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advice on technical cameras for landscapes please?
- Thread starter Massive Si
- Start date
I started my photography with a DSLR, and I have eventually progressed to a tech cam and could not be happier.
The slow down of the process has immensely helped my photography, and it actually feels more natural to do everything in camera than to rely on post processing.
I love that everything can just be right in camera.
danlindberg
Well-known member
+1
I am without a shadow of a doubt a better photographer with a tech cam compared to (even the most advanced) point-and-shoot cam.
dchew
Well-known member
Yeah, me too. Doug’s comment is bringing us all out of the woodwork. But in defense of Doug, I do think you either love them or hate them. And, you may love one design yet not bond at all with another. That’s why we all try to convince the OP in these threads to try, test, demo and try again. The fact that an Alpa TC and a Linhof Techno are both called “technical cameras” illustrates how the term covers a smorgasbord of stuff. Not to mention how different those extremes work in the field.
Deciding between the Actus and the WRS:
- Using a CMOS back significantly helps the Actus.
- How much do you value freedom of movements and combination of movements?
- How many lenses will you carry? Many lenses (>4) gets heavy and expensive for a helical-based system like the WRS.
- Icky conditions favor the WRS (wind, snow, rain).
- Something like the WRC-400 and a few lenses is very compact and relatively light, but with limited movements.
- The Actus really is a “mini view camera” experience. That could be good or bad depending on how you like to work.
Dave
Massive Si
Active member
Thanks for the comments, I appreciate them
I like the idea of the actus because I am used to using a 4x5 view camera, and would like to have movement options. I'm not sure if I will miss the back tilt which isnt there on the actus, but its probably one of those things which I'd only miss once in a blue moon
However, because my DB doesnt have an electronic shutter, I'm worried about lens availability. I see there are lots of options for lenses but I can see those only working on a back with an eshutter or a mirrorless body with this functionality
on the flip side, if I forgo almost all movements, I can pickup a complete kit for a WRS-1000 with a lens or two pretty cheaply locally.
the actus for sale in the classifieds will need the adapter for my back plus lenses.
I know I need to go into a dealer to try them out, but until I can do that I am limited to internet ruminations
I like the idea of the actus because I am used to using a 4x5 view camera, and would like to have movement options. I'm not sure if I will miss the back tilt which isnt there on the actus, but its probably one of those things which I'd only miss once in a blue moon
However, because my DB doesnt have an electronic shutter, I'm worried about lens availability. I see there are lots of options for lenses but I can see those only working on a back with an eshutter or a mirrorless body with this functionality
on the flip side, if I forgo almost all movements, I can pickup a complete kit for a WRS-1000 with a lens or two pretty cheaply locally.
the actus for sale in the classifieds will need the adapter for my back plus lenses.
I know I need to go into a dealer to try them out, but until I can do that I am limited to internet ruminations
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You can add the optional base tilt capabilities, at 5 degrees increments, for up to 15 degrees in total both directions, to both the front and back standards of the entire Actus series. Adding the base tilt to the back standard will have additional benefit of adding 42mm draw to the focusing rail. In addition, you can also optionally add central tilt function to the back standard of Actus-G, but such a set-up is limited to using longer lenses.
KY.
There have been times when I only traveled with my Actus/3100 setup with no regrets. Sure..... wind can be an issue but when it is it would also be somewhat of an issue with a pancake setup. Rain is an issue for any tech camera. I travel with a small umbrella and garbage bags and that covers all of the wet conditions. I carry the camera on the tripod with a garbage over it and it has always stayed dry..... if it's pouring rain then no tech camera work without some kind of umbrella protection.... if there is strong wind and pouring rain don't get out of the car..... there's always another day.
The lens premium you will pay for any pancake lens should give you some pause as there is a very serious difference in lens prices for the exact same lens (pancake vs '0' Copal).
My STC stays in a drawer. I's a beautiful system but I just will not pay the lens premium any more.
Victor
The lens premium you will pay for any pancake lens should give you some pause as there is a very serious difference in lens prices for the exact same lens (pancake vs '0' Copal).
My STC stays in a drawer. I's a beautiful system but I just will not pay the lens premium any more.
Victor
I am new to tech cams. I find it a challenge which I very much enjoy. I have a 50R for hard rain and 3 lenses I use most often-23,32-64 and 100-200, but try to use my Alpa in rain if it can be protected.
I use my 40mm 90% of the time, my 70mm about 3% and my S-K 150mm about 7%.
Just received the new 90 without copal and will see if it is used often.
I use my 40mm 90% of the time, my 70mm about 3% and my S-K 150mm about 7%.
Just received the new 90 without copal and will see if it is used often.
GrahamWelland
Subscriber & Workshop Member
+1 to Victor's point regarding cost of lenses. After my Alpa was stolen, the cost of replacing the lenses in Alpa mount basically was more than the cost of the entire Actus setup and buying raw lenses.
Also, there was a comment about rear / base tilts - I have both for my Actus. I removed the base tilt assemblies as I found them not very easy to reset to zero (plus locking would slightly shift the tilt). The rear tilt bellows works fine with the MFDB adapter and my widest lens 40mm. Much more precise to use and reset to zero tilt too.
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Massive Si
Active member
thanks
Any tips on whiere to find raw lenses for the actus? most of my searches find ones for the cambo wide mount
Any tips on whiere to find raw lenses for the actus? most of my searches find ones for the cambo wide mount
GrahamWelland
Subscriber & Workshop Member
I bought my main lenses new or picked them up un-mounted from
another system lens board/helicoid by a previous owner such as from Arca, Alpa or Cambo.
The difference in in new price can be several thousand dollars such as an Alpa mounted lens vs raw lens that you mount yourself to an Actus lens board.
another system lens board/helicoid by a previous owner such as from Arca, Alpa or Cambo.
The difference in in new price can be several thousand dollars such as an Alpa mounted lens vs raw lens that you mount yourself to an Actus lens board.
I bought quite a few lenses on ebay and mounted them to an actus lens board myself. Not hard to do at all.
CAMBOUSA
Member
Disassembling mounted lenses isn't too terribly hard. And re-mounting them to the appropriate actus board also is very simple.
Please just keep in mind that if you ever want to turn those lenses back into WRS mounting that we recommend doing it at the factory in The Netherlands so we can insure that everything is aligned properly.
Please just keep in mind that if you ever want to turn those lenses back into WRS mounting that we recommend doing it at the factory in The Netherlands so we can insure that everything is aligned properly.