Technical Camera Images

[danlindberg]

Lovely photo of the tree, Dan.

Got to love those shimmed ALPA's for razor sharp focus.

I'm about to pull the trigger on an FPS/SWA/Rodenstock/Schneider system and would like to know your general thoughts on the FPS, in terms of performance etc. Have you had occasion to marry up your SWA to the FPS for extra stitch/shift/swing oomph, for example?

Many thanks in advance,
Theo

Thanks Theo!

The FPS is a remarkable body that takes the word flexibility further. With so many lenses, both legacy and new to use in combination with a DB.
I like the fact that I get consistent exposure time no matter what lens I use. This is not the case with my different tech lenses and copal shutters and is actually frustrating at times.

I use a Schneider PC 90 TS lens and the results are very solid, so my thinking is that IF the upcoming PC 28 TS is as good as promised, then I can see myself using those two lenses together with a FPS covering 80% of my work. Although the lenses are quite large, at least the 90 is pretty light. So nice and light and it would fit nicely in a Pelicase.
I suspect that the 28 would only allow for 5 to 6mm of shift but it is better than nothing and I could cheat and keystone the rest in post. Good would be the possibility to tilt for greater sharpness in vast landscapes.

Yes, I have used the FPS + MAX and Hasselblad V-lenses - great fun and it works perfect. Limits being, as usual, on image circle and overall quality of the optics. The FPS + MAX becomes rather heavy and add for instance my Distagon 40 IF and it is a beast, but no doubt fun

I would have liked to be able to use the standard Alpa mount lenses, the 28XL would be sweet, but not a big deal, its just to bolt it on the TC and shoot or the larger bodies if movements are required.

The FPS feels very solid and works flawless, in fact, I have not had a single Alpa hick-up. Quality right through everything. I feel secure working with my gear.

Best of luck in your decision and should you be in south of Spain you are welcome to try out anything I have….

 

[Georg Baumann]

Dan, you are a dangerous man!

I am looking at your work and I despair. Besides your excellent vision, it is such quality that can not be reproduced by any DSLR / lense combination available today.

I can cheat I guess, and use focus stacking and the likes, but there is a difference and I can see that.

From the distance, I come to think that such Alp and Lense combinations with a modern DB is the ultimate one can hope for in image quality.

The effect it has on me is that I feel constrained by the DSLR world and feel like bieng in a cuel de sac. There are attractive new cameras on the market with excellent lenses, different sensors sizes and function on offer, but in way they are all the same.

Reading what you and others say also convinced me that a step into this world requires guidance and learning, the latter has a time frame attached and will require patience to come to the point that one forgets the camera he uses and the technics in his hands, becomes one with that unit and can concentrate on the scene and light, no thinking about the gear required anymore, except perhaps that step to choose the right tilt and swing, which I suppose will become a second nature too with experience.

It appears to be another universe, shooting with technical cameras.

Fantastic.

 

[TheoG]

Dan,

Many thanks for your detailed response and equipment test offer. Very much appreciated.

I had not considered the Schneider PC-TS lenses before but they do look a promising solution.

Does your PC-TS 90 mm resolve to infinity when used directly on the FPS when the corresponding adapter/combination is used or if the FPS is used as a shutter module with your MAX/STC body etc?

Regards,
Theo

Thanks Theo!

The FPS is a remarkable body that takes the word flexibility further. With so many lenses, both legacy and new to use in combination with a DB.
I like the fact that I get consistent exposure time no matter what lens I use. This is not the case with my different tech lenses and copal shutters and is actually frustrating at times.

I use a Schneider PC 90 TS lens and the results are very solid, so my thinking is that IF the upcoming PC 28 TS is as good as promised, then I can see myself using those two lenses together with a FPS covering 80% of my work. Although the lenses are quite large, at least the 90 is pretty light. So nice and light and it would fit nicely in a Pelicase.
I suspect that the 28 would only allow for 5 to 6mm of shift but it is better than nothing and I could cheat and keystone the rest in post. Good would be the possibility to tilt for greater sharpness in vast landscapes.

Yes, I have used the FPS + MAX and Hasselblad V-lenses - great fun and it works perfect. Limits being, as usual, on image circle and overall quality of the optics. The FPS + MAX becomes rather heavy and add for instance my Distagon 40 IF and it is a beast, but no doubt fun

I would have liked to be able to use the standard Alpa mount lenses, the 28XL would be sweet, but not a big deal, its just to bolt it on the TC and shoot or the larger bodies if movements are required.

