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View Full Version : The Carbon Infinity has arrived!



Edwin Lachica
7-Aug-2006, 08:07
After much searching and saving (had to sell off my Sinar equipment to finance the purchase), I've finally purchased a Carbon Infinity 4x5 camera. I got mine off Herr Greiner (http://www.greiner-photo.de/gebraucht%20used.html) from Germany(a very positive experience).

The camera came with 5 lensboards and the basic set-up guide (I'll ask permission from the designers to post a pdf of it online).

I've only had a few days tinkering with it and I must say it is a wonderful camera. Too bad I wasn't able to bring it for my two week trip to the Philippines as it arrived a couple of days after I flew out.

An interesting fact: there were a total of 120 units made. Mine has a serial way above the often quoted number 30-60 units made. Although 120 is still not a lot.

I will probably make an unofficial mini-site when I do my own website. For now I'll go take it out for a spin around Appenzell, Switzerland.

Cheers,

Edwin.

john collins
7-Aug-2006, 10:29
Hello Edwin,

In case you would like more information on Carbon Infinity cameras, Lou Shu was themanager of Ken Hansen Photo in New York City who brought them into the US. He held fourth on the subject at some length a few years ago when I visited his shop, PhotoGizzmo (www.photogizzmo.com) in NYC. He is very knowledgeable and his customer service is excellent.

Edwin Lachica
7-Aug-2006, 11:10
Thanks for the heads up John. I'll definitely get in touch with him.

Cheers,

Edwin

Ole Tjugen
7-Aug-2006, 12:00
Since I'm one of the few other Carbon Infinity users (as opposed to collectors), I wonder if you could send me a copy of the basic setup manual?

I've had mine for a few months now. It came with two lensboards (Compur 0 and 1), and I've had three more (00, 2, and Compound #3) made by SK Grimes. The Grimes ones are exellent, and snap right into place. I also got a (home made?) bag bellows with mine, so I bought a 65mm lens...

Edwin Lachica
7-Aug-2006, 12:31
Since I'm one of the few other Carbon Infinity users (as opposed to collectors), I wonder if you could send me a copy of the basic setup manual?

Hallo Ole,

I'll send the PDF to your e-mail.

Bestens,

Edwin

Ole Tjugen
7-Aug-2006, 13:00
Vielen Dank, Edwin!

Edwin Lachica
8-Aug-2006, 13:06
No problem Ole.

Would you or anyone in the forum have any idea how to use the nodal point mount adjustment?

My question is: how would one determine if a lens has a nodal point in front of the len board or behind the lens board.

Cheers,

Edwin

Ole Tjugen
8-Aug-2006, 13:48
Most lenses have the nodal point very close to the flange.

Schneider lenses are nice - old lenses are here: http://www.schneideroptics.com/info/vintage_lens_data/large_format_lenses/index.htm and new ones here: http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogSubCategoryDisplay.aspx?CID=162

The "offset" is the difference between the flange focal distance and the effective focal length.

The main exceptions are telephoto lenses and retrofocus lenses, but things like Tessar type lenses typically have a few mm offset.

I was out today, playing around with a 355m G-Claron and a 210mm Xenar. I managed to set the offset fairly accurately, so that everything in the center of the GG stayed sharp when I tilted on the axis, and the rest moved in and out of focus.

I'm sure that this is a great feature if you have a reasonable number of lenses. I don't, but I found it quite easy to adjust for the offset whenever I had some idea of which way to turn the rail! :)

o7 philippe
9-Aug-2006, 13:04
a french user to carbon infinity :

http://www.galerie-photo.com/carbon-infinity.html

Ole Tjugen
9-Aug-2006, 13:08
Not anymore - it's his camera I bought!

Edwin Lachica
9-Aug-2006, 14:14
Here's a compilations of all the data that I have gathered so far. I'm posting it here since it might take some time before I get to work on my own website and my planned micro-site for the camera.

