Technical Camera Images

[diggles]

Thanks for all the info, Warren.
Currently I have an Arca-Swiss F-Universalis for my CFV100 back. I only use it for indoor/studio shots, but I think it would do quite well with the 200mm.
I've been hemming and hawing over whether to invest in the Rm3di or the Pico for shorter lenses in the field.
After reading Victor's experiences above (thanks Victor!), I think I may move towards the Pico.

David

The Pico sure does seem like a nice setup. It sounds like Arca only makes adapters for up to the 120mm focal length, but if you are ok with a DIY setup coupled to the HBLD adapter I see no reason why it would not work on the Pico just like it does on the Rm3di.

 

[vjbelle]

From my trip to Glacier NP. Came along this on one of the numerous hiking trails in the park. I got to use compound movements and thought the result was worth the effort.

AS Pico, 40mm HR, 5mm fall, 1.5 degrees tilt (from memory) 3s, f8.

Victor B.

 

[DNN]

The Pico sure does seem like a nice setup. It sounds like Arca only makes adapters for up to the 120mm focal length, but if you are ok with a DIY setup coupled to the HBLD adapter I see no reason why it would not work on the Pico just like it does on the Rm3di.

Warren
Since you have the Rm3di, you will have R-mount lenses. The Pico takes them in this mount as you know. Interestingly, you can cobble together the tubes from the rear of a number of the R-mount lenses (just remove them from the lens board or use the already removed tubes if you are already using the rota-mount. I imagine you could easily use up to a 210mm (maybe longer, but that's the limit for R-mounted lenses on the Rm3di. You would need to self-mount a R-mount if longer) as long as you have enough tubes.
Rod (Arca) sent me an image of such a setup where he took the rear tub
Don

 

[DNN]

Warren
Since you have the Rm3di, you will have R-mount lenses. The Pico takes them in this mount as you know. Interestingly, you can cobble together the tubes from the rear of a number of the R-mount lenses (just remove them from the lens board or use the already removed tubes if you are already using the rota-mount. I imagine you could easily use up to a 210mm (maybe longer, but that's the limit for R-mounted lenses on the Rm3di. You would need to self-mount a R-mount if longer) as long as you have enough tubes.
Rod (Arca) sent me an image of such a setup where he took the rear tub
Don

...tubes and used a longer lens on the Pico

 

[DNN]

From my trip to Glacier NP. Came along this on one of the numerous hiking trails in the park. I got to use compound movements and thought the result was worth the effort.

AS Pico, 40mm HR, 5mm fall, 1.5 degrees tilt (from memory) 3s, f8.

Victor B.

View attachment 216127

Victor - are you removing the bellows while its in a backpack(?) or how are you carrying the Pico.
Thanks
Don

 

[vjbelle]

I much prefer to disassemble especially for potential safety - assembly and disassembly is very fast. A fall could inflict lots of damage to an assembled view camera. The size of the Pico allows it to easily be carried in a variety of backpacks. It's not that it couldn't be carried completely assembled but best practices for me would require it to be placed in a backpack long side down to distribute weight.

A lot of times when using the Pico from my car I'll just lay the camera on its side on the front seat on top of a thick towel fully assembled including the bellows.

Victor B.

 

[shfoto]

A recent shot of a massive mural painting in Basel. It is apparently the largest of its kind in Switzerland. Bell - a large meat company - invited a few artists to paint the back wall of one of their factory buildings.


Cambo 1600 | IQ3 100 | SK 60 XL | f11 | 1 s | two images stitched horizontally

 

[John Leathwick]

Two tree peony flowers reopening after overnight rain = GFX 100S/F-Universalis/Mamiya RZ Macro M 140mm - 10 images stacked with Zerene Stacker.

I'm never too sure whether an image like this belongs in the technical camera thread or the medium format images thread, but this one required front tilt and swing and rear rise, so I figure that its relying on technical camera functionality.

