Silvestri Flexicam anyone using it?

[henrikfoto]

In my search for the a tecnical camera with tilt and not only shift I came across the
Silvestri Flexicam. Looks very good and has all I need of movements, but has anyone used it?

Is it a little anstable (looks a bit weak from the pictures.. But is it?
What reputation does Silvestri have?

Henrik

[tom_l]

I had the Flexicam for a few years, quite happy with it but changed it for a Bicam finally.
I will easily find my old topics here on the forum
I had the Flexbody before, then switched to the flexicam because of the sliding back. Bellow focussing was a bit tricky with the 35mm, the lenses are on a simply board, so, you can't really stop at infinity. The Silvestri are well build, as good as the Cambos out there, but you don't have the Alpa/Arca premium price.

I switched to the BicamII, which is a bigger, heavier version of the Flexicam, but is also 2 cameras at the same time:
- A small view cam with an optional bellow which allows Tilt/Swing/side shift on the front (lenses are on simple Silvestri boards)
- A pancake cam with focussing mount lenses with rise/fall on the back (similar to the Cambo/Alpa/Sinar Artec)
You can switch between a sliding back or a simple digiback mount.
Only the Bicam can use longer, heavier lenses > 120mm. Both can use Zeiss lenses with an adapter/Actuator

Architecture/interiors photographers will probably choose a pancake camera to work with, studio will probably prefer real view cameras with all the movements on front & back. The Flexicam (as well as the linhof Techno) is somewhere between those.


A pity that they dont have a lot of resellers in most parts of the world, but i had good contacts with LinhofStudio (UK) and also directly with Mrs Silvestri herself.


Tom

[mediumcool]

… Bicam II, which is a bigger, heavier version of the Flexicam, but is also 2 cameras at the same time:
- A small view cam with an optional bellow which allows Tilt/Swing/side shift on the front (lenses are on simple Silvestri boards)
- A pancake cam with focussing mount lenses with rise/fall on the back (similar to the Cambo/Alpa/Sinar Artec)

Tom

I badly wanted one of these a few years back (never seen one for sale in Australia), but ended up with a Toyo VX23D, a mini-view camera but hefty at 3Kg. Bought through L/L BTW. Still trying to work out how to focus w/Aptus.

[henrikfoto]

Thanks a lot, Tom!

Did you feel the Flexicam was strong enough to stop vibrations from the shutter?
Did you use it with electric shutters or normal copal-shutters?

Henrik

[tom_l]

I was lucky and bought mine used.

Which shutter do you plan to use? Do you want to work with Multishot backs.
I only had the experience with Copal shutters and a 22MP backs, so i never experienced any problems with that kind of vibrations.
A problem I (still) often have is floor vibrations on location. I often shoot in older buildings with old wooden floors, which are sometimes a real pain, but this is more a long exposure problem than anything else i think.
Which lenses (wide-angle?) do you want to use with the Flexicam. I had the feeling that for most of my work I don't really need tilt with the 35mm, another reason why I switched to the pancake Bicam. There really isn't a lot of space for a lot of movements with a lens this large. You should definitely test it, if it fits your style.  Maybe with the new backs with good screens, cameras like the Flexicam, Techno or new Arca view cam will have a sort of revival.
 
Tom-

[ctz]

In my search for the a tecnical camera with tilt and not only shift I came across the
Silvestri

Henrik

Hi Henrik,
Already lost patience with the Rollei?!

Cheers,
Ciprian

[henrikfoto]

 
Not at all!!
Just allways looking 

[henrikfoto]

I was lucky and bought mine used.

Which shutter do you plan to use? Do you want to work with Multishot backs.
I only had the experience with Copal shutters and a 22MP backs, so i never experienced any problems with that kind of vibrations.
A problem I (still) often have is floor vibrations on location. I often shoot in older buildings with old wooden floors, which are sometimes a real pain, but this is more a long exposure problem than anything else i think.
Which lenses (wide-angle?) do you want to use with the Flexicam. I had the feeling that for most of my work I don't really need tilt with the 35mm, another reason why I switched to the pancake Bicam. There really isn't a lot of space for a lot of movements with a lens this large. You should definitely test it, if it fits your style.  Maybe with the new backs with good screens, cameras like the Flexicam, Techno or new Arca view cam will         have a sort of revival.


I really never tried the pancake-style cameras.
I have a lot of goog memories with the old hasselblad flexbody.
It's just too much hassle compared to the new cameras.

I am sure there will be very little room for tilting with the widest lenses..

I mostly like to shoot nature and mostly lenses from 40-100mm
I also use the Sinar multishot 54h a lot.    

Do you like the Bicam better?

Henrik
 
Tom-

[tom_l]

Yes I think so,
it's heavier than the Flexicam
but you add a viewfinder, put the lens on 10m or infinity, and you can work handheld if you want.
In the studio, I put on my Flexbellow, and I use my 72 or 100mm on the same board as the Flexicam before.
But with the Bicam you must decide if you want your lenses with focussing ring (only shift on camera) or on a simple board (sideshift, tilt, slide on the front via the bellow). I do not know the widest lens you can use with this combination, ass the bellow adds some space between body and lens I suppose.

Tom