grip
Schneider 43 XL (picked that over the 40 HR because of size & weight)
HPF ring
The new wake-up cable release thingy

Ordered today. Should be here in a week or two except the cable release
Helloooo Dante...

Dave

 

[PeterA]

Congratulations David! (I would have gone for the Schneier 35...)

 

[dchew]

Thanks Peter,
I rented a 35 and it was a little too wide for me, at least here at the outset. I may gravitate that way, but my current favorite 35mm-format lens is a 35mm Zeiss f/2. I have a 21mm and a 24mmTS, but I don't use them near as much for some reason. So I dove in at 43mm.

In an effort to keep this on-topic, I'm planning to use the HPF rings in combination with an IQ back to focus. No ground glass and no laser range-finder.

I may break down and get a range finder, but we'll see how it goes.

Dave

Congratulations David! (I would have gone for the Schneier 35...)

 

[stephengilbert]

I hope this doesn't violate forum rules, but I have an ALPA ground glass and loupe for sale. It's listed on the Buy/Sell section a few weeks ago; I haven't bumped it.

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23318

 

[jotloob]

Well, I did it:
Alpa STC w/ Rosewood grip
Schneider 43 XL (picked that over the 40 HR because of size & weight)
HPF ring
The new wake-up cable release thingy

Ordered today. Should be here in a week or two except the cable release
Helloooo Dante...

Dave

Congratulations to you Dave for the STC . A lovely camera .

You will have to wait a little more for your cable release thingy .
The release device is available , but there is some delivery delay for the sync cables .
I got that info yesterday . I am waiting for the sync cable as well .

 

[David Duffin]

Well, I did it:
Alpa STC w/ Rosewood grip
Schneider 43 XL (picked that over the 40 HR because of size & weight)
HPF ring
The new wake-up cable release thingy

Ordered today. Should be here in a week or two except the cable release
Helloooo Dante...

Dave

Dave, that new camera should be lots of fun. Enjoy your shimming, if you are using a digital back!

You have opted to omit ordering a viewfinder with your STC. How are you planning to frame your shots?

BTW, I didn't order a viewfinder either -- I'm going to try to use an iPhone with Viewfinder Pro app just held manually on top of the camera (using an RDS 90mm, which the app can frame easily) and see how that works out. I opted for a 5-pack of P65+ batteries rather than the wakeup mechanism.

For framing, I will finalize composition on the back with a trial shot or two. If that's not good enough, maybe I'll either get the sport viewfinder or the standard Alpa viewfinder. But if it does work well, a new Alpa iPhone holder may be on order.

 

[dchew]

I am going to use a digital back, so shimming will be the job of the day. As far as framing, I'm going to be on a tripod essentially all the time, so I'm hoping to do without. My rental experiences have been without any viewfinder and I seemed to get along ok, although that experience has been quite limited. I can always add the viewfinder later. I'll be backpacking with this, so I'd like to keep everything as light as possible (hence the 43 XL vs. the 40 HR). Also, I still need to spring for a back, so the pain in my wallet isn't anywhere near over. I'll see if I can survive for a while without the $1,600 viewfinder by shooting and reframing.

I don't have an iphone, so that's not an option for me. Maybe I'll carry around a masked-off plastic slide frame and duck tape it to the top! Alpa would hunt me down if I did that...

Dave

Dave, that new camera should be lots of fun. Enjoy your shimming, if you are using a digital back!

You have opted to omit ordering a viewfinder with your STC. How are you planning to frame your shots?

BTW, I didn't order a viewfinder either -- I'm going to try to use an iPhone with Viewfinder Pro app just held manually on top of the camera (using an RDS 90mm, which the app can frame easily) and see how that works out. I opted for a 5-pack of P65+ batteries rather than the wakeup mechanism.

For framing, I will finalize composition on the back with a trial shot or two. If that's not good enough, maybe I'll either get the sport viewfinder or the standard Alpa viewfinder. But if it does work well, a new Alpa iPhone holder may be on order.

 

[Terry]

Dave - if you watch Paul's video and notice his viewfinder, Alpa will not hunt you down.

go to the 2 minute mark.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzz1IMDkkz4&feature=player_embedded#at=117






.

 

[dchew]

Thanks Terry, that's a much nicer and more elegant solution.

Dave

 

[goesbang]

I am going to use a digital back, so shimming will be the job of the day. As far as framing, I'm going to be on a tripod essentially all the time, so I'm hoping to do without. My rental experiences have been without any viewfinder and I seemed to get along ok, although that experience has been quite limited. I can always add the viewfinder later. I'll be backpacking with this, so I'd like to keep everything as light as possible (hence the 43 XL vs. the 40 HR). Also, I still need to spring for a back, so the pain in my wallet isn't anywhere near over. I'll see if I can survive for a while without the $1,600 viewfinder by shooting and reframing.

I don't have an iphone, so that's not an option for me. Maybe I'll carry around a masked-off plastic slide frame and duck tape it to the top! Alpa would hunt me down if I did that...

Dave

I have both a Horseman SW-DII and an Alpa STC. I normally use both without viewfinders, even when shooting handheld. I just sight over the top of the camera. I have both viewfinders but prefer to work fast and more importantly, light, so I leave them at home.
In any event, the VF's are pretty imprecise, so offer guidance only.
Pretty soon, the Phase One IQ backs will have 3fps liveview, so your screen on the back will give you much better compositional info than the VF. I currently shoot with P45+, P65+ and Aptus 12 backs and find even with these, just shooting a test frame gives me the info I want.
If you keep your head about 1 foot from the camera and sight over the top, noting where the imaginary centreline hits your subject, then shoot a test frame and adjust the imaginary line accordingly, you can get pretty accurate with practice. It's the same principle as sighting a shotgun.
To give you a practical example of this, I am an architectural photographer specialising in construction. I often shoot from a steel basket suspended from a crane atop a highrise building or on a construction barge offshore. As these never stay still (they swing and rotate), shooting from a tripod is impossible. This was one of the reasons I evolved the method above. I haven't missed a shot yet.
Given where the technology is headed with the backs, I'd suggest you put the money towards another lens. After all, lenses make pictures, not viewfinders.

Cheers,

 

[dchew]

Bryan,
Thanks for the post. I'm hoping I come to the same conclusion with my technique / process, and looking forward to seeing how live-view works on the IQ backs. I'm already chomping at the bit to get two more lenses, probably something in the 90-100mm range and a 180mm. But I want to get some mileage under my belt first while renting a P65+.

I'm really curious about how I deal with this focus topic. For me, focusing has always been the limit to my image quality whether using MF or AF, especially with wide lenses. Finally with live-view on my 5DII I can confidently say that constraint is gone. But the tech camera will bring it right back along with narrow DoF...

Helicon Focus will be my friend and wind my enemy.

Dave

I have both a Horseman SW-DII and an Alpa STC. I normally use both without viewfinders, even when shooting handheld. I just sight over the top of the camera. I have both viewfinders but prefer to work fast and more importantly, light, so I leave them at home...

Given where the technology is headed with the backs, I'd suggest you put the money towards another lens. After all, lenses make pictures, not viewfinders.

Cheers,

 

[darr]

Helicon Focus will be my friend and wind my enemy.

Dave,
Be careful of this one too! When I got my Max I learned quickly after my first shoot employing 'Helicon Focus' that it is a different set of latitudes with MF digital. Read up on how others have devised their helicon technique before you use it on the MFD gear. :lecture:

Kind regards,
Darr