I really hesitate to post this query... but here goes:

[kit laughlin]

Just supposing that you knew someone whose favourite WA range was 18-24mm (135 EFOV); that they needed a standard lens, and that they used a 85-90mm EFOV for portraits, AND you heard that they were thinking that it might be time to experiment with a MF back. As well, you know they owned C1Pro6; and they didn't need more than ~20–40MP (but wanted as physically large a sensor as possible, to keep the wides, well, 'wide',) what would you recommend to this hapless soul (who has abandoned hope!) as a starter kit?

Seriously, I am considering going into this, now that the new IQ backs are out and so many second-hand backs are on offer. I would shoot this system tethered in the studio or on location for the architectural work; but I would still use the Sony for the John Deere location work and the faster stuff.

I have been thinking about this as a result of shooting a bunch of instruments in the studio; getting perfect focus (and the difficulty of using the Focus Mask tool with a DSLR with an AA filter, plus the fact that focus can only be assessed after making an image with the Sony) is one of the reasons I am thinking about this.

I don't mind if your impulse is to recommend against this course of action, either!

What I would like from the members here is a kind of 'pros' and 'cons' list of the system that they recommend. Assume complete ignorance of the digital MF world (though had film MF cameras in the day)

cheers all, Kit

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Need to fire up Dantes inferno here. Be back with some thoughts

 

[Don Libby]

Oh boy! Can't wait to see how this turns out...

Good luck Kit - As I shoot nothing but a tech camera now I'm going to stay out of the way.

Don

 

[GrahamWelland]

Hold on to your wallets ... this should be fun to watch. I predict everything from AFD II/P20 & 28-150mm glass through to 645DF/IQ180 & LS glass starter kit recommendations! (or Hassy equivalents) :watch:

 

[H3dtogo]

This is my preferred architecture kit: HcamB1 with my Hassieback, the fabulous 17mmT/S and 24mm T/S from Canon and the great 80mm Hartblei with Zeiss optics. I have had the Arca Rm3d, various Sinar and Cambo sets but nothing beats this set. And in studio all i have to do is use some great Hasselblad or Zeiss Jena glass, or canon, Nikon, Pentax, Mamiya, Minolta, Leica, Zeiss... lenses.
Nothing can beat this camera configuration.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Kit is one of my favorites around here.

Okay bud you just fell into the devils pit.

First your a C1 guy so your choice here are Phase and Leaf and actually I am leaning towards Leaf Aptus 10. Reason being is its a wide sensor.

Now let me go back my P40+ crop sensor with a 28mm in reality a 22mm 35mm Full Frame and i love this combo and have done some great interiors with it and they look awesome. But for this maybe a tech cam would be better and highly recommended BUT BUT BUT BUT BUT BUT. He is the big but I know for a fact that you will probably want to even use this for your John Deere stuff. Lets face it you are shooter a lot like me where diversity is king. I have the Sony too my friend but my Phase kicks its living butt and I know if you have a MF system you be trying to move it in this area as well and before anyone gets going on the tech cams, Interior kind of work I wanted to remind you of this right off the bat no matter if you have the Sony's and the MF system you will always be trying to puch the MF kit into The Sony area. I know i do this daily too. I want to use my Phase kit on everything and simply let the Sony's be backup or do stuff that is risky or not wanting to take my PHase kit. So that is my first warning is you will want to push this into everything. So you need to be careful on your decision here.

You can certainly get a P45+, P40+, Aptus 10 and get a tech cam and simply knock them out of the park but it also puts some limits on as i just laid out above you may want this for everything. This is something you may have to decide going in as well. Now there are plenty of used backs out there and at some great prices as well. So lets explore which direction you want to take this first. But my warning of the day is this may turn to be PRIMARY system than secondary.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Just want to show you a 28mm Phase lens . These are on a P25+ which you can get used hard to get but very cheap today. This is a 9 micron sensor which is good for interiors but a 6 micron would be better for more general purpose. AKA P40+ and Leaf Aptus. Help me here guys Leaf 6 micron sensors ?

 

[GrahamWelland]

Help me here guys Leaf 6 micron sensors ?

Leaf: 6 micron for Aptus II 8 (same as P40+) and 7.2 micron for Aptus II 7 & 6 (Aptus 65/75 too).

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Thanks Graham I knew you had the answer to this.

Whats the Aptus 10 and i think this is wider 3:2 sensor which to me maybe a great interior sensor to have.

 

[dougpeterson]

You're a goner. Dante's fires burn bright (but don't worry, MF gear can handle it with it's high dynamic range).

Leaf tech data.

Guy: the Aptus-II 10 is 6 microns, same as the P65+, but made in a 3:2 format so a hair less resolution (56mp rather than 60mp). Aspect ratio is completely a personal choice, some people are going to view the 3:2 of the Aptus-II as a big plus, others as a minus. It is the only (modern) game in town if you want 3:2 (native) in medium format.

Illustration of the size (and aspect ratio) of some of the Leaf options (vs. FF dSLR format)

Few bad options in MF - just a matter of finding the one that fits you best. I spent the weekend with my grandmother and uncle so I can't give you a long reply but thought I'd chime in with those links.

