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David E. Rose
22-Mar-2002, 12:50
I see from looking at the Hasselblad website that the Arcbody has disappeared. N ow that it is gone, I wonder if I have missed out on a viable portable alternati ve to a 4x5 view camera. Have any of you used this camera and what are your opin ions of it?

bglick
22-Mar-2002, 13:13
The Luminious Landscape did some great reviews on it. http://www.luminous-landscape.com

I think a 2x3 view camera would be more effective at the same task. The Hassy camera used LF lenses, not Hassy lenses. I beleive Hassy still makes the flexbody camera, similar to the arc body, but with less movements. There is a European company that makes adapter plates that can covert fixed MF cameras into psuedo view cameras... i.e. offer rise and tilt. Don't have that link handy.

jnorman
22-Mar-2002, 13:30
i spent many years using small and medium format perspective control systems, and i have to say the hasselblad system was the most awkward and ridiculous system i ever put my hands on. of all the ones i used, i think i liked the pentax 6x7 system with the 75mm shift lens the best. i used it with a waist-level finder, both tripod and handheld, doing work on a couple of book projects, with excellent results.

scambug
22-Mar-2002, 16:07
My understanding is that Hassie sold very few ArcBodies. The FlexBody is much more useful, and as it uses Hasselblad lenses, actually integrates with the camera system.

Kent Phelan
22-Mar-2002, 22:38
Lots of threads on this over at photo.net: http://www.photo.net/search/search? search_type=rest&sections=static_pages&sections=bboard&sections=commen ts&query_string=arcbody

Also, Mike Reichmann's review is quite helpful: http://www.luminous- landscape.com/arcbody.htm

I have been using a Flexbody for a couple of years. I chose it over the Arc for reasons illuminated here and other places, and it has proven to be a long term keeper. The Arcbody is wonderful if you can live with the 3 lens selection, and/or need copius amounts of front rise. And, of course, can accomodate the premium pricing.

If I were going to spend that kind of money for a purpose-built wide angle shift camera, I'd opt for the Horseman 612 Professional.

---Kent

Lars Åke Vinberg
23-Mar-2002, 14:10
David,

I thought long and hard about really portable view camera options last year, starting with the ArcBody. For size, weight, and function, the only real contender was Ebony's non-folding SW23.

For the functionality you get, the Arcbody is simply not a good value. Yes, the body is small and light, but you still have to carry viewer, RFH, lenses, spotmeter, and tripod - and you still have to go through all the operational steps associated with view cameras. For all that effort, you get a comparatively small film size. It might be a good complement to your existing Hasselblad gear, but if you have to start from scratch in the Hassy world then it's a bit pricey for what you get. Best regards, ?ke

David E. Rose
23-Mar-2002, 16:15
There are a couple of references here to Hasselblad's Flexbody- an obvious alternative to the Arcbody. My assumption about this camera is that the standard Blad wide angle lenses would allow very little movement with this camera- is this correct?

Lars Åke Vinberg
23-Mar-2002, 16:27
David, this topic was also discussed at photo.net last year:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=001TQw

Ed Burlew
24-Mar-2002, 09:40
The ARC body blad is being discontinued. The Flex body will remain in production. If you want alot of flexibility and want 6x9 the the ARC SWISS is a great choice, You can use the same lenses as on the flex body but you get a full view camera. You can put any lense on it and you can out a digital back on it too. It has full movements.