Cambo 24mm ACTAR

[daf]

Any info on this lens, i'm really interested to heard return on distorsion and corner shaprness ...
Does anyone had the chance to try it on the actus? any picture ?
Thanks

 

[Stefan Steib]

Hi David

I am not 100% sure, but what I heard this is actually the Samyang 3,5/24mm TS lenskit without a helicoid.
So the optical performance is pretty good, but not like the Canon TS-E 3,5/24mm V2.

Regards
Stefan

 

[daf]

Just recieved two comparaison raws between the Actar and the 24tseII:
Vertical shot +8mm shifted, buidling in the center of the image, result:
- Shaprness on par with the 24tseII in all the frame (sky in the corner, so no way to judge last corner sharpness, but top sharpness is very good)
- a very low distorsion in the actar ( easily correctable as it looks to be just a barrel)
- very low CA

I don't think i can share the raws, but maybe they will put a link here.

If i decide myself to buy the Actus, for sure i'll take the actar with it!

 

[cdavis32]

Interesting! The Canon image circle is a bit larger, right?

I had a canon adapter made by Grimes for my Actus, and been testing the canon 16-35 F4 based on Stefan's recommendation. A good version of the 24TSII is a touch sharper, but the zoom is an excellent lens overall. The zoom has some barrel distortion and CA's at the wide end, but it's easily correctable as well.

 

[daf]

Interesting! The Canon image circle is a bit larger, right?

For sure the 24 tseII is probably better ! better distorsion control, larger image circle ... but the actar looks sio much more convenient (smaller, and with aperture control).
My previous comment is based only on one picture, so it need to be more investigated, as for exemple with larger shift, and with straight lines on all the picture to see how distorsion and shaprness really is on the corner....

But from this first comparaison i find it very promising!

I had a canon adapter made by Grimes for my Actus,

Cambo is now making his own canon Manual plate : ACB-CM

The zoom has some barrel distortion and CA's at the wide end, but it's easily correctable as well.

C1 has a pretty good lens profile for the 16-35, and you can put the shift amount for good correction, it works very well (sometimes it need to be little adjusted for exemple with lareg shift, put 22or 26mm instead of 24mm )

 

[cdavis32]

Yeah, aperture control would be very useful for focusing... hopefully cambo will come out with the canon auto lensboard soon. Thanks for mentioning the ACB-CM - I had no idea about it!

I really want to like the actar for all the reasons you mention, but wish the performance was a bit better!

I've found C1 to be pretty good in correcting the 16-35, even with movements as well.

 

[daf]

Yeah, aperture control would be very useful for focusing... hopefully cambo will come out with the canon auto lensboard soon. Thanks for mentioning the ACB-CM - I had no idea about it!

I really want to like the actar for all the reasons you mention, but wish the performance was a bit better!

I've found C1 to be pretty good in correcting the 16-35, even with movements as well.

Did you try the actar? Or did you had any acces to raws files?

 

[vjbelle]

If i decide myself to buy the Actus, for sure i'll take the actar with it!

I don't think you will ever regret buying an Actus..... at least I don't. Tolerances are very well controlled as expected from a company that has a long history of knowing how to make a view cameras. I don't use it in the fashion that you probably will but so far have no regrets regarding my purchase. My STC now sits on a shelf.....

Victor

 

[cdavis32]

Did you try the actar? Or did you had any acces to raws files?

I have not, but have heard about it. Basically, the consensus seems to be that the 24TSII is much better, and not much more expensive(although a bit less convenient). The image circle of the 24TSII is also great to have when needed!

I've had my actus for about a month, and really like it as well. I choose the Actus over the Arca based on price, but if that weren't as much of a concern, I would have looked harder at the Arca. Know that you'll need 90 degree cords for USB and HDMI if you want to shoot vertically with the Actus.

 

[Steve Hendrix]

I have not, but have heard about it. Basically, the consensus seems to be that the 24TSII is much better, and not much more expensive(although a bit less convenient). The image circle of the 24TSII is also great to have when needed!

I've had my actus for about a month, and really like it as well. I choose the Actus over the Arca based on price, but if that weren't as much of a concern, I would have looked harder at the Arca. Know that you'll need 90 degree cords for USB and HDMI if you want to shoot vertically with the Actus.

We've had the Actar in our inventory for about a month now. We have not had the chance to do a lot of tests, but I did get this one on the books some weeks back. It doesn't tell the entire complete story, but I think it does show that the Actar 24mm lens is a stronger candidate than we were led to believe, as it seems to hold up quite well to the Canon.

Below is a link to a comparative shot between Actar 24mm and Canon 24mm TS II (with Sony A7R-II)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/leij6cg2lgomsug/AAAJcCu0ZFCoPiTqimgS6PHxa?dl=0

There is also now a Cambo Lensboard for Canon that does not provide any ability to manipulate the aperture control for modern electronic lenses with no physical aperture ring. Cambo has been at work on an external electronic controller for some time, but no eta for now. However, as one of our clients described, for some type of work, the majority is captured at a constant aperture (for example, architecture at f/11). So - for those who find themselves in that situation, this Canon Lensboard can work. Even in the event a different aperture is required, it might be easy enough to just remove the Canon lens from the Cambo Canon lensboard, mount it to your Canon Camera, (or Sony with adapter, etc), stop the lens to your desired aperture change, press depth of field preview, shut off the camera. Then you've fixed it at the different aperture. This does enable some thought regarding the use of Canon lenses in certain situations, and not just the tilt/shift lenses. Some other lenses ave been found to have large enough image circles for some movements as well (11-24 zoom, 16-35/4 zoom).

