Best Combo for IQ160 + Shift

[nunez]

Hello,

I have a IQ160 with the Hasselblad V mount and I'm interested in using the IQ160 for architecture and fine art work. I've looked at the Alpa but it looks for what I've seen (disclaimer: Don't know anything really) aren't made to be shifted. I'm thinking either getting a tilt/shift adapter for the RZ67 or getting a large format solution with the IQ with tilt/shift. Please give me any suggestions. Thank you.

[Doug Peterson]

Hello,

I have a IQ160 with the Hasselblad V mount and I'm interested in using the IQ160 for architecture and fine art work. I've looked at the Alpa but it looks for what I've seen (disclaimer: Don't know anything really) aren't made to be shifted. I'm thinking either getting a tilt/shift adapter for the RZ67 or getting a large format solution with the IQ with tilt/shift. Please give me any suggestions. Thank you.

The smallest Alpa body, the TC, does not have any native movement. But there are a dozen other tech cameras from Alpa, Arca Swiss, Cambo and others* which have various combinations of rise, fall, shift, tilt, and swing.

You may find our Tech Camera Overview useful. As a disclaimer my company chooses not to sell Alpa, preferring instead to deal with Arca Swiss and Cambo. This overview will give you some idea of the variations of options that include various combinations of shift/rise/fall/tilt/swing. In my experience any of these tech cameras will be a much better option for nearly any architecture application as compared to the RZ with a TS adapter for architecture.

*I mention those three because they are the most common and best supported in the US market, but there are for sure other brands worth looking at depending on where you live.

[Paul2660]

All three companies Alpa, Arca, and Cambo offer shifting solutions.   With the IQ160 and a wide lens you will be able to get about 15mm of shift with any of these solutions using either the Rod 32mm or Rod 40mm.  The Rod 23 and 28 have a smaller image circle and will not allow for as much shift.   

The Schneider 35 and 43 will have less distortion to correct than the Rodenstocks but will not shift as much due to loss of image quality on the 60MP backs.

Time to find a dealer and setup some demos.  I use the Arca rm3di on the 160/260 and live in Little Rock AR.  If you are close I can meet you and show you one of the more popular Arca solutions. 

Paul Caldwell

[nunez]

Thank you gentlemen for answering, Doug & Paul, and sharing your knowledge. With the experience you have, if you wanted a solution with either of those 3 companies what would you choose for the best solution, most versatile for architecture and fine art landscape type work (ala Edward Burtynsky/Bryan Schumaat) . Considering the IQ160, what are some must have wide to normal range lenses you would recommend as must haves for the setup? I know I'm asking in general terms and for a general solution with no much specifics.

[Paul2660]

There is a lot of info in this post on This forum.

http://http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=85792.0

Paul

[Doug Peterson]

If there was one "obviously best" solution for all needs/priorities/users then there would be only one tech camera model sold.

The reason there are a dozen or more major models to pick from is because each one is right for someone.

For instance, I think the below kit is a killer landscape system to go with your IQ160:
- Rodenstock 32HR
- Schneider 60XL
- Schneider 120ASPH
- RM3Di
- eModule Cloud
- Arca Cube

That system would have the most precise focusing of any tech system you can get, a good amount of shift/rise/fall and tilt-or-swing with any lens without need for an adapter. It also has the least expensive lenses* (nearly all of the time), native Arca/RSS mounts, modularity with a full sized Arca view camera, a ground glass option, a sliding back option, a rotating back mount option, and a very good viewfinder.

But some might look at that assembled system and say it's too weird looking (the eModule in particular is funky looking) or too big or too steep a learning curve for their taste and might prefer a system that is more immediately intuitive and sexier looking like a Cambo Wide RS AE or might prefer one of the Alpas. None of these viewpoints are wrong.

*All of the systems use the same Schneider and Rodenstock lenses, so the only difference in price is the cost of the mount they put them in.

[nunez]

Doug,

Thank you so much for that breakdown I think it is great. I've done some research and the eModule does look weird , but seems like it does the job well. I do prefer to check my focus with a loupe on the ground glass, would that be possible with this combination?

Anthony

[Doug Peterson]

Yes there are three options for ground glass focusing on an r series.

2 sliding backs and a switch-out option.

If in dusty environments the sliding back is a better option IMO.

[torger]

If you're used to view camera design and ground glass I'd suggest you take a look at Linhof Techno. I have written a review of it here: http://www.ludd.ltu.se/~torger/photography/linhof-techno-review.html

If you're going to shoot a lot indoors with wides you'd probably like pancake cameras with high precision focusing rings as ground glass is cumbersome to work with in those conditions (some still do anyway though).

If you're going to have a lot of lenses and like to use tilt occassionally a Techno with Schneider Digitar lenses is going to be substantially cheaper than corresponding systems from Alpa or Arca-Swiss, due to expensive lens mounts vs simple lens board. Due to color casts of the IQ160 sensor some of the Schneider wides are not great combinations though, they work but are a bit limited in terms of shifting, so you might need a Rodenstock retrofocus lens and then the 32 has truly impressive performance, but it comes at a price of course.

If you're going to use ground glass, you should be aware that not all ground glass is made equal . As far as I know Arca-Swiss' or any other pancake camera's ground glass does not come close to Linhof's newly introduced bright ground glass when it comes to wide angle brightness. Pancake cameras are used mainly without ground glass, while the Techno is essentially a view camera so Linhof has put some effort into making it as good as possible to work with. With the Techno you should have the bright ground glass and the new Silvestri 12x loupe for the best experience.