Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Mirrorless Cameras => Topic started by: Mike Sellers on June 30, 2015, 09:18:30 am
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Anyone anxious to use the new 42mp Sony with the Actus? I think the only thing that will keep me from buying this combo would be a Sigma FF Foveon body.
Mike
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I am very much looking forward to the new A7r2. Currently i am using the A7r on the Actus with a bunch of Digitars, Apo-Rodagons and Schneider HM lenses.
It's a fantastic system, the only thing missing is a way to tether the live view to the computer, currently I am using a Extra screen via HDMI, which is ok, but missing out on many features live view tethering offers.
I haven't read anything about the tethering features of the mark2 , but I am not holding my breath.
Currently I am working on a free project with that combo, where we use the rather dim light of my studio's basement for stills. 8 second exposure with beautiful colors and fantastic detail.
I don't expect to have a much better image quality with the new camera, but the current one is such an unpleasant camera to shoot handheld, starting with terrible ergonomics, continueing with a horrible shutter, both sound and pressure point, to the strange looking EVF and the worst menue currently on the market.
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Me too. I haven't been this anxious since the announcement of the 5D2.
Since I already have both 24 and 17 TS lenses I am not considering the "Cambus" ;)
Besides, I've been waiting for twelve years for MFD to come to sane prices. Well, actually it's here with the 645Z but since FF has come a long way, I'd rather wait for the "Z" with the double FF sensor.
Who knows and we all will get lucky and get a 645Z full-framer in the next iteration!
Hope for the best but be prepared for the second best! :D
Eduardo
Anyone anxious to use the new 42mp Sony with the Actus? I think the only thing that will keep me from buying this combo would be a Sigma FF Foveon body.
Mike
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Geesbert, what's the shortest lens you can focus with the Actus and a Sony mirrorless camera?
I saw this: https://www.cambo.com/en/actus-mini/cambo-actus-mini-view-camera/acb-310 which lets you use a Rodenstock 32mm, but that would be without movements, right?
What about Canon/Nikon? What's the shortest Schneider/Rodenstock you could use?
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Geesbert,
Are the knobs on the Actus so small as to be hard to adjust for anyone with large hands? Is it a " joy" to use in the field?
Mike
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I love the Actus. I use it with an Oly EM5-II. The multi-shot files are stunning. My only complaint is that the widest lens that works really well with the regular bellows is a Rodenstock Rodagon 60mm WA. I have a mint Rodagon 40mm WA that is too short--maybe it'll work with the WA bellows, maybe not. I've been using a Rodenstock APO 80mm N too. That lens is absolutely stunning. And finally, I picked up an El Nikkor 105mm f/4 N that is quite excellent. I've had to design a compendium lens shade to eliminate flare/ghosting. Enlarger lenses are highly susceptible to flair.
The Actus is a blast to use in the field. I am using a little Giottos tripod with a Manfrotto 410 head. A geared head is a big plus.
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I love the Actus. I use it with an Oly EM5-II. The multi-shot files are stunning. My only complaint is that the widest lens that works really well with the regular bellows is a Rodenstock Rodagon 60mm WA. I have a mint Rodagon 40mm WA that is too short--maybe it'll work with the WA bellows, maybe not. I've been using a Rodenstock APO 80mm N too. That lens is absolutely stunning. And finally, I picked up an El Nikkor 105mm f/4 N that is quite excellent. I've had to design a compendium lens shade to eliminate flare/ghosting. Enlarger lenses are highly susceptible to flair.
The Actus is a blast to use in the field. I am using a little Giottos tripod with a Manfrotto 410 head. A geared head is a big plus.
Have you considered mounting the Actus on a pano head to compensate for the lack of wide glass?
cheers,
Bernard
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Bob,
Very interesting. Does that Oly have focus peaking which I think would help with the use of the tilt function. How large are those files?
Mike
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Have you considered mounting the Actus on a pano head to compensate for the lack of wide glass?
cheers,
Bernard
The theoretical range of shift is 40mm (L20, 0, R20). I use 15, 0, 15 without problem. I will not use a pano head with this system. This camera is a tool that I use for specific applications. It really is a great piece of kit. My only nit is that the swing detente is not super accurate, so I am careful to double check focus on the left and right edges of the frame. The Olympus viewfinder is really, really good. I focus with the lenses wide open in live as well as adjust swings and tilts. Then I stop down, take a photo, and review the file at 5X magnification. Manual focusing with this setup is a breeze. The Oly EVFs are very good. It's a lot of fun using this scaled down view camera and being able to compose without a faint upside down, reversed image on ground glass.
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Bob,
Very interesting. Does that Oly have focus peaking which I think would help with the use of the tilt function. How large are those files?
Mike
I do not use focus peaking with this setup. It really isn't necessary. The Oly EVFs are superb, and it's a cinch to review a file at 5x and beyond to check focus. I didn't find focus peaking with the Sony A7 to be super precise. The Olys are easier to use. As mentioned earlier, if shooting still lifes or static landscapes, the 8-shot mode on the EM-5 II is impressive.
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Can someone answer this?
Cambo says that along with the Nikon F bayonet lens plate, the Actus with a Sony mirrorless can focus Nikon lenses to infinity. So does that mean you can put a Zeiss 21, 25 f/2 ZF, Otus, or whatever, and be able to tilt/swing with a Sony on the Actus? Because...that would be neat.
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I have a hack for using a Rodenstock Rodagon 40mm WA on the Actus. This was taken with an Olympus EM5-II. I use the Actus exclusively for telephoto, stitching, and still-life photography. My only nit about the Actus is the swing detente is a bit sloppy.