New Cambo Actus for Digital Backs

[Steve Hendrix]

Cambo is showing an Actus modified to accept a digital back. As you can see from the attached photo, the front and rear base are enhanced (reinforced and height is added for clearance of the digital back).


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[Theodoros]

Now we are talking... what are the lens mounts available?

[Paul2660]

This is cool. Looks like a SK35? on there. 

Will this one take a lens in the Cambo tech mount? 

It will be interesting to see how much shift, rise fall you get on the Credo 50 before the crosstalk issues arise.

Paul

[Theodoros]

I also wonder if they have in mind a focal plane shutter for the rear standard so that one may do MS with it....

[Steve Hendrix]

Now we are talking... what are the lens mounts available?

They should be similar to what is already available:

*Mamiya RZ
*Mamiya 645
*Hasselblad V
*Copal 0
*Copal 1
*M39

Possibly, depending on image circle:
*Leica R
*Nikon F
*??


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[Steve Hendrix]

I also wonder if they have in mind a focal plane shutter for the rear standard so that one may do MS with it....

Sorry, multi-shot backs are not allowed!

Just kidding...

No word yet on shutter news from Cambo...


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[Paul2660]

I guess they really had to consider the effect it would have on future tech camera sales (WRS).  If you are just starting out, with out lenses, this is a perfect solution.
You get movements, shift and swing/tilt.  You can still mount the Schneider and Rodenstock lenses, but in a much less expensive mount, i.e Copol 0.  No more need to spend the extra dollars for the Cambo T/S mount.
Your lenses actually hold more value, since you can sell them to anyone (all they need to do is add the mount for their camera, and not remove a Cambo mount)
Digital issues such as crosstalk will be the same dependent on the back/tech lens selected.  But the cost of entry is I am assuming much less.  

Plus you can mount Canon or Nikon TS_E/PC-E lenses, which should push back further and help cancel out crosstalk and still allow shift (from the lens). Edit, I just remembered the Canon has no manual aperture ring, so I guess it won't work, but the Nikon PC-E does.


Smart move.
Paul

[galupi20]

Hi Steve. Do you know if I can use my Sinar 54M with Hasselblad V adapter ?

Prices similar to other mounts ?

Thanks a lot

Luis

[Steve Hendrix]

Hi Steve. Do you know if I can use my Sinar 54M with Hasselblad V adapter ?

Prices similar to other mounts ?

Thanks a lot

Luis

Should not be an issue with any V Mount digital back (or other mounts, like Contax 645, Mamiya 645, Hasselblad H). It uses the same mount that is used with the WRS Technical Cameras.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[Theodoros]

It seems that the product is targeting the new CMos backs that offer good LV.... I wonder if there is an alternative focusing method thought for older backs...

[DanielStone]

Steve,

Do you know if Cambo would/will allow for roll film use? Say, a 6x7 or 6x9 back, like from Horseman/Linhof/etc?
The Linhof Techno does, but we're talking apples vs gold-gilded apples here in terms of pricing differential

-Dan

[Pics2]

Steve,
I guess Cambo Ultima is still better for studio work, am I right? What movements is Actus missing, I can't figure out completely from the picture?
Thanks!

[favalim]

Very interesting tool! just two questions:

Is it possible lateral shifting?
Is it possible to rotate the back?

Thank you
Marco

[torger]

A compact lightweight sliding back would be great accessory to support CCD backs. It would be like a Linhof Techno light, probably at a much lower price too.

On the CMOS side, the obvious choice for a budget camera like this would be the Hasselblad CFV-50c now when it's getting live view (the recently announced firmware upgrade), and priced at $15k it leaves Leaf and Phase One looking very very expensive.

Price example: Linhof Techno + IQ250 = $9k + $35k = $44k; Cambo Actus + CFV-50c = $2k(?) + $15k = $17k

The million dollar question for this camera is still -- which wide angle lenses are you going to use with your Sony CMOS sensor? Concerning crosstalk anything wider than say 50mm in the Rodenstock/Schneider tech lens range is problematic due to crosstalk, at least off center. I guess that would be some MF-SLR wide angle lenses, but I don't know if there are much that have great resolving power, and they are heavy of course.

With the wide angle problem unresolved I think it's natural to provide a sliding back for CCD backs so the camera is usable right away for wide angle technical photography, without having to wait for future lenses or sensors.

[Steve Hendrix]

Theodoros - For scenic/landscape use, a digital back minus live view seems a tricky proposition to me at this point, other than swapping out ground glass.

Daniel - Since the Actus II (unofficial name) will utilize the same interface adapters as the WRS Tech Cameras, there would be an option for 6x7 film back, at least.

Pics2 - The Ultima provides complete movements (rise/fall/horizontal shift/tilt/swing) on both front and rear standards. The Actus is rise/fall and horizontal shift on the rear standard, with tilt and swing dedicated to the front standard. You also have self locking gears on the Ultima.

Marco - Lateral shift - yes. Rotating, I believe that is intended.

Torger - At this point, we don't feel a sliding back is going to be viable, even a "lightweight" one.

We had some collaborative discussions yesterday with Cambo regarding this product and this is not yet a final product, though it is close. Some tweaking may still occur, and it is still a ways away from shipping.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[torger]

Torger - At this point, we don't feel a sliding back is going to be viable, even a "lightweight" one.

Ok, good to know. I guess the camera is too light for such to be feasible. On my Techno the sliding back is indeed throwing around quite some weight, which works thanks to that the camera body itself is reasonably heavy. I also realize now that the Actus has the focusing on the back standard, which would mean moving the sliding back too, which would not be great, lot of weight to move. (On the Techno the back only has rise/fall, focus is by moving the front standard.)

So it seems perfectly right, a sliding back is not viable on this design. A live view back it is, which is by far more elegant too of course.

[Theodoros]

Theodoros - For scenic/landscape use, a digital back minus live view seems a tricky proposition to me at this point, other than swapping out ground glass.

Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

It seems that the product is primarily designed  to be used with FF mirrorless (like the Sony A7) on the rear standard and the option of having an MFDB instead is there to declare a future compatibility for when these backs will be widely spread... Never the less, the device looks to be a cheaper/better choice for H5D-50c/50cms/200cms owners instead of them choosing Hasselblad's own 1.5x tilt/shift converter... The mirror box will go away, there will be no widening of the image circle and the price of an Actus + some V (or even Mamiya RZ) lenses will still be cheaper...