Hello everybody, I am an interiors and architectural photographer and I moved years ago from my beloved MF and 4x5 view camera and film to the digital arena. I am presently working with a Canon system and the tilt and shift lenses but I am not happy about the quality/flexibility. The next step would be the medium format/tech cameras and digital back but since the costs involved in this operation are substantial it is better to get off on the right foot and ask some advises from you!
I am attracted to the portability and size of the new tech cameras (ALPA, ARCA, CAMBO…) and I think this would be the natural choice BUT there are one important detail = the cost of the lenses.
The same lens can be almost double in price, for example:
CAMBO SK 35mm f/5.6 Apo-Digital XL = $4,800 (approximately)
Not mounted SK 35mm f/5.6 Apo-Digital XL = $2,775
If I am planning to have 3 lenses it’s easy to predict that the difference in costs are close to $7,000 and on top of that it would be much easier to find not mounted lenses than, for example, CAMBO or ALPA mounted lenses for renting.
After this long introduction the point is: Is it worth it to invest in the Arca-Swiss M Two (that, on paper, I really like) and saving money with the lenses (+ easier rental options) or the DB are now so unforgivable in term of focus that it would be better to go with tech cameras? Does the Arca-Swiss have the quality, but most of all, the precision to satisfy the demands of a modern DB? And what about the parallelism of the standards, the possibility for very fine focus adjustments, where a fraction of a millimeter can change everything? I know there is not the “perfect” solution but I really appreciate to know more about this system from professionals that actually use it.
BTW Please forgive my mistakes, English is not my first language!
Max
I am attracted to the portability and size of the new tech cameras (ALPA, ARCA, CAMBO…) and I think this would be the natural choice BUT there are one important detail = the cost of the lenses.
The same lens can be almost double in price, for example:
CAMBO SK 35mm f/5.6 Apo-Digital XL = $4,800 (approximately)
Not mounted SK 35mm f/5.6 Apo-Digital XL = $2,775
If I am planning to have 3 lenses it’s easy to predict that the difference in costs are close to $7,000 and on top of that it would be much easier to find not mounted lenses than, for example, CAMBO or ALPA mounted lenses for renting.
After this long introduction the point is: Is it worth it to invest in the Arca-Swiss M Two (that, on paper, I really like) and saving money with the lenses (+ easier rental options) or the DB are now so unforgivable in term of focus that it would be better to go with tech cameras? Does the Arca-Swiss have the quality, but most of all, the precision to satisfy the demands of a modern DB? And what about the parallelism of the standards, the possibility for very fine focus adjustments, where a fraction of a millimeter can change everything? I know there is not the “perfect” solution but I really appreciate to know more about this system from professionals that actually use it.
BTW Please forgive my mistakes, English is not my first language!
Max