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Arca-Swiss F-universalis system

zrz

New member
I have been looking into Arca-Swiss F-universalis and really attracted by its modular design and have some questions about it.

Can I change with 4x5 rear set on the system to switch between 6x9 and 4x5?

Is Schnerdier 47xl fittable on the 6x9 set?

Can I use my Schneider 72xl, and Schneider 90xl 6x9 rather than the digital lens shown on their website with both film back and digital back?
 

Boinger

Active member
You can use them yes. But will they have the resolution for digital? The consensus on Dante seems to be no, but never hurts to try imo.
 

4x5Australian

Well-known member
Australian photographer Mark Darragh uses an Arca-Swiss F-Universalis with a 4x5 back. His review of it was published in View Camera Australia, here:

Review: Arca-Swiss F-Universalis 4x5 by Mark Darragh - View Camera Australia


As for the how well the Super-Angulon 72XL performs with a digital back, US photographer Jim Schaefer shoots architecture with a 72XL, Arca-Swiss 4x5 Monolith and an IQ260. He creates highly detailed composite images by stitching up to 20 individual overlapping images within the image circle; typically 6 exposures on 2 rows or 5 exposures on 4 rows.

Jim told me the amount of detail in the final composite images is enormous, and is only hinted at by the images on his Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/jimschaefer0013/
 
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rdeloe

Well-known member
I have been using the Arca-Swiss F-Universalis with the Rotafoot for GFX since late fall, 2022. Here's a working review you might find useful: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R0qfcYfwAEUlJ8LG8GyaCE-7W3Ac3lh3/view?usp=share_link

When you say "Can I use" those lenses, do you mean will they physically mount, reach infinity, and have enough image circle for your needs; or are you wondering if the image quality will be acceptable for your needs?

I don't use mine in the modular way you propose (mixing 4x5 and smaller formats). It's certainly possible, but you'll need two sets of rear standards and two different bellows. You'll likely need a longer rail for 4x5 than you do for digital. You also need to consider which movements you need on the rear standard.
 

zrz

New member
Australian photographer Mark Darragh uses an Arca-Swiss F-Universalis with a 4x5 back. His review of it was published in View Camera Australia, here:

Review: Arca-Swiss F-Universalis 4x5 by Mark Darragh - View Camera Australia


As for the how well the Super-Angulon 72XL performs with a digital back, US photographer Jim Schaefer shoots architecture with a 72XL, Arca-Swiss 4x5 Monolith and an IQ260. He creates highly detailed composite images by stitching up to 20 individual overlapping images within the image circle; typically 6 exposures on 2 rows or 5 exposures on 4 rows.

Jim told me the amount of detail in the final composite images is enormous, and is only hinted at by the images on his Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/jimschaefer0013/
Thank you for sharing these reviews! That is so helpful, will read in-depth for sure
 

zrz

New member
I have been using the Arca-Swiss F-Universalis with the Rotafoot for GFX since late fall, 2022. Here's a working review you might find useful: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R0qfcYfwAEUlJ8LG8GyaCE-7W3Ac3lh3/view?usp=share_link

When you say "Can I use" those lenses, do you mean will they physically mount, reach infinity, and have enough image circle for your needs; or are you wondering if the image quality will be acceptable for your needs?

I don't use mine in the modular way you propose (mixing 4x5 and smaller formats). It's certainly possible, but you'll need two sets of rear standards and two different bellows. You'll likely need a longer rail for 4x5 than you do for digital. You also need to consider which movements you need on the rear standard.
Thank you! I also found your feedback from your blog on DPREVIEW and they are so detailed.

Yes I mean can I physically mount those lenses (especially Schneider 72xl) on 6x7 as the rear parts of the lens are huge for focusing on 6x7? Also is it possible for using these lens on digital back?
 

rdeloe

Well-known member
Thank you! I also found your feedback from your blog on DPREVIEW and they are so detailed.

Yes I mean can I physically mount those lenses (especially Schneider 72xl) on 6x7 as the rear parts of the lens are huge for focusing on 6x7? Also is it possible for using these lens on digital back?
That I don't know (would a 72 XL fit). Have you contacted Arca-Swiss directly? They ought to be able to tell you with certainty.
 

cuida1991

Active member
I have been using the Arca-Swiss F-Universalis with the Rotafoot for GFX since late fall, 2022. Here's a working review you might find useful: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R0qfcYfwAEUlJ8LG8GyaCE-7W3Ac3lh3/view?usp=share_link

When you say "Can I use" those lenses, do you mean will they physically mount, reach infinity, and have enough image circle for your needs; or are you wondering if the image quality will be acceptable for your needs?

I don't use mine in the modular way you propose (mixing 4x5 and smaller formats). It's certainly possible, but you'll need two sets of rear standards and two different bellows. You'll likely need a longer rail for 4x5 than you do for digital. You also need to consider which movements you need on the rear standard.
Great review, and even with citations! It's a pitty that we can't shift more than 28mm with gfx.
 

rdeloe

Well-known member
Great review, and even with citations! It's a pitty that we can't shift more than 28mm with gfx.
That is unfortunate, but there are a couple things to keep in mind:
  • If you're flat stitching for panoramas, you can actually shift more than 28mm because the stitching software will ignore the "black bar" caused by mechanical vignetting from the sensor cavity. If you're making a single frame and need more than roughly 28mm, you're out of luck because of the mechanical vignetting.
  • 28mm on a 33mm x 44mm sensor is actually quite a lot of shift. People using Canon tilt-shift lenses on 35mm film or full frame have been making a living shifting only 33% of the sensor's long edge (12mm divided by 36mm). A shift of 28mm on 44mm is almost double that (64% of the sensor's long edge).
 

rdeloe

Well-known member
Hi Rob, what's the maximium rise/fall you can achieve on the camera please?
The answer depends in part on the camera you're putting on the back. I use GFX with a Rotafoot. There's adjustment room in the Rotafoot to go up or down from the standard neutral position, but if you want to rotate from landscape to portrait, the camera body prevents you using that additional space.