Measurements of rise fall and shift were made on the example I have (Carbon Infinity Serial No. 07x)

Cheers,

Edwin


carbon infinity

Adrian Thompson and Barry Noble, designers of the Team Philips boat, designed the Carbon Infinity as the first and only 4”x5” large format camera made from, practically, all carbon fibre components. Eighty-five percent of this camera is made of carbon fiber, the other materials are titanium and aluminum alloy. It was unique in its ability to fold like a field camera into its own compact carbon fiber base yet achieves movements found in monorail cameras.

Though quite a few are turned off by the weight of the camera (3.3 kg), one must understand that the designed aimed to satisfy requirements of stability, full and yaw-free movements, durability and portability. As such the carbon fiber components used are thick solid constructions. An all aluminum construction following the same design and similar strength requirements would’ve been much heavier.

Carbon-fiber composites weigh about one-fifth as much as steel, but can be comparable or better in terms of stiffness and strength, depending on fiber grade and orientation. These composites do not rust or corrode like steel or aluminum. The problem is that carbon-fiber composites cost at least 20 times as much as steel, 5 times more as aluminum. Production of carbon fiber and of the actual composites is labor intensive, slow and expensive.

This explains the high cost (£ 3500 / US$ 6,000) of the Carbon Infinity camera when it was launched in 1990. In 1994, the company closed with only a total of 120 Carbon Infinity cameras produced.

Even today, manufacture of products with high-grade carbon fiber components remain out of reach for mass production. With the current worldwide shortage in carbon fiber and with current supplies biased for aerospace applications, reviving this dream of a camera will remain a dream.

Technical Specifications

• Movements: Carbon Infinity has virtually unlimited movement, and totally yaw free, matching and perhaps exceeding those of studio based monorails.


Front Rise: 5.1 cm

Front Fall: 5.2 cm

Front Base Tilt: 90º (marked up to 40º)

Front Axial Tilt: Bellows limited; A 7.5 cm long nodal point mount gives the possibility of lens tilts on the correct nodal point of any lens.

Front Shift: 7.1 cm (right), 1.6 (left); The front standard can be rotated to provide a left shift of 7.1 cm.

Front Swing: Bellows limited

Rear Rise: 7.1 cm

Rear Fall: 3 cm

Rear Base Tilt: 90º (marked up to 40º)

Rear Axial Tilt: on film plane, bellows limited

Rear Shift: 6.1 cm (right), 2.5 cm (left)

Rear Swing: on film plane, bellows limited

• Bellows

Maximum Extension: 54 cm (Standard Bellows)

Minimum Extension: 3 cm

Bellows Options: Standard or Wide-Angle Bellows

Front Bellows Opening: 8.4 cm x 8.4 cm

Lens board Size: 11.4 with locking pin


• Film Back

Film Back: Horizontal & Vertical International Back

Ground Glass: Bosscreen for Carbon Infinity

• Focusing rails run smoothly on precision rail bearings.


Coarse Focusing: Slider on two parallel rails with positive push button lock

Focus mechanism: Independent Rack and Pinion with a lever clutch lock on front and rear standards

• Closed Dimension: 26 cm x 27 cm x 11 cm

• Weight: 3.3 kilos

• Others

Tripod Socket: 2x 3/8

Locking pin on lens board, bellows, and film back attach to spring loaded lock on the front and back frames

Spirit Levels: Horizontal & Vertical on Front Frame and Rear Frame; Horizontal on both standards

Materials: Carbon Fiber, Titanium, Aluminum

One Lens (up to compact 210 mm) can be kept inside the camera case when folded.

4 titanium pegs on the film back act as a universal holder for reflex viewing accessories from other manufacturers.

• Accessories:

Bellows Lens Hood System with jointed rod and three Hi-Tech filter slots for use with bag bellows. Bellows lens hood system attaches to the nodal point mount.

Studio Kit consisting of a base rail, square bellows, standard with nodal point adjustment, and frame for longer bellows extensions. (If you think the camera itself is rare try looking for this one :) )

Black leather case (Not all cameras shipped with the leather case)


Resources:


Carbon Infinity Set-Up Instructions; Louis Shu of Photo Gizzmo (http://www.photogizzmo.com); Ken Hansen Photographic Price List & Advertisement; John Hannavy Review