I have tried imaging the sun and sunspots with inadequate mount (tripod) and the pictures could have been ok, but the magnification was so great that any focusing action blurred the live-view and subsequently finding optimal focus was too difficult. Lesson learned, lightweight is equal to not enough stable for my purpose.
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Medium Format Ultralight Hiking Kit
- Thread starter anyone
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Thx for trying it out and letting us know.
ggibson
Well-known member
Appreciate the report, too bad the Leki legs don't really work. It makes me wonder whether the Novoflex poles, which are presumably built for this dual-purpose would be less flexible and work better.
Hi,
if the situation is temporary and you are in the USA I suggest you rent instead of buying something right on. The X2D feels more Mf: the beauty and craftsmanship, the default colors that we love, but the Fuji AF is more advanced, the disponibility of lenses and accessories is far better and it's less expensive. The Fuji AF is not what you get with Nikon or Canon, let alone with Sony but it's better than the Hasselblad (the Hassy does not have tracking).
Best regards,
Thank you! I recovered since I started this thread (thankfully) and got both a CFV100c and a GFX100s.
There are two reasons I skipped the Novoflex poles:
(1) They are non-height-adjustable: you will need to always use them at full extension. That also means that the third tripod leg will be fully extended, and the 5 section leg doesn't look all that convincing at full height, at least if we want to use a medium format camera on top.
(2) There is a review on a German page online warning that the pole was breaking while going downhill. That is a no-go and security risk. I won't hike with those.
samogitian
New member
I have both the Fuji GFX 100S and the X2D which I bought earlier those year. I bought the 100S first. Sure, it is more advanced. I haven’t touched it in months. Everything from the image quality to the color to the interface to the build are far superior on the X2D. As far as the imaging quality goes, I’ve never seen anything at all like the X2D. My M series is as close as the 100S, but neither is at the X2D’s level by a long shot.
The S2 automatically does a mirror pre-release lock-up if in self timer mode. Was this also the case here?Speaking of the Novoflex 5 section legs, here's a 4 second exposure with a Leica S and S24mm (NOT a light camera/lens combo). It being an indoor picture, wind was not an issue. It worked quite well.
Matt
The thecentercolumn once tested the most flimsy tripod they could lay their hands on. Might have used a mirrorless camera in electronic shutter mode, since no exterior/interior forces was acting on the camera, the consequent image was indistinguishable from an image taken with a much steadier tripod.
John Leathwick
Well-known member
If I can shift topic a little away from tripods, this might be of interest to some. I've previously posted enthusiastically about my use of Mamiya RZ lenses on my GFX 100S/F-Universalis - I still think that they are great optics, but a back injury necessitating (successful!) surgery encouraged me to rethink the weight of my kit. I've interacted quite a lot on this with Rob de Loe, both as a fellow F-Universalis user, and for his encyclopedic knowledge of how to mix and match various parts to achieve outcomes somewhat outside the square. Long story short, with Rob's input, my standard 4-lens kit plus camera has dropped in weight from 6.3kg to 3.9 kg, a reduction of 2.4kg. The image below shows this lightweight kit with key components as follows:
Optically, these lightweights don't always all perform to 100% of the level delivered by their RZ equivalents, but the differences mostly don't approach photographic significance in most circumstances. The bokeh of the SK 90 and 150 doesn't match that of the RZ Macro 140mm - however, the Apo Digitar 35 is wider than my widest RZ, the 50mm ULD.
Overall, my back greatly appreciates the change, and my photography is able to continue in out of the way places, with at worst a sometimes barely detectable reduction in image quality.
Finally, chapeau to Rob de Loe, not only for his ever surprising mastery of innovation and adaptation, but also the willingness with which he shares it!
-John
- Tenba BYOB 10 DLSR insert - 418 g - fits easily into the top compartment of a Deuter back pack, leaving the bottom compartment free for coat, food, first aid kit, etc.;
- Camera body - 913 g;
- Universalis - 1492 g - note the safety harness, prompted by a past disaster that necessitated a trip back to the factory for repair - Quelle horreur!;
- Top right with rubber band to hold on the caps - SK Apo Digitar 35mm L-88 on recessed board - 269 g;
- Top left SK Digitar 47mm remounted into SK B0 mount on recessed board - 229 g;
- On camera - SK Apo Componon HR 90mm on standard M39 board - 197 g;
- Top centre - SK Componon-S 150mm and M39 adapter - 282 g;
- Hoods x3 - 82 g;
- TOTAL weight - 3.882 kg
Optically, these lightweights don't always all perform to 100% of the level delivered by their RZ equivalents, but the differences mostly don't approach photographic significance in most circumstances. The bokeh of the SK 90 and 150 doesn't match that of the RZ Macro 140mm - however, the Apo Digitar 35 is wider than my widest RZ, the 50mm ULD.
Overall, my back greatly appreciates the change, and my photography is able to continue in out of the way places, with at worst a sometimes barely detectable reduction in image quality.
Finally, chapeau to Rob de Loe, not only for his ever surprising mastery of innovation and adaptation, but also the willingness with which he shares it!
-John
MGrayson
Subscriber and Workshop Member
I always used 2 second delay (which includes MLU) when on a tripod. I sometimes use it hand-held with any camera that supports it.
MGrayson
Subscriber and Workshop Member
John,
Lovely kit, and you clearly know what you're doing. But a word of caution based on my own experience. I bent an SK 35XL out of alignment (and destroyed the mounting plate) by packing it mounted on a Cambo (with center filter attached). Because I'm an idiot.
Matt