Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: Bevan.Burns on July 13, 2007, 06:09:46 pm

Title: ZD back on a view camera?
Post by: Bevan.Burns on July 13, 2007, 06:09:46 pm
Hey all, I'm new here. I was just wondering if someone out there has a definitive answer on whether or not the new Mamiya ZD back is compatible for use on any large format view cameras? I've seen the issue briefly discussed, but no definite answer. I'd love the help!

Bevan
Title: ZD back on a view camera?
Post by: espressogeek on July 15, 2007, 09:17:25 pm
Quote
Hey all, I'm new here. I was just wondering if someone out there has a definitive answer on whether or not the new Mamiya ZD back is compatible for use on any large format view cameras? I've seen the issue briefly discussed, but no definite answer. I'd love the help!

Bevan
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=128127\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I have been wonder the same thing. I wanted to pair this thing with the toyo-view  vx23d.
Title: ZD back on a view camera?
Post by: jmboss on July 16, 2007, 04:15:08 am
Sorry, but at this time there is no view camera compatibility with the "new" Mamiya ZD Back. Possibly with a future upgrade of the product, Mamiya will add the external firing contacts needed to allow the ZD Back to sync with the mechanical as well as the electronic leaf shutters used with view camera lenses.

See: http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....showtopic=17246 (http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17246) for a great thread on the Mamiya ZD Back.

Also,

See: http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....ndpost&p=121442 (http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17246&view=findpost&p=121442) for a copy of an email from Mamiya on the view camera issue.

Joe Bossuyt
Title: ZD back on a view camera?
Post by: eronald on July 16, 2007, 06:03:44 am
The fact that Mamiya is now distributing lpa in Japan lends credence to conjectures of future compatibility.

Edmund

Quote
Sorry, but at this time there is no view camera compatibility with the "new" Mamiya ZD Back. Possibly with a future upgrade of the product, Mamiya will add the external firing contacts needed to allow the ZD Back to sync with the mechanical as well as the electronic leaf shutters used with view camera lenses.

See: http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....showtopic=17246 (http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17246) for a great thread on the Mamiya ZD Back.

Also,

See: http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....ndpost&p=121442 (http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17246&view=findpost&p=121442) for a copy of an email from Mamiya on the view camera issue.

Joe Bossuyt
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=128389\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Title: ZD back on a view camera?
Post by: Bevan.Burns on July 16, 2007, 12:46:21 pm
Hey thanks! I can probably wait for the upgrade. It'll be a while before I could afford one anyway.
Title: ZD back on a view camera?
Post by: uaiomex on July 17, 2007, 12:06:37 am
Edmund:
What is Ipa? A view camera brand?
Thanks
Eduardo

---------


The fact that Mamiya is now distributing lpa in Japan lends credence to conjectures of future compatibility.

Edmund
Title: ZD back on a view camera?
Post by: thom on July 17, 2007, 03:24:31 am
Quote from: uaiomex,Jul 17 2007, 06:06 AM
Edmund:
What is Ipa? A view camera brand?
Thanks
Eduardo

I think Edmund meant Alpa.
Three weeks or a month ago I spoke to Andre Oldani of Alpa, asked him about the anounced ZD-Back for Alpa. What he said was, that this will take much more time than Alpa hoped for. They thought it will be a two or three month project, but now it looks like it will take a year or so for the R/D of Mamiya to solve the problem. Maybe we all have to wait for a ZDII-Back (or a ZDproPlus like the Kodak's, decades ago   )
I don't know if it's really a technical problem or a business decision of Mamiya.

thom.
(still waiting for a $10K-36x48-MFDB for a view camera... and I'm the only one for shure...  )
Title: ZD back on a view camera?
Post by: uaiomex on July 17, 2007, 02:33:20 pm
No  Thom,
I'm sure there are thousands of photogs like us waiting for this back.
I am into the V system and waiting for the CFV2 or a used P25 close to 10K, whichever happens first. Unless I hit the lotto and get myself a Hy6 system, that will be my Obi Wan.
Alpa must be, thanks

Eduardo

---------

I think Edmund meant Alpa.
Three weeks or a month ago I spoke to Andre Oldani of Alpa, asked him about the anounced ZD-Back for Alpa. What he said was, that this will take much more time than Alpa hoped for. They thought it will be a two or three month project, but now it looks like it will take a year or so for the R/D of Mamiya to solve the problem. Maybe we all have to wait for a ZDII-Back (or a ZDproPlus like the Kodak's, decades ago   )
I don't know if it's really a technical problem or a business decision of Mamiya.

thom.
(still waiting for a $10K-36x48-MFDB for a view camera... and I'm the only one for shure...  )
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=128560\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
[/quote]
Title: ZD back on a view camera?
Post by: jmboss on July 17, 2007, 04:11:56 pm
(still waiting for a $10K-36x48-MFDB for a view camera... and I'm the only one for shure...  )
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=128560\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
thom,

I agree as well that there are a lot of us waiting for the next round from Mamiya that addresses not only the view camera compatibility issue but also the small LCD and the 14 bit circuitry issues as well.

It only took Kodak one year to upgrade their first DCS Pro Back to the DCS Pro Back Plus to address the view camera connectivity "problem" by adding the necessary contacts on the side of their MFDB.

It may take Mamiya longer but it will happen!

For myself, I think that if an adapter plate solution is produced whether issued by Alpa or maybe Kapture Group, it might not be the way to go. That extra plate thickness between the ZD back and an appropriate wide angle view camera lens (24mm-35mm) as currently used in digital architectural photography would prohibit its use. The problem is not being able to achieve infinity focus.

BTW, it does seem like it was a decades ago when Kodak came out with their Pro and PRO Plus MF Digital Backs, but it has really only been just 6 years!

Joe Bossuyt
Title: ZD back on a view camera?
Post by: espressogeek on July 19, 2007, 12:00:28 am
I could probably go ahead and do it without the view camera option but I'm not sure it would be a good use of my limited funds. You can always use a few of the mamiya lenses that have shift but I really want a view camera solution. Maybe I could just pick up a film view camera and work it until mamiya releases the next gen back :-(