CAMBO ULTIMA 23 - What do I need?

[haring]

I thinking about building a tilt/shift macro system. I would like to get a Cambo Ultima 23 which I would use with a Phase One digital back.
My questions:

- Do I need to get an adapter to mount my MF digital back on it? If yes, which one?
- How do I trigger the lens?
- Which lens should I get for it?
- Do I need anything else?

Thanks!

 

[kdphotography]

Your shopping list: (see general accessories) http://www.cambo.com/Html/products_photo/Linkedfiles/english/download/Item322/Ultima_23.pdf

http://www.captureintegration.com/cambo/ultima/

 

[Don Libby]

I had the chance to try one of these a couple years ago and what I came out of the experience was that as beautiful, sex as it was it is also a beast easily weighing over 10 pounds when all set up and ready to go. I had serious thoughts of getting this for my landscape work but afterwards felt I couldn't afford to hire someone to pack it for me. The weight was a major factor in my decision not to get it.

Enough about me. You say you want this as a tilt/shift macro system connected to a Phase back.

Do you currently have a Phase back? If so the adaptor will be for whatever camera system you currently use. If not you have several choices to choose from - should you decide you want your back to fit a Mamiya/Phase body then you'll also need a Mamiya adaptor.

You can use the same trigger I use on my WRS which is a Kapture Group One-Shot.

Not too certain on your lens choice - this is where a qualified expert comes to mind and the one I trust is Doug Peterson at Capture Integration.

You last question is somewhat open ended in that you'll need a sturdy tripod and head plus depending on what type of macro images you hope to capture various lights. Again a discussion with Doug is in order.

You might also want to look at a smaller system such as the Cambo WRS or WDS with lens having tilt/shift lensboards. Just a thought.

Don

 

[haring]

I had the chance to try one of these a couple years ago and what I came out of the experience was that as beautiful, sex as it was it is also a beast easily weighing over 10 pounds when all set up and ready to go. I had serious thoughts of getting this for my landscape work but afterwards felt I couldn't afford to hire someone to pack it for me. The weight was a major factor in my decision not to get it.



Don

This is why I love forums! Thanks you for sharing your real experience!

 

[Digitalcameraman]

I thinking about building a tilt/shift macro system. I would like to get a Cambo Ultima 23 which I would use with a Phase One digital back.
My questions:

- Do I need to get an adapter to mount my MF digital back on it? If yes, which one?
- How do I trigger the lens?
- Which lens should I get for it?
- Do I need anything else?

Thanks!

Otto:

I think you would be better off trying to do this with a Cambo X2 system. You could attach your MF camera body or 35mm body like the one you already have teh AFD, take lens off, and then attach a lens like a 120mm Digitar Macro or a 140mm RZ lens works really well. By adding a better lens you can even get better images from 35mm cameras. Tilt the lens to get more plane of focus and swing to achieve greater depth of filed in macro work. Or use it throw the image further out of focus, selectively.

The big reason I find this to work better than trying to use a standard 4x5 view camera is that it you get a great, bright and even view through the AFD camera or 35mm camera body. Also quicker than sliding back and forth. I also think you get a much wider selection of lenses. In fact I have had others buy enlarging lenses and mount to a board and it is ready. Very versatile. And with Phase One backs, or 35mm cameras, you release the shutter from the camera body not the shutter. This now means that you do not have to think of using a shutter on a lens and syncing it to your digital camera system at all because the camera body acts as your shutter. I like to use a remote electronic release on the camera body to shoot with this rig.

Good luck

Chris Snipes
Sales Manager, Florida
Capture Integration
http://www.captureintegration.com

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[Don Libby]

Just one more reason to contact a reputable dealer such as CI! I hadn't even thought of the X2... Save money in the long run for more glass