Final version: HCam Master TS 14-24mm

[wallpaperviking]

Thanks so much for your time and efforts Jack!

Have been waiting for this before placing my order..

The description you gave here

"The camera can then be independently rotated from landscape to portrait, and again anywhere in-between to accommodate the desired body orientation to be level, though this latter combination will require an adjustment of your tripod head to achieve the desired camera body position."

was a little above my head but will just have to check it out when I receive it..

I have an Induro PHQ3 head, any idea if what you describe will work with it?

Is what you describe similar to what is capable with the independent movements of the Canon 24mm TS-E II? I have this lens and could never quite get my head around the movements that were "in between" rise/fall and shift left/right..

That is one thing that I am excited about with this adapter, is that movements will be truly independent.. Shift left/right on the Hcam Master and then rise/fall on the Canon 24mm TS-E lens itself.. Even if I have to "preset" the aperture, will still be welcome.

Am hoping this is also the same in conjunction with a second "Mirex" adapter for other medium format lenses

Thanks again for your time and efforts, greatly appreciated!

 

[daf]

Just bought the canon 16-35 f4 ....
First good news, This lens is really cool !
Bad news, as Stefan already said, no much room for shift about 3mm at both end(16/35) and around 5/7mm at 22mm...but i was aware of that and this Is enough ok for my interior shot(well I have my 24tse/35distagon/55pentax if I need shift)...
But the really good news is that using it with an apsc camera give you sharp(moiré) image at f5.6 even shifted@+10mm on all the range (remember that+12mm of shift in FF is only equivalent of +7mm in apsc).for simple pictures and If you can live with 24mpx and apsc dr...then I highly recommend this combo.

For high resolution, Sony a6000 +10||-10 endup in 25x35mm and 60mpx....that nice, imagine that you can now put 60mpx on the optimized surface(24x36mm) of your otus/art/etc...
and for convenience with the 16-35 you can frame at16mm then just rotate the camera zoom to24mm and start shifting up to 24x336 ending with the same frame. Cool!

I made a stupid and quick side by side comparaion Sony a7r+24tse at f11 +12mm of shift vs a6000+hcam+16-35 at f7,1 +7mm shift....well I have probably done a mistake as they both looks equal with a little advantage to the a6000 combo for sharpness/details, still the a7r has more dr and feel a bit better tonal transition...but I'll make a real test to check.

 

[Jack]

The description you gave here

"The camera can then be independently rotated from landscape to portrait, and again anywhere in-between to accommodate the desired body orientation to be level, though this latter combination will require an adjustment of your tripod head to achieve the desired camera body position."

was a little above my head but will just have to check it out when I receive it..

I'll try and clarify. (Though this is probably one of those situations where it would benefit to obtain the Stroebel book I referenced in the article.) In shooting cameras with movements, we used to use the term "Indirect Movements" when implementing a set of movements without actually being able to do all of them directly. On the H-Cam TS, you do not have both Tilt and Swing movements, only one-axis tilt. However, since I can rotate the camera relative to the lens, I can put the tilt axis of the H-Cam on an angle to the camera's horizontal. Now if I have a tripod head that allows me to re-level the camera to landscape (or portrait), I can now tilt the lens on an angled tilt, which is really the same as a combination of regular Tilt plus Swing, so I have achieved both the Tilt+Swing "indirectly" with one angled tilt movement. Make better sense?

When the Canon to MF lens Mirex arrives, you will have complete view camera movements with these combined adapters betwen a Sony EF camera and chosen MF lens :thumbup:

 

[Stefan Steib]

Hi Jack - folks

Thank you so much for this review, building this stuff and organizing everything to get together and be shipped in time and handle customers is sometimes very time consuming, so I have less time to do stuff like this as much as I would want to do. So it is a real relief to have sombody else doing it - and - doing it so well is even better !

For Jacks explanation about the swing and tilt - he only got he HCamMaster TS without the TS Rail, so I had already thought about this and supplied at least one additional axis of movement compensation with the Tilt part of the TS Rail.