-John

 

[Doppler9000]

John -

Did you adjust focus manually for the stack?

Did you adjust the floating element frame-to-frame?

 

[John Leathwick]

John -

Did you adjust focus manually for the stack?

Did you adjust the floating element frame-to-frame?

I've experimented with various approaches, but find that what gives me the most consistent results is to (i) fix the camera position and lens tilt, swing etc., (ii) focus on the closest point of the subject, (iii) adjust the floating element for the degree of extension, refocusing if necessary, and (iv) take a set of images adjusting the focus in between each by racking the rear standard forward in sub-millimetre steps. This seems to work both at the scale in the image above, and when getting in close to 1:1 (below), as the small steps that I move the rear standard result in progressively smaller shifts in focus as I approach 1:1. Here's an example that I shot last week - a diminutive forest orchid (Corybas) that is less than 30mm in height to the top of its hood. This was shot with a Schneider Apo Componon 90 HM - I find the Mamiya is too heavy for back country trekking.

-John

 

[Doppler9000]

Very nice - thank you for taking the time to explain.

I assume you would tske the 140mm if it was lighter.

How much do you think you are giving up by using the 90mm HM?

 

[John Leathwick]

Very nice - thank you for taking the time to explain.

I assume you would tske the 140mm if it was lighter.

How much do you think you are giving up by using the 90mm HM?

MY S-K 90mm is in an enlarger lens mount that has a 5-sided aperture. This makes the bokeh a bit harsh, particularly if there are bright specular highlights when they can become ugly. By contrast, the Mamiya Macro 140mm behaves impeccably, with arguably the best transitions from sharp to OOF of any lens I own (as in the peony photo above). In addition, its floating element allows it to perform well over a very wide range of working scales. I would take it every time if it didn't weigh about 5x the weight of the SK 90...

-John

 

[Doppler9000]

MY S-K 90mm is in an enlarger lens mount that has a 5-sided aperture. This makes the bokeh a bit harsh, particularly if there are bright specular highlights when they can become ugly. By contrast, the Mamiya Macro 140mm behaves impeccably, with arguably the best transitions from sharp to OOF of any lens I own (as in the peony photo above). In addition, its floating element allows it to perform well over a very wide range of working scales. I would take it every time if it didn't weigh about 5x the weight of the SK 90...

-John

Thanks, John. That is very interesting and helpful.

 

[rdeloe]

I'm not a mushroom specialist, but I think this is russula cremoricolor in its young form. I'd never seen one of these before, but it's part of the story I'm working on so including it seemed important.


Schneider-Kreuznach APO-Symmar 100mm f/5.6 on an Arca-Swiss F-Universalis with Fuji GFX 100S.

The catch is my outfit isn't really made for this kind of photography. "Can get very close to the ground" is not on the list of strengths of an F-Universalis! Fortunately, the C1 Cube has this covered.



One of the nice bonus features of an Arca-Swiss F-Universalis is you can actually drive that rear standard well off the rail to get extra extension. As long as the gear in the rear standard (or "function carrier" in Arca-Swissish) is on the geared track, it's sturdy. My 150mm APO-Digitar works fine without a long bellows or rail because of this feature.

 

[Whisp3r]

Hi all, it's been a while. So, I've been trying to find time and subject matter. This photo was made yesterday, around 16:00, sun on the front-left. It shows the 'Blue Towers', an office complex in Ghent, Belgium. Ghent doesn't really have any high-rise buildings. No particular architectural merit for these particular buildings but I had a lot of fun walking around for a bit in order to find an angle that only shows the towers, the water, and some greenery. Shot on Arca Swiss RM3di, IQ4, using an SK 60XL. -10mm shift, and +5mm rise.

 

[P. Chong]

First test image of an attachment I bought to use the GFX on the Sinar. This is a 3 panel stitch by moving the GFX which mounted on the rear standard left and right. Image is a bit soft because I shot at wide open f/4 on the Nikkor SW 90mm f/4 large format lens.