Ordered a Hy6 and Leaf Aptus II 12 today!

[Graham Mitchell]

Ordered a Leaf Aptus II 12, Hy6, waist level finder, 45 degree finder, 6060 film magazine and remote control today! Can't wait for the new toys to arrive

I discovered from a little research that the Hy6 has a quick release plate built into the base as part of the camera. None of the Hy6 owners I've told this to so far knew about it, so I thought I'd pass the information along here. It's designed to mate with a Novoflex Q-BASE. I'll pick one of those up too and test it when the camera arrives. Nice feature, avoiding a point of potential failure/instability.

I also ordered the Hy6 from DHW with the Leaf battery contacts, and I plan to run the back and camera from the one power source. The Leaf battery is slightly higher voltage and may be a more reliable battery for running both the camera and back, but I'll soon know for sure. This is how it really should be - worrying about one battery at a time instead of two, and having just one charger. I'm also hoping this will allow me to run the Leaf back tethered to a Macbook without using an intermediate powered Firewire hub - the Macbook Firewire port is apparently not strong enough to run the back directly.

 

[Terry]

Congratulations Graham. Good luck with it.

 

[Thierry]

Great Graham, very happy for you!

Thierry

Thierry Hagenauer
Alpa Switzerland Consultant

[email protected]
www.alpa.ch

 

[Graham Mitchell]

Thanks

 

[Anders_HK]

Graham,

Great news! Having read your many posts on PQ lenses and Rollei you really deserve this. Assumably it is the Afi-II 12 ??

I am new to Rollei and with Hy6, 80mm 2.8 AFD, Afi-II 12. Stepping to it from Mamiya AFDIII i can say;

Hy6 - Waist level finder with rotatings sensor on 6x6 focus screen is a liberation and revolution of seeing!
- Ergonomics are superior to Mamiya, balance is excellent, and in what feels lighter to hold, less bulky and smaller to carry. The Mamiya simply odd shape...
- Focus is superb, manual focus indicators superior.
- Simple to use.

80mm 2.8 AFD - It is SHARP.
- Important it has character with pleasing bokeh that vary with aperture. It can be smooth, yet in one early shot almost like a petzval!
- This is likely the very best lens I used.

Afi-II 12 - comparing to my Aptus 65;
- Pixels are more, but somehow that is secondary, except individual hair shows. Capture One do not feel much slower at all - remarkable (except import and processing que). C1 zooming is in steps and same number steps to 100% as prior, thus all pixels mean is additional detail per say.
- What really impress is better colors, finer gradation of colors and higher DR. The results are phenominal in appearing more natural, more photographic, less digital, more pleasing rendering and capable at also significant improve to rendering of light in high DR scenes and higlight transitions in landscapes. My Aptus 65 had failed at these... no matter it was superior to all other digital I used...
- Having for landscapes shot film alongside of digital for last six years becuse of Velvia 50 pleasing rendering and colors, Afi-II 12 seem to finally bring similar sensation in pleasing rendering. Not same, but more control.
- My last 5x boxes of 4x5 has sold.

+ tilt screen is really great with waist level finder!

Above is not because new toy to play with. It simply brought me back to the image.

It is a great tool. You will enjoy!

Good luck!

Regards
Anders

---
P.S. Did you order for Leaf battery in handle? Else may I suggest you contact DHW, it is much convenient.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Will start a collection Graham right after I'm done. LOL

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[David K]

Very best of luck with the new kit Graham... sounds like an awesome matchup. I really liked the Hy6 camera, it had it's quirks but I still think it's state of the art. Let me suggest that you make sure the firmware on the H6 is the latest version. Among other things I believe it improved the AF but it had to be sent in to get it done... which I never got around to before switching platforms. I've still got a few Rollei lenses floating around which I will be listing for sale soon. I'll send you a pm before I list them just in case.

 

[Graham Mitchell]

Very best of luck with the new kit Graham... sounds like an awesome matchup. I really liked the Hy6 camera, it had it's quirks but I still think it's state of the art. Let me suggest that you make sure the firmware on the H6 is the latest version. Among other things I believe it improved the AF but it had to be sent in to get it done... which I never got around to before switching platforms. I've still got a few Rollei lenses floating around which I will be listing for sale soon. I'll send you a pm before I list them just in case.

Thanks, David. I spoke to DHW and they said all the new stock they sell has been fitted with the upgrade and has latest firmware.

 

[Graham Mitchell]

P.S. Did you order for Leaf battery in handle? Else may I suggest you contact DHW, it is much convenient.

Yes, I did. Are you running this configuration? If so, are you running the back and camera from the one battery? And if you are doing that, can you work tethered connected directly to a Macbook/Pro?

 

[jeanlucco]

Congratulations Graham, welcome to the Hy6/AFI club. Only few months with mine but will not give away.

 

[PeterA]

Congratulations Graham! - looking forward to your photos and observations. I will check the plate on my new HY6 - haven't noticed before?? I think you will enjoy the Leaf back - the 75 I had produced amazing out of the box colour. let us know what you think of the colour in the new backs.