Not quite a full view camera but using it especially in closeup, it will do most of the job especially when combined with the finetuning by the addtional geared shift (for Bracelets, Watches, all small stuff that normally drives you crazy....) and further allows to move along a set complicated movement along the used focus axis by the rail for focus stacking !

My idea was to combine 2 standards of a viewcamera in one standard,
thus making it incredibly portable and compact.

I think people will understand that better once they start working like this with the devices.

As some people will know, I am originally an advertising photographer (mostly tabletopper) and thus I have built what I have always wanted to get , but nobody ever made it.

Greetings from Germany
Stefan

I'll try and clarify. (Though this is probably one of those situations where it would benefit to obtain the Stroebel book I referenced in the article.) In shooting cameras with movements, we used to use the term "Indirect Movements" when implementing a set of movements without actually being able to do all of them directly. On the H-Cam TS, you do not have both Tilt and Swing movements, only one-axis tilt. However, since I can rotate the camera relative to the lens, I can put the tilt axis of the H-Cam on an angle to the camera's horizontal. Now if I have a tripod head that allows me to re-level the camera to landscape (or portrait), I can now tilt the lens on an angled tilt, which is really the same as a combination of regular Tilt plus Swing, so I have achieved both the Tilt+Swing "indirectly" with one angled tilt movement. Make better sense?

When the Canon to MF lens Mirex arrives, you will have complete view camera movements with these combined adapters betwen a Sony EF camera and chosen MF lens :thumbup:

 

[obsolescence]

"Is what you describe similar to what is capable with the independent movements of the Canon 24mm TS-E II? I have this lens and could never quite get my head around the movements that were "in between" rise/fall and shift left/right.."

I will offer an example in architectural photography. I was assigned by an architect to shoot a 6-story square historic building from a low-medium angle of view (not ground level). The only vantage point available was a neighboring two-story building rooftop across the street, and the only accessible clear view from there was exactly at 45 degrees looking toward the corner of the front and one side of the subject.

As we in the biz know, a symmetrical corner shot generally should be avoided, so I used camera movements to alter the proportions and perspective of the front relative to the side.

In the usual manner with my 4x5 view camera set up level and plumb, I selected an appropriately wide lens and used a front rise to include the building, some foreground, and some extra sky in the composition.

Now, the important part. I shifted the lens sideways toward the front of the building and rotated the camera in the opposite direction to correct the composition. This oriented the film plane closer to plano-parallel to the front (more "frontal"), slightly stretching its width and reducing horizontal convergence. The side of the building then appeared to have more "vanishing perspective" (convergence of horizontals) while also becoming proportionally narrower.

The effect was then one of a somewhat more straight-on view of the front and a de-emphasized view of the side, instead of a symmetrical corner shot, even though the camera was positioned dead-on to the corner.

The same thing could be accomplished with a T-S lens shifted up and to the side (shifted and rotated in the direction of the building front). The opposite effect of increasing "perspective" (convergence of horizontals) is useful when photographing one side of a building, making it appear as though it was shot with a wider lens. Of course, the same principle applies to verticals by using a tilted film or sensor plane.

I hope this helps. The rise-fall and shift movements of a technical camera are critical in architectural, even though similar corrections could be done in post production, because the photographer can see exactly what is happening to the image in the camera, taking advantage of the lens image circle while minimizing degradation from stretching and cropping in post. I could show samples, but first I need to figure out the "album posting" system (I am a newbie here). Don't know what "trackbacks" are.

 

[Annna T]

I could show samples, but first I need to figure out the "album posting" system (I am a newbie here). Don't know what "trackbacks" are.

You don't necessarily need to have pictures here in the album : if your pictures are already uploaded elsewhere on the web : just copy their link, then click on the little icon representing a picture above the editing window in which you are composing your message. A dialogue box will pop up where you have to paste that link. Click OK and you are done.

Two caveats : a) the first letters http etc. will already appear in the pop up box, be careful not to have it twice. b) the link should end with jpg to be recognized as a picture (not entirely sure if that one)
There are also other icons above the editing box : if you click on the Internet link icon and paste your picture link in the popup box, it will appear as a clickable link, but it won't show up directly in the Getdpi thread.