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
__________________

Head of Technical Services, Capture Integration
Phase One Partner of the Year
Leaf, Leica, Cambo, Arca Swiss, Canon, Apple, Profoto, Broncolor, Eizo & More

National: 877.217.9870 *| *Cell: 740.707.2183
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[BJNY]

This is my preferred architecture kit: HcamB1 with my Hassieback, the fabulous 17mmT/S and 24mm T/S from Canon and the great 80mm Hartblei with Zeiss optics. I have had the Arca Rm3d, various Sinar and Cambo sets but nothing beats this set. And in studio all i have to do is use some great Hasselblad or Zeiss Jena glass, or canon, Nikon, Pentax, Mamiya, Minolta, Leica, Zeiss... lenses.
Nothing can beat this camera configuration.

Thank you VERY much for posting, H3dtogo.
I've been curious about this camera since its announcement.

Batteries and charger packed separately?
The motorised slide works well?

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Thank you VERY much for posting, H3dtogo.
I've been curious about this camera since its announcement.

Batteries and charger packed separately?
The motorised slide works well?

I know these look pretty neat too and been wondering about the kits and pricing.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

You're a goner. Dante's fires burn bright (but don't worry, MF gear can handle it with it's high dynamic range).

Leaf tech data.

Guy: the Aptus-II 10 is 6 microns, same as the P65+, but made in a 3:2 format so a hair less resolution (56mp rather than 60mp). Aspect ratio is completely a personal choice, some people are going to view the 3:2 of the Aptus-II as a big plus, others as a minus. It is the only (modern) game in town if you want 3:2 (native) in medium format.

Illustration of the size (and aspect ratio) of some of the Leaf options (vs. FF dSLR format)

Few bad options in MF - just a matter of finding the one that fits you best. I spent the weekend with my grandmother and uncle so I can't give you a long reply but thought I'd chime in with those links.

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
__________________

Head of Technical Services, Capture Integration
Phase One Partner of the Year
Leaf, Leica, Cambo, Arca Swiss, Canon, Apple, Profoto, Broncolor, Eizo & More

National: 877.217.9870 *| *Cell: 740.707.2183
Newsletter | RSS Feed
Buy Capture One 6 at 10% off

Thanks Doug those charts are really helpful for us. I agree some love 3:2 and some dislike it. Myself I like 4:3

 

[Jack]

I'll toss in a wrench:

P45+, DF body, 28, 80LS for flash synch when/if needed, and a 150/3.5 to save money. Of course the lens kit will bloat as soon as you convert your first set of raw files! :ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:

 

[kit laughlin]

Oh dear.

:ROTFL:

I knew it was going to be like this! I will have to ask for translations of some of the acronyms, and I am format-independent (I like 4:3 as well as 3:2). I can see there are some advantages to 3:2 in landscape orientation, but not enough to eliminate the 4:3 options. I am travelling over the next days, and will read all this today and check back.

One of the reasons I started this thread is that there really isn't anywhere else an MF beginner can get the real skinny, from people who actually work with their tools.

Guy, I can understand completely your suggestion re. moving as much of my work as possible over to MF—but this could be difficult for some of the JD stuff if I had to work tethered; imaging standing on a slippery, just-debarked huge log, up to your waist in forest debris, shooting handheld and keeping an eye out for the machinery doing the felling (you've seen some of the shots!). That seems to be DSLR domain, at least for a while. It's dangerous work and it requires nimble footwork, sometimes. Other JD work definitely can be done MF off a tripod.

I'll stop here for now. Also, I did secure the U S O-1 work visa, and have workshops in my other day job planned for the second half of the year, and one is in Arizona... I am hoping that I might be able to meet some of you in person, which is something I have wanted to do for years. And I might just go home with a MF kit... Thanks to everyone who has replied so far, and I will work on understanding all the suggestions!!!!

 

[kit laughlin]

Jack: very interesting suggestion. I am guessing that my existing 35 and 55 Mamiya lenses will be usable on this body (excuse my complete ignorance here; I got these plus the Mirex T/S adapter for the Sony)? More tomorrow!

 

[dick]

Oh boy! Can't wait to see how this turns out...

Good luck Kit - As I shoot nothing but a tech camera now I'm going to stay out of the way.

Don

A tech camera is a very sensible option, as you can use shift-and-stitch to use the full image circle of your lenses and make them wide when you need to.

With a "proper" tech cam like a Sinar you can quad or hex stitch without spending thousands on a sliding back.

 

[kit laughlin]

Dick (and Don), I have decided exactly nothing yet, and I am guessing that any back that one chooses will be the biggest purchase part of the overall cost—and I assume the same back could be used on a conventional camera body as well as a tech camera, so please elaborate as time permits. Cheers, KL

 

[KurtKamka]

Kit, my only piece of advice is to keep one hand on your wallet.

Other than that, don't be afraid to try anything and everything before you buy. Everyone has different shooting styles and gear preferences. With such a range of MF backs and gear out there now (as opposed to 3-4 years ago) you can probably find something that produces images that will excite and challenge you.

Good luck!

 

[dick]

Dick (and Don), I have decided exactly nothing yet, and I am guessing that any back that one chooses will be the biggest purchase part of the overall cost—and I assume the same back could be used on a conventional camera body as well as a tech camera, so please elaborate as time permits. Cheers, KL

You can buy a Sinar for £1,000, but that can be the thin edge of the wedge, as the whole cost of a Sinar camera (without the digital back or any lenses) can be £10,000.

The Sinar P2 has plenty of movement for stitching, and a simple adapter can be relatively inexpensive, but you would normally need live view or a sliding back.