I have news of my own to share in due course

Pete

 

[Geoff]

Yes, I did. Are you running this configuration? If so, are you running the back and camera from the one battery? And if you are doing that, can you work tethered connected directly to a Macbook/Pro?

I run the back from one battery, camera from the other. The back's battery runs down first, leaving you with a "reserve" from the camera's battery (which uses up very little power).

With one battery, you can start the camera and back together and turn both off together. With using two batteries, you can start the camera and back from one switch, but you have to turn the back off separately. Its pretty clear once you have it in hand.

Congrats. Hope it goes well.

 

[Anders_HK]

Yes, I did. Are you running this configuration? If so, are you running the back and camera from the one battery? And if you are doing that, can you work tethered connected directly to a Macbook/Pro?

Yes, DHW Hy6 with Leaf battery in handle, three year warranty from Hong Kong agent. Have had it just short of two months and a certain keeper. Big step from Mamiya. Hy6 is likely the best portrait/AF camera out there for MFDB. I can say I had no thoughts to get one, but handling one some months back and available stock of DHW Hy6 in Hong Kong convinced me.

I tend to run on both batteries. With only battery in handle it runs shorter time. Have not tried tethered yet, but I imagine should still need the battery in handle to power camera. The big plus is only Leaf batteries and chargers!

Anyone knows of a compact charger for two Leaf batteries???

Regards
Anders

 

[EH21]

Graham,
I run my AFi 12 with just one battery in the grip. I've shot tethered to my mac book pro without any power problems or need for powered hub. The firewire 800 cable itself does present problems shooting tethered as the connections are not as secure as FW 400 were - it will come loose easily from the computer side.

Your comment about built in Q-base had me curious so I looked and I now see what I was missing. The bottom of the camera has both 1/4 and 3/8 screws and so the obvious thing is to just buy a bottom plate and screw it in, however the bottom of the camera is cleverly designed to fit right into this http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/269761-REG/Novoflex_Q_BASE_Q_Base_Automatic_Quick_Release.html - and that is really cool! The part that has the screw threads has arca style bevels in it already - no bottom plate needed! This would save the weight of an additional plate from the camera package and still allow other cameras to fit the tripod because the q=base will take other arca camera plates. Total genius on Rollei's part!

Regards,

Eric

 

[Graham Mitchell]

the bottom of the camera is cleverly designed to fit right into this http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/269761-REG/Novoflex_Q_BASE_Q_Base_Automatic_Quick_Release.html - and that is really cool! The part that has the screw threads has arca style bevels in it already - no bottom plate needed! This would save the weight of an additional plate from the camera package and still allow other cameras to fit the tripod because the q=base will take other arca camera plates. Total genius on Rollei's part!

Exactly, but it's not just the weight saving, it's the removal of one point of potential instability or failure. Plus I like the camera to be as close to the ball head as possible (the further away it is, the more it moves with the same angle of shake. That was a weakness of the 6000 series quick release). I just got a Novoflex plate for my 5DII so that I can easily swap cameras on the head now. Just waiting for the Hy6 to arrive!

 

[baudolino]

I discovered from a little research that the Hy6 has a quick release plate built into the base as part of the camera. None of the Hy6 owners I've told this to so far knew about it, so I thought I'd pass the information along here. It's designed to mate with a Novoflex Q-BASE. I'll pick one of those up too and test it when the camera arrives. Nice feature, avoiding a point of potential failure/instability.

Graham, I've known about the base plate right from the beginning, but be careful, it doesn't work with the usual Arca Swiss clamps - at least most of them, because it is quite narrow. It is designed to be used with the Novoflex Q-base (I think that's what it's called) which is quite heavy for what it is (an over-engineered clamp....) and is not that quick to use. I ended up fitting a standard Arca baseplate on my Hy6 - not so elegant, but works with the RRS clamp that I use on my Burzynski head. regards, Martin

 

[Anders_HK]

Yup, so much for the cleverness when limit to Novoflex and not made slight longer for the Arca which is industry standard! Plus Hy6 does not accept traditional mechanical cable release...

Those are the only quirks I can bring to table. Yet... minor if used for portraits... and mirror lock up button is a breeze

 

[Graham Mitchell]

Plus Hy6 does not accept traditional mechanical cable release...

Not sure I'm following you here. Why would they offer a mechanical release? This is an electronically controlled shutter.

 

[Anders_HK]

Not sure I'm following you here. Why would they offer a mechanical release? This is an electronically controlled shutter.

It can still be designed to accept mechanical shutter release cable, same as Mamiya AFD III etc in the shutter button. Simply is great convenience and far simpler to find and easier/more compact to carry in bag.

 

[Geoff]

There is a Leaf elec shutter cable, pretty simple, which goes in the back, and I guess DHW makes a more complex (and expensive) one that goes in the camera. The Leaf one has worked well so far, and no need for the other cable.

As to the plate... really great design idea - but not sure they optimized on the right plate manuf. No biggie tho.