I will be happy to look at your examples !

 

[Stefan Steib]

Hi Obsolescence

Yes with an HCam Master TS and a Canon TS-E you will be able to use both movements at the same time, totally independently and with a very large range of movements (the TS-E lenses keep even enough reserve to use them on MF Backs as we proofed with our HCam-B1 Camera).

Only caveat is: you have to use the TS-E lens prestopped down.
Not a big problem for the Sony as the EVF doesn´t care much about this, it compensates for the brightness and shows fokusing indicators, further for a 100% correct focus, a 100% Zoom should be used to set focus points anyway.

Greetings from Germany
Stefan

 

[Jack]

I could show samples, but first I need to figure out the "album posting" system (I am a newbie here). Don't know what "trackbacks" are.

You need to limit your uploaded image size to 1200 pixels longest dimension to eliminate the compression. Full tutorial found here:

http://www.getdpi.com/forum/about-g...w/54-how-post-images-threads-use-gallery.html

 

[Manolo Laguillo]

What about the Leica S, Stefan?
Would you work on the adaptation of the Leica S body to your HCam?
Of course, lenses with a bigger image circle than for FF would be needed...

Thank you for your ingenuity!

Greetings from Barcelona,

Manolo

 

[Stefan Steib]

Hi Manolo

there is indeed a chance we will be able to deliver something also for a Leica S. It will take a while, but there is something coming.

Greetings from Germany
Stefan

 

[Chris Barrett]

Anyone have thoughts on a medium to long zoom with large IC to pair with the Master T-S? Does Nikon's 24-70 have an IC to match the 14-24? The Leica S 30-90 would be awesome but nobody's making any S Lens adapters

 

[Jack]

Chris -- what about the Mamiya 645 55-110 zoom? It will have a generous IC for 35mm frame, is relatively cheap and is a remarkably good lens, even held up well on the 60MP Phase back. Just a thought...

 

[Stefan Steib]

Hi Chris

I have a 645 Mamiya 55-110mm which I use for the longer range TS shots.
As Jack said - works pretty good and even for a budget !

Even shorter alternatives are the Pentax SMC FA 645 33 - 55mm F4.5 AL and the Pentax SMC A 645 Zoom 45-85mm f/4.5

Both with a second Mirex MF to EOS adapter.

Greetings from Germany
Stefan

 

[Massimo]

Stefan,

I have one of the first HCam Master TS adapters (version 1) and would like to understand a problem I have with a couple of adapted Nikon lenses: the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and the Nikkor AF-S D 28-70mm f/2.8, both of which work as expected when using a Novoflex Nex/Nik adapter.

In both instances (between 28mm and about 35mm on the zoom) when mounting these lenses on the HCam via a Kipon Nikon-Canon adapter I observe a very strong, hard vignette, rendering the 14mm unusable an the zoom usable only above 35mm. Contrast this with the flawless behaviour of my Canon 24mm TS-E II and my Olympus 35mm SHIFT ... apparently this is has nothing to do with the lenses' field of view, or the 24mm should not work, being wider than the 28-70.

Why is that, and is there something one can check beforehand in order to be sure a specific lens will not vignette on this HCam version?

Thank you,
Massimo

 

[Stefan Steib]

Stefan,

I have one of the first HCam Master TS adapters (version 1) and would like to understand a problem I have with a couple of adapted Nikon lenses: the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and the Nikkor AF-S D 28-70mm f/2.8, both of which work as expected when using a Novoflex Nex/Nik adapter.

In both instances (between 28mm and about 35mm on the zoom) when mounting these lenses on the HCam via a Kipon Nikon-Canon adapter I observe a very strong, hard vignette, rendering the 14mm unusable an the zoom usable only above 35mm. Contrast this with the flawless behaviour of my Canon 24mm TS-E II and my Olympus 35mm SHIFT ... apparently this is has nothing to do with the lenses' field of view, or the 24mm should not work, being wider than the 28-70.

Why is that, and is there something one can check beforehand in order to be sure a specific lens will not vignette on this HCam version?

