Ok, the details:
My lenses: 28/35/47/70.
Initial impressions: stunning files (but this is no surprise, I'm used to use Canon - or maybe, it feels like home, means it reminds me of my 4x5-film-days!)
There are click-stops at 0, in both rails (left/right and up/down). I ordered a special rail (is this the right term?) with extra click-stops at 14mm left and right, this will give me a stiched image 48x64mm (3:4).
Two release latchs, as you mentioned. A new form of the shifting knob, so you can use one finger for turning it faster. It is a very precise mechanism, maybe too precise (read: too slow) for me - time will tell. But for faster movements, you can always use the release latchs. And no click-stop when using the turning knob! (or is it just my lack of fine feeling?)
No tripod adaptor, no indicators for me. (by the way: they are made of solid aluminum, aren't they?)
A idea: changing the positions of the lens and the back - so one is able to stich two shots vertically with a fixed lens. But then, rise is very limited - if you use the back for a rising picture, it turns into fall, wich is limited to 18mm (sorry for my bad english, but maybe you understand what I mean...) > Update: then turn the camera upside down, so you get 25mm fall (means in this case rise...). Now that's what I call a flexible camera! Mounting the back on the "front"
can be a problem, depending on the physical size of your MFDBack and the adapter (but no problem with the aptus/mamiya-combo, I just tried it).
No Alpa groundglass, but two adaptors, one for the mamiya645-leaf (shooting), one for Hasselblad-V with the Arcbody-groundglass and their famous fresnels (composing).
Handling all those adapters, parts, glasses, screens, backs, caps on location? It was my idea, but was it a good one? I don't know - again, time will tell...
Everything feels very solid, very precise. Familiar with Arca-Swiss' automatic locking lensboards it is a little bit stange to use two manual latches to lock the lens - but maybe it is more secure (I remember, years ago, looking trough a 58XL, suddenly a disapearing picture - and then, looking for a 58XL deep in the snow...).
And a very good and friendly service from alpa in Zurich! I'm located in the middle between the alpa headquaters and the seitz factory - one more reason for me to buy this camera.
One last thing: a beautiful camera - but prone to fingerprints...
thom.
OK Thom, fess up. What lenses, what are your initial impressions?
No click stops correct? Release latch to move the sleds without gearing which is much faster?
Did you get the tripod adapter for stationary stitching? The little plastic indicator for reading from the rear the front shift amount? The 9 cm square gg back?
How does it feel? Inquiring minds need to know
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