The FPS feels very solid and works flawless, in fact, I have not had a single Alpa hick-up. Quality right through everything. I feel secure working with my gear.

Best of luck in your decision and should you be in south of Spain you are welcome to try out anything I have….

 

[TheoG]

Thanks Theo!

The FPS is a remarkable body that takes the word flexibility further. With so many lenses, both legacy and new to use in combination with a DB.
I like the fact that I get consistent exposure time no matter what lens I use. This is not the case with my different tech lenses and copal shutters and is actually frustrating at times.

I use a Schneider PC 90 TS lens and the results are very solid, so my thinking is that IF the upcoming PC 28 TS is as good as promised, then I can see myself using those two lenses together with a FPS covering 80% of my work. Although the lenses are quite large, at least the 90 is pretty light. So nice and light and it would fit nicely in a Pelicase.
I suspect that the 28 would only allow for 5 to 6mm of shift but it is better than nothing and I could cheat and keystone the rest in post. Good would be the possibility to tilt for greater sharpness in vast landscapes.

Yes, I have used the FPS + MAX and Hasselblad V-lenses - great fun and it works perfect. Limits being, as usual, on image circle and overall quality of the optics. The FPS + MAX becomes rather heavy and add for instance my Distagon 40 IF and it is a beast, but no doubt fun

I would have liked to be able to use the standard Alpa mount lenses, the 28XL would be sweet, but not a big deal, its just to bolt it on the TC and shoot or the larger bodies if movements are required.

The FPS feels very solid and works flawless, in fact, I have not had a single Alpa hick-up. Quality right through everything. I feel secure working with my gear.

Best of luck in your decision and should you be in south of Spain you are welcome to try out anything I have….

Hi Dan,

Many thanks for your detailed response and equipment test offer. Very much appreciated.

I had not considered the Schneider PC-TS lenses before but they do look a promising solution.

Does your PC-TS 90 mm resolve to infinity when used directly on the FPS when the corresponding adapter/combination is used or if the FPS is used as a shutter module with your MAX/STC body etc?

Regards,
Theo

 

[Sarnia]

I've recently set myself up with an Alpa TC + Schneider Apo-Digitar 47mm (decentered) lens. My MFDB is a Leaf Aptus 75 and the results I'm getting from this over that of my Mamiya AFDii is, frankly, startling. Zero CA, 100% edge-to-edge sharpness. For such a small package it punches way above its weight. The results I'm getting remind me of what my DP2M delivers.

I had the 47XL decentered as this makes it a poor man's shift lens. I'm going to add the Schneider 24mm XL and then I reckon I'm sorted.

If, like me, you're not a 'technical shooter', don't be afraid of using a technical camera. I look upon my Alpa TC as an - albeit expensive! - point and shoot camera. Leaf backs are always on so there's no faffing. Simplicity itself.

 

[stephengilbert]

"Faffing?"

 

[Sarnia]

Erm, okay.. No fiddling around. Set the aperture, set the shutter speed, cock the shutter, click. Simple. No faffing.

 

[Georg Baumann]

I look upon my Alpa TC as an - albeit expensive! - point and shoot camera.

I guess some would not hesitate to use a 900 years old japanese Katana to open a bottle of water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4TiiNhehzA&feature=player_embedded

 

[GrahamWelland]

Erm, okay.. No fiddling around. Set the aperture, set the shutter speed, cock the shutter, click. Simple. No faffing.

When it comes to no faffing about, you'll love the 24XL on the TC. You won't even need to worry about focusing with that lens combo. Just make sure that you have the centre filter for it though.

:thumbs:

 

[danlindberg]

Dan, you are a dangerous man!

I am looking at your work and I despair. Besides your excellent vision, it is such quality that can not be reproduced by any DSLR / lense combination available today.

I can cheat I guess, and use focus stacking and the likes, but there is a difference and I can see that.

From the distance, I come to think that such Alp and Lense combinations with a modern DB is the ultimate one can hope for in image quality.

The effect it has on me is that I feel constrained by the DSLR world and feel like bieng in a cuel de sac. There are attractive new cameras on the market with excellent lenses, different sensors sizes and function on offer, but in way they are all the same.

Reading what you and others say also convinced me that a step into this world requires guidance and learning, the latter has a time frame attached and will require patience to come to the point that one forgets the camera he uses and the technics in his hands, becomes one with that unit and can concentrate on the scene and light, no thinking about the gear required anymore, except perhaps that step to choose the right tilt and swing, which I suppose will become a second nature too with experience.

