Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: itsskin on April 22, 2013, 02:03:25 pm

Title: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: itsskin on April 22, 2013, 02:03:25 pm
Hi guys!
You thought Markcus Klinko has the best custom RZ setup? Not any more :D

Shooting on location wide open with 110/2.8 and digital back can be a real challenge due to shallow DOF. I tried loupes over the focusing screens, like Markcus one, magnifiers on the prism finder, stock finders - nothing worked. Too many out of focus shots. So, I had to come up with something and that's the result.

Last pic is made with the 10'' tablet, but on the phone it looks almost the same. Just to give you the idea about precision and magnification you get.

True 10x live view focusing with external monitor. Works great on stock focusing screen. Rugged as tank. Looks like russian nuclear head targeting device and even pays for your beer @ local bar.
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: TMARK on April 22, 2013, 02:08:20 pm
This is AWESOME.
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: itsskin on April 22, 2013, 02:10:32 pm
I should probably post the full view of viewfinder too:
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: amsp on April 22, 2013, 02:56:17 pm
Weird, I find it quite easy to focus the rz67, everything just seems to snap into focus. It's an interesting idea though, I wonder if it would be possible to create something more compact with a micro camera like a GoPro.
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: itsskin on April 22, 2013, 03:00:46 pm
I had a smaller version, also usable. But 5d3 ver is light years ahead of it in quality.
I really doubt GoPro will work ok, but something like 4/3rds with macro lens should be up to the task. I just don't own it.
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: geesbert on April 22, 2013, 03:33:18 pm
funny, I just started to work on a similar setup a couple of days ago. I thought about attaching a HDMI-out camera to a big screen while the digiback is tethered to the computer. I tried some of the cameras I have in my cupboard at the moment

Go Pro Hero 3: doesn't work, it can't do close-up, it's fixed focal length, it's fisheye

Sony tx20: kind of ok, but no HDMI out

fuji x100s: wrong lens

Panasonic GH2 with a macro lens: too big, too heavy

Canon 5dmk3: too big, too heavy

Sony rx100: probably best, will inquire further



if you'd put a simple small hdmi-out camera onto a chimney finder and then onto a sliding back, all headaches regarding crappy live view for composition would vanish. make that usb-out to a simple viewer for your tether computer and it would be great!
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: FredBGG on April 22, 2013, 03:56:38 pm
Nice rig!

I am using both a d800 and a Sony Nex to do this with the Fuji GX680.

Best thing is I use Nikons zoomed in face recognition to keep the face zoomed in and centered in live view
even if the model is moving around.

Works like a charm.

The Nex is great too. Really nice an compact.
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: patrickfransdesmet on April 23, 2013, 09:49:32 am
CREATIVE IDEA, but ...
id adds some weight again

don't you have something smaller ?
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: itsskin on April 23, 2013, 10:58:06 am
Yeah, a LOT of weight.

Need to find some P&S with macro and HDMI out
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: Studio B on April 25, 2013, 12:24:10 pm
I changed focusing screen on my RZ67 Pro many years ago (20+ ::)) to the split image screen, have not had any problems focusing since.
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: andyptak on April 25, 2013, 05:44:33 pm
Fred - which lens are you using on the NEX?
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: FredBGG on April 25, 2013, 07:14:40 pm
I'm using a reversed enlarger lens. No brand on it. It's from sum junk I found in a studio I moved into years ago.

The 30mm macro should work nicely, but it's heavier

I'm messing around with some others as different focal lengths will get better illumination of the fuji's screen.

I'm using Beattie screens.
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: FredBGG on April 25, 2013, 10:09:18 pm
I changed focusing screen on my RZ67 Pro many years ago (20+ ::)) to the split image screen, have not had any problems focusing since.

When shooting film and using the full 6x7 focus is not that much of an issue, however for those shooting digital with the RZ
it's more of an issue due to the huge crop factor.

The RZ is a fine camera and a great studio option for digital backs, however I find it unfortunate that Mamiya has not made a
crop factor viewfinder and prism with more appropriate magnification for the crop.
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: torger on April 26, 2013, 03:01:12 am
I'm so impressed by you guys being able to focus manually with these things. I can do it too -- if I get 15 seconds on a still-life object :-)

The look from these lenses are really nice.
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: itsskin on April 26, 2013, 03:02:50 am
Yes, the lens are amzing.
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: MichaelEzra on April 26, 2013, 07:11:19 am
Could a smart phone be adapted directly, bypassing the DSLR?

EDIT: just saw this at dpreview: http://connect.dpreview.com/post/5819046805/snapzoom-brings-smartphones-closer-to-action?news
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: itsskin on April 26, 2013, 09:06:07 am
yes. and it's useble
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: ondebanks on April 26, 2013, 06:58:35 pm
Great to see such creative solutions.

I notice that you have the chimney AE finder on your Pro IID. I think I read somewhere that it has to be sent to Mamiya, in order to have it modified for use on the Pro IID? Did you have to do this?

Ray
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: FredBGG on April 26, 2013, 08:53:49 pm
Yes, the lens are amzing.

Yes very nice lenses.

Here a shot I did with the RZ.

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8492/8407847602_0037618922_b.jpg)

and a crop from the same negative:

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8351/8407847612_0c1a1851cd_c.jpg)

Better Bokeh if stopped down one or two stops than the newer Schneider LS Phase One lenses stopped down one or two stops.
Better iris.
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: FredBGG on April 26, 2013, 08:59:48 pm
With the Fuji gx680 the moving poup finder is really good for critical focus.
It's much better for focusing away from the center of the frame. It's also a good base to make a NEX7 focusing or cell phone focusing option.
This is because when you move it to the side the illumination away from the center of the screen improves.

http://youtu.be/V74h4VaQSQ4 (http://youtu.be/V74h4VaQSQ4)
Title: Re: Supercharged RZ67 Pro IID for ultimate focusing precision
Post by: Studio B on April 29, 2013, 11:49:53 am
When shooting film and using the full 6x7 focus is not that much of an issue, however for those shooting digital with the RZ
it's more of an issue due to the huge crop factor.

I am one of those shooting digital with the RZ67.