The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Anyone here using DSLR as a digital back on 2X3 view

Shashin

Well-known member
Why a 2x3 camera rather than tilt/shift lenses? The mirror box of the camera is going to not only restrict the use of shorter focal lengths, but also the degree of movement.
 

Pelliott321

New member
I was an independent photographer for many years and used view cameras professionally.
The Nikon tilt and shift lenses are very expensive and very limited. I've use perspective correction in photoshop and that works fine as long as one leaves plenty of space around POI
Its the focus control in product photography I am most interested. camera1_sm.jpgcamera2_sm.jpgcamera3_sm.jpgstudio1_sm.jpg
my proof of concept first try was mounting an Nikon extension tube to a piece of aluminum cut to fit the Cambo 2X3 back standard
My first lens was a 150mm SK that was an ebay purchase. It was very unsharp so I sent it back. The 150 was too long for my small studio
I have purchased a bag bellows and a 90mm SK for my next try and now waiting for them to show up
 

jsf

Active member
I have mounted my d800 on my Cambo. a 150 Symmar does not easily focus at infinity, although my 210 Symmar is clean. I never could focus my 90 Super Angulon as the 47mm flange depth was too much. I suspect that will be a problem for you. I have stitched 30 images by carefully moving the real standard left and right and up and down. It is a huge file and very sharp, but in a practical sense the d800 already gives more resolution and quality then one needs, so other than the novelty I could not see an advantage. It will take a modest tilt but again focus stacking is so much better. I hope it turns out for you.
 

Pelliott321

New member
My main interest is in product photography.
I had an 150 off eBay and it was fine except I was too far from subject in my small studio. It also was not very sharp so I sent it back. I am waiting for a bag bellows and a Super Angulon 90. I will be making the lens board and will be able to adjust the flange depth. Thanks for that info.
I am also remaking the camera mount. I used a 21mm extension tube because that is what I had. I just received a 15mm extension tube that looks like will still give me clearance for the D810 body
 

rdeloe

Well-known member
Mirrorless instead of DSLR... I'm using a Fuji GFX 50R on a Toyo VX23D digital view camera. It gives me the full range of movements that I've grown to love from my 4x5 days. The Cambo Actus GFX looks great too, but it costs waaay more and is less flexible.

I had to build a custom mount to get the Fuji onto the VX23D camera. Any decent machinist can build this mount relatively inexpensively. It's just a flat piece of aluminum with a piece of a Fotodiox GFX adapter mounted.

Depending on which lenses you want to use, you may have to do some custom machining on the lens side. Some lenses can go right onto Toyo 110mm x 100mm boards, e.g., that's how I'm using a Schneider Apo-Digitar 80/4, which is stellar on this setup; it's on a 12mm recessed Toyo board. My 125mm lens goes on a standard flat Toyo board. I've just added a longer lens (180mm), and it needed an extension ("top hat") board. You can actually mount longer lenses in the 150-180mm range on reversed 24mm Toyo recessed boards, but I bought a 25mm custom extension board from Hong Kong for $85 (a total bargain).

Shorter focal length lenses bring special problems. Lots of excellent lenses (like the modern Rodenstock digital lenses) simply won't mount due to flange focal length and mechanical constraints. Some don't have a useful image circle (e.g., the Schneider Apo-Digitar 60/4 will fit on a 24mm recessed Toyo board, but has a measly image circle that barely covers my Fuji GFX sensor). I'm getting good results with a wide angle 60mm enlarger lens in a special mount I've had to fabricate.

Wider than 60mm requires retrofocus lenses, or messing around with lens correction in software (which I don't want to do). Retrofocus lenses are usually no problem -- lots of choices there. I'm using an SMC Pentax-A 645 35mm f/3.5 as my wide angle lens. I had to fabricate a custom mount for it but am happy with the results, and get a decent amount of shift (around 10mm).

Bottom-line OP: you can have what you want!
 
Last edited:

Atracksler

Member
I made this for my Toyo a while ago, I was using this Sony A7


Worked great. I ended up going with a Cambo Actus.

I’m also getting set up with a hasselblad back on my new Sinar.

Biggest problem was wide angles, but stitching fixed that.
 
Top