It appears to be another universe, shooting with technical cameras.

Fantastic.

Thank you Georg I can assure you that once you get smitten by not only the image quality but also the purity of the whole photographic process with a tech setup - there is no going back to anything else. Technical excellence is one part, but there is more to it than that….

 

[jotloob]

Thank you Georg I can assure you that once you get smitten by not only the image quality but also the purity of the whole photographic process with a tech setup - there is no going back to anything else. Technical excellence is one part, but there is more to it than that….

I could not agree more .:thumbup:
That is what I call : Back to the roots of photography with precise and excellent gear .

 

[Georg Baumann]

Technical excellence is one part, but there is more to it than that….

I usually shoot in solitude, however, on a rare occasion I was shooting with a well known celebrity photographer for 10 days. His way of working was very different, as he literally chased around all day and I perceived it as a certain nervousity in the process of shooting. Kinda "Time is Money" or a "30 minutes walk in the Zoo" feeling was left with me and I realized how different my way of approaching photography was.

Nothing wrong with chasing though, it was not my way.

Photography and Zen is perhaps best to describe how I feel about it.

 

[Georg Baumann]

Hi

Here is a first infrared shot with the RSAE, converted P45+ HR/70 5 degree Rise - 1 degree tilt - f 11 iso 100 1/30 sec

Hi Phillip,

You have a IR converted P45+? I had no idea such exist.

If I may, I find the tonality a little strange, the stone in the front, and those in the middle are somehow incoherent to my eyes and both seem not to fit with the IR look of the leaves. None of the wonderful trees can be seen in total, they are cut off. Then again, I did not look at too many IR photographs so far, it might just be my inexperienced look at it.

I know the choice of frame from long ago, personally I am not too fond of it becuase I find it very distracting. That is not to say that it would not work on other pictures of a more graphical and abstract nature, but may be not so much in sorta busy pictures?

It is an interesting approach Phillip, but perhaps the person on the left is not placed in a way that benefits the picture overall?

 

[Sarnia]

When it comes to no faffing about, you'll love the 24XL on the TC. You won't even need to worry about focusing with that lens combo. Just make sure that you have the centre filter for it though.

:thumbs:

I was thinking of using the Alpa digital centre filter Digitalcenterfilter.com

 

[danlindberg]

Hi Dan,

Many thanks for your detailed response and equipment test offer. Very much appreciated.

I had not considered the Schneider PC-TS lenses before but they do look a promising solution.

Does your PC-TS 90 mm resolve to infinity when used directly on the FPS when the corresponding adapter/combination is used or if the FPS is used as a shutter module with your MAX/STC body etc?

Regards,
Theo

Yes, focus reaches infinity on the FPS. In fact, with an overthrow which means that you must make an infinity test and mark your exact position on the focus ring when lens is zeroed. But the overthrow is brilliant when using lots of tilt which ultimately means even better dof control.

I have very very carefully 'calibrated' (or rather made my own more detailed focus scales and positioned them in the correct position) my 4 Hassy-V lenses. Spot on nowadays…

 

[TheoG]

Yes, focus reaches infinity on the FPS. In fact, with an overthrow which means that you must make an infinity test and mark your exact position on the focus ring when lens is zeroed. But the overthrow is brilliant when using lots of tilt which ultimately means even better dof control.

I have very very carefully 'calibrated' (or rather made my own more detailed focus scales and positioned them in the correct position) my 4 Hassy-V lenses. Spot on nowadays…

That's excellent news, Dan.

Many thanks,
Theo

 

[danlindberg]

Photography and Zen is perhaps best to describe how I feel about it.

Indeed. I have most of the time been out in nature alone. I do believe I make my best work when alone, but lately I have started to enjoy company as well. I have regular 'mini-workshops' meaning 1-3 enthusiasts coming along for a full day outing - and I have grown to enjoy these days a lot.
Ofcourse my own photography is non-existent those days since I am all concentrated on the enthusiasts wanting to learn something, but nonetheless very enjoyable days.

Anyway, here's a handheld shot at dusk on my way back to the car high up in the mountains. Wide open and 1/15 with no support…..:loco: But not too shabby…..

 

[photomgraphy]

some recent shots from the new "Campus of the Vienna University of Economics and Business"
really remarkable bunch of international architects involved here ;-)

 

[Shashin]

It is the Star Fleet headquarters on Earth!

 

[Ken_R]

Awesome images! That project is stunning!