The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Hand-held Pancakes

Doppler9000

Active member
Hello,

Does anyone use their ‘pancake’ cameras handheld, or are the handles useful only for mounting the camera, or are they superfluous weight?
 

Paul Spinnler

Well-known member
The TC works well handheld. Some people use the XT handheld although I don’t find this ideal.

The Factum could be used handheld, but it is too big for me and the grip that they make for it is a bit too thin to be comfortable.

The Rm3Di has a grip which makes it useable handheld, but I find only with two hands, its too heavy.

The best cameras handheld for backs are:

Alpa TC
P1 XC
Alpa SWA (dual grip is perfect handheld)
P1 XT - less grip than the SWA

In a way the only shiftable handheld camera in my view is the SWA, followed by the XT.

TC is the best.

Alpa make three grips: a small thumb grip (which is useless), the small one for the TC (really good, can have a leather strap) and the ergo grip; the ergo grip is similar to the one on the TC:

The big cameras Max, Plus, Rm3Di etc. are too heavy to be used handheld - the grip is mostly for setup and handling.

In fact, before the TC was released the Alpa SWA was conceived as a handheld analog camera incl. a viewfinder accessory with its two grip functioning as a stabilizing design.
 
Last edited:

Paul Spinnler

Well-known member
I believe an ALPA STC could be added to this list.
You are right, it works well handheld although I must say with both hands and here the SWA has a bit of an advantage with its dual hand grip design.

I actually sometimes take out the STC like that, but prefer the compactness of the TC and shooting a bit up and correcting perspective in post in case of a building for example.
 

cunim

Well-known member
Can we broaden this a bit? How do you set a pancake so that the images you make handheld are likely to be usable? I end up with junk every time I try this, but your comments suggest that success is possible. How?
 

Paul Spinnler

Well-known member
Can we broaden this a bit? How do you set a pancake so that the images you make handheld are likely to be usable? I end up with junk every time I try this, but your comments suggest that success is possible. How?
1.) Get an X shutter setup - rolling shutter is a problem handheld, even with fast readout etc. -> if you have an IQ4
2) Use the most grip you can get - ie shoot two-handed and use
3) An optical viewfinder
4) Shoot with hyperfocal distance focusing at F8

If you don't have an IQ4, steadiness is even more important, which is why dual grip setups like the SWA or the TC with two grips on both sides are helpful.

In terms of OVF I find the Arca more precise, the Alpa more elegant.

Biggest impediment to use pancakes for handheld are rolling shutter and EVF - manual focusing you could then do.

Let's hope IQ5 has an EVF solution.
 

dchew

Well-known member
You don't need an x-shutter. Copal's work fine.

I've tried it, but I rarely get a good result. Maybe a handful in 10 years.

Dave
 

Paul Spinnler

Well-known member
You don't need an x-shutter. Copal's work fine.

I've tried it, but I rarely get a good result. Maybe a handful in 10 years.

Dave
I forgot copal - as I've moved all lenses to X shutter, you're right, that can work too, although you need to always cock it again, so it is slower.

I found that with the 40HR and 43HR and live view you can do it, but with EVF it would be a 1000x better.

And with the Alpa camera you can add shift sticks to the HPF ring to very quickly focus with your middle finger for example – this already improves manual focusing a lot; as said, the remaining missing piece is the EVF which would transform the TC into a bigger manual focusing "rangefinder" style camera on steroids.
 

4x5Australian

Well-known member
Hello,
Does anyone use their ‘pancake’ cameras handheld, or are the handles useful only for mounting the camera, or are they superfluous weight?
I've used my Cambo WDS 4x5 and WRS 1200 handheld several times whilst braced against walls, barriers and columns.
Handheld is a last resort when the tripod is impossible.

The handle on each side of the WRS does serve to protect the edges of the camera against scrapes.

And I find myself using them whilst adjusting the camera's azimuth.

Rod
 

lookbook

Well-known member
.. should you prefer blurred results, there are some who do that here,
you have great chances to achieve it with handheld technical cameras!!
 
Top