Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: AlastairMoore on February 28, 2011, 12:23:32 am
-
Hi chaps,
I really love the 6x17 panoramic aspect ratio and have been looking into picking up a Fuji 617 camera. Or did until I saw the price of the blighters! And the lenses! Wow.. not really accessible for the hobbyist unless you're a dentist. So I'm looking into alternatives. What is there aside from a DSLR plus stitching, which I don't really have an interest in doing? Are there any hidden gems out there in the 6x17 (or similar) format that I might be able to pick up for a snip?
Cheers!
-
This one?
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=51764.msg425893#msg425893
Best regards
Erik
Hi chaps,
I really love the 6x17 panoramic aspect ratio and have been looking into picking up a Fuji 617 camera. Or did until I saw the price of the blighters! And the lenses! Wow.. not really accessible for the hobbyist unless you're a dentist. So I'm looking into alternatives. What is there aside from a DSLR plus stitching, which I don't really have an interest in doing? Are there any hidden gems out there in the 6x17 (or similar) format that I might be able to pick up for a snip?
Cheers!
-
Hi Alastair,
The cheapest panorama camera I know is the Horizon S3 Pro panorama camera.
Don't be put off by its looks as I have one and it is built like a tank and is optically superb.
http://www.rugift.com/photocameras/panoramic_horizon_s3pro_camera.htm
I also have a Noblex 6x12cm camera which is also fantastic, but it is large and heavy but it does produce stunning shots.
The Horizon is light, fast and a whole lot of fun to use.
Cheers
Simon
-
If you do an ebay search with the keyword "6x17" you get a lot of opportunities to buy what you need ....
-
ive got a gx617 with the 90, 105 and the 180 and the glass back with a imacon film scanner all for 7,000.00 USD.
let me know if you are still looking for one.
ive priced it to sell as you know if you have been looking at them for long.
-
Hi chaps,
I really love the 6x17 panoramic aspect ratio and have been looking into picking up a Fuji 617 camera. Or did until I saw the price of the blighters! And the lenses! Wow.. not really accessible for the hobbyist unless you're a dentist. So I'm looking into alternatives. What is there aside from a DSLR plus stitching, which I don't really have an interest in doing? Are there any hidden gems out there in the 6x17 (or similar) format that I might be able to pick up for a snip?
Cheers!
I liked the Linhof better, it felt less bulky, here is a non interchangeable lens version http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Linhof-6x17-617-Schneider-90mm-Camera-Great-user-/290553195048?pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item43a651ea28#ht_581wt_1141
I had a 612 for a time with two lenses, I liked that a lot, wish I still had it.
I do think a MFD with a lot of pixels masked down to 3:1 would do just as good a job and could prove to be the cheaper option in the long run, some refurbed P45's are looking a good option. Easier to handle and transport as well.
Kevin.
-
It depends what you call cheap, but you may look for the 135 versions of the Horizon (ie S3 or 202, no shift as far as I recall), they sell for a few hundreds bucks generally... The 120 versions of Horizon of Noblex are generally in the same price area as the 617, at least the chinese ones (ie thousands and not hundreds).
You probably already know it, but beware that rotating-lens cameras as the Horizon and Noblex give you a cylindric projection (ie curved horizon when not centered, can be dealt with some shift) and funky effects on moving subjects ; this is what you pay for a perfect optical homogenity across the widest dimension of the frame.
Otherwise, dealing with the limitations and powers of stitching may be the cheapest way to do it (the cost of a basic pano head as the Panosaurus or Nodal Ninja is an order of magnitude below the aforementioned MF cameras, and it's not even strictly necessary).
-
Fotoman made one, I don't know if they are still around, however. If you find one be sure and get the ground glass as focusing is a black art without it.
-
If you are willing to drop down to 35mm, the Fuji/Hasselblad Xpan with the 45mm lens makes a nice image. I used one for several years until the time involved in processing and scanning got to be too much. The camera itself is quite easy to use and small enough that it doesn't take up much room in a kit.
Now I shoot with a DSLR and stitch images from a 24mm shift lens when I need a hi-res panoramic. Not ideal, but workable.
-
Fotoman made one, I don't know if they are still around, however. If you find one be sure and get the ground glass as focusing is a black art without it.
I think the fotoman cameras are still under production by "Fotoman China" (fotoman.cc). I think it is same design/manufacturer but a new owner. At one point I looked into getting a new 6x17 but decided to continue with DSLR stitching (smaller setup, no scanning, flexible image sizes) instead. The price I was quoted for a 6x17 with 120 f/8 lens was something like 2900 $US so it still may not be considered "cheap" to the OP.