Cheap view camera for Digital Back?

[chunin]

I would like to know if there is any cheap alternative view camera body or system to be used with a digital back.  Cheap meaning less than $2K with a good lens.  Or maybe less than $500 with a regular lens.  I have a Hasselblad H mount P45 and would like to use it in a small view camera.  Don't really want to spend thousands in a Cambo or Linhof.  I'm quite handy in making adaptations or metal parts so I can probably make it if someone can point me in the right direction.

Thanks,

Chunin Martinez
Miami, FL

[Anders_HK]

I would like to know if there is any cheap alternative view camera body or system to be used with a digital back.  Cheap meaning less than $2K with a good lens.  Or maybe less than $500 with a regular lens.  I have a Hasselblad H mount P45 and would like to use it in a small view camera.  Don't really want to spend thousands in a Cambo or Linhof.  I'm quite handy in making adaptations or metal parts so I can probably make it if someone can point me in the right direction.

Thanks,

Chunin Martinez
Miami, FL

Hi Chunin,

I have a Shen-Hao TFC45-IIB, non folder that I use for 4x5 film and also with a prototype custom made digital adapter for my Leaf Aptus 65. My lessons are following;-

1. The camera works fine. One that has more exact controls will aid in fine tuning, especially of swings and tilts.

2. Sharpest traditional (non digital) film lenses are sharp also for my Aptus (a Nikkor 75 SW 4.5 gave problem with diffraction). I have Schneider 58 & 72 XL and Rodenstock Sironar-N 150mm. The last one sells on Ebay for around 400 usd. The 58 makes things so wide thus small, that for format of sensor it is tad difficult to focus.

3. Most critical is the exact control of depth of focus, thus the tolerances of fabrication for sliding adapter is outmost critical. I refer to the sensor and groundglass planes being equal. Mine has 0.05-0.07mm tolerance and it is border line for my lenses. Wider lenses become more critical due shallower depth of focus.

4. Film is simpler than to stitch...

Regards
Anders

[mmurph]

First questions really are what are your goal? Where are you photographing - studio, interior locations, field locations?

How much shift do you need? Tilt?

If you don't need tilt or shift, a Fotoman 45PS has a rigid body of aluminum
 that is great for digital. It uses a viewfinder and is small and light for quick use in the field. It sold for $800 new with a cone for a specific focal length lens (of the buyers choice).

I have an original Cambo Wide (non-DS) with a Schneider 47mm XL that I bought used for $1,500. It has limited shift and no tilt, but it is a nice, light, and fairly rigid film camera.

Good luck!
Michael

[jimgolden]

used sinar p or p2? my P2 setup was more than $2k tho and it isnt small...the 2x3 cameras are quite spendy IMO

[HarperPhotos]

Hello,

Now the Sinar Norma is a work of art.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SINAR-NORMA-5x4-CAMERA...id=p3286.c0.m14
 
Cheers

Simon

[chunin]

Thanks for all the reply.  I will be using the camera mainly for landscape so I don't need that much of shift or tilt.  I might do with some shift for architecture.  Will be looking at a rigid body like the Cambo DS type.  I will check if the Fotoman offer digital back adapters.  Thanks!

[HarperPhotos]

Hello,

The Woodman was a camera I used for a number of years. One advantage of this camera is it is very light.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Horseman-4x5-Woodman-C...id=p3286.c0.m14

Regards

Simon

[rueyloon]

Or you might be interested in my Arca Swiss 69 ?

Front and Back Format
short rail
wide angle bellow

couple of recessed front lens board.

all you need is a back board for your digital back.

It is old, the know had some DIY repair and it is epoxyed together.
other than that it works, and it looks the same from the outside.
The only thing you can't do is to remove the knob that's all.

I got myself a linhof, so this one is just sitting pretty.

[Voltman]

I would like to know if there is any cheap alternative view camera body or system to be used with a digital back.  Cheap meaning less than $2K with a good lens.  Or maybe less than $500 with a regular lens.  I have a Hasselblad H mount P45 and would like to use it in a small view camera.  Don't really want to spend thousands in a Cambo or Linhof.  I'm quite handy in making adaptations or metal parts so I can probably make it if someone can point me in the right direction.

Thanks,

Chunin Martinez
Miami, FL

Chunin,

The issue isn't really finding a cheaper view camera to do the job but finding a cheap enough mounting option to get the P45 H mount attached to the view camera (e.g. a sliding back adapter from Kapture Group or others like Silvestri).  I got lucky and picked up a Rollei X-Act 2 with KG adapter plate and 80mm Digitar for $2600 - including the KG adapter. I had to also get the M645 mount for the KG as it had an H mounted previously.

I would start by trying to find a deal including the KG or Silvestri adapter and even if the view camera isn't ideal go with that.  The KG plate costs about $2000 new, not sure about the Silvestri.

[chunin]

Chunin,

The issue isn't really finding a cheaper view camera to do the job but finding a cheap enough mounting option to get the P45 H mount attached to the view camera (e.g. a sliding back adapter from Kapture Group or others like Silvestri).  I got lucky and picked up a Rollei X-Act 2 with KG adapter plate and 80mm Digitar for $2600 - including the KG adapter. I had to also get the M645 mount for the KG as it had an H mounted previously.

I would start by trying to find a deal including the KG or Silvestri adapter and even if the view camera isn't ideal go with that.  The KG plate costs about $2000 new, not sure about the Silvestri.

I have this plate that I got with the P45.  Perhaps someone can id it.  It seems to be a Phase One plate for one of their sliding back adapter but I'm not sure.  If it could be used for a view camera then I can look for that camera.

[Doug Peterson]

That's a FlexAdapter plate used in a Phase One FlexAdapter or a Horseman SWD.

[Steve Hendrix]

Thanks for all the reply.  I will be using the camera mainly for landscape so I don't need that much of shift or tilt.  I might do with some shift for architecture.  Will be looking at a rigid body like the Cambo DS type.  I will check if the Fotoman offer digital back adapters.  Thanks!

Chunin:

I believe we have a few Cambo WDS demo cameras still available for $999...



Steve Hendrix

[yaya]

That's a FlexAdapter plate used in a Phase One FlexAdapter or a Horseman SWD.

And it'll fit Linhof's direct and sliding back adapters. The direct one for the M679 and the sliding one that can be fitted on most 4X5 cameras.

Yair