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Author Topic: Actus: I'm in love!  (Read 2231 times)

geesbert

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Actus: I'm in love!
« on: October 14, 2014, 04:47:51 pm »

I am shooting with the Actus for a week now and I must admit: It's fantastic!

I was looking for movements for my camera for years, tried DMF (bought and cried twice), but gave it up.

tried 35mm with movements: Zörk, Mirex, Mamiya TS-bellows, self made concoction on a Linhof 679, Hartblei and so forth.

I make 95 percent of my income with a 90mm TS-e, but I am not too hot about its image quality, especially close up and the limited movements.

But now: The Actus

It was a bit of a bumpy start, had a few problems with the bellows and my 90mm digitar, but now I am trying a few enlarger lenses and it works great.

First I tried it with the Sony A7r, but the lack of live view tethering really sucks, the Ipad solution is not precise enough and not being able to shoot into a computer while using live view tethered made my decision to finally sell the sony.

I changed the mount to canon and put my trusty, 150.000 exposure 5d Mk3 on it, and that thing rocks!

Lenses I tried so far:

- Schneider 45mm Apo-Componon HM: superb lens, but too wide for the Actus/Canon with the standard bellows for anything other than very close-up.

- Schneider 60mm Apo-Componon HM: Fantastic too, great fpr closeups 2-3:1, but then very restricted movements

- Rodenstock 80mm Rodagon (non-apo): probably the sweetspot for the system, unbelievable lens, though it would so much improve out of focus highlights if it only would have more aperture blades. loads of pentagons in OOF reflections, I am going to get the apo version, or does it exist in a version for a copal shutter, so I can mount an old 12 blade one?

- Schneider 90mm Apo-Digitar: sweet too, though mine seems to have a problem, gone to Schneider

- Schneider 120mm Apo-Digitar: the bellows seems to be too short for that lens for anything closer than 1m, even with the front reversed, the magnetic mounts pop off with slight movements.



The Actus really needs a geared tripod head. Using it on a ball head, like the one specially designed for it, wastes so much precision.


Those enlarger lenses don't take flare too well, so I built a flag with a small magic arm and an Arca-style clam, which gets attached to the rail.

My only niggle is, that the friont swing zero detent doesn't work.


I am happy!


What I wish for:

Pentax 645 camera mount and a longer bellows.


« Last Edit: October 14, 2014, 04:51:04 pm by geesbert »
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ErikKaffehr

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Re: Actus: I'm in love!
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2014, 07:45:47 am »

Hi,

Nice to hear! Thanks for sharing.

Best regards
Erik



I am shooting with the Actus for a week now and I must admit: It's fantastic!

I was looking for movements for my camera for years, tried DMF (bought and cried twice), but gave it up.

tried 35mm with movements: Zörk, Mirex, Mamiya TS-bellows, self made concoction on a Linhof 679, Hartblei and so forth.

I make 95 percent of my income with a 90mm TS-e, but I am not too hot about its image quality, especially close up and the limited movements.

But now: The Actus

It was a bit of a bumpy start, had a few problems with the bellows and my 90mm digitar, but now I am trying a few enlarger lenses and it works great.

First I tried it with the Sony A7r, but the lack of live view tethering really sucks, the Ipad solution is not precise enough and not being able to shoot into a computer while using live view tethered made my decision to finally sell the sony.

I changed the mount to canon and put my trusty, 150.000 exposure 5d Mk3 on it, and that thing rocks!

Lenses I tried so far:

- Schneider 45mm Apo-Componon HM: superb lens, but too wide for the Actus/Canon with the standard bellows for anything other than very close-up.

- Schneider 60mm Apo-Componon HM: Fantastic too, great fpr closeups 2-3:1, but then very restricted movements

- Rodenstock 80mm Rodagon (non-apo): probably the sweetspot for the system, unbelievable lens, though it would so much improve out of focus highlights if it only would have more aperture blades. loads of pentagons in OOF reflections, I am going to get the apo version, or does it exist in a version for a copal shutter, so I can mount an old 12 blade one?

- Schneider 90mm Apo-Digitar: sweet too, though mine seems to have a problem, gone to Schneider

- Schneider 120mm Apo-Digitar: the bellows seems to be too short for that lens for anything closer than 1m, even with the front reversed, the magnetic mounts pop off with slight movements.



The Actus really needs a geared tripod head. Using it on a ball head, like the one specially designed for it, wastes so much precision.


Those enlarger lenses don't take flare too well, so I built a flag with a small magic arm and an Arca-style clam, which gets attached to the rail.

My only niggle is, that the friont swing zero detent doesn't work.


I am happy!


What I wish for:

Pentax 645 camera mount and a longer bellows.



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Erik Kaffehr
 

mitchino

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Re: Actus: I'm in love!
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2014, 07:56:44 am »

example images please!
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RobertJ

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Re: Actus: I'm in love!
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2014, 07:03:57 am »

Thanks for the info.  I really like the look of this camera.

What exactly was wrong with the 90mm lens?

Would the 45mm work with the wide angle bellows?

Also, if they make a long bellows, will you need a longer rail for a 120 makro?
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Steve Hendrix

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Re: Actus: I'm in love!
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2014, 04:36:37 pm »

Thanks for the info.  I really like the look of this camera.

What exactly was wrong with the 90mm lens?

Would the 45mm work with the wide angle bellows?

Also, if they make a long bellows, will you need a longer rail for a 120 makro?

There will eventually be a longer bellows and a longer rail option.

For now, if you "work" the bellows some, it will give a good bit more, and be much less likely to pop off.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration
« Last Edit: October 17, 2014, 05:12:13 pm by Steve Hendrix »
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geesbert

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Re: Actus: I'm in love!
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2014, 04:46:45 pm »

Thanks for the info.  I really like the look of this camera.

What exactly was wrong with the 90mm lens?

Would the 45mm work with the wide angle bellows?

Also, if they make a long bellows, will you need a longer rail for a 120 makro?

Somehow my 90 Digitar is very soft wide open, I didn't use this lens for a few years, there is no fungus or anything to see, I sent it off to Schneider and I'll see.

With a Canon and the 45 there is not much space left for movements at infinity. Much better with the Sony, of course.

the front standard can be rotated by 180°, so you gain some 5cm extension.
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geesbert

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Re: Actus: I'm in love!
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2014, 04:49:48 pm »

example images please!

can't show anything unless it is published, sorry.
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