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Author Topic: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...  (Read 6988 times)

Theodoros

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https://www.cambo.com/en/view-cam/actus-xl/

There has been very little of discussions on Actus XL, in reality it is a Cambo Ultima base, but with the lens and image area frames of the Actus "mini" and the Actus "mini DB" adapted on the ultima.

There are some advantages (and only some minor disadvantages) on the system that are hard for the knowledgeable photographer to overlook at:

-It is the only bellows camera in the market where one can adjust the entrance pupil of the lens as to be positioned at exactly the center of the circle of which the tilt arc is part of,
-It is ready to work without further adaptation with mirrorless MF cameras (only a mount required for the Fuji GFX to be adapted on it
-The lens frame and collection of lenses can be retained for all FF (and APS-c) mirrorless, MF mirrorless & MF backs the same.

and the (minor) disadvantages:

- The side sift mechanism is (wrongly) positioned above the swing mechanism. This means that if the two movements are combined, the entrance pupil of the lens will be de-centered with respect to the image area. The issue is overcome-able if one only "swings" on the front standard and then side shifts on the rear (in case there is need for the two movements to be combined).
- The sliding frames are difficult and time consuming to adjust back and forth.
- The values of movements are less than the competition. (but enough for most cases)
- There is no provision for a mechanism that tilts the standards with respect to the rail for when the rail is used at an angle. (can be an issue)
- The camera isn't compatible with image areas larger than 5x4 film (5x7, 8x10). (it concerns only a few users)

Still the best camera around as it is the only one that the (knowledgeable) user can retain distortionless operation even if he decides to stitch UWA images of close focus subjects (call me extremely demanding interior architecture) by swinging the camera on its base, yet retaining extreme accuracy and completely distortionless operation. I believe that there is no other camera that can do that... Perfect for demanding panoramic photography too (it will beat all any top quality panoramic base at no extra cost)...

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Doug Peterson

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2016, 10:18:55 am »

As shown on our Cambo view camera and tech camera page page another disadvantage is the difference in weight and size.

Theodoros

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2016, 12:04:36 pm »

As shown on our Cambo view camera and tech camera page page another disadvantage is the difference in weight and size.

Disadvantage compared to what? The rest of the cameras that have full movements on both standards weight as much or more... Size is less with the Actus XL when compared to them...
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vjbelle

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2016, 01:55:59 pm »

The Actus Xl should be considered a studio camera only.  At over 10 lbs. without a back or lens I consider it unusable for field.

Victor
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Theodoros

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2016, 02:42:36 pm »

The Actus Xl should be considered a studio camera only.  At over 10 lbs. without a back or lens I consider it unusable for field.

Victor

What would be the problem using it for architecture and especially internal architecture? I know cases of complex internal architecture where no other (up to now) camera can cope.... The Arca M monolith can cope in such a case, but only if lenses that have their entrance pupil positioned on the lens board are used. (which rules out using a FF mirrorless or the Fuji GFX for image area... only MFDBs...)
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DanielStone

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2016, 08:44:46 pm »

The Actus Xl should be considered a studio camera only.  At over 10 lbs. without a back or lens I consider it unusable for field.

Victor

Maybe it's just me, but having come from a large format*4x5, 5x7 and 8x10) background, "10lbs" is the weight of a (small) 4x5 camera and a few lenses. I'm 28, so 10+ lbs isn't too bad for me, but then again I'm usually only doing a few miles round trip, not crossing the Himalaya ;)

-Dan
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Michael Erlewine

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2016, 11:35:59 am »

I have the mini-Cambo Actus and love it, but I don't want a larger heavier one. This mini does enough of what I need done for my projects. I have the Rollei X-Act 2 at 14 lbs. and it is too heavy to cart far.
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Theodoros

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2016, 12:24:32 pm »

I have the mini-Cambo Actus and love it, but I don't want a larger heavier one. This mini does enough of what I need done for my projects. I have the Rollei X-Act 2 at 14 lbs. and it is too heavy to cart far.

Yes Michael, but with the "mini", whenever you tilt or swing your lens, you induce distortions into the system by moving the entrance pupil of the lens "off center" from the image area.... Only if you use a lens that its entrance pupil is positioned (exactly) the same distance into the barrel as the lens board to the tilt arc's center is, you will get distortionless operation.

With the x-act 2 OTOH, it's got so many design flaws, that it makes it extremely difficult even to the most knowledgeable user to overcome them (it's got all up-down and vertical shifts above tilts and swings and then there are "ears" on the boards that make the board's surface plane to be far off the position of the swing axis....)
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vjbelle

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #8 on: September 27, 2016, 03:10:02 pm »

I also have on of the lighter Actus systems (Actus DB+) which is very light - the camera, digital back and 5 lenses weighs in at 14.5 lbs. including the bag.  That's very doable.  I get all the movements I want and the front standard is relatively yaw free.....  Can't say enough about the very versatile Actus DB. 

Victor
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Theodoros

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #9 on: September 27, 2016, 07:29:18 pm »

I also have on of the lighter Actus systems (Actus DB+) which is very light - the camera, digital back and 5 lenses weighs in at 14.5 lbs. including the bag.  That's very doable.  I get all the movements I want and the front standard is relatively yaw free.....  Can't say enough about the very versatile Actus DB. 

