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Cambo Actus and CFV-50c

jlm

Workshop Member
just got the Actus DB version today and am in the process of mounting lenses, etc, and will follow up with pictures later.
the DB version differs a bit from the regular by adding a (removeable) riser beneath the front standard.
Mine came set up for the hasselblad V mount back. For this Cambo provides a camera mount plate which can be clipped in to the camera in portrait or landscape orientation, leaving the back attached to the plate. (two flip levers on the camera are the releases) works great.

a few details so far:
focus action has a quick slide and a fine focus, fine enough to set focus with a 28mm lens, using the mag function on the back. the lenses are mounted sans helicoid, and the 28 moves closest to the sensor at inf focus, yet still clears adequately, though i have still to test with tilts. there is a settable stop on the monorail, so you can position it to avoid collisions of rear element and sensor when the widest lens is at infinity

pair of levels supplied on camera

live view is essential, so CMOS is best.

all the movements are smooth and have click stops at zero, however:
back standard: rise and fall are geared, but no scale, has detents every 5mm? of so. shifts also have detents and a scale but are push, no gears. both have locks. i think i can add a little scale
front standard: tilt is goniometric (horizontal rotation axis near lens centerline), +/-5 degrees with scale, geared with detent at 0, and has no lock. same for swing, vertical rotation axis on lens centerline

bellows attaches with rare earth magnets, quite slick

bottom monorail has arca style grooves, fits right into my cube, and can slide toward/away to image, so setting nodal points for panos is easy

so far i am trying out the rodie 32 and 28 lenses, eventually will keep the 32 and will get a 60. (got the like new 28 in a trade (with cambo WRS mount), expecting to try it out, but thinking it will be too wide for me, even with the crop factor)

hooking up the CFV-50c is direct: sync cable from shutter to back, set back to flash sync; with live view enabled, you want the max aperture for better focus, so ND filters might help in bright light, but seemed to work fine. the rodie lenses are not as huge as i was expecting, and they are beauties

info will keep coming as i get more time
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
If you'd like to make a comparison to the Arca Univeralis our office would be glad to host you. It would be good to see you again.

We're pretty psyched that both Arca and Cambo have come to market with view cameras truly rethought for digital. Their previous dSLR/DB options pale in comparison.

 

jlm

Workshop Member
i did view the Universalis at photexpo in NYC; different approach; my preference was the Actus.

maybe better the Arca better addressed in it's own thread ;)

Michiel:
more camera pics to follow, hope to get outdoors with it over the weekend. still monkeying around with making staircases, so playing hookey has to wait a bit

noted a detail on the anti-collision stop: the way it is fitted, it only limits the motion of the quick focus sliding portion of the monorail, but not the slow focus portion. therefore, the way to set it is to run the slow focus all the way forward to it's stop, then carefully move the quick focus portion forward to achieve infinity focus, or close to it, then set the stop. might take a tweak or two so you can reach infinity, but this will prevent collisions.

also noted: the two wide angle lenses i am looking at have different back element extensions: the 32 surprisingly extends 1.8" and the 28 only 1.4", a difference larger than the focal length difference. when focused at inf. the 32 rear element will be about 1/2" closer to the sensor than the rear element of the 28. so set the stop for the closest rear element, not necessarily the widest angle lens
 
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Steve Hendrix

Well-known member
i did view the Universalis at photexpo in NYC; different approach; my preference was the Actus.

maybe better the Arca better addressed in it's own thread ;)

Michiel:
more camera pics to follow, hope to get outdoors with it over the weekend. still monkeying around with making staircases, so playing hookey has to wait a bit

noted a detail on the anti-collision stop: the way it is fitted, it only limits the motion of the quick focus sliding portion of the monorail, but not the slow focus portion. therefore, the way to set it is to run the slow focus all the way forward to it's stop, then carefully move the quick focus portion forward to achieve infinity focus, or close to it, then set the stop. might take a tweak or two so you can reach infinity, but this will prevent collisions.

also noted: the two wide angle lenses i am looking at have different back element extensions: the 32 surprisingly extends 1.8" and the 28 only 1.4", a difference larger than the focal length difference. when focused at inf. the 32 rear element will be about 1/2" closer to the sensor than the rear element of the 28. so set the stop for the closest rear element, not necessarily the widest angle lens

Good detailing John, especially regarding the setting the brake pedal (as I call it) with the fine focus set to the forward position.

Since you mentioned the close quarters for the sync post, I'll mention the angled sync post available from Cambo. There is also available an angled cable release port. (see attachments)

And Michael, in conjunction with John's user experience, the initial review I wrote up does have a quite a few detailed product images.

http://www.getdpi.com/forum/medium-...527-cambo-actus-db-1st-deliveries-review.html


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Cool rig - can't wait to see it. With MFDB usable live view the camera landscape opportunities have changed significantly for non dslr shooters.
 

jlm

Workshop Member
i'm pretty stoked for this; finally a monorail view camera, digital with live view
shades of yesteryear...toyo 4x5, tri-x, schneider 210, compendium, zone Vi dark cloth, workshop at an Oregon lighthouse,etc.
 
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jlm

Workshop Member
starting to monkey around in the shop with an alpa mount SK72
205FCC/120 macro/CFV-50c

 

jlm

Workshop Member
was able to spend some time over the weekend and made a lens "board" for the Actus that will accept a standard Alpa mount lens. Using the 72 shown above. With this fitted to the Actus using the stock lens board mounting, you can fit any alpa mounted lens, leaving the focusing helicoid attached and functional as a redundant fine focus (distance scale not usable, of course.) will be investigating how wide a lens will work, but so far, it looks like the 28 will work,

next go will be same thing but for a standard Cambo WRS mount lens, a bit more difficult than the Alpa, surprisingly.

will show some pictures tomorrow
 
i did view the Universalis at photexpo in NYC; different approach; my preference was the Actus.

maybe better the Arca better addressed in it's own thread ;)
Jim, understood this is Actus DB thread. However, would appreciate if you please let us know why your preference was Actus over Universalis (for educational purpose only).

Universalis can take MFDB as well as DSLR/mirror less and it takes only few minutes to switch. What are the options with Actus DB to use with DSLR / mirror less as well?

Actus DB definitely cheaper than Arca Universalis, however anyone published side by side features?

Subrata
 

f8orbust

Active member
Probably better in a separate thread (Actus vs Universalis), but from what I've seen and read ... well you gotta love the size of this thing, and (body) only 1kg:



For use outdoors with a CMOS DB, the Actus looks great. If I was mostly shooting inside, with occasional outdoor use, I guess the Arca offering is worth a look at.
 

jlm

Workshop Member
see how they provide a recessed lensboard? unnecessary, even with a 28mm lens and the recess interferes with fit a cable release and the sync cable to the back.

i'm making flat boards as well with the standard mounting hole for a copal O shuttered lens
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I'm going to have to put this thread on my ignore list now that John has made an Alpa mount for the Actus ... :eek:
 

PSon

Active member
I'm going to have to put this thread on my ignore list now that John has made an Alpa mount for the Actus ... :eek:
John is actually using your and Steven Gilbert's former ALPA lens to build the Actus ALPA plate for your current ALPA lens. I believe you have accumulated quite a bit more of the ALPA lens recently and there simply not enough homes (cameras) to accommodate them all.
 
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