So... with a GFX camera (all bodies but the 100, which needs a special Rotafoot), the Rotafoot is set in its default position. The front standard is set to 10mm rise. The rear standard is in the lowest position. From that starting point, you get the following:
  • 50mm rear rise
  • 10mm front fall
  • 30mm front rise
From this you can see that if you combine rear rise and front fall you can have the equivalent of 60mm of front fall or rear rise.

If I want all the movements to be on the camera, I'd use more front rise to set my starting point. For example, if I rise the front as far as it will go, I can have 30mm of rear fall (which is the same as front rise of course, but then the lens is staying put).

For shift you get 25mm left and right using the geared wheel. There's tons of cheat room though. You can add extra shifting by either sliding the Rotafoot left and right in the clamp (20mm is easily possible), or you can slide the front lens frame left and right in its clamp (also around 20mm).

With a GFX camera, keep in mind that you're only getting 28-30mm of shift/rise/fall with most lenses before you see mechanical vignetting from the top edge of the sensor cavity. To use all this movement room, you need either a medium format back, or a camera with a shorter flange distance so the sensor cavity isn't as deep.
 

Alkibiades

Well-known member
I have been looking into Arca-Swiss F-universalis and really attracted by its modular design and have some questions about it.

Can I change with 4x5 rear set on the system to switch between 6x9 and 4x5?

Is Schnerdier 47xl fittable on the 6x9 set?

Can I use my Schneider 72xl, and Schneider 90xl 6x9 rather than the digital lens shown on their website with both film back and digital back?
I use my F-line with all extrem wide lenses, also with 38XL or 35 XL, 47xl is not a problem. That make the system so nice.
I use the 6x9 to 4x5 converting system with the special bellows that gives you wide and normal bellows in one.
Thats make the arca the smallest and lightest technical camera for 4x5, 6x9 and digital use.
 
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cuida1991

Active member
I use my F-line with all extrem wide lenses, also with 38XL or 35 XL, 47xl is not a problem. That make the system so nice.
I use the 6x9 to 4x5 converting system with the special bellows that gives you wide and normal bellows in one.
Thats make the arca the smallest and lightest technical camera for 4x5, 6x9 and digital use.
Is 23hr and 32hr also compatible with full movement when using digital back and F-line?
 

guphotography

Well-known member
Thank you Rob, that's quite a lot for any back and lens combo I'd imagine!

For 6x7 or digital back, what's the maximum rise/fall you can achieve with this?

Am I right to think universalis gives you more rise/fall than F line 6x9 bodies?

The answer depends in part on the camera you're putting on the back. I use GFX with a Rotafoot. There's adjustment room in the Rotafoot to go up or down from the standard neutral position, but if you want to rotate from landscape to portrait, the camera body prevents you using that additional space.

So... with a GFX camera (all bodies but the 100, which needs a special Rotafoot), the Rotafoot is set in its default position. The front standard is set to 10mm rise. The rear standard is in the lowest position. From that starting point, you get the following:
  • 50mm rear rise
  • 10mm front fall
  • 30mm front rise
From this you can see that if you combine rear rise and front fall you can have the equivalent of 60mm of front fall or rear rise.

If I want all the movements to be on the camera, I'd use more front rise to set my starting point. For example, if I rise the front as far as it will go, I can have 30mm of rear fall (which is the same as front rise of course, but then the lens is staying put).

For shift you get 25mm left and right using the geared wheel. There's tons of cheat room though. You can add extra shifting by either sliding the Rotafoot left and right in the clamp (20mm is easily possible), or you can slide the front lens frame left and right in its clamp (also around 20mm).

With a GFX camera, keep in mind that you're only getting 28-30mm of shift/rise/fall with most lenses before you see mechanical vignetting from the top edge of the sensor cavity. To use all this movement room, you need either a medium format back, or a camera with a shorter flange distance so the sensor cavity isn't as deep.
 

rdeloe

Well-known member
Thank you Rob, that's quite a lot for any back and lens combo I'd imagine!

For 6x7 or digital back, what's the maximum rise/fall you can achieve with this?

Am I right to think universalis gives you more rise/fall than F line 6x9 bodies?
I don't know how it compares to the f line. Can't help you with that.
 

Alkibiades

Well-known member
Thank you Rob, that's quite a lot for any back and lens combo I'd imagine!

For 6x7 or digital back, what's the maximum rise/fall you can achieve with this?

Am I right to think universalis gives you more rise/fall than F line 6x9 bodies?
no, F-line have bigger movements.
the advantage of universalis are very fine movements, that are important for digital work, but not for film.
 

abruzzi

Member
the F-classic 6x9 can offset the front standard 60mm up or down from the rear (the default for the camera is with both standards as low as possible, so I only apply rise--either to the front or to the rear.) I'm pretty sure the F-metric will give you the same amount of rise.
 

4x5Australian

Well-known member
With the current standard 141mm frames, an Arca-Swiss F-Metric 4x5 provides 85mm of geared rise on both front and rear standards (‘function carriers’). And vast lateral shift.
 
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