Fujifilm GX680 Digital (SLR) Back!

[KingRoach]

Hi all.

I've been craving medium format photography for a while now but haven't done any of it due to the cost of buying and developing film.
I've owned a couple medium format cameras which I subsequently sold without even using. And every time, I wanted to burn a roll or two, but never did it.

The only option for me was to get one with a digital back, but if I'm worried about a few quids/dollars with film and it's glorious image area, how in the world am I going to get a similar-area digital back? This was out of the question unless some sort of a miracle find happens.

So I kept an eye on digital backs for a while and true, they are all out of my budget.

Except of course for older/legacy digital backs. Some of the only ones within my budget have only had an image area similar to a full frame 35mm DSLR. Maybe an extra millimeter, so what's the point? But hey! That gave me an idea.

If a £500 back has about 35mm format frame, why don't I mount a full frame DSLR on a medium format system?

And so this happened:
















This was in fact a different kind of project that I had been working on a while earlier, trying to make a versatile tilt-shift adapter using Medium Format lenses on a DSLR, similar to the Mirex one but home made and much cheaper and more versatile. I had a couple designs (one of my ideas I later found as a new product, somebody else beat me to it), but I have been very limited with resources and had no recourse to material hard enough to carry a MF lens. This is why I tried this with the Fuji GX680. The craving here was not for the image area, but for the tilt-shift action specific to the Fuji GX680 bracket, the sharpness of the lens system, and the lack of vignetting/chromatic aberrations in all of my images thanks to the larger image circle. Nevertheless the result is even more portable than any of those backs tether-only backs. And you can see the shot right away. Think of it like a non-handheld DSLR with a lens adapter. The only drawback was the hassle of putting my camera on and off the "adaptered camera" body.

I could also use any camera with those lenses. My Canon 5D is now a 5DmkII, and I've also tried 350D and EOS M which makes this outfit really light and portable.

Not only that, I can put any medium/large format lens and tilt-shift it by cutting a simple wooden holder and fit it on the bracket.


Zodiak 30mm f3.5 fisheye


Mamiya Sekor C 45mm f2.8

the following two shots are taken with the Mamiya 45mm f2.8, with and without shift, but no bellows were used so there were light leaks.






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I still have a working Fujifilm GX680 II body and three lenses (and many film backs) that I want to digitize by buying an actual digital back, but my question is, with legacy backs such as the Volare and maybe other 2004/5 backs: is there anything to gain over my Canon 5D mk II? Is the dynamic range colour accuracy significantly better? Or would you say what I have is the best I can get for this kind of money, and that any significant improvement should/must set me back a couple thousand pounds for a serious back? (I know I want the bigger image area but GOD I can't afford it).

[Phil Indeblanc]

Very cool!

Your last question...well, there are multiple threads running now discussing this, and starting another is your choice, but it maybe good to try and read through them, and see what new perceptive you can bring to it.  Either way, I see H25 or P25 go for about 2500-4000. Those are about the same pixel count as the 5DmkII and yes, they are meatier files, and more sharpness.

[EricWHiss]

Neat! Nice work here!

[andyptak]

I've been thinking of something simialr myself, but didn't know how to go about it or if it would work. How did you accomplish the adaptor from the back of the Fuji system to your DSLR? Thanks.

[KingRoach]

I've been thinking of something simialr myself, but didn't know how to go about it or if it would work. How did you accomplish the adaptor from the back of the Fuji system to your DSLR? Thanks.

I sawed through a Fuji GX680 body. The base of the mirror chamber is the right height to put the Canon 5D sensor in the exact centre of the image circle. Neat, huh?

I have the complete circuitry and motor drive and switches intact if anybody needs them. Should save you loads if you need an electronic repair.

[andyptak]

That's brave. How have you adaptd the Fuji unit to attach to the lens mount of your DSLR?

[KingRoach]

I searched up and down for suitable bellows. In the end, I used the conical bellows salvaged from a Polaroid Land camera. It was a good size on both ends. I created a mount to mount the bellows on the bracket, and on the DSLR end, I glued a good quality M42-EOS adapter. I'll post a picture without the camera body soon to show you the mount.

The camera is fitted with a 1/4" tripod screw which is inside the Fuji body. It stick out and is currently held in place with gaffer tape which doubles as a protection for the camera body (without a soft layer the DSLR body would have been heavily scratched but this way it's good as new). The screw has a turnable grip so I can mount the camera, otherwise I could never stick my hand in there to fit the thing safely in place. I needed a rig i can carry around without worrying about my precious canon falling to the ground.