H3D view camera options

[marc gerritsen]

I have just upgraded from the H2D to the 3 and am now looking at options
to use the back on a view camera. Have any of you gone down that road already?
What have you encountered?
thanks
Marc

[MarkKay]

I have used my leaf back on both my hasselblad H2 and Rollei x act 2.  I understand I could do the same with any of  the H3D backs albeit there have been some complaints with the H31 due to their microlens system.  MR was selling his Linhof 6x9 system, probably the best in its class.  

I have just upgraded from the H2D to the 3 and am now looking at options
to use the back on a view camera. Have any of you gone down that road already?
What have you encountered?
thanks
Marc
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=134941\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

[Khun_K]

I have used my leaf back on both my hasselblad H2 and Rollei x act 2.  I understand I could do the same with any of  the H3D backs albeit there have been some complaints with the H31 due to their microlens system.  MR was selling his Linhof 6x9 system, probably the best in its class.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=134950\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

The H3D back needs power from the camera or from the separate harddisk, to me it is not that convenient so I use my H3D39 simply just a standalong camera while using P45 on platform camera - of course, this is when doing location work, if it is tethered it really does not matter, I was using P45 on platform camera more for the reason of having invested the dapaters already and don't need separate set for H3D back. Linhof is a nice platform because it has a very thin construction (but without quesiton study) to allow to focus the ultra wide angle lenses.  However, there are many comments on the Kodak 39 mp back not the best ideal device for shot with movement that I have not experienced much, however, there are more favorable comment for Dalsa chips for these kind of shots. There are many debates on this and I am not the right one to start or to offer more constructive comment.

[godtfred]

I have just upgraded from the H2D to the 3 and am now looking at options
to use the back on a view camera. Have any of you gone down that road already?
What have you encountered?
thanks
Marc
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=134941\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I used my CF39 a bit on the Linhof M679CS, and have started to use my H3D (they are more or less exactly the same in my eyes.)

I use an imagebank for power and storage, convenient and not so much hassle as one would presume with the firewire cable.

You have to shoot a white plastic plate to correct lenses unless shooting B/W, just the way you do with P1 and other backs. I have not really used this a lot (shot mostly B/W on the linhof    )

There was an issue with flexcolor 4.6.5 (the one i used with the CF39) where you could not do the lens correction shot unless tethered, they say this is fixed in flexcolor 4.6.7, but I have not tried it yet for myself (broke my white plastic plate, have ordered new...    )

Its excessively difficult to focus the camera outside the studio, unless you buy a lot of the options for ground glass viewing. With wide angles you barely see parts of the image and have to move your head around a lot to get a clear understandig of your framing. I find focusing easy enough but remember to have the lens stopped down when focusing (I constantly forget this.)

I also find that I mostly use rise/shift, not so much tilt/swing, so If you can get away with an Alpha or the new Arca Rm3D I would recommend going that route... but having all the movements available at hand is a bonus in some situations.

The H3D digital back "bit" has a catch on top to prevent accidental disconnection from the H3D camera. Get your dealer to remove this (takes him 2 minutes, its just a couple of screws and a small metal bit.) The catch prevents proper disconnection from the Linhof.

Make sure you get the new series of lenses made for digital applications from Schneider or Rodenstock. Using my "old" Schneider or Nikon LF lenses are a big disappointment.

The Linhof itself is super sturdy, with excellent customer care (had an issue, solved in a couple of days using UPS, no questions asked.) Movements are finely geared, but if you have large fingers you may find that sometimes you hit the "locks" and have to open them again, you stop doing this after a bit of use...

The camera needs a sturdy tripod, but does not need a tripodhead, it has all the movements you need built in.

If you are interested in the Linhof, check out the Arca 6x9 cameras before you decide.

-axel

[marc gerritsen]

Thanks Axel
That is some usefull information I was looking for
cheers
Marc

[ursose]

Perhaps something in the future:
http://www.pk-digital.it/Digitale/Polifemo_en.html

[marc gerritsen]

Just made the cheapest possible housing for my digital back
a piece of cardboard with ahole in it and a black cloth over it
Played around with a couple of exposures and voila
a combination of some of the most advanced and primitive photography
The view from my window!
certainly not as sexy as the Polifemo.

[jimgolden]

Just made the cheapest possible housing for my digital back
a piece of cardboard with ahole in it and a black cloth over it
Played around with a couple of exposures and voila
a combination of some of the most advanced and primitive photography
The view from my window!
certainly not as sexy as the Polifemo.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=135005\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

PINHOLE DIG!!!

[Gary Ferguson]

I use a Phase One back on a Linhof M679cs, but because the back is in a Hasselblad V fitting I also use it on a Hasselblad Felxbody. I like the speed and portability of the Flexbody but it's hamstrung for sophisticated technical jobs by the lack of side shifts and down shifts.

If you need full technical movements then six things to consider are a sliding carriage, shutter options if you need electonic shutters, viewfinder/ground glass options (you'll need higher magnification focusing than with film because you'll likely enlarge more from a sensor than from film), exceptionally rigid chassis (any design that's derived from a film original is unlikely to be rigid enough for digital), sufficient wide angle capacity, and fully geared movements to give the additional precision that digital demands over film. I've yet to meet a serious digital LF photographer who is entirely satisfied with their old 4x5 film camera as a digital platform.

I've heard good things about the Arca Swiss 6x9, and it certainly looks beautifully built, for me it would come down to a choice between Linhof and Arca Swiss, with the final choice depending on dealer convenience.