Victor

There is no camera having a standard "relatively yaw free" Victor... It all depends on the lens one uses and its entrance pupil position with respect to the swing axis... If the error is small with one lens, it doesn't mean that it will be the same with another...

A very good test as to check how good the geometry of a system is, is to focus the system at a point without applying any movements at all, then apply tilts and swings on the frond standard and check focus once more... If focus hasn't been altered, the system's geometry is "dead-on"...
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vjbelle

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #10 on: September 28, 2016, 03:05:23 pm »

There is no camera having a standard "relatively yaw free" Victor... It all depends on the lens one uses and its entrance pupil position with respect to the swing axis... If the error is small with one lens, it doesn't mean that it will be the same with another...


That's why its 'RELATIVELY' yaw free.  All lenses vary slightly with respect to their entrance pupil position and unless there were a camera with a front standard fore and aft adjustments or the lens board was modified somehow there will always be some slight variation with respect to yaw free swings and tilts.  On my Actus its close enough......

Victor
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Theodoros

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #11 on: September 28, 2016, 03:53:51 pm »

That's why its 'RELATIVELY' yaw free.  All lenses vary slightly with respect to their entrance pupil position and unless there were a camera with a front standard fore and aft adjustments or the lens board was modified somehow there will always be some slight variation with respect to yaw free swings and tilts.  On my Actus its close enough......

Victor

On the Actus XL though, one can slide the lens board on the standard as to position the entrance pupil correctly.... I guess that is what makes it the best camera out there...
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BobDavid

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #12 on: September 29, 2016, 01:14:03 am »

I love the mini. It's a fine lightweight field camera, an excellent copy stand camera, and a good general purpose tool. I use it with small mirroless cameras: an Oly E-M5 II, and a Sony A7r. I rarely need to tilt the front standard more than 1mm with the Sony and .5mm with the Oly cams to achieve deep depth of field for landscape scenery. Being 57-years old and arthritic, its advantages far outweigh limitations.

The Actus XL appears to be an excellent studio camera; it's a full-feature digital-friendly view camera. If I were shooting with a Pentax K-1 or a medium format back, I'd give it a serious look.
« Last Edit: September 29, 2016, 01:25:27 am by BobDavid »
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Graham Welland

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I love my DB2 but will add the XL because of rear tilt. The only thing I really miss from my 4x5 days. But, I do miss it!
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Michael Erlewine

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #14 on: November 05, 2018, 03:27:20 am »

https://www.cambo.com/en/view-cam/actus-xl/

There has been very little of discussions on Actus XL, in reality it is a Cambo Ultima base, but with the lens and image area frames of the Actus "mini" and the Actus "mini DB" adapted on the ultima.

There are some advantages (and only some minor disadvantages) on the system that are hard for the knowledgeable photographer to overlook at:

-It is the only bellows camera in the market where one can adjust the entrance pupil of the lens as to be positioned at exactly the center of the circle of which the tilt arc is part of,
-It is ready to work without further adaptation with mirrorless MF cameras (only a mount required for the Fuji GFX to be adapted on it
-The lens frame and collection of lenses can be retained for all FF (and APS-c) mirrorless, MF mirrorless & MF backs the same.

and the (minor) disadvantages:

- The side sift mechanism is (wrongly) positioned above the swing mechanism. This means that if the two movements are combined, the entrance pupil of the lens will be de-centered with respect to the image area. The issue is overcome-able if one only "swings" on the front standard and then side shifts on the rear (in case there is need for the two movements to be combined).
- The sliding frames are difficult and time consuming to adjust back and forth.
- The values of movements are less than the competition. (but enough for most cases)
- There is no provision for a mechanism that tilts the standards with respect to the rail for when the rail is used at an angle. (can be an issue)
- The camera isn't compatible with image areas larger than 5x4 film (5x7, 8x10). (it concerns only a few users)

Still the best camera around as it is the only one that the (knowledgeable) user can retain distortionless operation even if he decides to stitch UWA images of close focus subjects (call me extremely demanding interior architecture) by swinging the camera on its base, yet retaining extreme accuracy and completely distortionless operation. I believe that there is no other camera that can do that... Perfect for demanding panoramic photography too (it will beat all any top quality panoramic base at no extra cost)...

I have finally sprung for the ACTUS-XL-35 (Ultima 35 + Cambo ACXL-365 Ultima upgrade kit to Actus 35), which will arrive soon. Can you send me any links about how to adjust the XL as to the entrance pupil. Not sure I understand how. Thanks.

Michael Erlewine
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David Eichler

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Re: Cambo Actus XL, the best bellows camera for digital photography yet...
« Reply #15 on: November 05, 2018, 10:00:47 pm »

The Actus Xl should be considered a studio camera only.  At over 10 lbs. without a back or lens I consider it unusable for field.

Victor

When I was at school in Boston, I used to lug a steel Calumet 4x5 on the T to shoot outdoors, even in winter. So, it can be done if you have to. :-)
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