Arca Swiss Rotaslide.

[ucs308]

I am thinking about buying one of these for a Rm3d and a M-Line 6x9 and am interested in whether people feel they are worth the money.

[jimban]

Hi-

The Rotaslide works well.  The problem I had with mine was that it is actually designed for a 4x5 camera and has a 6x9 reduction plate and GG for use with the Arca 6x9 cameras.  This made it a bit heavy and clunky.  It was also a little hard to quickly attach to the camera since it's size obscurred the camera back making alignment difficult.

Ultimately I replaced my rotaslide with a kapture group sliding back.  It's lighter, smaller and much easier to attach to my m-line 2.  A minor downside is that you have to manually rotate the back from portrait to landscape. Also it has a 6x6 ground glass vs the 6x9 on the Arca.  An upside is that the maxwell focus screen is a bit easier for me to focus with.

jim

[ucs308]

Thanks for your post. I have seen pictures of it on a 6x9 and it looks cumbersome. But as with all things arca touching before buying is hard work.

Do you, or anybody else know if they have redesigned the RotaSlide to favor their push on the 6x9 format.

[JdeV]

I've been using a rental Rotaslide and it is absolutely not designed for a 5" x 4" but rather specifically a 6x9 camera.
I have an M-Line 5" x 4" but have to rent 6x9 standards to use it.

Personally I like to have a full 6x9 ground glass for stitching purposes and the smaller ground glass on the Kapture product rather put me off.

The thing I don't like about the Rotaslide I've used is that it feels like it has rather too much play in it. This may be a rental issue. However, in systematic testing and a great deal of shooting it has always maintained perfect alignment between the back and the ground glass.

[ucs308]

Thanks for your comments.

Have you had any problems focusing and getting sharp photos out. Some people (in 2008) made comments that it was flimsy and that it flexed.

[JdeV]

You cannot focus sufficiently accurately for a P65+ with a ground glass. Any ground glass, not just the Arca. The Arca screen is up there with the best but ground glass screens do not resolve to the resolution of digital backs. It's as simple as that.
It does feel like it flexes but I have not found this to impact on sharpness in any way. I have tested the issue very carefully.

[archivue]

You cannot focus sufficiently accurately for a P65+ with a ground glass. Any ground glass, not just the Arca. The Arca screen is up there with the best but ground glass screens do not resolve to the resolution of digital backs. It's as simple as that.
It does feel like it flexes but I have not found this to impact on sharpness in any way. I have tested the issue very carefully.

+1

the larger screen compare to the kapture group is a plus for framing when stitching.

the smallest size of the kapture group is nice for packing.

I have both, they are different... i use both...

Note that arca have a quite new screen on the RM3D and the M line 2... much sharper and flat than the previous one !

Anyway, i thing that using one of this two, help you improving your composition... but it depends on subject (for architecture it's crucial...).

[jimban]

I've been using a rental Rotaslide and it is absolutely not designed for a 5" x 4" but rather specifically a 6x9 camera.
I have an M-Line 5" x 4" but have to rent 6x9 standards to use it.

The rotaslide was designed to work with a 4x5 adapter plate.  Check out:

http://www.arca-shop.de/Camera-Accessories/Sliding-back/Rotaslide%AE-sliding-back-for-6x9::513.html

for details.

[JdeV]

The rotaslide was designed to work with a 4x5 adapter plate.  Check out:

http://www.arca-shop.de/Camera-Accessories/Sliding-back/Rotaslide%AE-sliding-back-for-6x9::513.html

for details.

No, if you look at the shop page the 5" x 4" adaptor plate is an additional extra. It is not built to fit 5" x 4" but can be adapted to do so. It is actually 6x9 sized.

[E_Edwards]

Do you know if you can rotate the Rotaslide selectively (as in just a few degrees - then lock it there), both clockwise and anti-clockwise?  If so, it would be handy to align verticals/horizontals easily.

Also do Arca make an adaptor to use the Rotaslide on the 4X5 SinarP?

Thanks.

[archivue]

Do you know if you can rotate the Rotaslide selectively (as in just a few degrees - then lock it there), both clockwise and anti-clockwise?  If so, it would be handy to align verticals/horizontals easily.

No

Also do Arca make an adaptor to use the Rotaslide on the 4X5 SinarP?

yes


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/101473-REG/Arca_Swiss_200007_Lensboard_Adapter.html

[Rod.Klukas]

You can rotate the plates on a rotaslide to in between vertical and horizontal positions, but not lock them in these positions.
It would be difficult to precisely match the angles of each plate identically.

As some above said, they perform flawlessly, even when perceived to be used/worn a bit.

I enjoyed them because of the adjustment notches for stitching on the upper left shoulder allowing a choice of how many shots I wanted to shoot.
While a bit larger than Kapture-Groups offering, I too echo another posters' comment on being able to view the 6x9 glass made it easier for stitching.
Rod

[archivue]

You can rotate the plates on a rotaslide to in between vertical and horizontal positions, but not lock them in these positions.
It would be difficult to precisely match the angles of each plate identically.

there's a little detent at 0 and 180° !