Thanks for the review, Michael!
I really like this camera a lot and would own one already... if it was available for Contax mount and if Sinar would offer Schneider Digitar lenses (officially only Rodenstock lenses are supported).
As to the concept of the arTec I'd rather say its uniqueness lies in the integrated sliding back as the camera seems to be designed "around" it.
Besides, the Cambo WRS is clearly smaller and lighter and also provides the full range of movements - of course only if you take the TS lens panels into account (so strictly speaking TS is not an integrated feature of the WRS camera body). It doesn't have a sliding back, though.
The only (little) thing I miss on the arTec is an indication (in millimeters) of the lens rise/fall movements on the rear (or the right side) of the camera.
You have to look at the front of the camera to read the indication. Not a big deal but it would be usefull...
Can tilt/swing be applied at other than 90 degree rotation of the lens panel?
360° free rotation. So you can use tilt
and swing, not only tilt
or swing. However there are soft locks every 90 degrees.
Is there a method provided (as on Arca cameras with an adaptor) of mounting the camera on a tripod so that the lens stays still and stitching movements are essentially back shifts not lens panel shifts?
no
otherwise it's use as a stitching camera is a bit more limited
maybe.
At least a horizontal composition with the back rotated vertical and shifted left/right to make a 2 way stitch is uncritcal.
Too, current stitching software is so good that I guess both lens and back movements combined are maybe not a big deal...?
However, to me the camera does not seem to be primarly desinged for stitching. It is rather designed for a straight forward workflow aimed at the composition of single shots... IMO.
