Any feeback on the new Fotoman yet?

[Leonard Metcalf]

Just wondering if anyone has gotten their hands on the Fotoman 45PS yet. Wondering what is like, after seeing some of the photographs.

[Brian Vuillemenot]

On a related note, has anyone out there used the Photoman 6X24? Now that looks cool!

[Jerry Fusselman]

I have the Fotoman 624. Just calibrated focus on my 110mm and 180mm spacers. If everything goes well, I will get some images back in a few days. It actually fits in the Kinesis belt system (www.kgear.com) that I already have. Really easy to carry with a neck strap and hand hold, but I will use a tripod most of the time.

Their new helical focusing mounts are a breeze to calibrate after reading the instructions. Their new viewfinders are probably the best out there. You have a bubble level that you see in the finder while framing. It uses interchangeable masks, and the image in the viewfinder is really fun to look at, especially with wider lenses (because less is masked).

Coming soon, hopefully, will be the ground glass for 624 and the shift adapter. My 300mm spacer may come even sooner, hopefully in a matter of weeks.

I have lots of plans for this camera. Very well made. Yeah, it's way cool!

[Brian Vuillemenot]

Hi Jerry,

I'd like to hear any comments you have on using such an extreme aspect ratio. I'm used to using 6X17, but I could see where 6X24 would be quite a bit more challenging. Are you finding it limiting at all, or is it opening up lots of new possibilities for you? Please post some of your shots when you get them back. Best of luck with it!

[Paul Droluk]

Leonard... sorry to say you'll get no response, as we've only JUST shipped the very first one. Stuart Franklin (head of Magnum UK) selected the Fotoman 45PS for an aerial project documenting the receeding glaciers in the Alps and Finland next month... then off to S. Africa for a shoot with National Geo. For this application we developed appropriate aerial handles, which we will either offer as an accessory or maybe even make standard on the camera. Needless to say we like the handles a lot. Stuart has promised a full review of the camera and a lot of pic's which we'll publish on our new website. We will commence shipping full scale in about two weeks, so I would think in a month or so you'll start hearing some feedback from the users on this forum.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

Paul,

Is it possible to use the 45PS with a Copal 3 shutter? I ask because I have a Xenotar in a C3 which I would love to use on a camera like your 45PS

jason

[Paul Droluk]

Don't know why but my picture didn't attach... here's another try

[Paul Droluk]

Sorry Jason, our Helical Focus Mount can only accept #0 or #1 shutter sizes.. but that is 1 more than the other guys...

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

Ah well, I can dream...

[Oren Grad]

Paul, that's great news. What's the status on the 8x10 version?

[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.

[Paul Droluk]

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.
Leonard, the weight of the camera body is .56 kg (1.23 lbs). Completely set up with a 75/5.6 Fuji SWD lens, HFM, Cone, Viewfinder and Bubble level... the outfit weighs in at 1.15 kg (2.53 bs).

[Oren Grad]

How about weight for the 8x10?

[Leonard Metcalf]

Thanks Paul

[Walter Foscari]

Paul, I recall you saying that you're working on a handheld 4x5 with some front movements. Is this that version or is this a fixed lens camera?

[Leonard Metcalf]

Paul has released or revamped his website at fotoman (http://www.fotomancamera.com)

Information about the 45PS is here (http://www.fotomancamera.com/prodect_list.asp?id=190) while info about the 810PS is here (http://www.fotomancamera.com/prodect_list.asp?id=167) and the 410PS here (http://www.fotomancamera.com/prodect_list.asp?id=160).

Note the new weight for the 45 PS is now 1.08 kg or 2.4 pounds.

Len

[Ted Harris]

I've got the sample camera here .... thanks Paul. Waiting for 75mm and 110 cones to arrive so I can put the beast through its paces with a 75mm Grandagon N and a 110 Super Symmar XL. So far, in terms of fit and finish I like what I see. The groundglass/back arrangement is very nice. I like the way you slide the groundglass back out ad a holder in. I slipped a 545i holer in and all went well. Obviously, the proof is in the images and that still has to wait a few more days. Soon as the cones arrive I will post an image or two here with some comments.

[Walter Foscari]

Paul, if you're out there I try this again: I recall hearing on this forum about a fotoman handheld 4x5 with some front movements. Any news on that???

Thx
Walter

[Ron Marshall]

Here is some Fotoman info:

http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/

[Gordon Moat]

New website looks nice, and is easier to navigate. I notice the 6x9 is missing; the old site had it as "coming soon"; has it been discontinued or cancelled?

Ciao!

Gordon Moat

[Paul Droluk]

Walter... we are currently developing our shift adapter, which will be an add on stage allowing for rise and fall. The prototype work is being executed using our 612 camera, but once proved out shift adapter for all of our camera will be produced. Gordon... for the meantime, we have discontinued plans for the 6x9.

[Brian Vuillemenot]

Hi Paul,

I'm intrigued by the 4X10 point and shoot camera- what style of film holder will it take, i.e., the Canham, Wisner/old Lotus, or the new Lotus? Thanks!

[Ted Harris]

Had it out today while dogs and people were romping for Fourth of July festivities. Snapped a few with the 75 f4.5 Grandagon at f16 and 1/250 using Polaroid T72 film. A sampole is attached. This is handheld, using the camera exactly as it is intended, for snapshots. To give you an idea of film size this is around half of the original, maybe a bit more. Other images to follow.

Say hi to Shelby (the dog).

[Oren Grad]

Hi, Shelby!

[Paul Droluk]

Gordon... the 6x9 camera no longer appears, as we have delayed it in favor of developing our other new cameras. Once we get closer on the 6x9 we'll repost it.

Brian... we have designed the 4x10 to use the Canham film holder, following the advise of Kerry Thalmann.

[Ted Harris]

A quick addendum to the above post. I was hand holding using only the left handle. I expect more ease with both handles but any movement you see was tshelby wiggling. For the moment I have taken the right handle off and will replace it with an extension that Paul has supplied to allow the free travel of the Polaroid holder. This is a mod to this sample camera and the handle designhas been changed to eliminate the problem in the production model.

[Gordon Moat]

Thanks for the answer Paul. I have only seen one Fotoman in person so far, a 6x17, but I was impressed with the construction. Glad to hear your company is working on more things; gives me something to look forward to in the future.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat