4x5 + DSLR Experiment- it kinda works

[Darren H]

Like a few people on the forum here, I have wondered what it would be like to have a digital back for my DSLR. Also, like most people, it is way out of my budget. I have seen a few threads where people bought adapters for their DSLRs and wondered how that might work. Having a little freetime, a brainstorm, and a buddy who is good with tools and I put one together.

The nutshell result-it kinda works. So I thought I might post it here in case anyone is interested.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5502204187_c6043d1116.jpg

The longer story.....

I have an Arca-Swiss Discovery with the 171mm lens boards. The Arca-Swiss system is highly modular and adaptable. My thought was to just pop off the ground glass, put on a flat lensboard and mount the camera to it. The adaptable nature of Arca means taking off the ground glass and putting on a flat lens board takes less than 5 seconds.

My thought was if I could mount the camera on the board, I could use the camera to shift and stitch images.

I had an old flat lensboard with a #1 hole. I purchased a cheap eBay extension tube set (approx $15) and had a buddy epoxy it to the board. He also took out the #1 sized hole just a little more too.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5253/5502204359_01c91f23ea.jpg


Since the extension tube set was modular I added just enough of them so that the prism would clear the board.


http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5255/5502796080_90fa5e3265.jpg

[Darren H]

After that I mounted the camera and a lens.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5253/5502204651_e6c55902c0.jpg


Then all I needed was live view to focus!! Did it work? Yes!

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5297/5502796522_693d02b794.jpg


Using live view I was able to focus the lens. I set the aperture on the lens and then left the DSLR in Av mode, it set the shutter and made the image. It is sharp and had good detail and color.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5017/5502204595_56acdb9498.jpg

[Darren H]

I found that I could use my 210mm lens with ease and I could just squeeze down to use my 125mm. Anything shorter would just not be possible because of the distance the DSLR was hanging off the lensboard.

The camera can be worked in both horizontal and vertical format.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5297/5502796522_693d02b794.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5259/5502204417_065a06f096.jpg

Movements can be used like some back tilt here.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5132/5502796038_dec236e39c.jpg




Now for the downside. I was hoping this would be a good platform for stitching. However with the Discovery all the movements are friction and not geared. So to shift, I have to loosen a knob, slide and retighten. What I find is that the focus will shift ever so slightly when I do it. So it becomes actually more difficult to stitch panos than to just use my DSLR handheld.

So while the the set up will work to get an image, it is not very practical for me in the field.

I was hoping to get excellent stitching results but I think I will either just pano stitch with the DSLR or just use film with the 4x5 and scan it.

Now for someone with a rail camera and geared movement, a setup like this might just be what you need. It is fairly simple to put together provided you have one of those modular camera models.

[John NYC]

Neat. You probably had a better time making your own (you certainly saved money), but Shen-Hao makes one of these for their 4x5 cameras for those who don't DIY.

https://www.badgergraphic.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=2859

[Professional]

I have that Shen Hao DSLR adapter, used it on my Shen Hao, it is a pain in.... but the lens 150mm turned to be a macro lens, so sharp as razor.

[vinny]

Sounds like a pain in the ass to haul around a perfectly good view camera, then attach another camera to that. I'd think 35mm lenses are typically quite a bit sharper anyway compared to lf equivelants.

[GPS]

...



My thought was if I could mount the camera on the board, I could use the camera to shift and stitch images.
...
Since the extension tube set was modular I added just enough of them so that the prism would clear the board.

...


You could have spared yourself the effort if you realized that adding the collar (tubes) to the lensboard severely limits the amount of shift you can use before getting vignetting...

[Darren H]

Neat. You probably had a better time making your own (you certainly saved money), but Shen-Hao makes one of these for their 4x5 cameras for those who don't DIY.

https://www.badgergraphic.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=2859

Hey that does look pretty sharp. Looks like a better setup for those interested in stitching. The $260 Badger wants is somewhat reasonable. Certainly more so than a digital back.

Since mine cost me less than $40 I aint complaining at all. Especially since even trying it made me realize that, at least for me, just working with film is easier with my 4x5. I'll leave the DSLR for DSLR stuff.

I had not given it much thought macro wise but I think Professional could be on to something there. However I am a landscape and not a macro guy so I doubt I'll see much use for it.

Anyway, I thought it might be of interest to a few folks if they wanted to attempt to mix their DSLR with their view camera.

[Brian C. Miller]

There are setups like that for MF and other cameras, too. The macro bellows I bought for my Pentax 6x7 came with a home-made lensboard adpater for view camera lenses. It's much easier to use a view camera than the macro adapter, of course.

[walter23]

Heh, I used pretty much those same cheapo extension tubes to do this with a 9x12 plate camera once. It was fun.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b377/walter2323/digihybrid.jpg


http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b377/walter2323/IMG_7076.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b377/walter2323/IMG_7064.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b377/walter2323/IMG_7083.jpg

[walter23]

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b377/walter2323/IMG_7057.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b377/walter2323/IMG_7031.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b377/walter2323/IMG_7036-1.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b377/walter2323/IMG_7032.jpg

[Darren H]

Heh, I used pretty much those same cheapo extension tubes to do this with a 9x12 plate camera once. It was fun.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b377/walter2323/digihybrid.jpg


Neat looking setup and good results too!!

I may have to rethink the macro option for wildflowers.

[papah]

I use a CameraFusion sliding back on my Combo 4x5 with a Nikon D5000 or D3. I've also used this with a Linhof III for use with numerous soft-focus lenses.

An example:
http://hemingway.cs.washington.edu/portfolio/pano/velo.html