But for a dedicated strong 24mm lens, keep in mind you have the cost of the Canon 24mm TS II ($1,899) plus the cost of the Cambo Canon lensboard ($299). The Actar at $1,450 includes the lens and the lensboard, and gives you manual aperture control without the workaround.

Things to consider!


Steve Hendrix
CI
https://captureintegration.com/first-look-cambo-actus/

 

[mandonbossi]

Thanks for the comments, much appreciated!

Just saw this post regarding the Samyang 24mm TS-E

http://blog.mingthein.com/2013/09/01/tilt-shift-world-cup-24mm/

and the only thing that really made me somewhat concerned was the following


"The Rokinon suffers from color casts; images are warm and hue-shifted orange. It’s not an even spectral shift either, so this isn’t something that can be corrected for via the eyedropper tool – you’ll have to profile this lens separately if you want it to match the other glass in your collection."


I know Ming Thein has a somewhat dubious reputation amongst some but just wondering what you guys thought about this?

Anybody know how much smaller the image circle is on the Samyang?

This thread actually has me considering a Samyang/Rokinon for use in conjunction with a Mirex adapter, which would give me independent movements and access to aperture control...

Still, if the Canon 24mm TS-E II is as good as people say, maybe I can live with a pre stopped down aperture

 

[CSP]

http://blog.mingthein.com/2013/09/01/tilt-shift-world-cup-24mm/

and the only thing that really made me somewhat concerned was the following


"The Rokinon suffers from color casts; images are warm and hue-shifted orange. It’s not an even spectral shift either, so this isn’t something that can be corrected for via the eyedropper tool – you’ll have to profile this lens separately if you want it to match the other glass in your collection."


I know Ming Thein has a somewhat dubious reputation amongst some but just wondering what you guys thought about this?

....and this is another sample why people are right thinking mister instant expert is dubious. it very much looks like he wanted to make the samyang lens look bad on purpose. different lens brands have different color rendition but i have never ever seen such a extrem difference like he whats us to belief is real. just download the CI sample and see how close the canon and the samyang are when color balance is set correct.

 

[mandonbossi]

Good to know, I don't have capture one so cannot see the sample but will take your word for it

Anybody able to provide the image circle coverage of the Samyang 24mm TS-E as compared to the Canon?

I like the thought of being to stitch with these lenses to get a bigger "virtual" capture area but still retain some movements to correct for verticals etc etc

 

[Bryan Stephens]

Still, if the Canon 24mm TS-E II is as good as people say, maybe I can live with a pre stopped down aperture

I have the 24 TSE II and shoot it on both the a7rII and the 5DSR and it is excellent.

 

[mandonbossi]

Hi Bryan,
Nice to hear, are you using the Canon 24mm TS-E II with a smart adapter or using it with something else (like a Hcam or Cambo Actus) that enables independent movements but possibly having to use the lens in "preset aperture" mode?

 

[Bryan Stephens]

I use the Metabones IV adapter to mount it to my Sony a7rII. I am still contemplating the HCam as I have read nothing but great things about it.

 

[CSP]

Good to know, I don't have capture one so cannot see the sample but will take your word for it

hope it is ok with steven to post this comparison for you.

 

[mandonbossi]

Thanks for the images, great to see!

 

[Antonio Chagin]

I actually think the actor image is a bit better, but the two are very good.

 

[daf]

I actually think the actor image is a bit better, but the two are very good.

I've recieved my actar few days ago, but i've been very sick so had no opportunity to bring it out yet...
Testing it from my window: it is much better than i expected !
- Shaper than both my 24 tseII (2 copies) with normal shift (around+5/+8mm)
- very well centered, all corner similar
- No, or almost no field curvature .
- f81/2 or f11 are the best aperture (fully shifted corner are much better at 11 than at 16)
- CA ok up to +8/10mm then needed to be corrected...
- Sharp image circle is around +10mm on the long side, and around +15mm on the small side...
- Image circle is huge, you can go up to +18mm/20mm before hard vignet.
-This lens is very bad at f3,5 f4 f4+1/2 f5,6...f16, well only good at f8-f11
- THE BIG DOWNSIDE of this lens is distorsion, well i always felt that the 24 tseII has twice the distorsion of my 35 digitar...this actar has a least twice or more than the 24tseII...ok this is easily correctable as this looks to be a simple barrel distorsion, but all this make me regret so much my 35 digitar

It is defenitly a rebranded samyang 24 TS, but probably with higher quality control...

My french dealer (MMF) send me some raws files, they get from Cambo, and which decide me to buy this lens, not sure if i can share them ...
But as soon as i get better, i'll go out and shoot some picture to put here.

Otherwise, the Actus, is a really lovely camera, very well made, and pleasant to use.
here is my actual Actus set:
- 24 actar (samyang24 TS) Sharp up to +10mm Low CA, low but more than wanted distorsion
- 4/45mm APO HM componon Very sharp up to +7mm, no CA, No distorsion
- 4/60mm APO HM componon Very sharp up to +15mm, no CA, No distorsion
- 4,5/90mm APO HM componon Very sharp up to +20mm, no CA, No distorsion

(Componon APO HM are the same lenses as the digitars.)