Any feeback on the new Fotoman yet?

[Jerry Fusselman]

Is it a Xenotar 150mm f/2.8? If it is, I might have a solution for you...a way to put that lens on a Fotoman 4x5. It depends on whether Fotoman can still make 4x5 spacers that accept their old focusing mounts, for the old focusing mounts have room, in my opinion, for Copal 3's in some or most cases. I have a Xenotar 150mm f/2.8 and an old focusing mount, and I could check. This depends on Fotoman being able to still supply spacers for the old focusing mounts, so perhaps Paul will chime in on this issue.

[Paul Droluk]

Oren... the 810PS will follow the 45PS by about 2 weeks.

[Paul Droluk]

Is it a Xenotar 150mm f/2.8? If it is, I might have a solution for you...a way to put that lens on a Fotoman 4x5. It depends on whether Fotoman can still make 4x5 spacers that accept their old focusing mounts, for the old focusing mounts have room, in my opinion, for Copal 3's in some or most cases. I have a Xenotar 150mm f/2.8 and an old focusing mount, and I could check. This depends on Fotoman being able to still supply spacers for the old focusing mounts, so perhaps Paul will chime in on this issue.

Jerry... the new Cones and Spacers are useable with the old focus mounts, though we no longer have any of the old focus mounts available.

[Jerry Fusselman]

I am so curious to know the advantage of the handles that far forward! Does it increase stability, perhaps?---leading to less camera shake?

Also, where the cable release go? Does it attach to the camera body or the lens spacer?

[Jerry Fusselman]

Funny, I have two of the original Fotoman focusing mounts, and I might be willing to part with one. I suspect there are or will be others out there willing to sell the original mounts---probably Fotoman 617 and 612 users who decide to switch to the new mounts. I apologize if I am just pointlessly muddying the waters with my typical never-say-die thoughts, and if Paul knows that my guessing is wrong in any way, I hope he corrects me.

It is entirely possible that no one has ever mounted a Copal 3 shuttered lens on the original Fotoman helical focusing mount, even though I think is fairly simple to do.

By the way, I can now say that the new focusing mounts are much quicker to calibrate (infinity focus) than the original focusing mounts. The original mounts are a little more like lens boards, and they have more room for bigger lenses.

[Jerry Fusselman]

I was at the foot of Adler Planetarium tonight, shooting across Lake Michigan after sunset at the Chicago skyline. I consider the perfect 120-film camera there maybe to be a 6x36 with about 18mm of shift up with a 210mm Super Symmar XL, as I think I hinted once before in this forum.

Maybe I am wrong and I will prefer my results with my 180mm Sironar S on 624 and plenty more of Lake Michigan in its lovely cyanish-blue color. Anyway, it is clear to my aesthetics that 617 would be too boxy at that location.

I do not expect 624 to be any trouble for composition. To me, the most limiting aspect ratio is 1:1, and 4:5 is also highly limiting. I think the ubiquitousness of 4x5 and 8x10 is just a historical accident, and I think that humans are more accustomed to scanning the horizon and long edges.

I expect I would be happier if 624-only for a week than if 4x5- or 6x7-only, and I fear that a week of 6x6-only could make me break out in hives. But these are just predictions, and I will have to see.

[Leonard Metcalf]

Paul,

Do you have a weight for the camera? Oh, and Jerry I love the format of 4 x 5 particularly in a vertical format, but each to their own.

[MJSfoto1956]

actaully, if ever there were a "perfect" ratio it likely would be 1:1.618 (or 1 to phi). Funny thing that: not a proportion that anyone prints to!!! (closest would be 5x8)

As far as "perfect" compositions go, I rather have embraced the notion that each subject wants its own unique cropping. Some images are simply perfect square. Other subjects only look great in panoramic mode. And of course, most photos look "perfect" somewhere in-between.

I would suggest that if 100% of all your pictures were 6x24 (or wider or whatever) then not only would you eventually become labled as "that pano guy" but you would also sooner or later become tired of the format and slowly drift back to the dark side....

J M S

[Oren Grad]

Oren... the 810PS will follow the 45PS by about 2 weeks.

Super! Thanks, and good luck with the product launch...

[Paul Droluk]

I am so curious to know the advantage of the handles that far forward! Does it increase stability, perhaps?---leading to less camera shake?

Also, where the cable release go? Does it attach to the camera body or the lens spacer?

Jerry, the forward location of the handles does indeed balance the camera better, which would lead to better hand held results. The forward location also makes for a better two handed grip when using Readyload or Quickload holders. The cable release runs through either handle, as on all of our cameras.