CameraFusion announces MetaFormat Stitching Back

[ykumar]

MetaFormat Stitching Back

The MetaFormat Stitching Back is a mechanical adapter that mates a Digital SLR camera to any Large Format camera equipped to support universal Graflok or International backs. The MetaFormat stitching adapter is mounted on the Large Format camera, and a Digital SLR is attached to the MetaFormat adapter, using a supplied Canon or Nikon bayonet mount. The digital camera can be moved in either the X or Y axis of the film plane, making it possible to capture one or more images that can later be stitched together on a PC, Mac or Linux.

Visit the website: www.camerafusion.com to see some unique macro panorama stitched images.

[Charles Carstensen]

Sounds too hoakey for words. Someone please tell me what advantage it would have over 35mm or medium format. And, dont say large blowup quality. Just another gimmick.

[Sheldon N]

The thing that I've heard is that the mirror box creates a shadow that impedes you from using the full image circle of whatever lens you are shooting with.

However, I'm sure that if you stitched together a 3x4 frame grid with a high end DSLR it would give you phenomenal image quality. The only issue is when dealing with moving subject and changing light.

[ykumar]

"The thing that I've heard is that the mirror box creates a shadow that impedes you from using the full image circle of whatever lens you are shooting with."

This is correct. However it is not as bad as one might think. As you mention a 3x4 frame contains a phenomenal amount of information. Our adapter, will allow the construction of upto 6cm x 12cm, of image area, which gets close to 200 Megapixels. However for shorter lenses, or extreme movements we find that 6x7 is a great size to shoot.

The adapter is intended to address a subset of photographic tasks. We have had the most success with customers doing art reproduction work, where they need to produce life size reproductions of artwork for Giclee printing. A 36" print at 300 DPI requires 10,800 x 10,800 pixels. To do this properly, without breaking the bank, film is so far the most practical choice. Stitching with an affordable DSLR now makes it possible to do the same thing in an all digital flow.

Tabletop, and macro photography work quite well, since they typically extend the lens away from the SLR body. Nature photography is fun to attempt, but I wouldn't trade in my film holders just yet.

[docmaas]

It's about time but too late for me. I've been doing this with a horizontal rail and a front standard with rise from an old LF camera for some time. I'm now in the middle of making a new back based on a microscope stage; in fact it is almost complete. Had I known about yours I might have foregone that project. Mine will have 9cm vertical and 12cm horizontal but the whole back is custom made and it is mounted on a small leica bellows 150mm rail with a front standard from a Linhof Kardan.

I think this is a great product though and I wish you the best selling it. How much does one cost? If cheap enough maybe I will buy one anyway.

There are two major sources of vignetting, the mirror tunnel and the walls of the sensor wells along with the microlenses and probably the bayer filter on cameras that have them. The tunnel walls look just like regular vignetting but the sensorwall/microlens looks a little different: more blurry than black. The more direct the angle of light the less problem there is. But as the OP says you can still get a lot of useful pixels out of them.

I use a sigma SD10 and will soon use the SD14 both of which have truecolor pixels without bayer filters and which will probably come very close to the best digital backs available aside from the limited bit depth that will give reduced dynamic range.

Sigma has also announced the DP1, a P&S with the same Foveon sensor but with a fixed lens. I hope to be able to remove the lens and use that as the digital back which should remove a lot of the vignetting issues since the sensor will be much closer to the back, I would guess on the order of 20mm or so rather than the 44 - 45 of a Sigma, Pentax, Canon or Nikon. That in turn should allow a full 12x9 image. The big catch is that is going to take something like 40-50 shots which means a very still subject.

Mike

[Jack Flesher]

I had one of these similar devices for a while and it worked very well. Since you are "scanning" across the IC of a stationary lens, the images line up perfectly for stitching. Though the process can be time-consuming for the captures: http://www.studiotoolsystem.com/index.shtml

Cheers,

[Marko]

That's something I always wanted and talked about! If the price is reasonable, I'll definitely get one of those.

Speaking of prices, why are you not listing the price on the website?

Also, looking at your website, which looks nice enough, I think you would only benefit of including more of non-technical information. Specifically, privacy policy, return policy, real contact info (something more than just an email address and phone number), etc. Those are all considered basics for a reputable and competent web presence.

[docmaas]

Well here it is: SVC (Sigma View Camera) final Generation.

It consists of an Olympus Microscope stage with geared movement in the X and Y directions, sliding across the back of an alloy plate the front of which has a frame for bellows and which is mounted on the back of a Leica Bellows rail. The camera is mounted on the stage via a QR mount from Custom Brackets. The stage as set up can give up to about 9x11cm. The camera can't really make an image that big though because of vignetting from the mirror tunnel. However I have hopes that a DP1 will be able to make a much larger image due to the lack of a mirror tunnel.

The front standard comes from a Linhof Technica Kardan Color camera and has full movements. In addition I added a micrometer stage under the front stage for microfocus.

I have yet to finish the bellows and the light seal for the Sigma on the stage. The bottom of the vertical rail has a piece of fibreboard on it for light sealing right now that will probably be replaced by aluminum eventually.

Here are some pics. You can see them full sized at http://www.pbase.com/masimo/svcfg


Mike

[chris jordan]

That looks awesome. I want one for 8x10. Will there be such a thing?

[docmaas]

That looks awesome. I want one for 8x10. Will there be such a thing?

Hi Chris,

I had that one made and the machinist who helped me said he would never do another but any good machinist can. The issues are for 8x10 that even with a full frame sensor you're going to have to take a lot of images to stitch together which means a non-moving subject. Also you'll probably have to make the geared stage since microscope stages don't come that large or even if they do will probably cost a mint.

The stage I used is larger than most but you can always get the stage and just use the moving parts. I may do that eventually just to light this beast up a bit.

Mike

You should write to camerafusion and ask them if they can make a larger one.