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A day at my dealer - got the 110 LS and tried the Artec

tashley

Subscriber Member
What a morning! My 110 LS has arrived and though I have yet to even mount it on the camera, I promise to report soon. It feels and smells nice!

Tried the Sinar Artec too, which my dealer had got in specially so he and I could check it out now they make a 645 version. I won't be ordering one.... I have been wondering whether to add some TS boards to my Cambo RS or whether to go the whole hog and get the Sinar but truth is, it didn't feel perfectly engineered to me and at that price it should... for example there are tilt indicators on both sides of the body and when one of them was zero'd, one of them slightly wasn't. Life's too short. And it felt bit large and heavy compared to the Cambo, with which I am in general pretty happy. So today I saved money ;-)

Best

Tim
 

cly

Member
I have been wondering whether to add some TS boards to my Cambo RS or whether to go the whole hog and get the Sinar but truth is, it didn't feel perfectly engineered to me and at that price it should... for example there are tilt indicators on both sides of the body and when one of them was zero'd, one of them slightly wasn't.
tim - would you mind to write about more about your arTec impressions? i'll get the chance to put my hands on an arTec shortly but not the cambo RS. (the background of my question: i'm looking for a tech cam, either cambo RS, rm3d, or arTec.) thanks!

chris
 

H3dtogo

New member
Hi Chris, maybe it is worth taking the new Hartblei H-cam into concideration. I will be testing it severely next week I hope and will write my experiances down. After testing the pre production model last month i immediately placed an order. It let me use my 17 and 24mm canon T/S lenses on a digital back, resulting in a tremendous quality and real wide angle. I also used various russian and other large aperture primes on it and was really impressed with the unique look i got. I think, no i am sure, the Hartblei H-cam will rock MF-land as nothing ever did before.
 

jbaxendell

New member
Hi Tim,
I am also researching tech cameras so would be interested to hear your comments. I had ruled out the arTec on price but assumed that the quality was up to snuff.
I'm torn between the Cambo (v.good reputation, some 2nd hand stock, can get TS if required), the AS M2 (cheap lenses, full movements, big) and the rm3d (has tilt, price less than I expected). I'll be interested to see how Chris Barrett gets on with his rm3d and how much he uses each camera when he gets all his lenses mounted.
Can I ask which dealer you are using?
cheers,
John
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
Hi Guys,

I'll try to help but beyond what I've said there's not a lot to add. The Cambo RS, which I have had for a year or so and used really quite a lot with both P45+ and 65+ and Schneider 35XL is a very good piece of kit. It feels 'right' without breathing that Arca Cube feeling of exquisite engineering. It just quietly does what it says it will do. The only gripe with it is that the movement gears aren't lockable. They won't slip at all under their own steam, but they are immensely sensitive to being brushed by the hand as you move the camera around (especially the rise/fall) and this means that quite often you'll think you're shooting with no movements, suddenly realise that you're actually risen 5 and not be quite sure when that happened, which screws up your LCC. I know it's user error but...

The Artec just didn't feel right from the get-go and my dealer felt the same way. It felt like a pre-release (which it can't have been) and frankly, given the need for exact alignment of sensor and lens plane, the fact that the tilt gears on either side of the body disagreed with each other as to when tilt was at zero meant that it was an instant non-runner. But I would also add that the sliding back part of the mechanism had IMHO far too much grease on it's tracks, fully exposed, and I don't want that stuff anywhere near my glass or my sensor or my hands. So though I did take a few frames just because it seemed rude not to, I instantly knew it wasn't a runner. Add to which the Sinar rep knew I would be at the store at nine and didn't show til ten, having taken months to get the damned thing there at all.

HTH

tim
 

markowich

New member
for those who want an exquistely engineered tech camera and are willing to pay the extra, i can highly recommend the ALPA camera system. we have an XY, a MAX and an SWA and all i can say is that they are superb.
top of the pop.
peter

Hi Guys,

I'll try to help but beyond what I've said there's not a lot to add. The Cambo RS, which I have had for a year or so and used really quite a lot with both P45+ and 65+ and Schneider 35XL is a very good piece of kit. It feels 'right' without breathing that Arca Cube feeling of exquisite engineering. It just quietly does what it says it will do. The only gripe with it is that the movement gears aren't lockable. They won't slip at all under their own steam, but they are immensely sensitive to being brushed by the hand as you move the camera around (especially the rise/fall) and this means that quite often you'll think you're shooting with no movements, suddenly realise that you're actually risen 5 and not be quite sure when that happened, which screws up your LCC. I know it's user error but...