Thank you,
Massimo

Hi Massimo

I´m not quite sure if I understand the question correct:
the Novoflex Eos NIK NT adapter is working - but a Kipon EOS NIkon adapter is not ?
?
I know that the differing flange focal distances of the back lenses are crucial on many lenses, and that was also the reason we did
a version 2 with a larger Opening, so we were able to use the 11-24mm with best results.
But for the Nikon AF-S 14-24mm G-ED the version 1 worked perfectly using the Novoflex adapter.

The light has to go crazy angles in this system, but it cannot go around corners.
So maybe you should try the newer version 2 Adapter and see if this can solve your complaints ?

Greetings from Germany
Stefan

 

[Massimo]

Hi Massimo

I´m not quite sure if I understand the question correct:
the Novoflex Eos NIK NT adapter is working - but a Kipon EOS NIkon adapter is not ?
?
I know that the differing flange focal distances of the back lenses are crucial on many lenses, and that was also the reason we did
a version 2 with a larger Opening, so we were able to use the 11-24mm with best results.
But for the Nikon AF-S 14-24mm G-ED the version 1 worked perfectly using the Novoflex adapter.

The light has to go crazy angles in this system, but it cannot go around corners.
So maybe you should try the newer version 2 Adapter and see if this can solve your complaints ?

Greetings from Germany
Stefan

Stefan,

when I mount each lens on the A7R II using the Novoflex Nex/Nik adapter (no HCam) they work OK.
I place a (very slim) Kipon Nikon to Canon adapter on each lens so I can mount them on the HCam, but then the lens-kipon-hcam combination clearly vignettes ... I have no explanation for this behaviour.

Massimo

 

[Stefan Steib]

Hi Massimo

maybe that is the built in " Anti Copy Usage" program of our HCam Master TS ?
as the Kipon is a 100% copy of the Novoflex .....?

Why don´t you do a photo of the front and back side of the two adapters and we compare them ?

Saluti
Stefan

 

[Massimo]

Hi Massimo

maybe that is the built in " Anti Copy Usage" program of our HCam Master TS ?
as the Kipon is a 100% copy of the Novoflex .....?

Why don´t you do a photo of the front and back side of the two adapters and we compare them ?

Saluti
Stefan

Hi Stefan,

the Novoflex adapts a Nikon lens directly to Nex, is "G" lens compatible and does not vignette:

Here are the front and back sides of the Kipon. It adapts a (non "G") Nikon lens to Canon EOS mount:

I wonder ... was the HCam designed to only work with "G" Nikon lenses, like the 14-24mm? Did you ever try a non-G Nikon lens on the HCam?

Greetings from Rome,
Massimo

 

[Stefan Steib]

Hi Stefan,

I wonder ... was the HCam designed to only work with "G" Nikon lenses, like the 14-24mm? Did you ever try a non-G Nikon lens on the HCam?

Greetings from Rome,
Massimo

Hi Massimo

Definitely not. One of my favourite lenses on the HCam Master TS V1 (and now on the V2) is my Nikkor AF-D 2,8/60mm Micro.
as well as the AF-D 105mm Micro Nikkor.

Rule of thumb is: the lens works best on both HCam Master TS V1+2 if the back lens element is as close to the bajonett mount as possible.

And second: as we found out on the Canon 11-24mm, some lenses especially wideangles are a bit more tricky. I can only guess what exactly causes this. But there are lenses where the main lens point is behind (or in front) the actual lens system.

Third: the Nikon Bajonett is even more delicate as it is significantly smaller than the EOS version.

As I said before: maybe you should try the new Hcam Master Version 2 ?

Regards
Stefan

 

[Massimo]

Hi Massimo

As I said before: maybe you should try the new Hcam Master Version 2 ?

I would like to Stefan ... but I cannot justify dumping a perfectly good, expensive adapter only to buy a newer version. If an upgrade fee was available (you told me otherwise, already), or someone in Europe was interested in buying my V1 I would get the new version in an instant, but I'm afraid there's little market for a HCam V1 when the V2 is readily available.