The Artec just didn't feel right from the get-go and my dealer felt the same way. It felt like a pre-release (which it can't have been) and frankly, given the need for exact alignment of sensor and lens plane, the fact that the tilt gears on either side of the body disagreed with each other as to when tilt was at zero meant that it was an instant non-runner. But I would also add that the sliding back part of the mechanism had IMHO far too much grease on it's tracks, fully exposed, and I don't want that stuff anywhere near my glass or my sensor or my hands. So though I did take a few frames just because it seemed rude not to, I instantly knew it wasn't a runner. Add to which the Sinar rep knew I would be at the store at nine and didn't show til ten, having taken months to get the damned thing there at all.

HTH

tim
 

PeterA

Well-known member


Strange comments about the arTec ...I found it to be the best engineered tech camera with tilt I have ever used..everything rock solid and smooth at the same time....I would recommend people try one out themselves - now that you can get it in P or H mount as well as Sinar and V ...

I have used Alpa gear for a few years now - and yes fine stuff but the tilt isn't up to arTec standards and neither is the focus with sliding back and inbuilt magnified viewfinder..then again it wasn't designed to be.
 

jps

New member


Strange comments about the arTec ...I found it to be the best engineered tech camera with tilt I have ever used..everything rock solid and smooth at the same time....I would recommend people try one out themselves - now that you can get it in P or H mount as well as Sinar and V ...

I have used Alpa gear for a few years now - and yes fine stuff but the tilt isn't up to arTec standards and neither is the focus with sliding back and inbuilt magnified viewfinder..then again it wasn't designed to be.
Peter,

Have you bought one?! Im really surprised to hear negative comments about it ..... it really is a fantastic camera! of course if there was a dodgy friday arvo example it would be delivered to Tim !!!:)

Cheers JOHN
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
Peter,

Have you bought one?! Im really surprised to hear negative comments about it ..... it really is a fantastic camera! of course if there was a dodgy friday arvo example it would be delivered to Tim !!!:)

Cheers JOHN
Ahh, I was waiting for that one :grin: but don't forget this time was a double-blind experiment: my dealer, who is really, really knowledgeable and doesn't have my ability to attract 'friday arvo' gear, felt exactly the same way...

Unless he's caught something from me over all these years of selling me so much gear... :ROTFL:
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
Strange comments about the arTec ...I found it to be the best engineered tech camera with tilt I have ever used..everything rock solid and smooth at the same time....
Does yours have those greasy tracks? And I'm guessing from what you're saying that you two tilt gears both show zero at the same time?


I would recommend people try one out themselves - now that you can get it in P or H mount as well as Sinar and V ...
I totally agree with that - - these things are so personal and it does seem that with specialist gear there tends to be a higher degree of sample variability than with high volume manufacturing. The Artec has a dream spec and for anyone who tries it and likes it, it should be an wonderful thing to own.
 

jps

New member
Does yours have those greasy tracks? And I'm guessing from what you're saying that you two tilt gears both show zero at the same time?




I totally agree with that - - these things are so personal and it does seem that with specialist gear there tends to be a higher degree of sample variability than with high volume manufacturing. The Artec has a dream spec and for anyone who tries it and likes it, it should be an wonderful thing to own.
Tim,

I have a very small amount of grease on the tracks ...nowhere near the sensor so it does not worry me. As far as the build quality goes " built like a swiss watch"( a very good one at that!) is the way to describe it and it takes great pictures! so I am puzzled by your experience.

Cheers JOHN
 

PeterA

Well-known member
John - I am deciding which mount to get one in I use Sinar and Haselblad and both have their strengths and weaknesses...the lenses I have already chosen all in HR mode with fat image circles.

to be honest though ... I am curently not in the mood to make photographs because the markets are once again entering melt down mode. -:)
 
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